Ms Cyprah

There is a lot of sensitivity around racism because many people do not understand the word, or the nature of it, so everything they do not like rapidly becomes racist in their terms. It is also a question of power. If people feel they have power only when they are crying foul, or when they feel superior to others, they will look for ways and means to continue getting that power, or to stop themselves feeling weak and impotent. Racism then comes in handy as a crutch to use against others.

People’s perception of others appears to be entirely dictated by the amount of fear they feel towards that person or group, and the confidence they feel in themselves. Those who feel the most fear and sense of injustice are likely to complain about anything they perceive to be in someone else’s favour, even when there is no racist intention - either that they are not getting enough, or others less worthy are getting too much. Others who have less fear do not feel so vulnerable or put upon, their deep sense of self and appreciation allows them to be more empathetic towards the needs of others.

Whether we are prepared at any time to accept someone by their own preferred definition, when it comes to colour, or perceive them in racist ways to match our prejudices, is entirely down to us and our influences. Perception is the biggest social definition of who we are and wish to be. With racism an inherent part of any mixed society, black being seen as negative and white being all right, any person not conforming to the white powerful majority will always be exposed to that covert racism, in one form or another, whether they like it or not, simply through the ‘threat’ associated with them in the biased perception of others and their fear of difference.

Every aspect of us makes us into what we are, whether it is colour, culture, gender, religion etc. No aspect of difference can be ignored at any time, but we should move beyond it to seek similarities. We cannot be ‘colour-blind’ or ‘gender-blind’ etc., otherwise it means we are only seeing in one colour or gender: ours. We can afford not to notice colour when it is suitably detached from us, and presents no threat, but it is remarkable how quickly colour comes to the forefront with much fear when we are suddenly faced with it on a personal level that affects our lives or our family (like someone of a different colour wanting to marry our son/daughter). We are certainly not blind to it then.

Sensitivity to racism is thus highly individual depending on one’s experience, confidence and beliefs. It is a matter of personal understanding about racism - what makes something racist - coupled with the impotence and insecurity one feels, which propel one to see racist acts where none might actually exist.

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