Everywhere I go in my city I see people. Everywhere. Hundreds and hundreds of people. All of them unknown to me. I travel on overcrowded buses and trains. I shop in busy supermarkets. I go to cafes, to bars, to offices. Everywhere I go I see more people. Most of my life outside my house is spent mingling with strangers. I see multitudes of faces. Young and old and the in-betweens. I see expressions of sadness and worry and bitterness etched on some; Joy and laughter written on others. I hear hundreds of voices meeting and mixing in foreign languages and native tongues. I see colours of skin that challenge any simple categories of black and white and yellow. I see clothes that reflect multitudes of personalities, religious beliefs and musical tastes. I smell food being prepared with herbs and spices that make my mouth water. Coriander, oregano, frying onions and garlic mixed with the scent of jasmine that grows everywhere.
What I don’t see is invading hordes of mud people, savages and rats. I do not see villains and murderers and terrorists on every street corner. I do not feel sick when I smell curry or wonton soup. I do not see chinks and pakis and niggers and fags and greedy jews. I do not see uppity women and lesbos out to get me. I do not see marauding arabs and dirty muslims. I do not see spics and gypos and darkies and abos and half castes. I do not see threats and violations in the eyes of every stranger.
My world is vastly different to many. I live in a world where my heritage and upbringing has given me an insight into difference. I can look into someone else’s eyes and see myself because I know who I am. I am free to make friendships with people different to me because I trust that people have good intentions. I am able to speak about my own experiences without insulting entire races/religions because I see people and not categories. I am able to live in a way most people would want to because I do not judge on the basis of arbitrary details like height or weight or colour.
I can try and walk a mile in someone else’s shoes because I feel safe in my own.
I write this for Blog against Racism Day (December 1st) and to counter some of the hateful words that have been written about me and others who don’t happen to fit into the white male mould. We “others” cannot stop racism alone. We can shout about it, scream about it, fight it, kick it, ignore it or lie down and let it run us down. Stamping out racism is going to take a commitment from each and everyone of us, and that means everyone; especially those who DON’T have to think about it everyday.
Blog against Racism Day is the initiative of Creek Running North
To view comments or respond to this post, please go here.

Technorati Tags: greece, personal, blog against racism, racism