"Racist, Not me"

Are you Racist? You probably think, "No I'm not racist at all."

I've heard hundreds of people say this, yet, things have been said and done which makes me believe otherwise.

If someone comes up to you in the street and asks for the time, what do you do? If they're white you give them the time, if they're black, in some cases this can be a different matter.

I realised just how bad some people act towards the coloured community amongst us after watching a tv programme. A white man was sent out into the street. He was told to ask the time, both black and white people answered him. e was then sent out again after receiving a make-over to appear to be black. He was informed to do exactly the same thing again. Once again, black people answered him yet, I as a viewer was disgusted to see that the white people either ignored him or pushed by him.

This only goes to show that the black people in our communities are willing to be civilised, but we, the white people, just kick them in the teeth for it. Why? Because we're racist, (well, the majority of us). The message people need to get across is that, just because someone's black or white it doesn't mean they're different from the rest of us.

Attacks are made on coloured people all the time. People are targeted just because they're skin is a different colour. I myself don't think I am racist. Most of my friends are coloured and, hey, that doesn't bother me. Why should it bother anyone else? But the fact is that it does.

The big question is Why? Why do we treat them as inferior to ourselves when they're not? We're all human beings and it sickens me to see people being treated badly because of the way they look.

Some attacks don't stop at shouting. It's these attacks that need stopping and need stopping now! Why go up and punch someone or spit in someone's face because they're black?

An example of racism was bought to my attention a few days ago. I received a letter from a friend and sat reading in horror as I read how three white men had jumped him in the street. They had beaten him badly and when he'd returned to his wife at home he'd not told her the truth about what happened and had declined to tell her that he knew the people involved in the attack. He told me that he didn't tell her because he, 'Didn't want any trouble'.

I was saddened to hear that he didn't want anything doing about this attack but read on to where he'd written, "I've got my friends and family to think about. If I report them they'll more than likely go after my family and I couldn't live with that so it's best I leave things alone".

What do you think? Would you have gone to the police or do you think he was right to leave well alone? Whatever your opinion, after reading this can you honestly say that you're not racist?

Just remember, the next time you see that guy in the street asking for the time. Answer them, what does it hurt?