i just realised and have become overwhelmed with the amount of work i shouldve done and need to do for this week...so instead of doing that i decided to go into panic mode and update this blog instead of actually doing work. strange??? me thinks not.
sometimes i just start writing blog entries and then come up with a suitable title afterward. this time i did it the reverse, which means that i now have to try to fit what i want to write about to the title. i had an experience last weekend that really bothered me, stirring up emotions that i hadn't felt in quite some time. i think it still bugs me; so i'm now writting it down. whether or not it helps, who knows.
when i speak of my experience in mississippi (deep south US), I'm typically a little negative in my tone and i generally speak of that not being the most ideal first impression to get of the US. Coming from a place where I knew nothing of discrimination and racism, it was such a slap in the face and key first-hand lesson, to see racism clearly at work. and what was even more striking: racism within blacks. in fact, i encountered an overwhelmingly greater sense of racism and ignorance amongst blacks than i did amongst whites. [till today, i maintain that almost everyone, if not everyone, of every race and culture, holds some degree of racism and must learn to deal with it...tho plenty disagree with me].
Anyway, after my initial shock living in mississippi, I quickly forgot about those moments as i had much better and friendlier times in st louis and chicago. living in south africa has been another learning experience; but one that hasn't really bothered me too much as i understand that the country is enterring a period of growing pains. of course, occassionally i get stopped and harrassed at the airport for being nigerian, or followed in the book store by a black guard to ensure i dont steal any books or read that one book about black liberation that im not supposed to, i presume. usually, these things dont bother me. i just smile and nod and occassionally make a snide remark to the guard, or border control, or whoever.
last weekend, i was showing a high school friend of mine (who happens to be white) around cape town. a bit of context is key here: black (at least those in joburg) typically say they like cape town, but could never live here because its often so racist and unwelcoming. i've never believed these allegations completely. I mean, sure, cape town, isn't the most welcoming place; even white foreigners complain of how difficult it is to assimilate into the culture and find close friends, but the onus of relationship building rest on both parties equally. Also, I guess i wasn't really trying to assimilate to 'cape town' culture, whatever that is, so i couldnt be bothered. anyway, i deviate. point is: cape town can be a racist place. so can anywhere. oxford, mississippi was definitely a racist place (at least in 1992-94).
so i take my friend out to a bar/lounge in greenpoint, Jade's, and the bouncer guy refuses to let us in. He makes up some story about the night being dead (obviously not true, as we can see people in the lounge) and therefore he couldnt let us in. Regardless, I simply wanted to show him a cape town hangg out spot, stay for like 30min and then leave. While I'm trying to understand this guy's rationale, large groups of girls walk straight in, no questions asked. later, a group of guys walk up and in, few questions asked. one small detail: everyone who's walked in so far are white. so again, i ask mr. bouncer guy whats the deal. immediately out of nowhere, this dude starts using the n-word. btw, this dude is not american and while i've heard the n-word passed around lifelessly here in SA, it bothers me a lot because people dont know the meaning of what theyre saying and just use the word. there's a similar derogatory term used here in sa, the k-word, but if u even dare use the word in jest, ur as good as dead. but this guy continued to use the n-word, and began to raise his voice and essentially bark at me and my friend, as we're walking away from this ignorant fool. best of all, this guy was black. and ignorant. and racist. flashes of mississippi.
i thought i could just pass this on as another annoying moment in the span of many annoying moments, but i realised later, when i couldnt sleep, that it really bothered me, and, at the time, i wasnt sure exactly why. later, i was chatting to a friend who used to go to this lounge all the time. he mentioned that this same bouncer dude had done the same thing to him when he brought 2 black girls with him; i.e. make up some story about why he couldnt let them into the bar. this guy actually comfronted him about his actions being racist and the bouncer dude just shrugged it off. this guy, like myself, will never step foot in this lounge again.
so why the title. so often when someone utters the word racism or racist we immediately think of a white person doing something to a black person. i think it has become fashionable these days for a black person to outdo white counterparts with regard to racist actions. but since theyre black, and believe that it is impossible for them to be racist, they somehow justify their actions to themselves. however, these people (whether the bouncer guy or the guy following black people in stores, or the police officer racially profiling) want to justify their actions, it is utterly and totally racist, no matter what colour you are. And how are blacks to move beyond and ahead if we continue to mimick and perpetuate the racist actions done to our own kind in the past? I'm not sure i would have been as angry if a white person had denied entry because of the colour of my skin. but for a black person to mimick the same action? thats just another level of disgusting.
i hope the title is not taken to imply that i think white people are racist in general. thats not my point. in fact, as i mentioned, i think most of us have elements of racism within us and the sooner we recognise this, we can develop ways to correct it. while ignorance may be bliss, it is also the surest way to stagnation and backward-thinking. my point, i guess, is that we, as black people, and south africa, as a nation (US could also be included here) are going nowhere, if people within the same race can't even be solid in their stance against racism. i dare that idiot of a bouncer to complain if he is stopped by the police while driving for no reason other than that he is black. how can you complain about an institution when you are part and parcel in perpetuating the same system/mode of thinking?
thats it for my rambling. will try to lighten up the next post.
12 comments:
Highly entertaining post - especially with what is apparently happening on this side of the country, closer to my country.
