Dear Editor:
Observer Media Group needs to do better.
Last night, I was listening to Observer’s Snake Pit and a caller was rambling on making some disturbing pronouncements. Firstly, the caller said, “The white man should always be viewed as the enemy.”
I waited with bated breath to hear if that statement would have been checked by any of the hosts because that statement is easily classified as hate speech.
I am a proud black woman and I don’t believe white people oftentimes need defenders because whether they want to accept it or not, white supremacy has done a number on a lot of races.
However, to say that white people ought to be viewed as enemies simply because they are white is a hateful and irresponsible statement that ought not to be uttered on media.
Further, the caller went on to mention assassination at which point Mr. Knight intervened (a delayed response might I add), asking the caller to “take back” that statement. However, the caller went on to debate and try to justify their use of the term.
I do not understand how a media company can allow its ethics to be compromised by guests or callers. The individual did not “take back” the statement but was allowed to continue with their diatribe.
Also, a woman who’s been on the programme quite regularly in recent times needs to learn to prepare herself to be on a programme discussing current events.
She cannot hope to lend meaningful perspectives on topics she’s only learning of because of Mr. Knight.
This woman never seems to have scanned a credible news report and when Mr. Knight would ask her if she knows what’s happening in so and so neighbouring country, her response oftentimes is, “Wha’?” Madame, when you are uninformed of what’s happening here, regionally or internationally, it comes across as you are on the station to preach the message of UPP come what may because you have no substance to weigh your stance against.
I am a lover of local media but can we please do better.
Signed
Media lover.
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a bait is something stink.
Please check the historical record of the white race on genocide, slave trade and robbery of lands around this planet. The havoc they caused in established communities and customs among native people that inhabited continents on this beautiful blue planet we call earth.
Yes! They are evil. conquerors, disruptors and you best believe that they have been educated that they are superior to any other race of people.
Check your history.
There have been a number of black slave owners. Please check your history sir.
Thank you it all started with blacks
There was indentured servitude and there was Chattel slavery.
Black people didn’t participate in Chattel slavery.
Your true face is showing! This is why the caller was RIGHT. See them as an enemy – because they are.
What about present day. Reagan, the Bushes, Clinton, Noriega, Milosovech and the Putin’s of the WORLD….they kill, destroy and do their best to conquer and convert countries of this world.
Check your FACTS!
I have and I know that. One ting me know. Hitler was a white Man, Mussolini a wha white man, Thomas Jefferson, George Washington. The lying Christopher Columbus, Cortez, Vasco De Gama… I can go own. All a dem white. They destroyed, killed, enslaved native inhabitants of land that they claimed.
The library should be open. Stop using Google and read a book. Then again PAPA BIRD did say . Antiguans are not a reading public. Full Stop!
As a black person I fully agree that making assumptions about a person or group of persons because of the colour of their skin is racism anyway you put it…doesn’t matter what colour they are.
The caption and the picture are misleading and don’t line up with the story. It starts with her outrage about hate speech, but ends with attacks on an uninformed show cohost. As expected, it’s just a round about way of criticizing UPP with Knight in the middle.
On Teargas night, when we should be focusing on the injustices against our people, the writer is just trying to distract us. If you don’t like the show go and watch Netflix.
Agree that the writer is making much ado about nothing. Expecting radio hosts to censor every caller for “hate speech” is unrealistic. Given the past history between “blacks” and “whites”, naturally some black people mistrust white people and might even regard them as “the enemy”. But, we’re all used to this rhetoric by now so the caller’s words are not likely to incite mass crowds to violence etc. So, they should be allowed to speak once they don’t go too far with it. After listening to each other’s perspectives we can better come up with ways to make meaningful change.
Absolutely correct!
No one is defined by the color of their skin, people define themselves by their strength and depth of character and by their moral fabric.
As an old white guy I don’t hive a rat’s ass what color you are. My wife and I were blessed to become friends with a black Antiguan gentleman a couple years ago, despite being 10 years younger than us, we’ ve learned a great deal from him in terms of philosophies of life, and anyone that can help us find a little peace during the collapse of the US is truly a blessing.
Amen.
Yeah, there you go taking lessons from the black man, but not one word on how/ what you’re giving back to him. I interpret the callers words of “seeing white people as an enemy” to mean they can’t be trusted – and I fully agree that they shouldn’t be trusted. I see absolutely nothing hateful about that comment. It was the trusting of these people that led to some of the worst atrocities that black people have endured. And I don’t see them going out of their way to try to atone for those sins. Infact, they are more likely to fight against any form of reparatory justice for black people.
