December 2, 2001

Dear Sir,

I just read that Arthur Ashe said that as painful as was his illness the anguish and pain which he suffered because of his colour was far greater - and Arthur Ashe was both socially and financially successful.

In our sophisticated and “well-ordered”(?) society, because racism has been “internalised” by so many of our decision markers who continue to believe in the superiority of whites, the effort to rid our society of this curse is still not a priority. Unlimited funds and energy are spent on any and everything and anyone except on this challenge, or anyone concerned about it. Yet so many of our fellow Bermudians are still being destroyed and confined to a “Third World” existence with all of its social ills while we boast of being a “First World” society. Can we cannot see what continues to happen?

How can we permit our decision makers to go on being so indifferent to the long term impact of centuries of racism that continues to manifest itself both directly and indirectly, both psychologically and economically, on too many of our fellow Bermudians.

Why is there not serious and continuous discussion of how we, as a black community have “internalised” racism and what it has done and is doing to us? Why is it that, despite a change of Government, so little is being done to address this centuries old curse, particularly as it has impacted on black relationship with other blacks? How can we narrow the gap between our two Communities when we will not even discuss it?

EVA N. HODGSON

Bailey's Bay