Burying the Hatchet with Saurkraut: I Stand Corrected

Yesterday, I rather impulsively posted my comment on Saurkraut's website, without waiting to have her comment. I do think that was unfair. It was pure reaction, without rumination and reflection. Here is my response to her this morning:

ekbensah said...

Saurkraut et al, I STAND corrected.

I had not seen your post before I posted my entry. BTW, you saw that I have a few blogs--only two are really active--the one you posted on (Trials & Tribulation (which is more for an African audience!!) and Reflecting the Eccentric World...

You didn't bother to check my Reflecting the Eccentric World... (more mainstream), which is the blog that attracts more of an "international audience":-)

Doesn't that strike you why I didn't post it there? My Trials and Trib is for an AFRICAN audience--most people who visit it are of African origin, and I think they deserve to know what you said.

AFter reading your post, I feel that I was rather impulsive in posting.

I am a Christian and I was brought up to say "sorry"--so I will: I am sorry if I offended you.

But, sometimes, being at the butt of racism for SO long, and working in a place where I am, I HAVE developed REVERSE racism. I don't like it, but it's rather ingrained.

Please just accept the fact that if you were in my shoes, you might feel the same way I do.

BTW, I DO think I am great:-) Ha ha...

This post/entry should not be a reflection to you of who I am. We all makes mistakes, and we all get angry.

I WAS angry yesterday. And I HADN't seen your post.

I hope you can accept that.

Your personal issues were not written in an attempt to sully you. I hope you saw that I commented on things like Bambi, etc..was there anything adverse in those comments?

I LIKE your blog--I really do, and I think you're rather intelligent. BUT I disliked those comments you made. Thanks for clarifying in your post.

I understand why you reacted the way you did after seeing my post--I probably would have reacted the same way.

I WILL modify my commen accordingly when I get a bit of time...

I think we are ALL biased to an extent.

I agree with ron -- I AM a reverse racist. Make no mistake. If you had seen the prejudices I have seen, you may be thinking like me too.

We complain a LOT about Africans over here--believe me! We have problems with Nigerians, whom we think are too brash, overwhelmed wiuth chutzpah, and too loud. And they are only next door!!

Tabasamu, how would I KNOW you are black. You have to forgive me on that one:-)

Look, bottom line is this: I PERSONALLY agree with a lot of things you say Saurkraut--really, I do. But it's the way you FRAMED it...it made me FEEL you are a racist...

I can see that you responded very intelligently, but I also saw that your response to Daniel HG was TOO candid for my liking: "I disagree with you, but I won't accept the fact that WB/IMF are also to blame"...

To me, that's what it sounded like, and you know Daniel's site--I see your comments regularly. SOme very interesting ones, I might add.

There is freedom of expression so you will, I hope, accept the fact that I made a faux pas in not waiting to get a response.

I puit my hands up: I am sorry. I will continue to visit your site, because I think you are an intelligent lady. And if I might add, your "photo" reveals you to be quite an attractive lady;-))

I have many white friends, whom I am still in contact with, and I know some of their views on their things, but I have come to realise that over all, Europeans are more open-minded about aid--that's why I find the US position no ennervating.

If it's not an attack on the UN, it's an attack on Africa, yet you have seen people like Danny Glover campaigning for people in Sudan, etc...because he is seeing, despite being Balck American and quite wealthy, that the incumbent US administration SUCKS.

For all Sudan's internally-caused problems...

My ex-girlfriend is Afro-American--from Baltimore--born and raised. I actually find Afro-Americans rather interesting, but for me, they have never been able to "empathise" with the Africans--and I don't blame them.

Three years ago, the Ministry of Tourism here set up an "Emancipation Day" which attracted many Afro-Americans and white Americans to come and see the extent of slavery on the people's of Africa. Ghana is home to one of the notorious places (Elmina castle) where slaves were exported to work in the US. My house is in the same region as Elmina, and I am oft-reminded when I'm relaxing at home, and see a white man pass, with a group, en route to Elmina HOW painful slavery was. And we NEVER got reparations.

yet, we have survived, despite the Mobutus, and Idi Ameens, to rise up the best way possible.

SO, I can only reserve judgement on the reverse racism thing.

For me, it is TOO ingrained--and being where I was -- diplomatic community -- exposed me to SOME serious pernicious racism by so-called white politicians who looked up their noses on our leaders by talking down to them like because they were giving us money, they had the right to SNUB us. That WAS racist.

Long rant, Suarkraut. I am attemting to vindicate myself you see:-)) because I am but a mere ant in this big world, and I have always believed that if you don't stand up for something, you will fall for anything. I have bombarded Daniel's blog with such comments, and I am not about to stop.

Hope to read your next entry. Have a great day.

PS I love Americans for their sense of family--that's one thing the Europeans, especially the Brits, seems to have very little idea of.

I don't hate Americans--believe me.

:-))

PPS, Do you know that UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan is from Ghana? If ever you find some loud-mouthed African in the world, you'll be sure that it's either a Nigerian, a South African, or a Ghanaian:-)) out of the top 5...

7/12/2005 06:10:00 AM

All is well on the blogosphere front:-)