Tim Unwise

After reading the interview with American race "expert" Tim Wise in Friday's Mid Ocean News, I have completely lost all respect I previously had for him.

Two passages stood out. First, his response when asked if there could be racism against white people in Bermuda:

"I definitely don't think it's happening here... Real racism, in order to be effective, has to actually oppress people. We know what anti-black racism did. Here, in Bermuda, there is nothing that (Mr.) Scott or (Premier Ewart) Brown could do. Let's just say they absolutely hated white people - I find that to be a fanciful, almost absurd characterisation but I know many whites believe it - what could they do? This is a country that's entirely dependent on foreign dollars and tourist dollars for its economic vitality and those are dollars that are mostly invested and spent by white people. So they could absolutely detest white people and there's almost nothing they can do to them. It doesn't make it right for them to hold a prejudice, it doesn't make it okay or fair, but really what it comes down to is Scott and Brown and members of the PLP, their only power is they can hurt white people's feelings."

The Government of Bermuda has no power? Yeah, whatever you say, Tim. Tell that to the chef who was summarily deported for making a joke about the Premier. It might not have been racially motivated, but it was a clear demonstration of the power the Government has and is unafraid to wield, without any recourse to due process.

And outside Government, what about black landlords and employers? Do they have no power to choose their tenants and employees, should they so wish, on the basis of their race? How can you be so sure racism against white people cannot be happening here?

Second, his response when asked if he thought every white person here was rich.

"Absolutely not. But the reality is the white people who aren't rich - is their mortgage in the hands of a black banker? Is their job in the hands of a black employer? Is their child's education in the hands of a black teacher? If so, then at least theoretically they could have a point although we'd still have to excavate the practicality."

Er, actually, yes they are, and your caveat makes no sense. Do you know anything about Bermuda?

It's comments like these that have, over the years, caused me to lose any interest I once had in taking an active role in the fight against racism. By legitimising feelings of victimhood in some members of the black population, people like Tim Wise and the guilt-ridden appeasers at CURB are only making the problem worse.