*On Clowns and Covert Racism*
By Gillian Schutte <http://sacsis.org.za/s/stories.php?iUser=106> · 9 Jun 2014 The furore over the cartoon depicting the ANC parliamentarians and their electorate as a bunch of inept clowns is indicative of how far we still have to go in terms of embedded and unconscious racism in South Africa. There is nothing wrong with critiquing government in satirical depictions, but there is something horribly wrong when those depictions verge on 19th century blackface stereotypes and entirely overlook the racial demographics of our land. In this offensive cartoon we see the spotlight entirely on black people in parliament. There is no focus on the Freedom Front or the Democratic Alliance, as part of this ‘buffoonery’, which is depicted as an exclusively black ‘condition’. There is no mention of the Indian or coloured demographic either. It is wholly about representing black African government and their black African electorate as hapless, foolish and gormless. The derogatory textual commentary that accompanies this cartoon is also telling as it is infused with sneering condescension and superciliousness disguised as humour. But more telling in terms of these racist incidents that continue to erupt on our social landscape, is the apparent shock and horror expressed by the white echelon that support this type of humour when they discover that black people may be offended by this racist depiction of blackness. This is most apparent in the nonplussed reaction to the outcry from the creator of the cartoon, John Curtis, who maintains that the depiction was not racist, but a valid critique of the government. Really? Then why was it so offensive to many black South Africans and why was this concern written off as buffoonery too? Again, as in The Spear debacle, this has become a battle of wills between the white and educated liberals and a critical mass of black people – with the white side shouting about ‘freedom of expression above all’ and black commentators asking if freedom of expression is always going to be about white people being given the space to depict blackness in such negative and offensive terms? This is about the whitewashed master narrative that has been entrenched in our society for over three centuries, battling it out with an emerging narrative that says the racism inherent in this discourse is no longer acceptable. But more worrying is the fact that if the content is not recognised as racist by the creators then the default expectation is that it is ‘not racist’ and again black dissenters are written off as reactionary and unreasonable by the purveyors of this contemporary dominant discursive trend. Nowadays there is a tendency for gatekeepers to downplay the race element in the master narrative and thus to sanitise the public discourse of the notion that racism is still the problem. It is now all about race *denialism* and it is very clear how the discourses of power, social discourses and media discourses seek to temper, evade and even ignore the issue of racism in contemporary societal racist narratives. These societal narratives, though infused with racial bias, are now disguised in liberalist linguistics, satire and of course, an inbuilt disavowal of racism. Since independence in 1994 we have become a South Africa in which explicit racism is frowned upon and those who are outwardly racist have had to curb their verbose racist impunity. Those with a more liberal and less right wing ethos who still embody ‘unconscious’ race-bias, have found a new form of expression for their predisposition – a disguised form of racism which, although does not appear to be overtly racist, certainly contains implicit and implied racism. Instead of saying, “the kaffirs are *bladdy* lazy and useless”, the expression becomes one that ‘reasonably’ or ‘humorously’ blames the poor for their poverty and asks questions such as, why the poor have “so many children when they cannot afford to feed them?” Or “Why don’t they just get a job instead of waiting for hand outs from government?” Or simply depicts them as a thoroughly obtuse bunch that unthinkingly vote the useless ANC government in over and over again. These questions and depictions are devoid of the acknowledgment of structural historical and contemporary racialised oppression, nor is there any awareness of the role that white privilege plays, both economically and discursively, in the marginalisation of the poor. The creator of this particular cartoon does not even imagine that there is any thought and consideration given to whom the electorate votes for or why they opt not to vote for any of the alternative parties, which, in fact, are just as neoliberal and anti-poor as the ANC has become. Implied in these suggestions of black idiocy is the coded message that whites know and perform best and that whites exist on a higher rung of rationality. This message, though oblique, is steeped in white supremacist racism but comes across as friendly humour. In fact this discourse becomes more destabilising and thus crueller than outright racism because it is very hard to prove that racism is the creator’s intent. If the purveyor is accused