You just hate me ‘cos I’m black

So there’ve been words because next year is 200 years since the abolition of the slave trade in the UK. There are people unhappy that the government has not issued a full apology, although they’ve said it was profoundly shameful and they express “deep sorrow that it could ever have happened…”

From Esther Stanford, secretary of Rendezvous for Victory campaign:

“What is now required is a dialogue about how we repair the legacies of enslavement, and we’re talking about educational repairs, we’re talking about economic repairs, family repairs, cultural repairs, repairs of every kind that we need to recreate and sustain ourselves - it will cost.”

If there are people who need reparations from countries that benefited from the African slave trade, it’s the people of Africa who live in violent, impoverished conditions. Those who live in countries like the UK are generally better off, IMHO. It’s probably going to be quite unpopular and very un-PC to say this, but when it comes to African descendants in the UK and US, when does it stop? When does self-victimisation stop and personal responsibility for individual circumstances start?

There are many examples of African descendants (or other races that have been disadvantaged) who have done well. And I’ve seen many people just perpetuate their own cycle of poverty by whining that they’re being treated prejudicially and SHOULD get a better start and make no real effort on their own.

I think there is certainly a lot of racism going on, between all different races — it’s human nature. What makes a difference is how we choose to act. I do think that if we keep harping on about race, people can’t help framing things in a racial context, for good or bad. And I think the huge task is to teach history and social studies in an objective manner as possible, and not treat race, minority, diaspora, or whatever, as such a defining characteristic. I don’t care what colour anyone is, as long as they try to live a good life and treat people the way they want to be treated. And that’s all that should matter between you and I.

• 27 Nov 2006

• Thinking