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An intriguing question

Mar 14, 2013 Letters

 

Dear Editor,
“Are white people superior to non-whites?” An intriguing question. I am still trying to figure out whether the descriptions ‘intelligent’ and ‘knowledgeable’ are used interchangeably. To me the former is innate, instinctive, the latter acquired over a period of time.
In the 1990s while in Guyana, I read of the instinctive reaction of a very young child when he witnessed the shooting of his family in the yard.  The man, still carrying the gun, then headed towards the house where the child was. The boy toddled to the door and drew the bolt across.  The man was unable to get the door open and the child’s life was thus spared.  That, to me, was real intelligence. Where did that come from?  That was innate, natural. And the child was black.
It does not seem logical that one race could claim to be superior to another where intelligence is concerned.  Much depends on the environment in which one is brought up.  One’s mind is trained to cope accordingly, whether in sophisticated surroundings or in a more natural, simple environment.
It would be interesting to see how each group copes if members from each swap places for a week or so.  Years ago, in many British workplaces, colonials were generally regarded as ‘slow’ by their white colleagues, while colonials regarded Brits as being superficial. The truth often came to light when there was a hiccup – colonials had anticipated it and had an answer ready. Anticipation is not a strong point with the Brits. Even today.
I tend to agree that “the problem will only go away when non-white people stop behaving as if the white race is better…” An Anglo-Indian work colleague told me that at her workplace in India there was a British
office manager who was always trying to belittle her Chinese colleague, until one day, in the presence of a full room, she said to him “Don’t let my nationality and colour fool you.” That put a stop to his bullying.
Geralda Dennison

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