1/

I& #39;m pinning this in response to two private messages from two men telling me that I& #39;m "encouraging" racism in my tweet about the misrepresentation of Britain& #39;s past in television drama.
2/

Both men are white, they are (going by their profiles) middle class, and seem to jump around Twitter finding racism wherever they go.

To them, before I block them, I want to say this:-

I happen to be three minorities in one, by your yardstick.

A woman. A brown woman. And??
3/

"And??" you& #39;ll have to wonder about. If it ever comes up you& #39;ll know.

Both sets of my grandparents came here from Punjab in the 1950s with nothing to their name but a determination to do well. They worked hard and made sure that my parents and aunts and uncles did well.
4/

They never made demands on the state, never sought special treatment, never blamed anybody when things weren& #39;t going well. Nor did my wonderful parents, who were liberal in their parenting and never forced Sikh cultural norms or religious belief upon us.
5/

My parents had as many white friends as they did Sikh friends. They and my grandparents were intensely patriotic. Since university on most of my friends have been white, but I have friends of all races and religions.
6/

Only once have I ever experienced racism (and sexism) and that happened when Mum and I, on our way to a wedding, got lost in Birmingham. It wasn& #39;t white people shouting and making a fuss about us, let me make that clear.
7/

I respect all religions and all people. That& #39;s how I was brought up. I lost my own faltering faith when I went to university, where I read mediaeval history, which was my great love at school. I did go to Punjab when I was 15.
8/

That was a wonderful trip, but though I recognised everything culturally, I just didn& #39;t feel the same love for it as I did England. England was home, where I grew up. How could I feel anything but English, despite my background and skin colour?
9/

My dream came true four years ago when I was able to move into the countryside I& #39;d always loved. I rent, because I can& #39;t afford to buy, while my brothers and cousins all own their homes. I& #39;d sooner do it this way than not do it at all though.
10/

I love the clear air, the peace, the walks, my cat and my two near neighbours who have been wonderfully helpful. I love going with them to the village pub now and again (don& #39;t tell Mum!), I love fish and chips, I love everything this country gave and gives to me.
11/

So, my two witch hunting friends, know that I have a love for my country and its wonderful people that I think is shared by most Sikhs. It& #39;s because I love and respect my fellow English people that I respect the history that made them.
12/

I realise and accept that people of my background are only a recent part of that history, which is, immutably, that of a white European people. If I were to see a turbaned Tudor or a black cavalier in a television period drama I would laugh my shoes off with everyone else.
13/

I& #39;d also think it very insulting to the English and their historical truth. Blatant misrepresentation is unacceptable, always.

Finally, in this wonderful English phrase:- please bugger off.
You can follow @ParveenAtwal3.
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