A workplace culture where fathers are encouraged to take paternity leave would result in stronger families, a more equal labour market and a better economy.
David LammyRead
People don't contest that I'm British as a black man, but they do contest that I'm English. Too many people are going back to an ethnocentric idea of what being English means.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote highlights the complexities of identity and belonging, particularly regarding race and nationality.
David Lammy's quote addresses the challenges faced by individuals of diverse backgrounds in being accepted as part of a national identity. He points out that while his British identity is acknowledged, doubts arise regarding his claim to an English identity, suggesting a narrow and ethnocentric view of what it means to be English. This reflects broader societal attitudes toward race, ethnicity, and the inclusiveness of national identity.
Themes
IdentityEthnicityNationalityRaceInclusiveness
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about cultural diversity at a community event.
More from David Lammy
All quotes →We cannot afford to lose talented young black people, who make it to university, overseas, or worse, to let other talented black people be put off by the notion that university is somehow not for them.
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The idea of a family sitting round the kitchen table and carefully planning their future family size based on the certainty of years to come is a complete fantasy. Back in the real world, jobs are lost, livelihoods taken away, families break apart, partners leave or pass away.
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Many black youths are defying stereotypes, achieving good academic results, finding employment and contributing to their communities. But helping those who fall behind is not an exercise in political correctness, it is a precisely what a compassionate - and sensible - state should concern itself with.
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Like many black men growing up in London, I have been stopped and searched by several policemen. I was 12 years old when I was first groped and frisked by police for walking down the road. It terrified me so much I wet myself.
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Dads are not a risk to be managed, but a resource to be used for the benefit of the whole family.
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