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Not racist?

The tag-line chosen by Commission for the Promotion of Equality to promote an EU anti-discrimination programme really says it all.

"We're not racist, but..."

Never has one three-letter word been imbued with so much hidden meaning. Few are those Maltese who actually think of themselves as outright racists. Indeed, to show our European neighbours that diversity is our middle name, we often feel the need to proclaim loudly that we certainly "are not racist" and heavens forbid that anyone should taint us with such a noxious brush.

Such proclamations usually precede an equally loud (and indignant) follow-up that proves just how intolerant we have become, particularly when faced with the prospect of sharing breathing space with people whose provenance is not Northern enough for our tastes.

Ah, the infamous "but". The Commission really hit the nail on the head with this word. This is the same "but" that leads us to resort to baffling pronouncements like the following, all of which I have heard fellow Maltese utter with a straight face.

"Not that I'm racist, but property value in my neighbourhood will go down if they (!) move in."

"I'm not racist, but I don't want my daughter to be exposed to such a different culture at school. It will confuse her."

"I'm not racist but then again I don't want them to impose their religion on us."

I've heard all these "I'm not racist" remarks first hand, more than once and even from quarters I'd have expected to be more enlightened. The general feeling of "us vs them" has become almost scary and I have now ceased to be surprised by the onslaught of irate comments that I receive both online and via email whenever I dare bring up this issue on my blog.

Which happens pretty often, because I can't stand to see the (self-proclaimed) most generous nation in the world behaving like rabid xenophobes without saying anything.

However, despite collectively acting like spoilt and insecure teens competing for the bounties of Mother Earth, I do believe that if we dig deeper we are, indeed, not as racist as we like to appear.

On a political level (and I use the word "political" in its broader meaning as opposed to the petty meaning we usually assign to it here) we are very fast with our anti-immigration slogans. And with our exhortations for the authorities to send immigrants back to their countries pronto.

But in my experience all this theoretical conviction disappears very fast when we come in close contact with the human reality of the situation.

What I'm trying to say is that many are those who will rush forth with the "send them back" comments without stopping to think about the implications. Just have a look at the comments under the story about the latest batch of immigrants that landed in Golden Bay last night; it's enough to make you despair.

However, few are those who would actually back their statements with actions were they to come face to face with the subjects of their condemnation and were they to witness, first-hand, the suffering that these people face on a daily basis. In many cases, all that is needed to penetrate the armour of racism that we have built around us is to dig deeper into the human stories behind the dry facts, figures and statistics.

So let's all dig a bit deeper and cut out all this "us and them" nonsense, shall we?

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Kenneth Cassar

May 10th 2012, 08:48

You'll have to be clearer than that. Give me a hypothetical situation, and I'll tell you how I would react.

CJohn Zammit

May 8th 2012, 23:03

Mr. Mifsud,
This blog was presumably inspired by the reaction to the arrival of 88 migrants; I would like you to consider the following:

Eighty-eight newcomers to a population of over 400,000, represents an addition of less than 0.022% (of the population). That is an insignificant number, meaning, it does not impact the whole.

In Malta, there are, currently, over 65,000 empty apartments (with more to come) on the market ... meaning, the speculators are counting on a huge influx of foreigners to purchase them.

If boat-people were to buy those empty apartments, it would take 739 groups like the one that landed on Golden Bay.
If such a group were to land every month, it would take almost 62 years of monthly arrivals, just to occupy the currently empty residences.

Do you still think that there is not enough room?

Franco Farrugia

May 8th 2012, 23:27

Perhaps it is as you say, Mr Mifsud. But the comments and the sheer ignorance that is shown through the comments show the Maltese for what they are - at least many of them.

J Degabriele

May 9th 2012, 10:05

@CJohn Zammit
The blog is inspired by the arrival of 88 illegal immigrants but the whole question is NOT about these 88! It's about an unknown infinity of numbers that came, are coming and will continue to come. Whether these people come from Africa or from Eastern Europe, there is a limit to what these islands can take!