of outright racism, the response is often that the accuser is being ‘oversensitive’ and ‘defensive’ and has missed the point entirely, as has played out in the public spats around this cartoon. Even the apology does not seem sincere and comes with a disclaimer that it is not racist but… This whitewashing of black concern displays a veneer of niceness but the insincerity distances and blunts the transmitter from taking responsibility for their own racism and from reflecting on the structural violence inherent in their supposedly well-meaning/funny discourse. It is also passive aggressive and psychologically abusive as it serves to destabilise the recipient because this type of racism has a friendly and natural façade and is thus hard to prove as outright racism – leaving the recipient second guessing their response. Surely it is time for ‘well meaning’ and ‘humorous’ white people to start reflecting on the overt or covert and unconscious racism inherent in these on-going negative and insulting depictions of blackness. Is it not time to recognise that their own inability to authentically acknowledge the awareness and integrity of the black backlash to these depictions only exposes their stranglehold on the belief that white is right and black is ‘oversensitive’. Those dismissive attitudes only further the oppressive nature of the dominant discourse and cannot be described as anything other than racist. Just because the purveyor does not recognise his own racism does not mean for certain that it is not racist. Perhaps this is a good place to begin to recognise and therefore undo, unconscious racism and to stop calling the recipients of unconscious racism oversensitive and irrational. Whether overt or covert, racism is still racism. Schutte <http://gillianschutte.co.za/blog/?p=169> is an award winning independent filmmaker, writer and social justice activist. She is a founding member of Media for Justice <http://www.mediaforjustice.net/> and co-producer at Handheld Films <http://www.handheldfilms.co.za/>. http://sacsis.org.za/site/article/2029/print On 4 June 2014 20:37, Tom Mhlanga <[email protected]> wrote: > Finally the ANC is taking necessary steps. We are very tired of these > insults > On Jun 4, 2014 8:18 PM, "VC" <[email protected]> wrote: > >> >> >> *[image: ANC no letters.jpg]* >> >> >> >> *Office of the ANC Chief Whip, 4 June 2014* >> >> >> >> >> >> *ANC Chief Whip Submits Complaint to the Human Rights Commission* >> >> >> >> *Against Violation of ANC Voters’ Rights* >> >> >> >> >> >> The Chief Whip of the African National Congress in Parliament, >> Stone Sizani, this afternoon lodged a formal complaint with the South >> African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) against individuals or >> institutions whose public conduct and utterances have sought to undermine >> the dignity and rights of over 11 million voters who elected the ANC into >> office on 7 May 2014. >> >> >> >> The decision to submit a formal complaint was not taken lightly. It took >> into consideration the persisting racism in the country, which has the >> potential to undermine the great progress our people made in the last two >> decades of democracy. It also took into consideration the ongoing attacks >> against, as well as the undermining of the intelligence of the majority of >> South Africans who exercised their constitutional right in this year’s >> election from influential institutions and figures. >> >> >> >> The full complaint to the SAHRC is attached below. >> >> >> >> >> >> *Issued by the Office of the ANC Chief Whip* >> >> >> >> *Enquiries:* >> >> *Moloto Mothapo: 082 370 6930 <082%20370%206930>* >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> *4 June 2014* >> >> *The SA Human Rights Commission* >> >> *Chairperson: Adv. Lawrence Mushwana* >> >> *33 Hoofd Street* >> >> *Braamfontein Forum 3* >> >> *Braamfontein* >> >> >> >> >> >> *Racial Attacks and Insults against Voters of the African National >> Congress* >> >> >> >> >> >> I, Stone P Sizani, Chief Whip of the Majority Party in Parliament, wish >> to formally request the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) to >> conduct an investigation into a complaint of gross violations of basic >> human rights of 11,436,921 voters who cast their ballots in the 7 May 2014 >> general election. >> >> >> >> Since the fifth democratic election were held on 7 May, there has been >> unprecedented public onslaught directed at the great majority of those who >> turned out to exercise their constitutionally-protected democratic right to >> elect the government of their choice, in this instance the African National >> Congress (ANC). These attacks have sought to undermine their democratic >> electoral expression, dignity and constitutional rights through publication >> and circulation of demeaning racial material and insulting media >> commentary. >> >> >> >> The following are the racist attacks and insults by >> prominent institutions or individuals against ANC voters, which we request >> the Commission to investigate: >> >> >> >> 1. On 28 May 2014, the Eye Witness News (EWN) published a cartoon on its >> website that contains racial undertones