Last week, Lynn Winfield, the president of the anti-racism organisation CURB (Citizens Uprooting Racism in Bermuda)  gave an interesting speech in trying to ressurect the organization. 

One quote from the speech struck a chord with me that I thought I’d follow up on:

“Following the historic election in November 1998, attention to the issue of racism in Bermuda was put on the back burner. The prevailing attitude, it seemed, was that the problems associated with racism would go away following the election of a black government. Attempts by CURB to move forward with a raft of objectives received little support and unfortunately, the group eventually became inactive.”

It is very interesting to hear this example of the belief held that one event would solve all the racial problems of our island.  I find very similar correlations with the attitude held about racism following the 1998 election in comparison to the attitude held about how Independence would also solve all our racial problems.

Just as how the election of a black government and the two terms it has been in power has done little to actually resolve many of the racial issues plaguing our island, I fear that we would see the exact same thing if we were to go independent, at great sacrafice to our people to achieve it.