There arose a posting on ‘Facebook’ that
was, in itself, perfectly harmless. Interesting, maybe, to those that are
interested in such things, but there was nothing provocative about it.
And yet…
There followed an increasingly vicious and
virulent list of comments that became, over time, increasingly racist.
Even at the start there were comments about
other races that were uncalled for and completely bigoted.
Nobody was innocent. Perhaps ‘is innocent’
since the comments go on… and on…
This is from a country that is inherently
multi-racial. Where people of all races, faiths and political parties work
together and yet…
It is clear, from these comments, that the
arguments are founded on little fact and have been coloured by propaganda.
People have been swayed to the point of vilification
of others by those who seek to divide; by those who believe in the superiority
of one race over another; by those who seek to profit from internal hatred.
So it is everywhere.
This kind of racism runs close to the
surface in many countries. In the United States it is bubbling to the surface;
it is erupting in Sweden and the UK where religious tensions run high and those
with an indoctrinated belief in their own superiority believe they are above
the law of the land; it is overwhelming in South Africa where a particular
group feels unthreatened by the enforcement agencies to the point where they
can kill, rape and mutilate—perhaps all three at once, at their pleasure, which
it surely is; In Burma protests have run amok over the Bangladeshi immigrants
who, it must be said (for all the sympathy rampant for their cause) that they
really brought it upon themselves—as a little research will show.
So it goes on.
It is ubiquitous, this desire to be ‘better
than someone else’ even if that group is demonstrably inferior by one measure
or another.
On the original post mentioned above there
was a reference made to an occurrence in Malaysia. This event that was a black
day in the annals of Malaysian history happened on May 13th, 1969.
A riot.
It spread over several centres but was
particularly rife in a place called Kampung Bharu in Kuala Lumpur.
The comments about this riot displayed a
grotesque ignorance over the facts surrounding it that was clearly engendered
by propaganda and, in the modern parlance, ‘spin’.
There is a belief that the riot was caused by a
Chinese march in Kepong. This march had no bearing on the riots at all. True,
there may have been taunting by some Chinese at the Malays on the route but
this did not cause the riots.
The outgoing party who had lost the election
orchestrated the whole thing. They approached the Sultan and told him to
re-instate them as the Government ‘or there would be trouble’. The Sultan
refused.
During the riot the Sultan backed down to
prevent further loss of life (which was considerable) and the Government was
formed from the losing party. End of riot.
How do I know that the Chinese march had
nothing to do with the riot? Because we were held back at Sungei Besi on May 11th—two
days before the riot occurred and before the March was planned.
Obviously somebody knew something.
How do I know that it was hell on that day in
Kampung Bharu? Because I was there.
Do not tell me that there were only two races
involved. Everyone got in on it. Old scores were settled and people who were
disliked were ‘got rid of’ using the riot as an excuse.
You want racism back? Good luck to you.
It is poisonous and it is insidious. It will
corrode your soul and destroy your country.
People need to get up in their Temples, Synagogues,
Mosques and Churches and denounce it now—right now.
We will tolerate everyone as long as they tolerate
us, our faiths, our beliefs, our politics.
All else leads to strife, pain and anguish.
You are part of the problem if you do nothing.