My regrets that you bear the ponderous weight of racism.
Keep your regrets. I bear no burden in knowing that YOU and your kind can’t be trusted. Rather, it is quite freeing.
Keep your fake regrets. I bear no burden in knowing that YOU can’t & shouldn’t be trusted – rather it is quite freeing. What you really regret is, that there are Antiguans that are willing to call you out on your BS. You couldn’t even allow a comment about your ancestors to pass without trying to excuse it by mentioning that there were “black slaves owners.”
So, because there were “black slave owners” does that make the statement made about your ancestors untrue? And why the false equivalence of indentured slaves and chattel slaves? I hope Antiguans are paying attention to people like you. You’re too comfortable living in a predominantly black country while quick to defend white atrocities.
FYI, there are races: white and black. The other peoples of the world are classified as ethnicities. The host only insists on retractions when names in high places are being called without proof. All in fear of legal ramifications. The co-host has made it clear that her main reason for being on air is to sing the praises and encourage listeners (the choir) to vote for opposition. It is her constitutional right to do so. Her knowledge of or familiarity with current events.
The thinking of many of the callers is at a level.of despair. Nothing is good in Antigua and Barbuda, by their assessment. I just left the both islands and my experience, though limited, was an amazing one.
Change in Antigua will take years, mainly the mindset of the mental culture has to evolve. Valuing one’s surroundings, the esthetics of property, derelict buildings must all be considered to evoke the changes which can be realized.
We’re on our way there. People are coming in droves to live in Antigua because the way of life is more prosperous than many other islands, despite the naysayers. Usually coming from the opposition benches.
I trust that we can learn to respect one another albeit the race and ethnicity differences. Let’s make claims, solely based on conduct or behaviors. Less talking, more action. Join civic groups to keep you occupied. Give back and stop complaining…
That’s Antigua and Barbuda for you. Not to mention the brain drain that we have been experiencing now for decades. We educate our children and lose them to the developed countries. Meanwhile others from far away countries come and make Antigua their home. Sad sad sad story.
@Dave Ray…there is no #race, when it come to HUEmanity. Neither black, white or fifty_shades of grey! What we live, as HUEmans are indoctrinated habits/phuckery conceived by The Molders of Society ions ago, to control HUE-mans.
Okay, thanks
I used to have racial thoughts and also act accordingly in my bones. I swear I couldn’t marry a white woman, although many white girls I had as my girlfriend. I professed to be a Christian and the only white man I liked was Christ Jesus. You can say my mind was totally confused. Over the many years I looked everywhere for answers. Be it in soft drugs or alcohol or religion. Rastafari was an ideology that spoke to me, were it not for the fact that I could not accept the Emperor Haile Selassie as the Lord of Lords and Kings of Kings. And the Almighty. Other than that, I could find some teaching that could satisfy my blackness. I hated when seeing a ‘beautiful’ black girl, with a white man. I still have some issues working on that. Didn’t mind seeing a beautiful white girl with a black man. Mixed couples such as Serena Williams and our very own Asha Otto come to mind. But then my heart got troubled because my children married white man and white woman. And my grandchildren are mixed race. But you know what they say, if you are 10% black you are Black. Mixed race children will eventually have an identity issue to deal with. One should therefore wonder, was it a good thing for races to mix or not? The bible is silent about that. Or, perhaps I have not read it yet. if we believe that God created us all to his likeness, then it perhaps means he is multi racial. in my old age I try not to get hung on the race issue, and see people for who they are, Good or Bad. Try to look at the heart. That is what the Lord judges. He searches the heart. The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? Jeremiah 17:9.
Martin Luther King, Jr. quote: I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.
I mean is this world just Black or White? So, what about the other races? Where do they fall?
I still have a question, was it a good thing to mix races? I hate to mix dog breeds. It produces all kinds of weird looking dogs. I love Shepards and will not breed them with any other breed. And God didn’t mix us when he made us, did He? But we all belong to the HUMAN RACE. So let us love one another with the Love of the Father, which is in Christ Jesus. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believed in Him shall have ETERNAL LIFE. The only purpose in and of life.
It’s very telling how you couldn’t accept Emperor Hailey Selassie as King of Kings Lord of Lords even though he was a direct descendant from the line of King David; but, you readily accept the white Jesus a picture that Michelangelo painted of his cousin as The Christ.
