What's in a name or in the representation of someone or a group? Too much to be taken lightly! Should I be surprised at the remarks of a very privileged young man – a Prince who refers to a friend as "paki" and a colleague as a "raghead"? What do I make of all the comments and excuses from various voices, that his use of “paki” was well-meant, given that he was addressing a friend? Should we not forget about this, as the Prince has apologised for his behaviour. This, of course, is not the first time that he has had to apologise for displaying racism.
Most wrongs tend to be done by us humans with the best of intentions, especially those who operate on the premise that they know what is best for "others" and how they like to be represented. However one wants to defend the Prince, "Paki" is derogatory term no matter how much he and his apologists/pundits try to re-define the term and make a case about good intentions. Privilege, whether we like or not, carries with it a responsibility that will judge the privileged harsher than those on the lower rungs of the class/social ladder. Privileged position, however, is no guarantee against prejudices and racist behaviours that tend run quite deep in the blood-streams of whiteness. In fact, racist attitudes run across the whole of our social and economic ladders.
We are told by "pillars of society" (non-racists I presume) that we should not blow this out of proportion, as one of the comments was made to and of a friend. What has friendship become? What kind of a friend and friendship would employ derogatory terms to address a person one counts as friend? Unless friendship has been radically revamped (meaning that I am now a museum piece) a friend would desire and wish for the best in and about me rather than publicly putting me down. And I would hope that at least a friend would have my interest at heart and would be the last person to represent me and my tribe with derogatory representations.
I presume that it will be difficult for people who have not been at the receiving end of prejudices and derogatory representations, which over years of habitual use have become ingrained in institutions and behaviours (in every conceivable dimension of their lives), to understand how those being ‘labelled’ really feel. As one of my colleagues puts it, "the one that feels it knows it". As parents, should our children (whatever their age) utter prejudiced, derogatory or racist terms - then it is time for a serious family conversation and no room for excuses.
That conversation, however, will only be effective if parents are able to challenge racism within their own lives. Therein, is a road to the moral authority that parents need for any such a conversation. If parents have not dealt with their own prejudices and racist tendencies, should society expect any better from their progeny? And why should they listen to us? The hypocrisies and contradictions of parents will only serve to undo all their good intentions! And when all of this gets institutionalised, we have a host of "jumbies" or "duppies" in our midst badly in need of exorcism.
A good start (and hope) is the ability and opportunity to be able to say (in this case publicly:) “I am sorry" and to mean and live it. This is critical, otherwise, racism will continue to plague us as one of the most dehumanising and urgent problems of the 21st century! It is time to kick the habit!
© copyright michael jagessar January 15, 2009
Most wrongs tend to be done by us humans with the best of intentions, especially those who operate on the premise that they know what is best for "others" and how they like to be represented. However one wants to defend the Prince, "Paki" is derogatory term no matter how much he and his apologists/pundits try to re-define the term and make a case about good intentions. Privilege, whether we like or not, carries with it a responsibility that will judge the privileged harsher than those on the lower rungs of the class/social ladder. Privileged position, however, is no guarantee against prejudices and racist behaviours that tend run quite deep in the blood-streams of whiteness. In fact, racist attitudes run across the whole of our social and economic ladders.
We are told by "pillars of society" (non-racists I presume) that we should not blow this out of proportion, as one of the comments was made to and of a friend. What has friendship become? What kind of a friend and friendship would employ derogatory terms to address a person one counts as friend? Unless friendship has been radically revamped (meaning that I am now a museum piece) a friend would desire and wish for the best in and about me rather than publicly putting me down. And I would hope that at least a friend would have my interest at heart and would be the last person to represent me and my tribe with derogatory representations.
I presume that it will be difficult for people who have not been at the receiving end of prejudices and derogatory representations, which over years of habitual use have become ingrained in institutions and behaviours (in every conceivable dimension of their lives), to understand how those being ‘labelled’ really feel. As one of my colleagues puts it, "the one that feels it knows it". As parents, should our children (whatever their age) utter prejudiced, derogatory or racist terms - then it is time for a serious family conversation and no room for excuses.
That conversation, however, will only be effective if parents are able to challenge racism within their own lives. Therein, is a road to the moral authority that parents need for any such a conversation. If parents have not dealt with their own prejudices and racist tendencies, should society expect any better from their progeny? And why should they listen to us? The hypocrisies and contradictions of parents will only serve to undo all their good intentions! And when all of this gets institutionalised, we have a host of "jumbies" or "duppies" in our midst badly in need of exorcism.
A good start (and hope) is the ability and opportunity to be able to say (in this case publicly:) “I am sorry" and to mean and live it. This is critical, otherwise, racism will continue to plague us as one of the most dehumanising and urgent problems of the 21st century! It is time to kick the habit!
© copyright michael jagessar January 15, 2009
