No matter how intelligent a person is, it doesn't mean they won't have preconcieved notions about people. That is just part of being a human. You can't let her engaging in stereotyping affect you.
But similarly, with this channel BET, if you are allowed to have a Black Entertainment Channel, then where is the White Entertainment channel? What would people think if there was a channel just for white people?
Every other channel is White Entertainment Television. Most primetime shows are geared towards white middle class America. I know you are in Britian, but I am just using American primetime television as an example.
Television companies of course hope that the other minorities will get into it, but they see the dollar signs attached directly the heads of white middle class people. It just can't be helped. Because of this, you will find minority groups aren't fully represented in the media, or get little 20/20 specials about things going on in their lives. And those shows aren't even aimed at minority groups still. I would rather have a BET (no matter how utterly shitty) than having that bozo Al Sharpton on his soapbox complaining black people aren't being represented in the media.
This also takes me back to when I was asked by a random Indian guy on campus if I knew where the Indian club was. I actually replied to him 'Why would I be interested in an Indian club?' and he thought it was because I was Indian. I am ethnically Indian yes, but I dont look any different to anyone from any country in the the Indian sub continent, and I also identify myself as British and avoid Indian only social groups like the plague.
When I bought this story up with my white friends, one of them actually put a great perspective on it - 'Well, why exactly do they need an Indian group? What is wrong with us? Is there something wrong with talking to us? So if they can have an Indian only group is it ok for me to have a white only group? Wouldn't that be racist?'
The purpose of ethnic groups is to let people of the same race or culture to get together and possibly have discussions about their history, their historical country of origin, or just help people of their own race in the community. If you are a British Indian who doesn't know a lot about Indian culture, you can go to these groups and learn a little bit about your historical background. More than what you would learn in a two week section on India.
The government tries to help as much as they can with all communities, but they also have to worry about other stuff. So an ethnic group takes up the slack and help the people that need help. It isn't meant to be racist or exclusive.
I am a black man, but I was in the Filipino Asian American Association, and they didn't care for half a second. The teacher sponser was white himself. Our African American Association had white people in it. They weren't even South African. It is just a place where people can go to listen to get a taste of the historical meaning, music, food behind the culture. I doubt a regular group of people really want to sit around and listen to some authentic indian music or even learn about a country they have no connection to.
So that brings up the same question - Why would Black people need their own TV channel, what is wrong with others? Racial pride?
From Racial pride comes racial supremecy, the belief that your race is better then others, and both of these are unfavored and wouldn't be allowed in Britain under our law which fully promotes equality and no differences between people of different races.
Why do we need country borders? Why do we have such things (in America at least) as Black History Month?
Your taking something harmless to an extreme. None of these groups, well the majority promote cultural superiority. These groups don't concern themselves with others. It is to give you pride in your races culture, where you wont find it from other races. My school had a white cultural club. It was centered around people of historical European descent, but it existed, and no one cried racism or "white supremacy."