Haile
Just like you, I’m a product of my ancestors. And of slavery. I subscribe to the Christian believe for one reason or the other. But I’m open to listening to any other religion. Which I can tell you I have done. I even at one time in my life was a humanist. Believing in myself.
I hope you’re open to listening to some history too.
https://youtu.be/r0a-1hLtwRw
@From The Sideline…
…confusion is in your brain
…but, not to worry!
…nor, even to feel sorry!
…’cause, it doesn’t make you insane!
…you simply choose, just like your children
…what position’s you want to play
…each and every day,
…in, through, of life’s game!
…No need to worry about Saint Emperor Haile Selassie I.
…The #Christ(Man made title)which I assume you worship in the sky!
#Jesus _Christ! Jesus Christ!
…allegedly, had to die’
…so that hypocrites, can pretend
…as, a means to an end!
…to pick the plank, from their eye!
I have thought about this issue in the past. Here is how I found peace.
1) God made and loves all “races” and said his creation was “good”. Also, He wants all people to come to repentance and be saved. Thus, who am I to hate anyone for the skin colour that they were given by God?
2)There are plenty of miracles and fulfilled prophecies that point to Jesus as the Messiah. Who am I to insist that the Messiah should be my skin tone? Seems a bit arrogant. I tend to regard Jesus as Arabic not really “white” anyway.
3)White, black, asian etc. originally resulted from people adapting to different environments after the forefathers left or remained in Africa long ago. Thus, the original humans would have had what we now called “mixed” DNA. So, “mixed” is actually normal whereas the current racial divisions that we imagine as “pure” are actually abnormal extreme adaptations. The world is getting back to “mixed” now. So, it is getting back to normal.
4) All of us humans descended from the same ancestors – Adam and Eve – so “white” people are our distant cousins. Thinking of them as cousins helped me put aside any feelings of ill will.
5) Biblical teaching suggests that shared faith is more important than shared DNA. I personally regard all fellow Christians as my close family and non-Christians as more distant relations regardless of race. I speak to everyone, but I would rather cooperate in ventures, socialize, and trust serious Christians more than any other group.
Hope that helps someone…
I had similar thoughts to you as it relates to white men with black women and as well black men with white women. But my son grew to marry a white-spanish girl producing five grandchildren. My 23 year old daughter has been dating outside of her race as well. So I had to change my thinking.
Although I’m fully aware that racism exists and will continue to exist into infinity, I try my very best to assess people based on their behavior and response to me. Let’s all learn to be kind to one another when warranted.
Respect. Nuff Respect.
Shalom, Salam. Salamun Alaikum
We have things in common
…Hail, Jumbee_Picknee!
…a wah time e be⁉️
…me, tink dat! Ah Reality Time!
…Irie! Irie!
…folks! Neargah!
…r we, a kum bak aftah,
…dem messages fram
…#RE-Legion!
…Poli-Tricks!
…#Classism!
Don’t move dat Search_Engine!
Mi goh, swing sum #Burning Flame ENGINE!
…swinging engine! Swinging engine’
If it walks like a duck, quacks like duck and swims like a duck …
MAYBE, JUST MAYBE, REPARATIONS MIGHT SOFTEN THE BLOWS OF THE HEINOUS SLAVE TRADE AND HATRED – JUST ENQUIRING ON BEHALF OF MY CONCERNED CAUCASIAN FRIENDS!
#stophidingandrunningawayfromyourawfulpast
Those who don’t learn from history are bound to repeat it.
Antigens need to reflect on what happened to St. Lucia because of their attachment to racist attitudes.
White people on that island decided to not take the St Lucian racist attitudes and left, taking their wealth and expertise with them.
The St. Lucian’s suffered decades of economic downturn as a result.
Ask any of them who lived through that period.
I will quote Lucky Dube, the great South African reggae singer, a man who was born and raised in racist South Africa during the Apartheid era:
“Not every Black man is my brother; not every White man is an enemy.”
However, what this letter highlights is the kind of rhetoric you will get when a particular political party and its supporters are KNOWN to practise a thinly veiled form of xenophobia that they hide under the guise of “patriotism/nationalism”. But Samuel Johnson (1775) said it best:
“Patriotism is the last refuge of the scoundrel.”
I will add:
“Nationalism is the last refuge of a xenophobe.”
I, am a #RACIST!
Tell them, again Jumbe_Picknee!
