Aaisha Bemat
15 years old
Grade 10
Azaadville Muslim School
We are in a race against racism
“I refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight of
racism and war that the bright daybreak of peace and brotherhood can never become a
reality…I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word.”
– Martin Luther King, Jnr
We are in a race against racism.
The great leaders of the past, young men, women, and the elderly both black and white have
commenced this race. They pass the olive branch baton of peace and love to us, you and me, the
generation of today. It is our turn to continue forward, to push through the obstacles on our race
track and defeat our opponents.
I stand here today, a young, proud, coloured, Muslim girl of white, Indian, Shangani and Zulu
descent. I stand here with these words to make a difference - even if it is to only one heart that I
have achieved my purpose.
As the people of this nation, we continue to fall deeper into the black hole that we have opened
with our prejudices and discriminations. The rope of light is close to our fingertips, yet we do not
reach it. Living in a multiracial, multicultural, democratic society is now a reality…the only
problem is that we are still trapped in the nightmare of deep-seated racism.
Racism affects us every day, influences our feelings, choices and our lives, though we may not
realise it. It takes an effort to achieve the mundane act of walking down the street as we are
afraid of what people might say based on the colour of our skin. Or, we get angry, hurt, holding
onto hatred, the hatred of those who have treated us like we are not human, due to racism.
We are in a race against racism. Why is it that when we see a black woman we see her in a black
worker’s uniform scrubbing a toilet floor? Why don’t we see her beauty, fragile heart, her
strength and the courage she possesses to face a cruel world that persecutes her because of her
skin colour?
Why is it that when we see a white woman we think of a 24-carat diamond? Though she is worth
more, does a diamond not have flaws as well?
Why is it that when a white man speaks isiXhosa, we cannot begin to believe the words that
leave his lips? It is our discriminations that associate a language with a skin colour.
Why is it that when we see a black man, we imagine rapists and murderers? Can we not look past
the blindness of our eyes and see potential in these men to become like Tata Nelson Mandela or
Martin Luther King Jr?
To the youth of today; the world will soon be in our hands and only we can build the world we
want to live in. Let us free ourselves from racist abuses and attitudes and let us improve racial
relationships. Let us fight for racial equality and break down racial barriers.
Let us embrace, promote and celebrate cultural diversity and play a leading role, the heroes and
heroines, of this racial war. We will win with determination, brotherhood, and unity, with hands,
black and white, holding each other firmly.
As South Africans, we must embrace our diversity as a rainbow nation. Laundry is the only
object that should be separated by colour. A rainbow is only beautiful when all its colours are
together. We must treat racist attitudes with disdain and contempt. We need to stop the
oppression between men. We need to remove the racism parasite that feeds on our ignorance.
“I imagine one of the reasons people cling to their hates so stubbornly is because they sense,
once hate is gone, they will be forced to deal with pain.”
– James Baldwin
We must continue doubting our doubts and believing our beliefs. We must embrace the colour of
our skin, stop being afraid of who we are and walk tall amongst those who try to oppress us.
Remembering that we are all the Almighty God’s creation, we are like a tree. The roots must be
firmly embedded in the ground for the tree to stand tall. And like a tree, all our lives are interconnected. Our diverse colour decorates this tree of life.
Mayibuye iAfrica – Let Africa return
Amandla Awethu – The power is ours
Nkosi Sikeleli iAfrica – May God bless Africa
These are the phrases that brought nations together and words that expressed hope. The fight
against apartheid is over, our country has been liberated. Now we will fight to liberate our
country and our world from racism.
The late Nelson Mandela has said, “No one is born hating another person because of the colour
of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to
hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its
opposite.”