It has been a few interesting days, from India to Britain. Goes to show the ocean may divide us physically but when it comes to one of your own, that's all it is. A physical divide and you can change all of that with your voice. Speak out. When the government of a nation speaks out about one of its citizens, then you are pretty special. The burning of effigies in protest to the treatment of Shilpa Shetty, the Bollywood star in Celebrity Big Brother and the 22,000 people that have called Ofcom to date, complaining about racism on the show. Yet CBB is still on our screens and we are glued to it. Thank goodness we don't pay TV license for Channel 4 because this will be one very good reason to scrap it.
Ignorance has been on earth for as long as I can remember; well for the few years I have been here that is. I don't think it can be eradicated and that is disturbing but then again, naivety is just as bad.
When you agree to sell your soul on reality TV in order to make grade D celebrity status, be classy about it. The least expected of you would be to do it gracefully. No disrespect intended just an observation.
So, here we are, embroiled in a race row, one or two people are beginning to feel the pain in their pockets. A contestant, no name calling just lost a lucrative modelling contract. Ouch! That hurts, sorry but next time think before you speak.
Racism, lets take a minute to define the word. Then again, there is no need for that. We all know the meaning don't we? Say no more. I don't think you can change people but you can change how they make you feel. Yes it hurts and it's real hard to deal with but you must learn to rise above it and refuse to be boxed up by their mentality.
When I experienced what is termed racism, it was in the most unusual circumstance and that is why to date, it remains an ironic experience. I remember ever so clearly. His words were, "Go back to your Africa and..................." I will say no more and guess what he was a doctor. A desensitised doctor, I wish I had him struck off but you know the beauty of that experience. I'm here and I still see him around in his cheap suit, no disrespect, just an observation and guess what I can laugh and say how do you like me now? One day real soon, I'll remind him and tell him I am not bitter. I am too blessed to be bitter and because of him, I am better off. My mind is educated enough to know he was just a little glitch on the part of life and he does not matter. Meanwhile I will continue writing my story on the pages of life. He is too small to turn me into a myopic b**ch. Sorry but that's the word that came to me and no I didn't have to use it but it describes what I am not. So swallow and stick with me on this.
This old age disease called racism will never go away. If it can get into politics; you don't mind if I ask, who is your local councillor? I'll say no more. It is ingrained deep in the veins of a minority but then again, we can't be so sure. Can we?
I have worked in a predominantly white environment before and yes that can be daunting because it can be hard due to the cultural differences and way of life but they treated me like a human being and with respect. If anything at all, I needed the culture shock to get me out of my comfort zone. When you have no respect for another life, you think it's okay to say whatever you like and that's one of the problems. Some people don't know what it means to have respect for another person regardless of race, colour and creed or where their crib is at. Hillary Clinton was right after all, 'It takes a village to raise a child.'
As far as I am concerned, yes I am black but that's not all there is to me. No matter how negative the energy around me gets, I refuse to give in and accept that I am not an equal. If you have one head, two hands, two legs, one heart, one liver and the same red blood flows through our veins. Then it doesn't matter what colour you are; as long as your blood is red, we are equal. We have been equipped with the same body features. You may be taller or shorter, let's just say the big man upstairs knew better on that one.
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