Letter
The Issue of Race "...hits home"
Dear Sir:
I read your net news pieces faithfully everyweek as a method of staying in touch with "home" andI am saddened that it had not been available for a few weeks.
I did want to give you kudos on the editorial"The Issue of Race" and say that it hits home the issuesthat many Caymanians, myself included, have ignored somewhat.I have not been living in Cayman for the past 4 years and I amnot happy to hear from family members that the prejudices haveincreased tremendously.
We have always prided ourselves on beingall 'cut from the same cloth' and I never had an issue with thecolour of someone's skin. In my last position, before leavingCayman, I took great pains and time to orient the new arrivalson the Island to our unique culture and heritage explaining thattheir stay in the Islands could be a memorable experience if theydecided to 'blend' in and not try to force their own culture andbeliefs on the proud local people. Those that were able to dothat have been successful and those who didn't, have not been.
We are treading a very fine line and mustrealize now that the line has been crossed and the 'other' culturesand prejudices are beginning to spread through the Islands likea bad virus.
As a people, we need to take the time toput our arms around our expatriate comrades and let them knowwho we are and how we feel. We also need to remember that prejudiceisn't only about the colour of one's skin!
The racism cannot be tolerated.
Karie Bergstrom