The country was abuzz this past week when social media was set ablaze with the abhorrent news that (once again) a woman of color was being discriminated against for purportedly wearing her hair in a natural state. Now, while I do not have all the details that surround this particular matter, I note with much dismay that this is not an isolated incident and this is not the first time such an incident has occurred in our country.
The ugly truth of the matter is this: there exists a serious and systemic issue of racism in Belize, and as a country we have failed in a most egregious manner to root it out and nip it at its bud. Many leaders, agencies and organizations have merely spoken about this systemic issue, but have failed miserably in effectively addressing the matter. As a country, we have operated on the dogma that nothing lasts forever and that everything will eventually blow over in time.
But we can’t continue to live like this and proceed in such a negligent manner. Even if the news fades in time, the stings and the stain will linger and continue to permeate further. From time immemorial, racism has been and has continued to be a very prominent issue and has been flagrantly disavowed. Many people continue to grapple with the effects of racism and discrimination in our country, and it’s high time that we come to the drawing board and immediately address this issue. This issue requires serious and immediate redress, and the time is ripe that we pay our dues forward to our people who continue to suffer in silence.
Discrimination comes in many forms and oftentimes is a precursor to racism. Racism is like an undercurrent that runs in the veins, and it provides a super ego to the perpetrators because somehow it makes them feel superior when the color of their skin, their creed or ideology make them feel as if they are better than somebody else. What an outright shame! Such travesties should never be made to stand, because we were all created equal, and we were born with the inalienable right to live in a free and fair society where we can all express ourselves and live out the merits of our true identity without having to be judged for it or be subjected to harsh scrutiny for our choices that are inherent to us and promote our overall wellbeing.
I couldn’t be more disgusted to learn that a woman who chooses to wear her hair in a particular way or style is being subjected to intense scrutiny and being made to suffer disrepute for expressing her identity. This is not only discrimination. This is racism. This speaks to a broken society which has failed to address and root out a systemic problem, and now it has come to manifest itself. This issue will continue to manifest itself if we don’t address it head-on and root it out altogether.
As a society, we cannot in good reason call ourselves free and fair if this type of behavior is perpetrated everyday in our workplaces, our schools, communities and society. If we allow such repugnance to continue and take precedence, then we have failed at our most rudimentary purpose in life, which is to see each other as equal and respect each other for the choices we make in expressing themselves.
Be it known that this writer despises any form of discrimination and racism. This is the 21st century, folks! The problems that we face are numerous and fierce. We are struggling to grapple with the very ills that plague us. Racism shouldn’t even have room to breathe, given the time we are in and the troubles we face. If racism and discrimination towards others make you feel superior or somehow more ordained, then you have no idea what it is to live and love; and more so, if you use racism and discrimination against other people to trump your cause, you are a sore loser and have lost your way.
Unchained Reflections Of a Liberal Pragmatist.
God Bless Belize!