Minority Exclusivity or Blatant Racism

[triffidius]

I have just read the following article, which articulates my thoughts on the matter more clearly than I could arrange them on paper:

Do black people have a right to exclusivity?

By Bennie Bunsee

The findings of the Human Rights Commission (HRC) that whites should be allowed into the Federation of Black Journalists (FBJ), presumably because to do otherwise would be racist, have implications for other associations.

Women's-only associations, for instance, are now a norm in societies. In fact, in the early years of their formation, women had to fight to exclude men from their organisations in terms of their right to self-organisation without the presence of men.

The reasons were obvious, among them that men still carried the incubus of male chauvinism in one form or another, and women did not wish to be distracted from their goals by self-justifying arguments of men, which inevitably intruded into their discussions.

It is amazing how, in an African country, Africans and black people encounter resistance to their efforts to carve their own destinies in their own images after centuries of colonial dispossession.

In every other country, the national assertion of the oppressed is taken to be as natural as eating pie.

In these cases, where the institutions served one section of the population to the exclusion of the majority over centuries, it is taken for granted that they must be changed to reflect the aspirations, needs and viewpoints of the demographic majority if democracy is to have any substance for those previously excluded.

Any other approach means seeing colonial institutions servicing colonial interests as the norm into which we must all fit.

The resistance from representatives of the former regimes and those supporting them is usually done in the name of democracy, anti-discrimination and human rights.

When the oppressors talk in the name of these rights, what they mean is the retention of their privileges built over centuries of oppression and denial to the majority.

Change to them means tinkering with a few reforms here and there, and not overturning the whole social order in the name of justice for those who have been been systematically marginalised.

The new social order attempts to level the field and also gives to the former oppressor equality, but not the excessive privileges of the past, and the creation of society in their selective image.

It calls upon them to accept the transformation process and to participate in it also as equals, but not as masters.

Culture, embracing the arts, literature, education and the media, is one such field of transformation to reflect the world view of Africans and black people as they define themselves, not as the objects of history, but as its subjects, to be able to make history on the basis of their own self-determination.

The whole philosophy of the Black Consciousness Movement founded by Steve Biko was based on such a premise.

Biko broke away from the student movement which included whites because he felt it did not reflect the needs and aspirations of black people.

Human rights and democracy are not abstract concepts. They must relate to the real needs and aspiration of people, be they minorities or a whole nation that was previously oppressed. In South Africa, they must relate to the African and black majority whose identities and self-worth have been dented and damaged over centuries of colonialism.

It is commonly accepted that the media play a great role in the daily lives of a nation. The print or electronic media do not only inform us about what is happening on a day-to-day basis, they shape the image and identity of a people by reflecting their identity in a positive sense. Media are thus a cultural and intellectual tool of identity politics.

It is a contested area of social control globally. Who controls the media controls society. In our world, huge corporations reflecting capitalist interests control the media worldwide, and are thus a hub in social control.

Right from 1994, when we became a democratic country, attitudes towards the media have been on the boil.

I welcome aspects of our media for exposing corruption, highlighting some of the obvious failures of the government and generally taking a progressive stand on social issues. But the media do not reflect the black and African world as black intellectuals, writers and journalists understand it.

There is a distinction between those black intellectuals who wish to assert an independent black identity and those who have become so Westernised and Europeanised that they have internalised colonial oppression into their persons, sometimes unknowingly.

Frantz Fanon and others have analysed this internalisation of the oppressor's viewpoint. It exists in South Africa, too, among many black intellectuals and journalists.

In India, outstanding intellectuals, and social commentators such as Ashis Nandy, still write about the effects of colonialism on the Indian psyche today.

To a great degree, Africanism is regarded as being racist in our intellectual life. I have encountered persistent substantial resistance to it from various quarters, not least that of black intellectuals themselves.

In his Long Walk to Freedom, Mandela calls the pan-Africanist ideology of the PAC racist.

Space must be given to black journalists and journalism to thrive, develop and articulate their viewpoint. It will be continuing the tradition of the acclaimed "Bantu World" to define African and black identity, something that goes back to the days of Sol Plaatje.

White journalism in various forms flourishes in our society. Black journalism can be as universal in its value system as that of any other national culture.

Through its universal value system, it can incorporate the rights of others as an equal element. We have done that in our constitution by recognising the cultural and linguistic rights of minorities.

# Bunsee is a freelance journalist.

* This article was originally published on page 9 of The Cape Times on April 10, 2008

Cape Times

Published on the Web by IOL on 2008-04-10 05:46:00

ORIGINAL ARTICLE HERE

Here's the rub;

• After years of apartheid, no-one in South Africa would dare to start a white's only anything (even a Federation of Journalist) despite them being an ethnic minority.

• Any other ethnic or cultural group may start a club or society with complete abandon.

I seriously doubt that I would ever want to be a member of a "Whites Only" club or group, and I also don't believe that I should feel embarrassed by my ethnicity.

So I suppose my question is this, at what point does a freedom assembly and (exclusive) association become non-racist ?

[bensonboo]

Originally Posted by triffidius

So I suppose my question is this, at what point does a freedom assembly and (exclusive) association become non-racist ?

With a heavy dose of cynicism, I'd say that when said association is formed by whites, it's racist and when formed by non-whites, it's non-racist....

[TheLancinator]

Originally Posted by bensonboo

With a heavy dose of cynicism, I'd say that when said association is formed by whites, it's racist and when formed by non-whites, it's non-racist....

