Like father, like son.

Martine Irakoze
7 min readJan 25, 2019

“Tel pere, tel fils.”

مثل الأب مثل الابن

[Intro: If I say “white”, it is not about race. Because race is no longer an issue in this century, is it? What I mean by white is the “White Supremacy Culture”. It is not only white people who suffer from this disease but anyone (Africans or Asians) can also pride “white supremacy culture”. For instance, the crisis occurring in the US or Europe is not totally about race. It is about culture as well. They are ready to accept anyone who speaks English or German with a native accent or dresses how they prescribe. Therefore, this article is about why there will always be white supremacy culture and how there is a giant system to make sure that is the case.]

I cried today. I cried a lot. For me, crying is just my outward expression of my frustration when I am extremely angry at some people and I realize that it is illegal to harm them and that I can be jailed for it. If you think I am exaggerating, first hear my first encounter with Model UN this past week.

Edinburgh University Model UN Facebook Page.

“I am late. I am running. I am panting. But I have to attend this talk; after all, it is about human rights in Burundi. I am excited to gain new insights and grow from it. Then, I enter in this room, discussion already going, gentlemen and ladies already seated discussing Burundi’s political situation. Since I do not want to disturb, let me sit in the back, just listen and take notes. Girl, this is an educational opportunity, isn’t it? Or is it?

At that moment, the devil whispered: “Let there be hell, and there was Model UN debate on Africa.”

Combine all the annoying stereotypes old as well as new ones and thrash them in one room for 2 hours from any 20-year-old privileged white kid you have ever met in your life.
Some hints: “All Africa is riddled of famine. What is happening in Africa is so sad; all these gross atrocities. People are not even allowed to jog there. Such inhumane creatures. UK and US need to teach Africa on human rights respect. (But history and even the present have shown that if there is any country in the world with the right to offer this kind of lecture, it should definitely not be UK and US!)

Truthfully, I was so shocked how young people can take pride in such a blatant show of ignorance. During those two hours, I developed both a reality and personality issue. “Who am I? Who are they? Which century is it? Which year is it? Do I speak English? How old are they? Who are their parents? Did somebody actually pay for this education? Was I thrown back in time? When white males once sat down in a similar room and started scrambling a whole continent? “

My reason came back to life when I finally understood that this “white supremacy culture” mindset will never change. Then, I embraced it fully and found peace in me. I finally I understood the power of ignorance at play in all this.

Here are some features of the ignorance play that White people put on to hide and consolidate their Ethnocentrism:

  1. They think that living in Africa or spending a summer in Africa is a PhD degree on “Africa”. They will act offended if you question their subconscious superiority complex. But what they do not tell us is that when they go there, they do not leave behind their overloaded bag of stereotypes and that they go to “Africa” to actually prove these. Therefore, you will hear things like: “It was a leap of faith. Compelling Curiosity. God calling. Etc.”

So, they lived in “Africa” or did African studies or even more interesting, they ate “African” food in the Indian shop next to them. So, what? European colonizers lived in Africa for centuries. Did it change in the way the whites still view “Africa” now? Even, at this time I am writing this in 2019, we still have a group of young white men and women gathered to gladly bash other countries without pity.

Therefore, the “living in Africa” excuse does not count. Thank you, next.

2. The funniest thing is that when you expose their Eurocentric thinking and challenge them, they will cowardly agree with you and hypocritically apologize. But we all know who is going with friends out in the pub right after to talk about how “you are done with these angry Africans”.

By refusing any confrontation, then they perpetuate their supremacy ideology. When you do not want to see, you won’t see.

3. What shocked me the most in the Model UN talk was the fact that the people in the room were all young, so young. Now imagine them 20 years from now in the UN deciding on African countries’ matters with this very same mindset! Well, you say that would be catastrophic. What a failed education! Well, you are wrong. This is the portrayal of a successful education. The very basis of universities and organizations such as UN is to consolidate the White Supremacist opinions. There is a strong structure making sure that they keep these mentalities and they do not want to give them up. They will still hold them and proudly make you think they do not.

How does education also contribute to their guardian structure of ethnocentrism?

4. They will say: “We have a liberal education system which will make a positive impact because it grooms leaders to think critically. How can you have White Supremacist opinions when you received a well-rounded education ?” Very sarcastic point coming from someone who does not question their racist “ignorance” and strive to detach from it. So, the fact that you took US history and all European political thinkers class really does not impress me and excuse you from your Western-centrism.

5. Finally, dear White, if this article offended you and you feel like all whites should not be put in the same category by using “white” as a general term, I am sorry for that. It was not my intention to be racist but at least you can have a little taste of what is it like to be from the other side.

However, you should also maybe question why you would feel offended in the first place. For instance, after the Model UN talk, I finally stood up to speak out and some people dared to roll their eyes on me and walk out during my speech simply because they feel offended that they offended me first. So, clearly, you feel offended maybe because somebody has uncovered and exposed your racism when you worked so hard to hide it. Therefore, stop putting on a show of offence when I correct you because it does not excuse your offensive words.

But why? Why that constant need to always feel superior, pure, right, and righteous?

Well, I do not know.

But all I know is that the Western World has worked really hard to really sustain that fake image. From the slave trade to colonization, and even starting a world war just to prove it. Plus, it is still going on but under a new cover, less violating “human rights” this time. The current form is one of the ignorance play whereas they think that, by saying or asking ignorant racist facts, they can go away with it. For instance, somehow and funnily enough, UN will spend millions to deploy troops to “observe” the situations in some African countries, and then when mayhem follows, UN officials’ excuse will be:” Well, we do not know much about Africa. It is such a complex place. You know it is not much written on so often.” Lies.

Last Message for my fellows from any underrepresented group:

I know we all have this burning drive to make our voices heard and put an end to this white ignorance. Clearly, we are wasting time writing for them, rather for our future generations. In the end, sincerely, they won’t read your books or your research articles. Even sadder, while you trade development goals to educate and show them the “real Africa”, on their side, they are building more institutions to consolidate their Western-centric biases and sometimes they will ask you help to strengthen these. The more we try to educate them on the reality, the more they close themselves up. Basically, it is a treadmill. You lose calories and you have not moved an inch forward.

P.S Do not even respond to their (stupid) questions. Because frankly, if you want to know something nowadays, you can just google it. Definitely, there is something fishy and funny about someone who asks obviously dumb and biased questions. So, next time they ask you if your country has an open decapitation market or if you used a boat to reach the USA, please laugh and enjoy that moment. Then, just move on peacefully.

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