Minority Report

"A group of people who differ racially or politically from a larger group of which it is a part." That's this Princeton definition of the word "minority." Blacks and Hispanics in the United States of America, Boers living in Lesotho, homosexuals the world over, and Pakistanis in England all fit the definition. I live in France where I am part of a racial minority population. The opposite of minority is, of course, majority.

The mathematical majority doesn't always add up to power and control -- it's not a given. Look at South Africa up to eleven years ago. In that country, a mathematical minority sat on a mathematical majority for the longest time.
Traditional Kenyan DressLook at Rwanda. And look at Lesotho, where a political minority sat on a political majority through the power of the gun, for more than two decades. The white settler was a mathematical (and arguably political) minority in North America; faced with the red majority, he whipped out his technological superiority and used it to subdue that menace.

Another trait a majority doesn't necessarily possess is rightness. Numbers do not make right, nor does might, despite the popular adage. Many-a-crime has been committed from behind the mask of superior numbers. The flock-effect is strong and wins often, so that we tend to follow the behaviour of the group and most everything else: fashion, speech, music preferences, you name it, favouring the illusion that numbers make right. In France if you veer from the customary path you're admonished with a terse, "Ca se fait pas!" Or we don't do that!. To which I like to retort, "Who says?" The majority says, of course, though my interlocutor is always too stunned by the retort to reply.

If you're part of a minority and you're lucky enough, your group will neither be despised nor venerated. Politicians will then bring up the subject of integration, especially where talk is of immigrants. Is integration really feasible? Probably. Is it really desirable? Probably not. Black folks have not integrated into America, as that country is represented by its cultural majority.

Continental WearNot that they were that welcome. They went off and lived in a parallel culture of their own (thank God). White folks (a mathematical minority) haven't integrated into South Africa either, as that land is represented by its cultural majority. Why should they? I say when in Rome don't do as the Romans do; keep the diversity alive. My own personal culture and language are on their way to extinction. I wish I was writing these words to you in Sesotho, not in English. Note that white South Africans were actually the political majority since they had power, were dominant and had total control of their lives.

I think immigrants in Europe and the USA, or elsewhere, should not feel pressed by any circumstance to melt into the mores they find in the new country upon arrival. Their own ways are certainly not "less" than those of their new country. By the same token, immigrants, workers, Peace Corps volunteers and other entrepreneurs in Developing countries can all wear what they please, should eat the food of their choice, and should worship in the church, synagogue or mosque of their choice. Minority has never meant conquered. If it's decent and not disrespectful, why shouldn't one be allowed to do it? I'm not suggesting that a woman of African descent living in Europe should go to work wearing Kenyan traditional clothes; I'm suggesting that she may go to work wearing continentally styled African clothes.

Comments

[Elles]

Dear Mzansi,

I read you weblog! I am the editor of AfricaNews. AfricaNews is a digital newsletter and website that aims at giving a more balanced view of Africa. For our newsletter and website in English (which we are launching next week) we are looking for contributors to write the so-called AfricaDiary. The AfricaDiary must tell something about your daily live: it can be very broad: a conversation you had, a party you went to where something happened you were shocked /surprised about, an event you visited. Make it vivid and bring your own emotions/ideas into the story (use I).

The AfricaDiary has a prominent spot in the newsletter. We can include a link to your weblog.

Per day about 6.000 people visit our website and a couple of thousand people have a subscription to our weekly digital newsletter (which is for free). Till now we only published in Dutch, from the end of this month we will publish in English as well, which will make to readership far bigger.

Please have a look at the following links the see our website. The website is still very much under construction.
http://www.afrikanieuws.nl/ and www.africa-news.net
Link to two of the newsletters:
http://www.veritate.net/edm/viewer.jsp?m=xQVh&s=s7RFC
http://www.veritate.net/edm/viewer.jsp?m=NZ7V&s=s7RFC

Please let me know if you are interested in contributing,

Hope to hear from you,

Kind regards,

Elles van Gelder

Editor AfricaNews