As much as we deny that there is no racism in our hearts we need to criticaly examine and ask ourselves; “Well if I am not racist and my friends are not racist, then why is there ever more racism in the world?”
Lets be frank – we see racism in so many subtle ways:
- That white person who slows his/her speech down when talking to someone of colour
- That white person who adopts a pseudo Nguni vernacular tone when talking to a black person
- That black person who tips a white beggar at a robot, just as the robot goes green
- That black person who pulls the race card for everything
- That white person who thinks that helping poor black people with a handout is proof of not being racist
- That black person who speaks perfect English but shares a loud aside with a friend in Xhosa/Zulu knowing full well that the whites present will not understand
- Those people who pronounce the words “they” or “them” in that special way that hints at; “I am not a racist but people of a colour different to me are not worthy!”
- Those people who share and celebrate borderline and overt racist comments on Social Media, saying; “Look at what so and so said, so it must be true”
- Those people who profit from the divisions that racism has wrought
- Those people that only read articles containing racist comments
- Those sites that allow and subtly encourage the racist comments – as it is good business
- Those people who share racist emails and messages with their more liberal/humanistic friends… (add your comments below please).
In recent weeks I have witnessed some shameful acts and utterances from people that I am forced to call my friends.
As a nation we need to stop painting everything with only two shades of colour and get down to ridding ourselves of the FARGING people that perpetuate and benefit from pulling the racism card over and over again.
- Where is the political/civil body that represents South Africa’s hopes and dreams and is NOT based on colour (historical or otherwise)?
- Where is the government with the will to replace their designer clothes with work clothes and get down to serving the will of the people that voted them in?
- Where are the everyday heroes who stand up and swim against the popular but wrong tide, who call out fellow South Africans for being wrong and acting against fellow citizens?
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Alan Straton
Chief Cook, Bottle Washer and Broom Mechanic at MyPE
Passionate about Port Elizabeth and definitely NOT packing for Perth.
Alan's ethos is epitomised in the words of Nelson Mandela; "I have fought against white domination and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the idea of a democratic and free society. If need be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die."
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