... at least get it right.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-12030051
Now, if you didn't read the article, it gives a report of a recent incident in which some disappointed football fans in the Republic of Congo took to the streets and attacked Chinese-run businesses, after TP Mazembe were beaten 3-0 by Italian club Inter Milan.
The Fans were unhappy with the Referee's decisions and thought he lost them the game. They naturally took to the streets and attacked all the businesses operated by his fellow Chinese men. Perfectly normal reaction; I mean, who wouldn't take to the streets in a violent rampage after their team lost a match? Just one little problem. The referee was Japanese, not Chinese.
Dear disappointed fans, at the very least have the decency to find out which race you're hitting out at before going buck-wild on their property. I for one would feel pretty stupid if I stormed through several organizations and damaged their possessions, only to find out that the instigating incident did not involve their countryman at all.
Now that the renegades have run roughshod over several Chinese businesses, I doubt any one of them is going to walk up to any of the offended parties to apologize for their "mistake".
"Err, sorry about that mate. I thought the ref was Chinese. My bad, old chap -You orientals all look alike, you know. Case of mistaken identity, that's all. No harm, no foul and whatnot. Well then, Cheerio!"
Yeah... not likely.
This incident is not only an example of ignorance, but is also indicative of a subconsious negative sentiment the Congolese people are harbouring towards the Chinese, whose various copper mining businesses operate within the Republic.*
* Now this could spiral into an argument about neo-colonialism via business operations and how the black man should control his own resources, which in turn could spawn an argument about the inability of the black man to create commercial success for himself, because he had the chance to do so long before the Chinese set up shop, which can further spiral into past colonialism which arguably set the black man back several centuries... and I don't want to go there.
My point is that in a world where black people give white people (and other races) stick for lumping Africans together in one big puddle of oily racial muck, the reverse is also the case, and can have more severe consequences than just upsetting a couple of "Africans". Luckily, no lives were lost in this incident, but this could have easily not been the case.
This once again brings me to a point I often make; where there is division, there can be - and a lot of times there is - conflict. It almost makes me think that the answer to the almighty "Why are we here?" question is "to somehow live in perfect peace, despite all our racial, religious, cultural and ideological differences." Maybe that actually is the answer, and not 42 (follow the link if you didn't get that). Wow, apart from being quasi-psychic, I may just have answered the ultimate question. I never cease to amaze myself.
Now on that self aggrandizing note, I leave you all to enjoy the rest of your day, with hope that tomorrow brings a day free of racism - or, at the very least, jocular racist statements directed at the right races (and at someone who will not punch you in the face for said joke). Oh, and Merry Christmas! - Or "Happy Holidays" to the appropriate parties. See what I did there? Just call me Mr. Politically correct. (Oh darn, I thought I was done singing my own praises. Ok, I'm going now)
- Pat II
* On another note, there's a typo under the picture on the BBC website. Good eye I have, aye? (darn, more self aggrandizement. It hurts to be this amazing!)
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