Opinion

Racism against Indians is no joke

February 03, 2008 Edition 1

The column Rear View: Naicker Unwrapped, (SM January 27) refers. Claire Angelique refers to Kevin Perkins' "offensive", "uncouth", "toilet humour" as "brilliant".

These are her words. Anyone who finds offensive, uncouth, toilet humour "brilliant" should not even be writing for the Sunday Tribune.

If Kevin's racism and Claire's admiration for his filth is not enough, we have, in addition, her patronising double edged compliment: " . . . the Indian community, have such a brilliant sense of humour themselves, that it would take much more than one wit ou with an accent to rock the boat enough to cause more than mere ripples of laughter". So sayeth the wit madame.

The question is, which "Indian" community is madam referring to? We are not a homogenous group with a common religio-cultural heritage, language, ethnicity, diet, traditions, values, dress codes, taboos, customs, art forms, historical experiences and so on.

However, in her mind and in the mind of the clown she so admires, our chief asset is our pigment. That of course would justify lumping us all together. Of course Perkins would not contemplate making Muslim jokes. He would be aware of what happened to Mark Banks.

Naturally Kevin Perkins would be "impressed" by Russel Peters who is racially, but not culturally, Indian. There is nothing wrong with genuine humour or comedy that laughs at oneself, but there is a great deal wrong with it when it is directed at other people, who belong to another racial, cultural or religious group.

As Salman Rushdie said, "Stereotypes are easier to shrug off if yours is not the culture being stereotyped".

Sugen Pillay

Verulam

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