Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/542972
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 19 JULY 2015 16 News PAUL of Tarsus found the Maltese hospitable and welcoming – his being shipwrecked here in AD60, and the reception he got, are well recorded in the Bible, no less. But it would seem there are traits in the Maltese character that are not so wholesome. Ask Jack Dabo- ma. Jack, a black Hungarian student reading for a Master's in Engineer- ing, was trying to bring order to disorderly queues of bus commut- ers in Valletta a fortnight or so ago. His reward? – a woman accosting him, screaming 'go back to your country', and a slap followed by being spat on. And adding insult to injury, po- lice called on the scene wrongly detained and handcuffed him. However, irrespective of the multiple apologies by the police officials, and by government min- isters, a slew of blog posts and ar- ticles have ensued about the local attitude towards people of a differ- ent race or ethnicity. "Migration and racism are not new phenomena in Malta or in the world, yet they change constantly," said Christine Cassar, director of The People for Change Founda- tion. "Our foundation launched Re- port Racism Malta (reportracism- malta.org) at the end of 2014 to monitor the local situation… since its inception, it has received a number of reports, ranging from Migrants and foreign nationals face xenophobia and racism from various institutions and public service agencies that have yet to be sensitised to the realities of people from beyond Maltese shores, MARTINA BORG finds out Responding to racist comments or jokes: some guidance 1. Think of 'long-term' and 'short-term' goals. A short-term goal may simply be to lay down a marker, indicating that we have heard the joke or comment and noticed its racial overtones; or the longer term, to educate about race equality, the costs of racial discrimination and harassment, and the benefits of racial equality and ethnic diversity. 2. The terms in which you respond will depend on your authority relationship with the source of the comment or joke: a pupil, a colleague, or even a stranger. 3. 'This is how I feel about that': You may want to say, for example, 'When you speak like that, I feel angry' – while people may not see why you have these feelings, they cannot deny that you have them. And once they discover how you feel, this may give them some insight into how their behaviour affects others. 4. 'That's a racist remark': A straightforward response. It is clearer and more direct than the cautious "Sounds a bit racist to me". 5. 'What do you mean?' A lot of discriminatory behaviour is presented in the form of jokes, innuendoes, hints or suggestive gestures. 'Can you explain to me what the joke is?'. These questions can be confronting. If the joke is stripped away, people are faced with the real implications of what they are saying. You need to be prepared for strong reactions if you use this method of responding. 6. Would you say that to a white person?' 'What difference does their colour make?' Many people are genuinely unaware of ways in which their behaviour is discriminatory; they may generalise about black and minority ethnic people without thinking about what they are doing. Asking them if they would behave in the same way towards someone from a different group can show people their hidden assumptions. 7. Looking after the victim. I's important that anyone negatively affected by a racist joke, comment or incident should be taken care of after the incident Source: University of Exeter Standing up