Racial Prejudice Hurts in South Africa

It's a global epidemic. The excruciating pain that is suffered mentally and emotionally leaves permanent scars. And no matter how hard the victim tries, nothing can prevent or protect him from it.

Racial prejudice hurts. It's a very frustrating thing with which to live. Some accept it with quiet resignation whilst others become angry and rebellious.

Some may think integration is possible and wish to see progression made towards equality. Others contend with racial prejudice in their countries with pride. Not much needs to be said or done to ignite emotions that end up in violence and bloodshed.

I live in South Africa. I was born here, but grew up in Zimbabwe (Rhodesia at that time). At the age of fourteen I returned to South Africa with my parents. I recall very clearly that it was the most traumatic experience I ever had as a child.

Having no experience and lacking a good sense of judgment, I was figuratively thrown into a country that was burning with racial intolerance. I could never understand the injustice of discrimination. I was perhaps too young in Zimbabwe to notice any racial problems. But I came face to face with the reality of prejudice in South Africa.

Black South Africans were subjected to numerous laws. The White minority in South Africa exploited and terrorized the Black people who included the Asians and Coloured - a mixed race - in South Africa. The racist Whites believed that Black people were heathens and so the church supported the segregation policy of South Africa: Apartheid.

Under the laws of Apartheid those who lived segregated lives were exploited for their labour and treated like slaves. They had to carry a passbook with them, allowing them to move from one place to another, but within boundaries. They were not allowed to develop and make advancement. They were dictated to by a system of prejudice: how and where they would live, work and die. They had no opportunities to educate themselves and participate as professional academics in society.

The following poem illustrates a lot more about how Black South Africans were regarded.

To Whom it may Concern by Sipho Sepamla

1 Bearer
2 Bare of everything but particulars
3 Is a Bantu
4 The language of a people in southern Africa
5 He seeks to proceed from here to there
6 Please pass him on
7 Subject to these particulars
8 He lives
9 Subject to the provisions
10 Of the Urban Act of 1925
11 Amended often
12 To update it to his sophistication
13 Subject to the provisions of the said Act
14 He may roam freely within a prescribed area
15 Free only from the anxiety of conscription
16 In terms of the Abolition of Passes Act
17 A latter-day amendment
18 In keeping with moon-age naming
19 Bearer's designation is Reference number 417181
20 And he acquires a niche in the said area
21 As a temporary sojourner
22 To which he must betake himself
23 At all times
24 When his services are dispensed with for the day
25 As a permanent measure of law and order
26 Please note
27 The remains of R/N 417181
28 Will be laid to rest in peace
29 On a plot
30 Set aside for Methodist Xhosas
31 A measure also adopted
32 At the express request of the Bantu
33 In anticipation of any faction fight
34 Before the Day of Judgement.

The tone is solemn and detached. It gives the impression that Black people were not human at all. There is no emotion or empathy. The poem is written in blank verse and can be read in monotone as if it were an official document.

As the poem develops, and keeping the title in mind, it is clear that a particular person is not being addressed. The "letter" which the Black man has to carry is applicable to every White man who has to deal with R/N 417181 - the typified African who is stripped naked - "bare" - of his identification, his dignity and his rights. He is passed on as if a parcel, from one place to the next.

This African wasn't found worthy, because of his skin colour, to fight for the country and, therefore, was not called up for military service. He was free from the obligation of national duty. He was not considered a patriot.

The only concern White people had were with the African's tribal differences and war-like habits (as seen in lines 33-34). And should this "number" die, it was important to remember where to bury him. The Black man had a say in where he was to be buried.

The poem is satirical showing the injustice of a system where Black South Africans were treated without human respect.

While the Apartheid era is something of the past, there are still many individuals who are governed by hate. Prejudice feeds on itself. Many people are over-sensitive and others over-react. Those who have been victimized for many years have themselves become prejudice. Many believe that everyone who is different to them, whether racial or cultural, is biased. They see prejudice even there where it does not exist.

It's not an epidemic of Africa. It's not subject only to those with a darker skin. The entire world continues to produce prejudice: racial, cultural, religious, financial, environmental, educational, and of human weakness and disability.

Where does the problem lie? Is human attitude to blame? Is human pride at fault?

