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What I have learnt in life is that limited contact between different
ethnic groups gives rise to all kinds of popular beliefs. Such beliefs
spring from ignorance, fear, and the need to find a plausible explanation
for perplexing physical and cultural difference. Our cultures
tend to be socially conservative and we feel threatened by any kind
of difference. Very often such prejudices are inherited from parents
or friends without any question. Such statements might at first
appear harmless but they are the seeds that breed conflict and
result in violence. Our lack of tolerance of other races that are
different from ours and about which we know little makes us as bad
and dangerous as common criminals.
The limited contact with blacks and my own upbringing made me
spend many years preparing for a battle against an imagined
monster. My mind was twisted. Is not this pure madness? There are
many people born into such hate-filled homes. They are psychologically
militarised to prepare for the imagined enemy. They are
taught, from an early age, to guard the army of their ‘superior
race’ against the toxic exposure from the ‘inferior race(s)’. They are
given the arms of war: arrogance, condescension and vulgar
expression of their superiority. Armed with these, such children are
unleashed upon society in their damaged state, full of hatred of
other people ‘who do not look like them.’ These children grow up
into dangerous adults whose ignominious activities set human
development back at every turn. Such pitiable creatures walk
around believing that they have an innate superiority and they
seek to protect it at all costs.
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Talking about race has never been easy. But only through open and
honest dialogue will the races begin to know each other. This is the
way to start the healing process. Honesty is crucial in this process.
We all need to be comfortable with the racial and cultural differences
we bring to the table and recognise that different does not
have to mean divided. We have to learnt how to communicate
without anger, and to listen without denial. That is where the racial
healing and understanding start.
Hope Chigudu is an International Consultant
in Gender and Development.