November 17, 2012Dear Sir,I wasn’t going to respond, but I read and re-read Eva Hodgson’s letter published in The Royal Gazette on November 16, and I ended up feeling that a response was in fact necessary. Ms Hodgson basically acknowledges the Progressive Labour Party’s blunder but vindicates they should be put back in power to fix these problems. I wonder if Ms Hodgson realises that mentality is why with each passing election the PLP has won Bermuda has gotten worse off. She says that it would be bad if a government (OBA) representing 95 percent of the white community where to fix a problem made by the PLP representing 95 percent of the black community. To me that is analogous with saying that if a white man overeats all his life and doesn’t exercise and develops severe coronary heat disease it’s his fault right? Yes. I would say so. Although some may blame it on the media advertising fatty foods, which essentially is what Ms Hodgson does yet she blames all Bermuda’s current woes upon the white supremacy of decades ago.Moving on, so then this white man goes to a doctor and he must have bypass surgery or he will soon die. A top notch black surgeon is the best person to do the job, yet he chooses a white man who is vastly under qualified to fix the issue and has malpractice suites against me. Would you call this man a fool? A racist? Both? I’d say probably both. But based on Eva Hodgson’s mentality, he did the right thing. He (a white man) created the problem (if she doesn’t wish to blame the media); therefore, a white doctor must fix the problem even though he is inexperienced and has botched many a case. That is exactly what is being said and it is totally ludicrous.It does not matter the colour of someone’s skin! If they are better suited to fix a problem, then they are the choice! It is Eva Hodgson’s generation of Bermudians, who yes I will totally agree witnessed racism. No argument there. But my generation (Under 30s) for the vast majority, do not care about someone’s colour. This is one the few times in life where the old must learn from the youth. We intermarry, inter date, go to school together, have children together, become life long friends together etc. My generation looks at the elders bickering and complaining about things 30-plus years ago and for the most part we have one message “Get over it”. It is done. But it will never be over until people are willing to move forward. I am not advocating ‘let’s all just forget what happened’, no, I am a major history lover and it’s proven that if you forget the past you repeat the past.Yes, we must certainly educate all Bermudians on Bermuda’s segregation in the past. But, that is the past, not the present and, I pray to God, never the future. If we keep talking in a divisive way we will continue to divide. I think things need to be done to improve race relations here, but I say let anyone who knows how to fix the problem have a chance. I really could not care less what they look like, smell like, talk like, who they choose to be with or who they worship. Get the job done. I hope Bermudians really start to wake up. Bermuda’s current issues cannot just be said “Let’s blame the UBP etc”. The UBP has been out of power 14 years and will never return. Segregation is dead and gone. Are there some whites here still prejudiced? Yes. Are there also black people here who are prejudiced? Yes. Bermuda likes to pride itself on Christian values so much, yet many act very anti-Christian.Today’s problems are a result of recent mismanagement and lack of preparation by the PLP and it is not because they are black. They could be pink and from Jupiter. And maybe the OBA will do a better job but it is not because they are viewed (wrongfully so, I think, but nonetheless) as a “white party.” This is the same scaremongering the UBP did in 1998, which I can honestly acknowledge was foolish. “Don’t vote PLP they will mess it all up etc” As I said before. Good. Glad PLP won in 1998 and a change in the status quo was needed. But they’ve had a chance and have failed all Bermudians, black, white and other. So do not deny the OBA or the many excellent independent candidates out there just because of prejudice or scare mongering. Like I said, if you do not learn from the past you are doomed to repeat it and Bermuda, we cannot afford to repeat our mistakes.ROBERT DAVIES JRDevonshire