and insults - depicting ANC voters >> in ‘black’ as “clowns” and “poephols”. The creators of the cartoon, Dr Jack >> & Curtis, have since apologized. However, the cartoon represents the >> persisting racism, violation of inherent human rights and dignity within >> our society, and should therefore be subjected to a formal investigation by >> the Commission. This, we hope, would dissuade would-be offenders on similar >> issues and thereby foster social cohesion and nation building. This will >> also afford the Commission an opportunity to provide the public with an >> authoritative guidance on such matters for future reference. >> >> >> >> 2. On 3 June 2014, Democratic Alliance Deputy Chief Whip, Hon. >> Michael Waters, circulated a racially offensive picture on Twitter, which >> depict ANC voters as dogs lining up to vote for the party - represented by >> a poster of President Jacob Zuma. The picture is highly demeaning, >> racist and violates the dignity of many South Africans for merely choosing >> to associate themselves with the ANC (i.e. freedom of association) >> and exercising their right to vote. Given the influential position >> Mr. Walters holds within the DA in Parliament as its Deputy Chief Whip, >> his conduct has the potential to stoke racial intolerance, hatred >> and prejudice – thereby undermining the great progress made by >> South Africans in the last 20 years. The fact that his leaders in the DA >> have not taken any action against him for such despicable conduct sends >> a chilling message that the party agrees and condones his racist view. The >> Commission must investigate his conduct with a view to sending a strong >> message to the party and Mr. Waters’ ilk that racism cannot be tolerated in >> our constitutional democracy. >> >> >> >> 3. On 30 May 2014, The Star Online edition published a story, titled “SA >> voters like abused spouses – Thuli”, in which the Public Protector Advocate >> Thuli Madonsela characterizes ANC voters as “abused spouses”. The comments >> by Adv. Madonsela in this story are highly unjustifiable for a person in >> her position as leader of a Chapter 9 institution, who ought not to insult >> and undermine the intelligence of over 11 million people and their dignity. >> The Public Protector is enjoined by the Constitution to protect the public >> against any violation of their rights (through improper conduct or >> prejudice) – rather than insult, question the democratic rights and offend >> the dignity of the public. >> >> >> >> The metaphorical comparison used by the Public Protector to mock >> the voters is also offensive to many women who bear the brunt of sexual >> or gender violence. By casually using “abused spouse” metaphor in >> her analogy, she has triviliased an extremely serious crime and >> demonstrated gross insensitivity to the victims – most of whom are women. >> It is unacceptable, outrageous and dehumanizing. As it is often said, >> women’s rights are human’s rights. Therefore by publicly referring to >> victims of gender violence in such degrading terms during her vilification >> of ANC voters is a violation of their human rights. >> >> >> >> Section 10 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa >> states unequivocally that “everyone has inherent dignity and the right to >> have their dignity respected and protected”. The commission has an >> obligation in terms of the Constitution to protect the dignity and human >> rights of all South Africans. >> >> >> >> I believe strongly that these racist attacks and insults directed at ANC >> voters flagrantly violates the constitutionally enshrined right to freedom >> of association, freedom of political choice, and right to dignity >> guaranteed in the Bill of Rights. >> >> >> >> In this regard, I wish to request the South African Human >> Rights Commission to conduct an investigation into the conduct of >> these individuals or institutions and take appropriate corrective measures >> to bring relief to the affected South Africans. >> >> >> >> I trust that the information provided above is sufficient to warrant >> an urgent investigation into this matter in the interest of the >> 11,436,921 South Africans. >> >> >> >> >> >> *Yours Faithfully,* >> >> >> >> *Hon. Stone P Sizani* >> >> *Chief Whip of the Majority Party in Parliament* >> >> *Parliament of the Republic of South Africa* >> >> *Cape Town* >> >> *8000* >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> __________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus >> signature database 9893 (20140604) __________ >> >> The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus. >> >> http://www.eset.com >> >> -- >> -- >> You are subscribed. This footer can help you. >> Please POST your comments to [email protected] or reply >> to this message. >> You can visit the group WEB SITE at >> http://groups.google.com/group/yclsa-eom-forum for different delivery >> options, pages, files and membership. >> To UNSUBSCRIBE, please email [email protected] >> . You don't have to put anything in the "Subject:" field. You don't have to >> put anything in the message part. 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