I'm not black... I'm brown... But that's just my opinion.

My most memorable (in that I cannot forget it) encounter with racism was several years ago whilst I was volunteering at the local veterinary surgery. I was playing the role of receptionist and assisting an elderly (OK, I’m going to identify him by colour) WHITE gentleman. He seemed really friendly and just before he left he casually said, “You speak really good English for a black person.” I probably just blushed and mumbled something as he walked away because back then I wasn't quick and witty enough to think of a clever response that would have made him feel as bad as he made me feel (I’m still not good at that). However, in the past years I have thought of many responses, none of them gracious or Christian or exemplary of the perfect little angel I am supposed to aspire to be (I think that ship sailed a long time ago, I’m far from an angel, I’ve accepted that. I try though, and then I get tired). I will share with you one of them however. It goes something like this- 

 “Where have you been living, under a rock? Come on man, the war ended many years ago, segregation and racism are things of the past! Expect us all to be equals now. Why are you surprised that I can speak English?”

But I digress. I am fortunate to have grown up in a society where I have had just about the same opportunities as anyone else, unlike my parents, but somehow there is still this inward discomfort. We may all, in theory, have the same opportunities in life, but I feel like this is something forced, not something effortless and natural like it is meant to be. For example, people should be employed in a company because they are qualified for the job, not because of their race of even their gender. But on the other hand psychology says that a white employer is more likely to hire someone because they are white or because they are male as they deem this more advantageous.

As much as we must celebrate our differences and learn from each other I sometimes wish that humans were colour blind with no way of telling what race their neighbour is, just to see what would happen. Would it still be a big deal that Obama is ‘black’? Would white American police officers feel the uncontrollable urge to point firearms at ‘black’ males and pull the trigger several times? Would that old white man feel the need to commend my good English skills? Would interracial couples be a hot gossip topic? I doubt it.

Now to address the actual title of this rant- I understand that it is necessary to use ones skin colour for easy identification. Say you got robbed and the police asked you what the suspect looked like-

“Oh he was tall, brown curly hair...”

“Was he white, coloured, black?”

“Oh I can’t tell you that that would be racist!”

Truly I understand its necessity. But I just can’t help but inwardly cringe when someone, especially someone who isn’t, says ‘black’ in reference to a person. I am not saying that these people are to blame or that it is racist, I understand fully that this may be my personal and irrational pet peeve. I think the root of the problem is that in the past we were referred to a black people and were mistreated and looked down upon by none-black people. Now we are still referred to as black people but not openly mistreated as in the past. The bad connotations that come with the word black have followed us to the present. I can’t help but feel that this word has negative connotations. Think of something good that is black. Black is associated with darkness which is associated with evil, deceit, crime, sin etc. There is the black market, the black plague, black, black, black, black, black.

“Wow, Obama is president and he is black! Well done black people!”

It is sort of patronizing. I understand that the word black is easier than saying ‘person of colour’ but actually there is no such thing as a ‘black’ person. I am brown; there is chocolate brown, toffee brown, caramel etc. In the same way there is no such thing as a white person (unless he/she is extremely pale at which point I suggest medical attention), also, what colour is ‘coloured’ exactly? Green is a coloured colour isn't it? Indians are referred to as Indians, so should Africans be referred to as Africans? But then how can you distinguish between a white African and a black African? Oops there it is again, colour.

There really is no conclusion to this piece. All I’m saying is that I’d prefer to be called brown than black.  I am a brown person... If you MUST identify me by colour.