AAARRGH
This letter to the editor appeared in the EP Herald
Black devil reinforces racial stereotype
LAST Friday what was supposed to be a joyous evening left a bitter taste in my mouth. I and my wife decided to go out for a meal and we chose the Spur in Humewood, next to the Holiday Inn Garden Court Hotel.
As we were placing our order there came a group of young lads wearing colourful gear and a sense of curiosity prompted me to ask our attendant, who was wearing uniform, what was happening. I was told that they were also staff members but there was some promotion, hence their gear.
As they were busy with their business something odd struck my eye. One white girl was wearing a white dress and a pair of huge wings, and a black girl was wearing a red robe, red horns on her head and with a long fork in her hand.
That disturbed me a lot. In this day and age there are still people who believe that the devil is black and the angel is white!
Racism is still embedded in our subconscious minds. The manager could have thought better.
In order to build a South Africa free of racism we need to be sensitive and conscious about such fallacies and dogmas.
I wanted to take the issue up with the manager, but my wife suggested otherwise, lest that spoil our outing. I left the place really disgusted.
Aubrey Ngeni, Port Elizabeth
http://www.epherald.co.za/herald/edlets/edl11_25042007.htm
This letter to the editor appeared in the EP Herald
Black devil reinforces racial stereotype
LAST Friday what was supposed to be a joyous evening left a bitter taste in my mouth. I and my wife decided to go out for a meal and we chose the Spur in Humewood, next to the Holiday Inn Garden Court Hotel.
As we were placing our order there came a group of young lads wearing colourful gear and a sense of curiosity prompted me to ask our attendant, who was wearing uniform, what was happening. I was told that they were also staff members but there was some promotion, hence their gear.
As they were busy with their business something odd struck my eye. One white girl was wearing a white dress and a pair of huge wings, and a black girl was wearing a red robe, red horns on her head and with a long fork in her hand.
That disturbed me a lot. In this day and age there are still people who believe that the devil is black and the angel is white!
Racism is still embedded in our subconscious minds. The manager could have thought better.
In order to build a South Africa free of racism we need to be sensitive and conscious about such fallacies and dogmas.
I wanted to take the issue up with the manager, but my wife suggested otherwise, lest that spoil our outing. I left the place really disgusted.
Aubrey Ngeni, Port Elizabeth
http://www.epherald.co.za/herald/edlets/edl11_25042007.htm
