I am starting this petition because suddenly the UK is going to allow 4 households to meet because Christmas is coming although COVID deaths are rising.

Eid and Diwali both took place during lockdown. Infact the number of COVID deaths were already declining before Eid even came. However a lockdown was placed as soon as eid was announced the night before Eid. What a time to make an announcement for lockdown at 11pm. This was a very last minute lockdown announcement. The initial lockdown in March even had a planned start date. 

The government has just shown us that in the UK ethnicity determines whether we can celebrate our festivals. Also we can see that lockdown for festivals has no relation to number of deaths either. As we come to the winter period when deaths from other causes will also be rising and there are concerns about influenza then how can there be plans for four household to meet.

The NHS is made up of between 21 to 25% Black and ethnic minority (BAME) staff. Yet only 13% of the nation is BAME. Sadly the government has shown us that as BAME our religious beliefs and festivals are inferior to Christmas and our only job is to make sure we staff the NHS and other crucial business that help the economy such as Indian, Chinese, Thai, Persian, Turkish etc. restaurants and takeaways. 

I always think of religious and ethnic discrimination as being associated with developing countries. It has always been an issue that makes me feel upset as I feel that everyone should have the freedom to practice thier religion and festivals freely. In some areas of the world because of their ethnicity people have no homes and are not allowed to have good jobs and are forced to give thier children as slaves to those of higher 'caste' or 'ethnicity'. 

I know so many staff in the NHS that have travelled from developing countries to come and work here. They have not been able to celebrate their festivals with the one or two other households they know in the UK because of lockdown. Is their only job to staff the NHS?. The UK is taking foreign workers to improve the UK and the developing countries are losing the few people they have been able to educate. The UK government then slaps these minority groups in the face by creating lockdown during their festivals and planning for four households to meet up for Christmas.

COVID has really brought about the realities of how discrimination affects every corner of the planet. The reality is that if discrimination like this still exists in a country like the UK then how do we stop slavery and trafficking of young children in developing countries. Come on Boris Johnson be fair. We all know winter is difficult time as it is. We knkw the death rates are higher now than they were during Eid. The rates are also climbing. So it just doesn't  make any sense to have four households mixing other than showing us that Christmas is a superior festival which means we can bend the rules. 

This petition is more than just lockdown and festivals. It isn't difficult to celebrate during lockdown because you know you are helping to curb the spread of COVID. This petition is about tackling discrimination before it gets out of hand. Let's tackle the discrimination in the UK so we can move on to help our brothers and sisters across the globe to improve thier societies too.

Peace to all. I sincerely hope everyone can have a safe Christmas and New years.