All those 'jumping' on the #blacklivesmatter campaign can start by taking a long hard look at their own community first.

We as an Asian community have the very same attitude towards blackness as those we wish to criticise. We are well aware that racism towards minorities is systematic in parts of the western world but anyone who thinks this is something that is exclusive here in the UK or America simply does not want to face the hard facts.

Within the Asian community we are equally prejudiced towards black people and this racism has been passed down from generation to generation. We like to think we are different but we do not call out racism in the same way as we should because we are afraid of what people might say.

This casual racism is something that continues to plague any debate on the subject.

What I find extremely concerning is how some Muslims have used the #blacklivesmatter campaign to highlight how Islam and their own people are ‘not racist.’ This is something that makes for some really worrying reading. We Muslims are just ass bad at trying to hide our own inconsistencies. The very people who claim equality will use words such as ‘kala’ (black) in a derogatory way to describe black people. There are those who say that ‘kala’ just means black. But we know all too well just like the word ‘gora,’ it is rarely used as a simply a description but always in a way of making derogatory remarks.

I have heard the word ‘bandar’ (monkey) still used by people within my own community.You would think this is amongst men but women do it too.

Both types will then jump on almost any anti-Muslim bandwagon to help alleviate their guilt that they are not doing something to help their ‘ummah’.

At the same time whenever Israel is in the news we think it is okay to be anti-Jewish. One level of racism and prejudice is replaced by another and we continue to teach these standards to the next generation.

The Middle Eastern oil states have been built on the backs of Asians (South and East) and we are well aware of how poorly they have been treated in those countries. We would also not talk about the fact that Islamic countries throughout history were also involved in exploiting Africans and other races with millions sold into slavery.

Anti-blackness is also epidemic within Indian and South Asian culture. So much so that it was only up until a few years ago that one was able to see 'black face' in Bollywood movies and Indian TV programmes. Let’s not kid ourselves, we all sat there and watched and laughed when our favourite film actor ridiculed those of African descent.

Bollywood and the Indian film industry also continues to portray white women differently to others. Almost every other item song still has scantily clad white female dancers dancing behind the lead actor. What impression is this giving to millions of fans across the world?

I would go as far as to say large elements of Indian culture is based on prejudice towards those of other religions and colour and despite attempts to challenge it, there is still a long way to go to tackle this.

I am all for backing campaigns but I sense the only reason some of us have jumped on this latest bandwagon is because it is calling out racism with British and American society, whilst deftly ignoring the prejudice we continue to peddle on a daily basis within our own cultures.