Time For Introspection

There’s been quite a debate going on for some time now in Dubai on whether what many people label Racism is actually a problem with culture differences or sheer ignorance.

As a person living in the country for some time now, I can declare that I have been discriminated against more by those who share the colour of my skin.

A letter by a reader on last week’s report on discrimination in various nightspots woke me up to the fact that nine times out of 10, people of colour because of their own lack of self-esteem are perpetuating the colour bar among the world’s red-blooded folk. 

This reader wrote about his office boy. I experience it regularly... Shopping... Dining... Lunching...

My life companion, a tall, blond, blue eyed Dutch man always gets greeted, noticed and served by the service staff that is mostly Asian while I become totally transparent.

Take the time we went to this very swanky store together to buy a gift for him. The greeting was "Hello Sir! How can I help you sir? What I can I show you sir?" While I was completely ignored.

Even when I got my credit card out and paid for the purchase, my better half got the “Thank You Sir. Come again soon,” while all I got was “humph”.

This unfortunately is only one example.

Should I have called that kind of behaviour racist; simply ignorance on the part of the saleswoman who did not know better or was it that she had no real sales training?

Hindi and Arabic TV channels are replete with advertisements that send the message ”If you are fair you will be successful. If you are anything else you will never be accepted.” What a farce!

Other Asian channels do the same and yet it is people of colour everywhere that scream “racist” at the drop of a hat.

Isn’t it time we did some introspection and actually see that Asians discriminate more among themselves than other races with Asians.

Write in and tell us about your experiences and views.