To Rosusa Mansuran, Brighton who wrote "I want to get ahead according to my merit, but my colour can and HAS been held against me"

Really? You have proof? What was the outcome of the tribunal then? Because, if this is actually true, you surely took it to court.

Or.... do you mean you just *felt* this just because you didn't get the job?

Tom Franklin, London, UK

Rosusa Mansuran, Brighton, Brighton - I have not read any comments that "deny racism exists", therefore your demand that everyone stops doing so appears rather illogical.

As for your statement: "look around you people, how many people do you see at the top in big national corporations like the BBC, the Police, the NHS etc?"

I shall presume you meant to insert "non-white" in front of the word people in the statement above. If that is the case, no I don't see many.

But in your enormous leap of cause and effect analysis, or perhaps merely wishful thinking, what evidence do you have that this is because of racism? You appear not to have considered the possibility that a) non-whites don't apply in the first place and therefore it's a complete impossibility for them to get the job b) those that do apply, just as all the rejected white candidates, are simply not the best candidate for the position c) they get offered the job but do not accept it.

So, what evidence do you have?

Laura Roberts, London, UK

My goodness, talk about snide remarks from people who REALLY should be hurling rocks at glass houses!

Racism exists in this country, big time, and if we DARE to protest about it we suffer for it, yes racism works both ways, but look around you people, how many people do you see at the top in big national corporations like the BBC, the Police, the NHS etc?

I want to get ahead according to my merit, but my colour can and HAS been held against me, and no I am not being bitter and sour, far from it, but I know racism exists, from experience and from the work I do, in a big organisation by the way, but that is by the way, don't knock Mr HENRY for having the courage to ask a question that MOST would like to kick under the carpet.

And I don't agree with positive discrimination by the way because I know full well that it will shut more doors than it opens, but STOP denying that racism exists, it does and will probably continue to exist well into the next century.

Rosusa Mansuran, Brighton, Brighton

it's totally wrong to give a person an important job like DG of the BBC on the basis of his colur, British institutions fall over themselves to be fair, and I'm sorry most ethnic minorities know it, and are cynically using it to their own advantage knowing they can cry "racism" fif their views are challenged . Only recently a headmaster said the behaviour in his school had improved because on the white pupils had left leaving it mainly muslim and african pupils, imagine if the colours had been reversed, and before anyone asks..I'm as black as coal and proud of it.

Uche George, Lonodn, England

Sorry Lenny, you used to be very funny but you seem to have exhausted that vein of humour which you used so well in the past. Your most recent production is a travesty of your work.

As to affirmative action, those comments which do not support it are spot on. I came from an immigrant working class background and ended up in the profesional classes. In my childhood and until my forties there was a distinct taint of racism against people of my origin. Had I ever achieved the position I did because of affirmative action, I would have felt that I had cheated. Any 'achievement' I had made would have tasted like ashes in my mouth. A person with some degree of moral fibre must stand against this patronising of minorities (poor loves, they need a helping hand because they'll never make it on their own).
Lenny would be well advised to heed the proverb: 'Cobbler, stick to thy last'

Bill Q, Derby,

If a white person had said that there are too many blacks in sport, for example, he would have been hung out to dry. Racism works both ways, Mr Henry.

Latrine, London, England

I am offended. Discrimination is discrimination, no matter how you fancy it up. Jobs shopuld go to the most suitably qualified. As a man in my late 50's, who has been declared 'redundant' on no less than 5 occasions, I face discrimination every time I apply for a job. My CV does not include my date of birth, I no longer put my employment dates on it, but it does not take rocket science to figure out my approximate age. Black, white, yellow, bald, disabled, old or any combination, it does not matter. If you are qualified, you can do the job!

Ron, Milton Keynes, Bucks

Lenny Henry should be grateful to BBC policies for still giving him a paycheck long after his career has expired.

John Ledbury, Kings Lynn, England

I entirely agree with Lenny Henry on this one. As a black man who's very very slowly risen through the ranks of the organisation I work for - despite having an MBA, and a host of other qualifications, as well as the ability to do the job much better than those who are sitting over me (some of whom I trained myself) - it is like we are faced with triple or quadruple standards! Organisations need to reflect the ethnic and cultural dimensions of the country, more so the BBC, where all ethnic groups pay to keep them on air!

Paul, London, UK

A person should be 'employed' on 'merit', regardless of their 'colour'.
As an asian I DO NOT believe in affirmative action, as that can lead to a totally incompetitent person in a postion, without due merit/s. Encourage all but chose whichever is the 'best' without any discrimination.

Arvin, London,

The argument is fundamentally flawed, if we are all equal then why does this denote that a black, asian or white person should be at any position. They should be judged on their skills and ability not race or creed.

Just because there are more white people in a particular position is not excuse to say that other people should have a given right to have those positions.

Everyone likes to have their own perception of racism which is mostly fabricated from their own believes.

Rob Tunna, Liverpool, UK

The only time I can think of positive racial discrimination was after the case of Apartheid.

If you look at the professions such as Banking, Accountancy, Law and Medicine you don't see "Ethnic Minorities" being promoted just to fill a quota. You see them being promoted to the most seior roles, because they have proved they have the talent to succeed.

It's a simple matter of getting a job done well, at whatever cost, not about meeting ethnic quotas.

Hassan Azam, Banbury, Oxfordshire, England

I think the fact that Lenny Henry is still on the television is proof that affirmative action is already alive and well at the BBC.

Harry, London,

In other words they've rejected Lenny Henry's bid to get back on TV. This of course to him must be because of racism and not the fact that he was never anything but a mediocre comedian wheeled out to everyone's yawns along with wife Dawn French at the usual patsy TV events.

There are many problems with positive discrimination overall. One thing it leads to, is a certain cynicism among whites in an organisation that a BME appointee may have got the job purely on his or her race rather than ability. And I'm sure that's in the overall interests of people from BME's looking for genuine respect.

D whitts, Sheffield,

Lenny who?
Oh yes that has been so called comedian that cheated on his lovely wife. Trying to get his name back in the headlines per chance?

Mike Jones, Farnborough, Hampshire

I think it is ridiculous that there are so frequently calls from minority groups for so called positive discrimination to be applied in recruitment. The best person for the job should get the job. Simple as that. I'm not white, I'm mixed, so I'm not speaking from any racist motive here before I get attacked by the P.C. brigade.
I came from a fairly poor background and have worked hard through school and university to get a good job - although from what I have seen there have been drives by my company to draw people from particular ethnic backgrounds to improve their 'diversity'. Giving people who are less qualified or suitable better jobs, simply to appease certain voices can only hurt companies and eventually therefore our economy in the long run.

Louise, London,

Giving somebody a job because of their colour is ridiculous. The best person for the job is the best person for the job. About 2% of people in Britain are black - I would be curious to know what percent of BBC employees are black - is Henry saying that it should be more than 2%, because.....why?

Jasper Reed-Spencer, London, England