Severe white racism, however, is also reflected in the book by the description of

the butcher Mo’s experience of regular violence suffered at the hands of white
perpetrators in his shops over 18 years. As a result Mo turns to Islamism despite
being
married to a white Irish woman. While this type of racism is partly responsible for
Millat’s fervour for the Keepers of the Eternal and Victorious Islamic Nation
(KEVIN), his more complicated case will be discussed in the subsequent chapter on
“Muslims and Islamists.” In the case of Mo, the butcher’s resort to KEVIN
experience of racist violence is his chief motivation. This “big man with attitude”
over 18 years of running a halal butcher’s and sweetshop “had been a victim of
serious physical
attacks and robbery without fail three times a year” resulting among other things
in the loss of finger-tips. (WT, 472). He only “reported” the first attack to the
police, as it resulted in a violent “late-night visit from five policemen.” (WT,
472)
The narrator clarifies that the “culprits” of the attacks and robbery coming from
diverse social backgrounds and both sexes “were all white. And this simple fact had
done more to politicise Mo over the years than all the party broadcasts, rallies,
and
petitions the world could offer. (WT, 473, my emphasis)

'' The terms “wog”, “coon”, “darkie”, “Paki”, “wop”, “black” and “coloured”, used
in an abusive or prejudiced manner against foreigners, seem to be omnipresent
around the
girls.''

Samad went to Delhi University and has worked as a “scientist,” (WT, 58) but on
arrival found it “hard to get work in England” and thus reverted to his cousin’s
restaurant for a job as a waiter (WT, 93). Like the character Chanu in Brick Lane,
Samad
seems to have given up all attempts at social mobility in this country “where you
are never welcomed, only tolerated.” (WT, 407) Similar to Chanu, he has resorted to
keeping his wisdom for his private circle, as well as his local pub O’Connell’s.
Therefore, it is shown that immigrants are still disproportionately the victims of
a
certain degree of social exclusion in the 1990s.

Shiva is discriminated against as the only Hindu working in Ardashir’s “Bengali

Muslim” restaurant where Samad is the headwaiter. (WT, 502)