News of the Day - A Protest No One is Reporting About

     On Thursday, 27^th February, a protest against racism and hate crime was held in Norway’s capitol, Oslo. Even though there were, according to the Facebook event, between four and five hundred people present, even though the protesters went from city’s central square to the house of parliament, even though a lot of good points were made by many panelists and even though racism seems to be blooming in this northern country, there are no reports on it in any of the popular newspapers today. 

(facebook.com/pages/Antirasistisk-Senter/148172115254308)

Why is that? Or even better – how is it possible? We’re talking about the country were, 13 days ago a 53 year old man, Jacob Kuteh was attacked outside his own home probably because he was an immigrant; the country where the leader for Youth against racism (Ungdom mot rasisme) also was attacked outside her home, by right extremists; the country where gay people are attacked or discriminated against almost daily, especially if they aren't white; the country where the only terrorist attacks came from the right extremist groups, but people still consider Muslims to be the terrorists… A country that has experienced 22^nd July 2011 and still hasn’t learned anything. 

     If you ask people in Norway about their opinions on race and racism, most of them will tell you that they either are anti-racists or that race doesn’t mean anything to them. I don’t think Norway’s population has recently been reduced to 500 people, so where were these anti-racist, open-minded people on Thursday? Probably thinking this protest is just for those with other skin tones or cultural backgrounds…

But what about media, then? Even if there was only one person standing in front of the Norwegian house of parliament, this topic is so important and controversial in the society that it’s media’s obligation to report on it. 

Every fight for a better society deserves to be talked about and made visible. Get a grip, journalists!  

Colorblindness

 

7 Things Your Colorblind Racist Friend Might Say to You and How to Respond

      In 1992 En Vogue sang “Be colorblind, don't be so shallow” in their well known song Free Your Mind. Back then, their Message was to stop concentrating on the color of someone's skin and accept them as a human being. An important message to spread across the World.

(decolonizechris.files.wordpress.com)

However, today, colorblindness has become somewhat of a negative term. Why is that? This article I'm sharing here implies that most of the people who state that they don't even notice the color of someone's skin, are in reality showing signs of (concealed) racism.

     When my friend shared it on Facebook the other day, it got me thinking. And I must admit that I also felt a bit provoked, because I considered myself to be a bit colorblind, in the En Vogue way. On the other hand, I never said any of the things this article considers to be given for “colorblind” people, except maybe the first example. Because we all are just people, and no one is going to make me change my mind about it.

But, it's important for me to explain what I meant with my case of colorblindness. One shouldn't ignore the fact that not all people on this planet are white, nor should one pretend they all are. Because they are not. Mankind is so full of diversity, and that's one of our most beautiful characteristics. We should treasure it, respect it, celebrate it. We should, under no circumstances, make it something that divides us. 

So, don't be colorblind, be color-respectful!