…”Ras Smood is a #racist!”
You sound like Trevor Walker, who professed to be a born racist. Yet he run to the Privy Council to get judgement.
@From The Sideline…
A…you’re never too young to learn and become #wise. You’re also never too old to learn and become #wiser!
B…Ignorance is Bliss! How can this be so⁉️ If your not knowledgeable to anything, the best way to lean about it, is to have an open mind(play dumb/ignorant) to learn its, ins and outs. The “bliss” is end result of your humility!
C…Stupid is, as Stupid does! One who see with their eyes when when it comes to anything, will usually miss the #essence of what is before them, versus one who see with the #heart, and can feel the #essence and energy of what is before them. Most animals hunt for food at night, by utilizing the sense of smell, and can sense their prey hundreds of meters away before making contact.
D…the suffix…”ist” added to a word denotes knowledge, experience, #WISDOM as to what was studied to become a PROFESSIONAL at. Example you study Chrmistry you are licensed as a chemIST.
You study physics you become a physicIST.
You study Biology you become a biologIST.
You study propoganda you become a propagandIST(this one suit you just fine). Victor “Babu” Samuels is a what, because he studied the Steelpan and music? panIST. This leads to organIST, cycling leads you to
become, a cycLIST. Agriculture to agriculturalIST.
E…Enlightenment is achieved with the simple step of REALIZATION, when you get #real with ether which encompasses you making you a realIST.
Now, your assignment is very simple! You get this correct, and you get an A+.
One who studies RACE would be called a what?
Please realize you can’t PHUCK with me. I’m a #REALIST, and a #RACIST!
Please burn your asinine thoughs, learn the true vibe of #Word-Sound-Power and rise with wisdom like a Phoenix or maybe for you, it’s phonics! #phucking_idiat lakkah wan true Garrat’
Keep your fake regrets. I bear no burden in knowing that YOU can’t & shouldn’t be trusted – rather it is quite freeing. What you really regret is, that there are Antiguans that are willing to call you out on your BS. You couldn’t even allow a comment about your ancestors to pass without trying to excuse it by mentioning that there were “black slaves owners.”
So, because there were “black slave owners” does that make the statement made about your ancestors untrue? And why the false equivalence of indentured slaves and chattel slaves? I hope Antiguans are paying attention to people like you. You’re too comfortable living in a predominantly black country while quick to defend white atrocities.
I find it interesting that you hold all whites responsible for slavery regardless of whether or not our ancestors held slaves or not, we’re guilty because of skin color.
Pure unjustified hatred and racism, nothing more.
Yes, all of y’all are GUILTY…. Whitey!
If you think calling me a racist means something negative to me, think again – I wear it as a badge of honour. Unlike you, Im not trying to hide my disdain of y’all. One day Antiguans will be forced to wake up and see y’all for who you truly are.
I note with interest @ Scott, that you haven’t acknowledged that the Caucasians that had atrocities done against them were given reparations, and yet when people of colour are asking for the same recognition your silence on this particular issue seems clear to one and all.
SELECTIVE MUCH EH SCOTTY … TARL!
But it is understandable. Especially when you take in to account that racism still exist and is tolerated to practice by many white people. They do not stand up and protest against it, unless it affects them. But having said that I must also contradict myself at the same time. There where white people marching with Martin Luther King. There were white people fighting the South to end slavery. There were white people protesting all over Europe for the Freedom of Nelson Mandela. So yes, white people did eventually stand up with the black man, but it often came very late. Because of that they allowed slavery to continue for four hundred years. It’s like seeing a crime and looking the other way because it doesn’t affect you. Same thing happened in Nazi Germany. Reason why six million Jews went to the gas chambers.
To define things in terms of race is by definition RACISM.
In case you don’t know, racists come in all colors.
@Brixtonian – IMO, reparations are a bad idea. Why should a person living today, who never owned any slaves, bear the responsibility of long dead perpetrators who were the slaver holders?
Interesting fact. The vast MAJORITY of white people NEVER owned any slaves! Slave holding was done by a small group of people AND NOT ALL OF THEM WERE WHITE EITHER.
Life isn’t going to turn out well for these people inciting these types of negative, emotional issues. Don’t fall for the devils tricks.
Thank you!
