I feel a bit like Obama at the moment. It seems as if the race card is being played. Or rather that people are all of a sudden interested in my race. Black or white? For the record? People keep on asking. It really shouldn’t be this difficult. Just a little bit of research will clarify it all up nicely. Really. Let me give some help here. But before we go there.
I am interested in why people want to know if I am black or white. Does it matter? Does it tell you all you need to know about me? Will the reaction be “Ah, I thought so”. Thought so what? How would my race make it any easier to understand what I say? The accent and language will still be a bit of a problem. Will it make it easier to dig through what I write and find the white or black warning lights? Will it help in making me fit into the box? The boxes we build.
Most know that I don’t think the world is black or white – no pun intended – but shades of grey. Nothing is definite. Nothing is final. Nothing is the final answer. Nothing is as it seems. There is always another angle. A third angle. But still. It should be easy to tick the box next to my name. But everyone seems to struggle a bit with that one.
It should be easy. Just a little bit of research is required. And you don’t even have to leave this site. Start at the start. My first blog – I wasn’t born to be an activist. It tells you all about where I come from. At the least the first bit. That I wasn’t born to be like this. No. I wasn’t socialized to be like this. I wasn’t brought up to be like this. I was brought up to think about race. As a racist. It’s easy to follow the trail from there onwards. Just read from the back – everything under “An Accidental Activist” will give you an idea of the journey so far.
I don’t mind the name calling. Really, I don’t. Another one you can read is about the name calling. Read Umlungu – becoming a white bastard. That was my first bit of name calling. But I actually liked that one. I’ve been called worse. Much worse. But the name calling isn’t really much of an issue. It’s the race card that is an issue.
It’s happened a few times. Being called out because of the color of my skin. At the UN while being asked by my African colleagues to co-chair a meeting. And some black non-Africans complained that I wasn’t the right color. Or rather – not the right shade. It is odd. Very odd. The only places where my color of my skin was never questioned was at NACTU and at the African Caucus.Guess what. There wasn’t a white face around. Not a single one. Except my shade. Makes me think a bit that one. Their response was always the same, “So what. Look at his heart. Look at his deeds. Look at his blood. Look at his soul.”
I think it might have to do with the fact that racism doesn’t have anything to do with race, and has everything to do with race. People just want to put other people in little boxes. If you’re gay you are this way. If you are male you are that way. If you are black you are this way. And if you are Chinese you are that way.
Maybe the only way is people. Just sit down. Close your eyes. Listen to your soul. And listen to the voices around you – not the one in your head. Hear the wonder. Hear the beauty. Hear the people of this world living. And we can be part of that. Or we can be living in our own little box.
So what am I?
June 28, 2008 at 9:12 pm
American, land of the free, or is it? The fact that the colour of Barack Obama’s skin is an issue makes a mockery of all the so-called freedoms. Who cares what the colour of your skin is. Why should it matter? You are a really good writer, you stir people and you seem to stand by your convictions. In my book that makes you just fine.
June 29, 2008 at 8:53 am
Really it is about fear. Fear of ourselves as much as anyone different. If you do not fit inside my pre-conceived notions then I am forced to look inside – for some that is the hardest task you ask.
June 29, 2008 at 9:41 am
I wish our world was ready for race-free discourse, for colour-forgetfulness, if not colour blindness. But it is not. Most people see sex and colour before they see individual human person.
I feel no commonality with ALL people the same colour as me. I wish we could be judged on who we are before what we look like, but in South Africa society seems to becoming more racialised by the day, not less.
June 30, 2008 at 11:57 am
Ah what does black or white have to do with the issues. Racism is still an issue huh. hmmm I don’t know how to solve that one without church. Stereotyping, hmmm that should like hasty judgments to me, judge not that ye be not judged and hasty judgments sure seem like eternal judgments of charicter that, the scripture bans. Not to mention might be false. Making stereotypes seems second nature, I think its a people thing. After all Keven B. I am a hate monger right? Cause I like Rush, back when he wasn’t always talking about sex jokes. I tune him out on days he is like that tune in on other things. He is the one that convinced me that a cigarette tax was unfair and an alcohol tax was unfair. Its a freedom thing. Before him I thought any one who drank was a wife beater and anyone who smoked deserved lung cancer. Those are the days when I thought that no one could change and if it was destructive it should be banned. Now I sort of believe that, Freedom is a rough world to live in, but it is worth the price. We can survive to be better people if we have people we can serve. And I an serve my future family and other families best by not drinking and smokeing and being healthy and I don’t need the sin tax. I hate Rush for talking about freedoms and responsablilty don’t you.
July 1, 2008 at 6:23 am
I was actually reading about Hafiz…the Sufi mystic poet when I came across the Angry African. What does it matter “what colour are you”…indeed what does it matter. Until you come to a certain country in the Middle East- a rude awakening!! What a place to learn a million times over to be grounded and stand tall. Be a shade darker and and know for sure that…I made of more than the colour of my skin. I have an essence deeper than a brown skin. And maybe because of my skin colour- I know better not to be prejudiced based on any physical attribute. Apartheid is no match to this broer…I guess obscure racism is much more painful than the overt South African one. I have been in both. Given a choice, I would choose none. But pressed for choice, I would take South African version again. I knew exactly what it meant. The lines were clear. The statutes were there. Now here…its all fuzzy, confused with religion and all the dogma that people introduce to it. Its rather confusing!!! Let it go! I am an African, as you say, I’m an accidental activist! Sign out
July 1, 2008 at 9:49 pm
I think you’re a male. That is just a guess.
I’m not sure why people ask that question still. I think that they want to be able to judge the thoughts or work of others based on a social construct, as opposed to judging the thoughts or work of others on merit or logic. It makes it easier for people to invalidate the thoughts of others that way.
July 9, 2008 at 11:12 am
Since you’ve included me in your jab, I’ll jab you right back.
“After all Keven B. I am a hate monger right? Cause I like Rush, back when he wasn’t always talking about sex jokes.”
I judge you by the company you keep. Rush Limbaugh, first of all, isn’t speaking any truth, and knows nothing about Black issues.
He’s a bigot, without a doubt, and the fact you don’t see it as a problem means it’s a problem.
You see, if you are around hate mongers, child molesters, or crooks, you are likely to get tagged with the same label yourself.
What you need to do is answer me with content, not rhetoric.
I sincerely doubt you can…