Shameela Winston
17 November 2008
column
Now, everybody's favourite superpower has elected a man who happens to be Black.
So, amid the euphoria and the speculation, I thought this a good opportunity to bring the subject of prejudice in Botswana to the table. It's going to offend all sorts of people - those who have fallen victim will be upset because they'll think I'm brushing over something that traumatised them, those who perpetrate will be defensive because they'll think I'm taking a swipe at them, and those who want to see no evil will disapprove of my pot stirring. Anyway, let's maybe start with race.
Trust me, I don't personally have any hang-ups - as with many of you reading this, I've been in socially diverse environments my whole life and do not think of myself as a colour, or even a body part. But the fact that I've been called a 'coconut' by fellow Blacks and 'different' by people from other racial groups, as some of you may have been, suggests that there are parallel communities, and I'm trying to cross over, and it's frowned upon. What is the derogatory term for a woman who doesn't embrace traditional limitations and easily interacts with men on an equal footing? I'm sure I would have been called that too. As would some of you. That said, let's engage.
In a racially homogenous society, like what obtains in some of our rural areas, people won't think they're superior because of their skin colour, they'll think they are superior because of their tribe, or because of their economic status, whereas in a racially diverse society such as the USA, and obviously Botswana, there will be pockets of people whose claim to any kind of supremacy is based on their skin colour, and conversely, there will be those whose justification for their perceived misfortune will invariably be their tribal or racial background. Just like there are those who want to oppress Black people and those who want to frustrate women, for instance, there are those who want to play the 'I'm failing because I'm Black' or 'because I'm a woman' card. It's an ugly and unfortunate dynamic that we have been living with.
That is a fact that you can get anywhere, and in raising it I don't think I'm educating you.
What I'm trying to do is raise the question of social prejudice in Botswana. Are we o.k. on that subject, here in our country? I personally don't think so. At least the subject of gender equality has been brought up. Yes, tribal 'equality' if that is what we call it, has also been talked about.
These conversations will likely go on for generations because attitudes don't change overnight, but at least people are becoming sensitised. And at least it is now becoming embarrassing for someone to make disparaging remarks against another because of their tribe. I mean, I grew up knowing that there are two languages, Setswana and English, and only discovered other languages when my relatives talked about their Tirelo Sechaba experiences. Now, in his generation, my child knows about our rich national diversity. So maybe we are moving in the right direction.
What about colour? It bothers me because there are teams in organisations that have racial diversity, and yet race relations in many teams is just the proverbial elephant in the room that everyone can see but nobody talks about. Despite our collective silence, many of us perceive its impact on employment decisions, access to advancement opportunities, and team cohesion in general.
Do we treat all employees and customers courteously, or are the Black less favoured as compared to the other racial groups? I'm asking a question here people, and it's not rhetorical. Look, I know it won't happen overnight, I mean, the first world is still dealing with it, but at least they are dealing, where we are largely denying.
We are in such denial that we have tacitly given people from countries that are openly dealing with, and condemning racism, permission to regress when they get here.
How many times have I seen a (Black) teller at the bank, or a (Black) waiter in the restaurant, or the (Black) cashier at the supermarket being harangued by a (White) client, while the Black supervisor cowered in the background and other Black customers shifted around uncomfortably? What? It isn't colour? What is it then? Money?
Does money make a White say 'you people are all the same?' Which people are those?
How many times have I been ignored by the White restaurant manager who went to all the other White patrons to ask if 'everything was fine?' No, I'm not bitter about that.
Maybe it was just selective marketing. After all, the Black assistant manager always comes to my table. How many times have I had to listen to the assertiveness in the voice of a (Black) professional give way to submissive feebleness when addressing a (White) client/colleague? The conversations are careful and the jokes guarded. If not that, interactions are stilted or confrontational. When are we just going to be ok with each other?
Are we ready for change? Then let's check our personal differences and focus on the greater good. It can be done. America just proved it.
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