Black, ill-informed and ignorant

Gordon Brown, Chancellor of the Exchequer yesterday unveiled the yearly budget for the country as well as future plans for public spending, Investment, Inflation and Economic Growth. Basically budget type stuff as you would expect from the chancellor and the government. Positive highlights of the budget include:

• Inflation on target at 2%
• £34 billion of investment in schools over the next 5 years
• Increases in child tax credit, child benefit, child trust funds and childcare vouchers
• New funding to provide skills training for low-skilled women

These are some of the plus points, there are of course bad points. Typically all the newspapers and TV stations are full of information about the budget. The BBC has lots of info including a download of the budget in its entirety (yes i downloaded it. 2.3M, 310 pages. 20 secs, broadband rocks), broadsheets have special pullout sections, other papers have dedicated loads of pages to detailed reports, the tabloids have a few pages on the subject and even the 2 soft porn titles masquerading as newspapers have something a page or half on the budget.

Everyone has something to say on the subject. Except Black Newspapers.

Granted they are printed once a week i think, but this is the digital age. I have checked both their websites and come up with nothing. This budget was delivered yesterday afternoon and 24hours later there is no information about it on either of their websites.

That is fucking disgraceful.

These are supposed to be the newspapers for the Black people in this country and they have nothing to say about the country's national budget. There are 4 possible reasons why they have no information about it on their websites.

1. They are not aware that the Chancellor delivered his yearly budget yesterday
2. They are aware but have nothing to say
3. They are aware but have not updated their website as they are a weekly paper
4. They are aware but do not believe that the black population in this country give two fucks about the budget

The first reason is beyond stupidity as they are a news organisation and as such should be well aware of this.

The second is also ridiculous as again they are a news organisation and as such should at least report it so that the Black people who buy it are aware of what the fuck is going on in this country.

The third reason is just plain dumb. This is the 21st century and the digital age, the internet is now a prime source of information for loads of people and it is relatively easy to update a website.

The fourth reason is the only option which is not beyond comprehension. I know some black people who would happily discuss the budget and its effects on the UK and global economy. I also know some people who would look at me with a blank expression to rival Homer Simpson's if i tried to discuss it with them.

I blame the Newspapers and sections of the Black population. Last year was election year and lots of black people were yapping on about not voting cos they didnt know what the government was doing to improve their lives. The Black papers were also on about similar type shit. How do you expect to know what the government is doing to improve your life if you dont seek - or in the case of the papers provide the - information.

How is it NOT in black people's interest that inflation is low at 2%. If it goes up then the cost of living goes up. It will be more difficult to provide for yourself or your family.

How is it NOT in black people's interest that £34billion is going to be invested in schools over the next 5 years. Last i checked, there are black kids in schools up and down the country. More to the point, Black kids(especially boys) tend to perform worse than other kids. Part of the plan is to reduce class sizes and hopefully make it easier for pupils to learn.

How is it NOT in black people's interest that government aid for bringing up children is on the increase. There are a ridiculous amount of single black moms (a shame on the black fathers who dont do right) out there who stand to gain from this increase. Granted in some cases its not a lot of money but at least it takes care of breakfast or dinner and i would imagine that in those circumstances, every bit of help counts.

How is it NOT in black people's interest that the government is trying to provide skills training for low-skilled women. If our women are better trained and educated they should in theory be able to get better jobs, be more knowledgeable and advance or change their career paths. If our women are better off then in theory we as a people will have made one step forward.

I dont buy any of the black newspapers that i am talking about. The reasons should be evident by now. I want news info about UK politics, Business environment, Social policy, Global affairs etc. I dont get this from any of the black papers in this country ergo i have to buy TheTimes. I have been asked why i buy that instead of a black paper and for starters i dont believe that i should buy a paper because it portends to be the paper for black people. I buy papers that further my thirst and quest for knowledge and sadly the black papers dont do that. I make no apologies about not buying them at all. They need to improve as a source of information.

Apparently their goal is to help improve the black populace in the UK. They are failing miserably IMO. The people i mentioned above who can discuss issues such as the budget with me dont buy the black papers. We all buy what some would consider "white papers". I have been told in the past that i should not buy these papers as somehow it is a betrayal. I disagree, the papers are the ones who are betraying the black people in this country by not providing information that can truly help them improve their lives. Part of the black population are betraying themselves by choosing to remain ignorant and showing no hunger or desire for information.

Fuck me and all. That really is a long post.

On a lighter note, he also reduced tax on condoms from 17.5% to 5%.