And just when I thought the world was actually making progress in regards to racism it just goes to show you that anything is possible nowadays. What would you do if this were you? Imagine being a mother in line at an airport and because a man believes you cut him, calls you the “N” word? Or worse, a slave? How do you even react to that? Well I can see picture a lot of you dong a “Set It Off” re-enactment right there at that airport but for those who wouldn’t, why or why not? It’s nothing far-fetched that can’t happen because it happened to Kelis earlier this week. The singer took went to Twitter to vent out the situation that happened at a UK airport. Kelis says that, while with her young son at the airport, a man believed that she cut him in line. The man proceeded to call her a slave, Kunta Kinte, and other racial slurs as the other passengers and airport management looked on.
The situation is fully explained via her Twitter page below:
“There’s a show in the states, I think its on dateline or something like that. The host is a Spanish man. Basically the premise of the show is “what would you do”? Or how do people react when they see injustices. I love the show. Its interesting. However today that didn’t happen.
We just landed and I had the midget with me. we get in the passport control line and apparently pissed this one man off cause he thought I Cut the line. Which wouldn’t be far fetched of me but this time I actually didn’t (not entirely anyway) well the point is from 0 to 60.
This fat red faced sweaty “man” (I use the word man loosely here) started calling me a slave and told me to call him sir and how I was Probably a disgusting nigerian. He called me kunta kinte and ranted and raved some more. The man behind the passport desk laughed, shook his Head in agreement I guess, and said “kunta kinte”. All the while the entire line full of people I just sat on a plane with for almost 3hours.
Over 50 people said nothing. I mean literally nothing. Didn’t flinch. We all no I’m no saint, so I retaliated. Not the way I wanted to Or how that pig deserved. But #1 my gorgeous baby boy was literally sitting on my hip and #2 I’m a believer. And we are better. Sposed to be.
Anyway, it made me think. This person was aprox a 50 year old english man. I didn’t say anything at the time of the riots in London For a lot of reasons. But I am in london all the time and today I’m gonna say that the racial issues in the uk are disgusting. Its racially Decades behind progression because everything is swept under the rug. People don’t talk about it. People don’t fight about it.
Not mentioning a problem doesn’t make it go away. I bring it up now because as an american it is abundantly clear that my country has a Smorgas board (spelling?) Of disgusting racial problems. We are the poster child for racial inequality even still with a black president.
But its NO SECRET! And that I can fight against. I can try to prepare and teach my son. Because its out there. But you can’t fight for or Against something no one is willing to talk about or even admit exist. Everyone wants to be politically correct. But who really cares?
And what does that help. I could go on and on. I won’t. But maybe someone will start to talk about it from here.”
This is only weeks after the infamous London riots that sparked so much controversy around the world and a lot of bloodshed on the streets of London. So WWYD (what would you do) if it had been you in Kelis’ shoes?
