[Mkosa_Kabila]

What constitutes racism? I stopped giving it much thought because whenever I did usually ended up with a headache. However at another website, this argument made things a bit clearer for me. One question though, if possible, how does one make a case against subtle racism (you feel it but can't pinpoint it)?

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A RAP ON RACE - For the Consideration of Alberto and Others

Alberto:

I know I have tried this route once before - to explain to you how I view a phenomena. It backfired; I ended up being branded 'Racist'. Nevertheless, I will try again to explain a phenomena that may be inhibiting effective communication between you and I, in the genuine belief that we are both searching for solutions to the same problems - perceived differently maybe. And maybe to different problems altogether.

Let me begin from the begin, and I promise to keep it simple - because,really, it is very simple indeed. I see two MAJOR SOURCES for what I call MIS-COMMUNICATION. I will try to put it as if I were explaining to a class I am teaching, the terms involved - after a student has alleged I made "racist remarks", okay? Not in attempt to "talk down", but in the hope of making my position as clear as possible.

FIRST, the way we use language - our LANGUAGE USAGE as individuals. When I say DIFFERENT, I mean just that, 'different', not per se, better or worse. Let me illustrate: children would be expected to perceive other children in a 'different' way from which I, an adult, perceive children. So we have
DIFFERENT perceptions of the same REALITY 'children', but not "better or worse".

Does that make sense?

Christians have DIFFERENT views or concept of 'morality' from say 'Jews' or 'Muslims', but not a priori, better or worse. Now women perceive certain, if not all realities, DIFFERENTLY from men simply because by virtue of being women, and men being men, even about the
only truly 'universal action' of raising a family. This does not by itself mean, women are right, men are wrong to perceive it that way, or vice versa.

Now, it comes to race. Here is where it gets tricky. I, a Blackman from Africa, say this is how I PERCEIVE RACE RELATIONS. You, a white man from Argentina say you perceive it DIFFERENTLY.

Fair enough. But you are not content to stop there. You insist, I am wrong in MY PERCEPTION, but you are right in YOUR PERCEPTION. And I refuse to agree with you. You brand me a "RACIST".

Do I make sense so far?

Here, we are faced, I am afraid, with the dialectic and dualism of Western education, which we both share, but many of whose basic canons I have rejected - but you insist I recognize. Here, it is about 'duality': good versus bad; wrong versus right; losers versus winners; stronger versus weaker. European culture and thinking do not function well with the plain word 'DIFFERENT'.

SECOND: What constitutes DIFFERENCE, what constitutes RACISM?

Now it happens, a Christian may insist his daughter or son may not marry a Muslim, or a black may not marry a white - his child, remember. That's 'PERSONAL PREJUDICE' - called 'preferences' in its milder forms. It can be based on religion, color, ethnicity, wealth, caste, whatever. It cannot be eradicated totally.

If a whole people practice this against another whole group - Christians against Muslims, Blacks against Whites; etc., that is BIGOTRY.

Now, if a whole people were in a position of power and use these DIFFERENCES to persecute, to deny rights to, to see as "inferior", to oppress, "others". That is DISCRIMINATION.

When it is based on 'skin color' and 'physical features' only - as has frequently been the case, if not always, in interactions between Africa and
Europe, that is RACISM

I am capable of sharing in all three. However, realizing this does not make me hate or like people I deal with on the basis of their race. You appear to perceive maybe all of the above DIFFERENTLY, with which I have no problem.

Why not? We - you and I - grew up differently.

Not content with that, you insist I MUST perceive these 'realities' the way you perceive it. And if I insist, but I don't because you are white, I am Black; you are Argentinean, I am Nigerian. You fall back on our "common humanity", which I insist is not enough to paper over our 'essential differences' which your race has used since time immemorial to oppress mine, you call me 'RACIST'.

Let me close these with what I hope will serve as a clear example of 'DIFFERENT PERCEPTIONS' of the 'SAME REALITY', neither not necessarily
racist or not right or wrong. As examples that 'race relations' have 'improved' over the years, you gave example of 'black and white children playing together'. Yes, OBJECTIVELY, it is an improvement over say 30/40 years ago - in Europe and America. You PERCEIVE this 'improvement' as BIG DEAL. You are 'white'. I PERCEIVE it very DIFFERENTLY - who is stupid enough to say and who agreed that children should not play together on account of their race or skin
color? How idiotic! I am Black. You say: "No Val, you are wrong to see it that way, and if you, Val, don't see it my way, then you are a RACIST."

How does not agreeing with you on how to PERCEIVE a REALITY make me a RACIST, and you, the opposite of a 'racist' - whatever that is? I do not know if I make sense to you. Being a RACIST - if there is anything like that, is not the problem. It is what you do as a RACIST.

What I am saying is really simple, Alberto. You expect me to interact with people, black or white, the way, you, Alberto, would interact and react. And I say, no, that's not possible, part of the reasons being that you are white, I am black - there are other reasons too, for example, exposure which you assume you have more than I do. You insist I have a problem.

Why me? And not you? Who is to decide?

You wanted to take my writing to "psychoanalysts". What for? I say exactly
what I mean; I don't mince words, you will have noticed. What can a "writing analyst' say about me that I don't already know about myself? That I have certain attitudes to the white race which he - operating from a parameter set up by the same white race -constitutes "racism".

Give me a break, Alberto. Judge, Jury, and Jailer! My thinking is a lot more advanced that, believe me.

Val Ojo

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"A kunguni is a small kasamu, it lives in a kitanda mwalikwa, it bites people makoma, it is a good defination."
Mkosa kabila ni mtumwa :o