CJohn Zammit

May 9th 2012, 18:56

@J. Degabriele
You talk about an "unknown infinity of numbers" ... meaning, what?

Take a moment to read what I wrote, then dispute the quoted figures ... they are real.



Kenneth Cassar

May 10th 2012, 08:39

Multiculturalism has barely been tried at all. What I see is segregation. Never a good idea, in more ways than one.

Eric Soames

May 8th 2012, 18:49

Morana Axisa: Well my idealistic, probably younger, fellow human with the anagrammatic name to the blogger's. It is the way we have evolved that makes us group together in bands of like individuals for survival. The greater the external pressure the closer we knit. The pressures today are social and economic and when the cork pops the divides fall along racial lines because they're easiest to recognize. Hopefully this is couched in gentler terms than my first response.

Morana Axisa

May 8th 2012, 11:08

Well let's hope your children will be educated enough to know what is out there and to choose their own religion when they become adults, if they want to. Being exposed to different cultures and beliefs is the only way to have a well-rounded education, not to mention an open mind. I hope your children find a way to have that, despite their father wanting to put blinkers on them.

Kenneth Cassar

May 10th 2012, 08:35

@ John Neville Ebejer:

"No Ramona Depares will tell me what religious education I deem best for my children. That is my responsibility and I have to respond for what is best for them".

What has this got to do with racism?

Morana Axisa

May 8th 2012, 11:11

When I was younger my mother used to tell me to 'Look up to the people who were more intelligent and better then me, and strive to become like them' and not look down on those individuals who had a more close-minded view of the world, and compare myself to them instead. The fact that other people are worse then Maltese should not make us feel proud that we are less racist and ignorant then them, we should want to strive to NOT be ignorant and racist at all!

Ramona never said one has to follow Islam or whatever, but that everyone has the right to follow their own beliefs and that as Malta is supposedly a democratic country, people should not be disciminated for doing so! Have you read tha article above at all Sir??

Kenneth Cassar

May 10th 2012, 08:32

@ Pierre Mazzacano D'Amato:

"In other words, if we’re not prepared to follow Islam, and Sharia Law for that matter, then we’re being racist. Oh dear, God help us all".

In other words, you're beating a straw man. What you describe as "in other words" are actually just your own words. Can you name just one person who said it's racist not to convert to Islam or not to accept Sharia law?

Pierre Mazzacano D'Amato

Jul 9th 2012, 11:35

Fundamental human rights are far more sacred than any form of religion, be it Christianity, Islam or Judaism.

PMD

Norman E Grech

Jul 27th 2012, 13:03

Well said!!

Victor Laiviera

May 7th 2012, 14:57

What "self" would that be?

Antoine Vella

May 7th 2012, 18:52

Victor, if you are really against racism you should go and have a good talk with some of your comrades in the PL, including Joseph Muscat himself.

Eric Soames

May 7th 2012, 19:33

Victor Laiviera: We seem to have agreed on a number of points on past occasions, see about this one. What I'm suggesting is, just as one would immediately defend family on a 'shoot first' basis in a back against the wall situation, so will one, and should, progress through protecting neighbors, country, race and ultimately species.

carlos ellul

May 8th 2012, 16:13

An example of self preservation would be that of not wanting to join the eu for fear of being invaded by sicilians who would take our jobs. Does that ring a bell vic?

Morana Axisa

May 8th 2012, 11:13

I'm sorry hon, but that mean that you ARE a racist!

Generalising and not tolerating a person simply because he has a certain religion or background, without getting to know said individual first for his own merits and character = that IS racist yes.

Mario Fenech

May 8th 2012, 22:44

EVERYONE is a racist in one way or another,maybe we are ashamed to admit but when it involves us (Victor's one example)we all are.

Kenneth Cassar

May 10th 2012, 08:26

@ Mario Fenech:

Actually, you are wrong. Not everyone is deep-down a racist. I, for one, certainly am not, and I've had several quarrels with people because of this.

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