I'd agree with that 100%...here in the US there are many, many organizations that are exclusive to one 'minority' race or another, but if the same thing were done with white people, it would be racist. It's a double standard and it's not going away anytime soon.

[Bushviper]

Do they allow albinos or must they be black? What happens if they have a black mother and a white father. If they win an award may only one parent come and be proud on the day?

Next thing they will be allowing girls into the Boy Scouts!

[loser]

this kinda reminds me of the BET. Black entertainment Television channel.


if someone were to make the White Entertainment Television channel, you best believe the lawsuits would fly around.

[Nemowork]

Call yourself part of a white minority like Russians, Italians or something and you can get away with it!

[Mastodawn]

This should be a poll for which one we think is best.

I'd vote for minority exclusivity, because the MOBOs can be vaguely entertaining if you're horny, whereas a Skrewdriver album never will be.

[websponge]

its like Asian FM in the uk, if we had a White FM, we would be crucified... *sigh*

[Orthocyclen]

It's a very thin line. What determines which side you fall on ultimately belongs to whether or not any sort of moral value is applied. If it is, it's blatant racism.

[MidlifeCrisis]

Originally Posted by Nemowork

Call yourself part of a white minority like Russians, Italians or something and you can get away with it!

Because that's more of a heritage/cultural selection in my opinion and not related to race. Yes, whites would totally get protested for having anything that's 'pro-white' produced but not for non-whites.

As for as non-whites are concern, I see a lot of hypocrisy within all the certain races. We get to have organizations, fundings, shows and programs based on our "race" BUT when the 'outsiders' see us as a generic culture and say something inappropreiate, we get mad and find their remarks to be 'racist and stereotype'. I'm not against minority organizations or programs BUT they're overblown and overused as some sort of sympathy device.

We can only wish to live in a world without any racial preference or racial bias but I dont we can as a whole. I try my best as an individual.

[tollboothwilly]

if someone that starts a something-only orgiasnation, and you think they are wrong or whatever and that they should let other people in cause you think they are racists, then wouldnt that mean youre the racist cause you wont let anyone else do what they want, and only let you do what you want without any of this bullshit?

[Spyker]

the writer of this article is obviosly being subjective. he didnt understand the finding of the HRC in SA at all. i thinks he's an idiot.

what the HRC said is that it was wrong of the BJF to exclude white journalists on the basis of colour from a big news maker that was present at the meeting.

the facts surroundding this meeting are as follows.

Jacob Zuma(ANC leader and all round idiot) was to have an off the record briefing with the BJF.

The BJF said that all non-white journalists are excluded from this briefing

White journalists went anyway

the BJF kicked them out saying that the briefing was for balck people only.

now remeber that Jacob zuma is big news in the country at the moment, he is the newly elected leader of the ANC and he might become president of SA soon. Currently he is involved in a courtcase for curruption charges.

The HRC ruled that it was unconstitutional to exclude white journalists from a news source.

In the old government black people were excluded and now black people are doing it to white people. They force 'us'(white) to mix with black people in universities, schools,work and in social circles. If a black person is excluded from any of these activities for any reason that white people are immediatly called racist but when a white person is excluded from a black function we are also called racist and narrow minded.

Well i say fuck them and their stupid fucking double standards. 'They' need to remember that when you point a finger at someone you have three pointing right back at themselves.

fuck you black journalist forum, you have created a bitter taste in all South African's mouths. you deserve to be punished for what you did. As to the writer of the article that triffy posted...well you can kiss my white ass and shove your article where the sun dont shine. No really believes your hypocrytical bullshit anyway.

[Spyker]

and now that i'm on a fucking rant i want to talk about something else that really pisses me the fuck off.

in SA we have this 'Xenophobia' thing going on between locals and zimbabweans, congolese, nigerians etc etc.

now what heppens is that these people come to Sa seeking a better life. they cant find jobs easily so they open their own spaza shops and businesses. now because they are making money in a legal way(mostly) and many young black people are not making money a all(they either do crime or they sit at home waiting for social grant money) they attack these shops and steal from the owners. now what has happened in many of these shops is the owner gets fed up and buys himself a gun and shots the next fuck trying to rob him.

the the community get all riled up about one of their youths being dead now(they know full well that this youth was nothing but a no-good thug) and they start to riot. they burn down the shop and the houses of the owner. they rape his daughters, beat his wife within inches of her life and kill his son.

then the community say that they are fed up with these people taking their jobs and 'their' woman away from them. the media portray the comunity as the victims. a minister goes and sees the community and sympathises with them and the whole incedent gets told as xenophobia braught on by the 'outsiders'.

i mean wake the fuck up people. isnt hurting just because their not tnhe same as you racist? xenophobia is a fear of someone from another place.

these black communities are nothing but racist but a white person cant call them that

[tollboothwilly]

nice rant there spyker, the last line in your last post basically makes the point I said in my post before yours. well I guess both the two posts you made, makes my posts point or something like that.

[Binky]

Originally Posted by loser123

this kinda reminds me of the BET. Black entertainment Television channel.


if someone were to make the White Entertainment Television channel, you best believe the lawsuits would fly around.

bwaa hahaha WET... that kicks ass!

ummmm something serious.. this may sound racist, but oh well, lynch me.

Maybe letting them have their outlets keep some from doing criminal activities.. at least a controlled group keeps some problems from happening.. I'm not phrasing this right am I.. arggg