I have so many views on this issue one comment won't cut it, but suffice it to say that there is a complex little sociological upheaval going on, and people are picking sides. I, for one, remain ever the rebel - I defy compartmentalisation :)
Sorry you had to deal with such. Discrimination always hurts, it attacks ones personal worth as a human being. I generally try not to think of racism as a collective behavior, more a display of individual ignorance or emotional immaturity. We will pray for them; like Jesus did. Amen
glad there are people to keep me grounded hey. i was just gonna get the dude fired...or create as much bad pub for the lounge as i could. tho i'd prob be preaching to the choir
Wow glad to know someone else felt strongly about the the way jade lounge operates. Seems as though this is something that has been going on for a while. My first encounter was when i went with a different group of girls for a girls night out to the ones I usually go to Jade with. We got to the entrance and immediately got sized up. My two friends are South African Coloreds and I am black. A different bouncer to the one you encountered came up with the idea to ask for ID just to avoid letting us in knowing full well that noone really carries ID around on a night out.My friend scoffed at this and was immediately met with an aggressive tone from the bouncer. It would seem from your post that the bouncers homework at the end of each night is to come up with lame excuses not to let black people in LOL. He went on about how we shouldn't laugh at his ridiculous request while white groups of people streamed in. I took great offense to this as it was clear to me what was really going on. I gave him a piece of my mind and we left but like you it bothered me for days. Prior to this I had been "allowed" into the lounge, perhaps because I had a white friend in tow? Go figure
It is strange to think that I found this post after Googling "jade bar cape town racism". After something similar happened to me, I couldn't sleep either, it was so systematic, I myself had not been denied entry and had actually come down stairs to find out why a group of friends (black ) who where to meet us at Jade were not allowed in, as per your post, the white people were allowed in, no questions asked despite the guy mentioning that they were hosting a special event that was by invite only. I calmly asked the bouncer (Tall nigerian sounding guy, with a watered down american accent) what the criteria for entry was and he responded quite agitated that he did not have to answer any questions. He went on to directly me to a very polite co-bouncer/his manager (Spanish) who strangely was very responsive, patient and polite and told me that it was company policy for them to screen by colour. Personally I appreciated his honesty as he admitted they were indeed profiling by race and that he was just doing his job. In contrast, my brother, or so I thought kept coming up and telling the spanish guy that he should not give me the time of day. "Question: why does that guy, keep coming up and babling despite the fact that I am calm and in a conversation with you?" "Response: It's simple, its because he is black...". Now I am not too sure what that meant, but I assume it meant that because he was black, he was not smart to rationalise the situation, or he was just being like uncle Ruckuss- hating himself for being a Nyoggggahh. hahahah, either way, I won't be going to Jade not because I fear being bounced but because I have lots of choices and an iphone with lots of music on it. Ultimately I look at that dude as just being an idiot following orders to the T, poor fool.
My second encounter was this last Saturday. A bunch of my Black friends wanted to experience Jade as they had never been before. My husband dropped me off at the entrance with one of my friends, the others were driving in a separate car. He had not intended to join us, but I jokingly asked him to wait incase we got "turned away' LOL I thought perhaps the first incident was isolated. We were ushered in to my surprise (i guess I have become white by association LOL) and we waited for our other friends to arrive. I again jokingly said i bet they will not allow our friends in. As i said it we got a call from my friends at the entrance saying they were denied entry and told that there was a bachelors party so they would not be allowed in. My husband (confident light skinned black man) who had actually not waited for permission to get into the lounge had just walked in no questions asked. At this stage he had joined my friend and I went downstairs to speak to the bouncer to find out what criteria they used to let people in........ the rest has already been highlighted in a previous post you cnt even rationally speak to the Bouncing fools as they seem to have come programmed to be racist and stupid, sad combination. Nyhoo, i've chosen not to care, its just bizzare to me considering this is supposedly a "rainbow nation"
thanks for the input guys. I've also been told that the bouncer is simply following intsructions. Lest we forget history, however, this was precisely the defense argument made by Nazi generals and officers at the nuremberg trials. Sorry, I just don't buy the following orders excuse. Its simply a shame to perpetuate any kind of racism and discrimination and, even after being called up on it, simply respond with something as silly as just following order.
Indeed. Hey maybe we should start an all black club and put a white bouncer outside LMAO!!
the issue being discussed 'intra racism' hurts more than any other kind. i also experienced an event similar to the yours in Rondebosch, Cape Town, at a club. A black bodyguard, said we could not enter cuz we wore takkies (claiming we were casual), but as we stood there pleading with him, he allowed white guys to enter, who in my objective view were not suitably dressed and also wore takkies!.....when i brought that to his attention, he simply ignored us .....
it is really sad, because our arguments and criticism against racism from whites or any other race would lack clout, as we cannot even solve the same problem in our 'householdes'
Folu- dear friend. I find your thoughts so fascinating.
We should talk about the reactions I received in SE Asia upon telling them that I am half Japanese.
A history of cruelty/horrific torturing experiences and racism run together.
A+ post.
Agree that it's hard to justify someone getting angry over the consequences or racism, when they themself perpetuate it--One of the reasons I am against use of the n word, as it is so commonly used among blacks in jest/slang/affection/music.
Also agree with your thought that most everybody has some form of racist attitude, thoughts, or beliefs, even if we don't admit to it or consciously act on it. It permeates our world, many of us grow up with it...it's hard to be immune unless you take conscious effort to.
Which means that--As with most problems in this world, the solution starts with each of us, and the choices that we as individuals make on a consistent basis. Otherwise, it's very difficult for things to improve...you can't expect society to change if you yourself won't.
(Just my two cents...I'm a big fan of personal responsibility) :)
I totally agree with your post Folu. Sorry to hear that you had to endure such an experience. It's utterly shameful that racism, whether black on black or otherwise, still hides behind people couching it as "I'm just doing my job." History shows the destructive path that leads.
From my experience in trying to put a somewhat dignified rationale to the issue of racism it would have been better to impute ignorance on the bouncer, but then again, the idiot is black. Makes me wonder what his mom taught him...hmmm.
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