Signs that you are still racist

With the enormous changes and the forgiveness factor which has taken hold of South Africa over the last thirty years we have seen a huge shift in attitude and respect for people of other cultures and faiths. The world paused when Mandela was set free and forgave his enemy. What a huge heart; people couldn’t believe it. And what would be the use of holding a grudge? He was running a country, not a twelve-step program.  The country needed repair; he used reverse psychology and focussed on the positive, not on revenge. He gave South Africa a fresh new face. 

Change in attitude

As Mandela’s influence spread and took hold white people eased up on their fear of people of color and there was positive interaction. You no longer call your domestic worker a girl or a maid. You are not allowed to label people or say you whites or you coloreds and call them Pakis or terrorists; there is zero tolerance. Crimen injuria is a law in South Africa that forbids racist remarks.  For the most part this kind of deterrent works, but are there still people who think that because of their skin color that they are a superior race? Do you still give your domestic yesterday’s food or food that you have saved up in the fridge? Here are some signs that you are a closet hater.

Indications that you have not changed and are still racist

·         Your domestic worker still calls you madam and you are not on a first-name basis.

·         You still pay your domestic eight hundred rand a month.

·         Your domestic does not have her meals with you, but sits alone.

·         You still believe you should get the seat in the bus or train over a person of color.

·         You still give your domestic polony and bread for lunch; you never give her a hot meal.

·         At a day hospital you grumble that blacks are coming into your day hospital instead of going to one in the townships.

·         You still call coloreds and blacks ‘these people’.

·         You still expect the domestic to look after the little ones, clean the house, do the windows and continue working until four or five.

·         You put butter on your bread but give the domestic worker margarine.

·         After a long day of cleaning up, when it rains you still expect her to walk to the station instead of giving her a lift.

·         At Christmas you give her three hundred for a bonus and think you have done a good deed. Having stated the above, the madams today are not all white.