Terry Keleher
Happy International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination!!
In case you thought Black History Month wasn’t long enough, you’d better not blink. We currently have 24 hours officially dedicated to the fight to eliminate racism.
Today marks the worldwide annual observance of the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, with activities led by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.
This date commemorates March 21, 1960 when police opened fire and killed 69 people at a peaceful demonstration in Sharpeville, South Africa, against the apartheid “pass laws”. In 1966, the U.N. General Assembly proclaimed March 21 as International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
to remind the international community of the dire consequences of racism
and our obligation to combat racial discrimination.
This year’s theme is: “Racism and Discrimination: Obstacles to Development.” According to the U.N., “Development is a comprehensive economic, social, cultural and political process that aims at constantly
improving the well-being of the entire population on the basis of everyone’s active, free and meaningful participation and the fair distribution of the available resources. Racism and other forms of discrimination are not only human rights violations but also major obstacles to achieving development.”
The U.N got that right. Now if only the developers could just get on board.
Imagine a world where development was truly based on the standards of full inclusion and fairness.
Close to home, imagine how different, say, the Gulf Coast might look today if all reconstruction-related development were driven by such standards. The vibrancy of the old New Orleans would be a mere glimmer of its flourishing future. It’s definitely a lofty goal and image.
We’ll certainly need more than a single official day designated to spotlight discriminatory development and highlight equitable alternatives. But perhaps it can serve as a spark for us to hold onto a different kind of vision.
In the meantime, you’d better not blink.
Posted at 6:15 AM, Mar 21, 2007 in Permalink | View Comments
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Comments
Hi Terry: I hear you, especially for this year when the development aspect puts the Day in the widest possible context. But it is better than nothing. I have noticed that the few students of colour at my mostly white university in the middle of Canada really embraced this Day. Just the hands stickers declaring "discrimination free zones" make a impact of some kind. My kids have also really embraced it and my fridge regularly gets plastered. This is better than it used to be. I grew up here in the 1970s thinking that it was rude to look at people of colour as if that would be pointing out something which should not be noticed, like a disability. Eracism was the name of the game. At least this gives the issue some visibility in white spaces. We just have to make it more relevant. Take care, Norma
Posted by: Norma Buydens | March 22, 2007 3:18 PM