by Tony Leamon:
Increasingly the Cornish people, the people of Cornwall and indeed, Cornwall itself are the object of racist and bigoted abuse, highly insulting remarks and nasty threats.
On many websites including one used by serving armed forces personnel, we see comments which are littered with foul and disgusting language.
They accuse the Cornish of being many unrepeatable things the least of which are the now well used words ‘inbred’, ‘thick’, ignorant’, ‘stupid’, ‘carrot crunchers’ and far, far worse.
The remarks on the Army forum suggested that Cornwall be cut off and allowed to sink which bearing in mind the current conditions being borne by many is wholly inappropriate.
I find this completely unacceptable and when I read recently that one individual was publicly posting comments suggesting that his fellows actually physically assault Cornish people, I was incandescent with rage.
These are not just a few limited comments either. There are literally hundreds of them and I have even been made aware of actual conversations between individuals where unacceptable remarks and threats have been made.
Were such abuse to be directed at any other group of people, the full force of the law would be applied.
But the Cornish, as has been the case for so very many years, remain second class citizens and this despite the fact that they are amongst the oldest indigenous peoples of these islands, pre English and the creation of England yet alone the United Kingdom.
To some blinkered individuals, the mere mention of the Cornish people or their Celtic language is like a red rag to a bull and they turn to abuse and unpleasantness.
This is now unacceptable and I for one am joining in with the many others who call upon the Government in distant Westminster as well as for our Council to make every effort to include the Cornish people within the European Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities.
We are allowed to mark ourselves as Cornish on the Census and most other official forms. It is time for those who abuse us to be called to account.
I have written both to my MP and to the Secretary of State to this effect. I hope others will do the same.
February, 2014
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