Adolf Hitler had the vision of a 'superior' nation. It was all about physical appearance. He believed in a pure Aryan race. The irony of the matter is that he himself was far removed from being the perfect Aryan. His perspective was distorted and he denied many people a life because of their image and descent. It was his racial pride (a personal attitude contaminated with imperfection) that resulted in prejudice.

In Hitler's case it was a question of looking for a scapegoat. In South Africa there is a lot of resentment caused by years and years of injustice.

In the end, the problem that needs to be understood is that feelings are involved. No-one is immune to prejudice of any kind. Can people really justify the fact that they are intentionally hurting someone by casting them out of society? Which imperfect person that lives today can actually stand superior to another person, especially in a world that continually inflicts problems on all people?

Prejudice will always be there, like selfishness, jealousy and the many other human qualities that exist. While people have imperfect attitudes, prejudice will continue to divide society.

Fortunately there are ways for those who are victims of prejudice to cope. Here are three suggestions:

1. Avoid anger: Becoming angry won't minimize the damage done. The Roman poet Horatius (or Horace) referred to anger as a "short madness." Uncontrolled anger can lead to violence. When a person is angry he subjects himself to attack. He's an open target. Controlling anger starts with mind management. If a person can control his thoughts and be "bigger" than the anger, the emotion, he has succeeded over those who want him to feel inferior. It's perhaps a question of replacing negative energy with a positive force. Not easy, but possible.

2. "Turn the other cheek": Seeking revenge is not a long-term solution or viable. Fighting fire with fire has a snowball effect. Hate accumulates and an act of violent revenge leads to retaliation. In turn violence leads to more violence. Remember the rhyme: Tit for tat. If you kill my dog, I'll kill your cat. Learn to let go and live life as far as possible to the fullest. There where a door closes, it closes. But it's not the only opportunity in life. Find other opportunities and continue living a life where dignity and inner peace is important. Keep human rights in the mind and heart. Everyone has the right to live. Avoid those who hate, and walk with those who aren't bias. No-one is perfect neither superior. All men are equal. So why retaliate to an act of injustice?

3. Maintain insight and understanding: Trying to understand prejudice will lighten the situation. People are not born prejudice. Racial bias is passed on from one generation to the next. Children grow up learning to be bias. When in the company of someone who is bias, it's good to remember that prejudice does not happen suddenly. It takes years to develop. Therefore it would be an act of ignorance to think a person can change another person's attitude in one conversation. More often valuable time is wasted trying to reason with a prejudice person who is determined to hate and inflict injury. Look where the prejudice is coming from. If given the opportunity, there's no harm in trying to voice that an injustice is being done. But when faced with life-threatening danger it might be better to be attentive and quiet. A lot of important information can be picked up in a difficult situation by listening and being observant. It can help a person to find a means to escape harm or even death.

Many people don't realize how much prejudice still prevails in the world today. The struggle against it will continue for many centuries to come. Prejudice will always be deeply-rooted within imperfect people. While we have differences in life and factors like the television, media and people around us - who influence the way we think - the nature of prejudice will always exist.

The reality is that all people can live together in peace and harmony. Any form of discrimination is a product of human imperfection. If people are willing to change their attitudes by thinking less of themselves perhaps there would be more opportunity to reach out to others. But while man is self-serving and self-complacent, things will never change.

And now, from the racial prejudice in 'Merchant of Venice' this article is brought to an end:

Act III Scene i

SHYLOCK (to Salarino)

To bait fish withal: if it will feed nothing else,
it will feed my revenge. He hath disgraced me, and
hindered me half a million; laughed at my losses,
mocked at my gains, scorned my nation, thwarted my
bargains, cooled my friends, heated mine
enemies; and what's his reason? I am a Jew. Hath
not a Jew eyes? Hath not a Jew hands, organs,
dimensions, senses, affections, passions? Fed with
the same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject
to the same diseases, healed by the same means,
warmed and cooled by the same winter and summer, as
a Christian is? If you prick us, do we not bleed?
If you tickle us, do we not laugh? If you poison
us, do we not die? And if you wrong us, shall we not
revenge? If we are like you in the rest, we will
resemble you in that. If a Jew wrong a Christian,
what is his humility? Revenge. If a Christian
wrongs a Jew, what should his sufferance be by
Christian example? Why, revenge. The villainy you
teach me, I will execute, and it shall go hard but I
will better the instruction.