October 26, 2014

Dear Sir,

As a Canadian-born Bermudian, ever since I landed here in ‘92 I was ridiculed for speaking the way I did — “Talking white” as it’s commonly said. The worst part of it was most of the ridicule came from adults; teachers, family members — “grown-ups”, the people who were meant to educate and influence good instead of blatant ignorance.

They made assumptions; I thought I was “better” or “unblack” due to the fact that I talked the way I learned to.

A certain family member felt it necessary to remind me that I wasn’t white (clearly I didn’t know that) at the request of wearing my natural hair out … 22 years later I still can’t make sense of that statement.

More and more I found myself having to come to the defence of my mother and myself in order to explain why I spoke the way I did — when in hindsight I should’ve just told these people how dumb they sounded. Sadly I was too young to realise that their own insecurities caused them to be intimidated by my accent.

It wasn’t a surprise that some of the students followed suit … of course they did — the adults had planted those seeds of ignorance and allowed them to grow. Back in the ‘90s teachers had free range to criticise, bully, beat and ridicule children. There was no such thing as “Bullying awareness”, it was a part of life, and in order to survive you had to learn how to take it or fight; because no one felt sorry for you if you cried — at least in my experience.

I’m glad to know that the world has somewhat changed; now more of us are aware of this ignorant ideology and by acknowledging it — we will then be able to abolish it.

Knowing how to speak English in different ways is almost akin to being bilingual. Not only do you know the language of your native country/culture but you also are able to extend your vocabulary by adopting other dialects.

For example, a person born in the Caribbean or Bermuda (not the Caribbean) is less likely to speak to someone from Europe or North America the way they would their fellow native brethren — they would also be more akin to enunciate their words when trying to communicate with and understand a non-English-speaking person.

And, so what if a person decides to adopt that dialect altogether, it’s their choice to make and they have the right to exercise that freedom — because when it comes down to it, it’s all English. If you can understand the words that are coming out of my mouth — we are communicating and therefore understanding each other.

So thank you Mom, for never changing the way you spoke for the likes of people who simply needed to get a grip on life and teaching me how to speak the way I do in order to be understood and respected.

Thank you to the ignorant teachers (the ones from primary school and dance class days) and the few immediate and extended family members who made me aware of the idiocy of “grown people”; it validated that just because someone is older didn’t mean they were wiser. I hope your minds have grown since those days. In hindsight I know you too were once children, and I figure someone had to plant those seeds of ignorance in your heads also.

Thank you to the teachers who never ridiculed me, because if it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t have continued to just be.

Thank you to my childhood friends, some of whose parents were also from foreign countries; you made me see that no matter how Bermudian you spoke, nothing about it made you “blacker” — and you certainly were not dumb because of it. There is a reverse ideology also, which is just as ignorant.

And finally — to the people who still think this way, who still ridicule people that speak English in a certain way — white or black as you fools call it. I strongly advise you to change. The other option is to crawl under a rock, because in 2014 the judgement, the criticism and ridicule you dished out in the days past, or perhaps now, will be directed at you, which I am certain you will not be able to take.

JULES HARVEY