So here I am in Johannesburg. Much to my surprise, it’s freezing cold. So cold that I have taken to carrying around a portable electric heater, which I use to warm myself like a lizard.
I felt guilty for being so ignorant of Africa’s potential coldness. I felt like just another dumb white person who couldn’t possibly imagine an Africa with leafless sycamore trees and below zero nights. I mean, chilly, sure, but not frozen tundra. Ok. And since I am confessing my ignorance, I had also thought/hoped that there would be monkeys here. You know, any kind of monkey. Even mean monkeys. Baboons would also be fine. I pictured a garden where Jasmine could survive, maybe even Mango Trees, and rabid monkeys that would flay themselves onto my balcony to steal from me. Occasionally they might get electrocuted on the 10 ft tall electric fence, and yeah that would be awful, and smell like a backyard braai, but still, it was my fantasy. Don’t knock it.
So there are no monkeys and it’s cold. There aren’t any zebras either. Bummer.
A few moments ago, I was on Gumtree, trying to find a flatshare when I saw this posting:
Looking for WHITE house matePrice: R 3,000
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Ad ID: 146145590
Visits: 8 |
Nice big secure house to share, w&l, maid and DSTV incl.
Near the CocaCola Dome, Northgate.
Regret only white people please.
Please contact me.
Thanks
Jane
E-mail: mailto:janedt@ssi.co.za
Tel: 084 777 8049
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Ok, Jane. I mean. SERIOUSLY? And you know what is so messed up? There were about 15 others just like it.
I’m not going to go into my whole schpeel about how the white peoples’ imprisonment and then fear of the blacks is fueling so much of the violence here. After all, I can’t say I understand enough to adequately come to any conclusions. Certainly both sides are wrong. Violence in no way is acceptable. But this? Why can’t Jane see that her hatred is only fueling more hate. A Gumtree now used for lynchings? But enough…
In some ways, could we applaud Jane for her honesty? Is an out of the closet and in Go-Go boots racist better than a closeted one? I guess she could have screened her email, or phone interviews, or simply chosen a white candidate over a black one. No one would know her heart of darkness. But no. No. What am I even suggesting…NO. We cannot applaud Jane. Because its NOT ok to broadcast racism… We can call her though. Yes, lets.
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