Racism: Overt or Subtle... does it really matter?!

I have never been the victim of overt racism.

In all my numerous travels and trips across Europe and now New Zealand, I have never been denied a service, barred from entering an establishment or called a racially degoratory term due to the color of my skin.

I have however been singled out for "random checks' at airport security, been asked how bad the 'war situation' is back home and even how I am finding it adjusting to life in New Zealand as a refugee! This from a complete stranger in an elevator!

But overt or subtle racism, does it matter which kind you are subjected to? Isnt one as bad as the other?

3 incidents occured in the past week that has made me ponder this fact.

The first was probably the most profound for me. I was watching Will Smith in an old re-run of the show Parkinson. It was shortly after Smith won an Oscar nomination for his role as Muhammed Ali and the host asked him what sort of relationship he had with "The Greatest" during filming. He proceeded to explain that Ali as a young man in 1960's USA lived with overt racism on a daily basis. Atlanta his hometwon was very much a part of the Segregated South. By law, black children were not allowed to go to the same school as white children, certain restaurants were off-limits and so on and so forth... that might as well have been a totally different world.

And it was.

Will Smith described himself as a "child of rap music and the 90's". If for instance you got busted illegally by a cop, you went straight to Internal Affairs and reported the cop. There was no such division as Internal Affairs in the US in the 1960's, apparently. Being a Nigerian, I have absolutely no clue what that would be like. To be denied... anything... based on the color of my skin. And to have to live with that on a daily basis.

Second, Damola Oyedele the Nigerian working in the AIESEC national office has had to cancel a trip back home to Nigeria. Why? He was refused a transit visa by the Australian embassy. Some of you might remember my post about being refused the same transit visa on my way to my brother's wedding in June. Said transit was for less than 2 hours and you dont even leave the airport but do they care..? Nope. Nationals of certain countries are just assumed to have an elaborate agenda to escape security and melt into the Australian populace and cause a meltdown of the economy. Or maybe even plan and execute an act of terrorism.

Since Damola was going for a specific family event, he has cancelled his trip but spent a wasted week in Auckland waiting for the refusal.

Third, I came across an article on the BBC website. The Australian government has decided to ban African refugees from seeking assylum in Australia. Now, on the face of it this seems like a well-thought out policy. Especially when you see the reasons outlined. There are hot-spots of violence (Iraq, Burma) that are closer than Darfur and Australia want to focus on the ones that matter strategically to the interests of Australia. Makes sense doesnt it? Why would you want to travel all the way from the African continent to the end of the world to seek assylum anyway? Let Europe and even neigbouring African countries take up the slack.

But then the article goes on to say that critics have labelled the move as a political gimmick by the John Howard-led government to win votes. Apparently certain parts of Australian society is quite suspectible to immigration xenophobia. A "nativistic streak" i think the article called it. So tell these segment of society that you are closing the borders and they give you their vote.

Scary and worrying.

Community leaders have come out to rubbish the claim by the government that current African immigrants are not integrating into society. The community leaders point out that these Africans are taking jobs Australians are not willing to do anymore. But anything to grab those crucial votes eh?

So although these days in the 21st century (when I started to travel and see the world) no one would dare refuse me entry just because of the color of my skin, does the fact that they use economic conditions in my country or even the neigbouring country's own as an excuse make it any better?

Most immigrants only want one thing. To create a better life for themselves. Granted, if any country took ALL the people that wanted to enter their territory it probably wouldnt work out that good for either the immigrants or the society.

But a lot of enlightened people know that developed countries DO need immigrants to ensure growth and productivity but there are always segments of society with that "nativistic streak" and the fact that they are large enough to woo with policies that pander to their xenophobic fears only makes it so sad.

I wonder what I will have to do to get an entry visa to Australia. Just to visit. Not sure if I want to go through the stress!