@angel.So give back all these lands in the states, back to the native Americans then. Is it not white people (and only white people) in America massively benefiting from all these lands that were stolen from the native Americans? If you think that whites now have nothing to do with that, signed back the lands back over to them. you don’t have anything to do with slavery, but yet you enjoy the benefits of walking around with that smug white smile on your face. You love when you enter places like Antigua and other tourist islands,they pull out the red carpet for you(simply because of the color of your skin) Give all that up, then you can come on forums like this and interject with your blind opinions.
I hear you @ Angel, but why should the slave owners receive reparations/compensation but the people that suffered continously overlooked and their ancestors shunned to this day?
Maybe, if the slave owners weren’t remunerated for their horrific behaviour and conduct, my stance today might be different.
However, the reparation movement across Africa and the Caribbean region is growing, as the true horrors of what was committed against our ancestors becomes known.
Good debate, enjoy the rest of your day … much respect!
The white man is the DEVIL..and your are his spawn
Same reason why the Germans had to pay reparations to Israel for many years. And that when the Jews killed where living in Germany. And the Japanese had to pay the USA. And the list will go on. You should educate yourself about countries that had to pay reparation to other countries.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_reparations#:~:text=According%20to%20the%20Treaty%20of%20Peace%20with%20Italy%2C%201947%2C%20Italy,US%245%20million%20to%20Albania.
https://www.axios.com/2019/06/22/why-nations-pay-reparations
See it dey @ The Sideline, you got it in one … 🤜🤛
Wait! So not just “foreigners” (UPP word) they hate, but “white people” too??
GEMMA HANDY what say you??
GEMMA HANDY what say you?
GEMMA HANDY what say you?
The white race does not believe in the simple transfer of power to any race or the equal existence of any race,to do that, simply means that they will give up hundreds of years of benefits that they the white race have gotten from all their ill gotten gains, and in my view, they will never relinquish that so easily as so many gullibly believe. So yes by that standard, “they are enemies” collectively,and will fight to the death to keep those benefits. So are we saying the white will give back all the land they took from the indians? Hell no,and by that, they remain selfish/self-centered and damn right ruthless to this day.
And no matter what we do or say, if we offered “reparations” a trillion dollars worth, it’ll never be enough, you’ll fulminantly hate all whites. Complete extermination of the caucasian race would win your grudging approval, but I wager you’ll find another people to hate.
So go enjoy your hatred.
… and you enjoy your resentment and antipathy as well @ Scotty – you sound worried boss!
Not a bit worried!
The person who did say white people are our enemies. He does not speak for me in anyway. I have many friends who are Black,Jewish,White,Asians and Hispanics. Some in Antigua are filled with hatred.They cannot be trusted,they suffer from envy,jealousy, and hardness of hearts.Give up the love of sinning. Perhaps we could then have a better living and Country.
Good. I’m quite sure that you are introduced as “ this is my black friend.” Sleep on that.
@ Freetownson: Stupidity is an earthly gift. Some of us did get more of it than most of us. All of those of different ethnic groups introduced me to their friends by my name.I am godparent to their children. Some call be Uncle and my name. Our enemies in many instances are ourselves.I worked in a very large Corporation here in the USA and Internationally.When certain issues arises, the people I have interacted with still call on me, as a PROUD TO BE A BLACK MAN.
Love and forgiveness knows no bounds. I love everyone inspite of race creed or whatever , we are all part of the human race and color dose not define who we are individually. Nuff Love to ALL.
While I do not agree with the caller, I also do not agree with the writer about the call being hate speech.
Flawed or not, it was an opinion statement. When we start to give extra credance to a caller on a radio programme and think about stopping people’s opinion you may get unintented consequences.
In Rwanda they had a genocide of Black against Black. Was that racism? What amazed me is that after the war they had a national reconciliation. And the perpetrators had to face their victims. South Africa did something similar. Britten and America never did such a thing. The Catholic Church apologized for its role during the slave trade. We yet to get the countries that plied the slave trade, The Dutch, The French, the British, the Belgians and small group of others to publicly apologize for the crimes they committed against humanity. Thereafter we can talk about reparation and the forms it should take. And believe me, some think every black person should be given a stack of money. That won’t happen and that is not practical.
Racism is racism is racism.
White, black or beige we all walk the same earth & are human beings. I understand the white patriarch should be ashamed.
I am a modest woman who has been subjugated by men.
Yes, I am wary of men. Do I label them all as the enemy? No, I do not.
It us not an easy journey, but open your minds & hearts.
Not every person in any group represents the group. The world is full of individuals.
Some good a lot bad, all throughout every group that exists.
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