For a lot of people (not all of them), that's total nonsense, and you know it. They voted against the UBP because 'it's the white man's party', or for the PLP because 'the black man finally has power, we're not going to give it up'.

I'll give the people who said things like that credit for one thing: they were honest enough to admit it.

If the PLP had been able to compete purely in terms of platform, etc, they wouldn't have needed to roll out the "plantation" language. The fact that the party felt it necessary to whip up, and use, racial division is the surest proof than in terms of program alone, the PLP (rightly) felt it could not compete.


Maybe it's because she perceives them to be aiding and acclaiming a party which whips up racial divisiveness when it suits them, for their own gain, and for no other end than to retain power? So now it's not OK to refrain from dealing with people whom you perceive to be enabling (at the very least) racial prejudice?

And I love that sly comment about her status. Just curious, if she didn't already have it, I'll bet you'd want to see it denied to her, right?


And you wonder why non-Bermudians feel a certain way towards Bermudians.


Oh, right. Face-to-face dialogue with partisans for a government which has thrown people off the island for making a dumb joke, or because they had the balls to speak their mind - in other words, a government which feels free to use its power to drastically penalize people for simply speaking their mind?

They can't put Bermudians on the next plane, but if they are willing to use their power to make people pay a price for speaking their mind, what's to say they won't use any of the innumerable levers at their control to do basically the same with Bermudians?

You ought to be thankful for the anonymity of cyberspace - without it, I can guaran-effing-tee you that there's be one hell of a less frank discussion than we have - and that wouldn't do almost anyone (other than those who would contrive to benefit from such a situation) any good.

Noel

And the rest of the people in their community. Buy, yeah, good point - kids. I don't know how I'd handle this, but I don't know the kids in question. It would all depend on who they are as individuals, considered one at a time. And, of course, whether she's willing to disturb the serenity of the workplace by calling them on things she sees as wrong.

Noel

White people have been called racist so often, and so often incorrectly, that the term is basically useless as a censure now. Trust me, when I say something like "you can be upset without being insulting", they know damn well what the subtext is.

And you know what? Wrong is wrong, and skin colour shouldn't matter. So if someone says something offensive, a reply of "you can be upset without being insulting" is all you need to say - because if it's something wrong, it's wrong no matter the colour of whomever it's said to.

Noel

Not sure I caught exactly what your point is here, but your comment about "smarter than any black person" is, I'm fairly sure, wrong (not to mention offensive, but I'll let that go, merely noting it). I'm not sure if/how I could convince you you're wrong, so for now, please just footnote that concept/characterization with a question mark that says 'not agreed to by all'.


Right; you don't want to turn whatever situation you're at from fun to heavy-duty, or you don't want to chance hurting a friend, or losing them, or for any number of reasons. Human nature... And it can sometimes be tricky to work out how to upbraid someone without getting their back up, or hurting them more than you need to (and, yah, sometimes you have to, and there's no getting around that, but it's best to minimize it).

But I try and step up on a regular basis - even if it's not in 100% of the situations where I could: I'm human too...

Noel

How can you say blacks voted based on emotion, i don't agree with all that the Plp say or do. I will however work to fix some of the wrongs as a memeber and supporter. To say a climate of hate has been created because of this vote is in deed wrong. You might feel that way, but its not like that.
the Civil Service only became black when whites left in the 60's as black were hired, the same as when blackes moved into certain neighbourhoods in Bermuda, you choose to leave, you were not forced too. In regards to the government the Plp has earned the right  to be the government, the same as the ubp when they were government, the people spoke and excersised their right to vote.

The plp in no way think they have a mandate to do what they want, they will do whats best for the country, the people of Bermuda can if they want determine the direction of the country by making their voices heard when laws/ legislation are brought into place that will afffect the country in a nagative way.
Most people wanted to see issues debated, however that did not happen,the ubp stood by the agenda for change that had some questionable things in it and the plp stood by the pathways to progress that also had some questionable things in it. However 3strikes, bermuda status for longterm residents were to questinable to consider the ubp as an alternative at this time, also with the loss of dunkley and dodwell the debate in the house on that side will be a lot to be desired. One note that comes to light here Wayne Furbert set Dunkley up if what he said the day after the election is true, that he asked Dunkley to run in 10.

So now because you did not get what you wanted the electorate are idiots, yes their were flaws in the legislation presented by Burgess, this legislation was not new it was mofied a bit, it was however placed on the books by the same group that is now saying its wrong. This same legislation lead to the creation of trust prepared by lawyers in the same law houses that have always supported the ubp and had some of its partners as memebers of parliament.

A few years ago, maybe someone can fill in the details, Burch said in the House(?) to the Opposition, something like - "Don't you get it? We don't care what you think." And there we had the crystaline truth.

All the UBP's sound and fury of taking the moral high ground, promising enhancements to democracy, cutting government excess... landed upon deaf ears. No matter how good the argument or reasoned the thinking, much of the electorate had been primed. The PLP just added night rallies and Fascist rhetoric and the fire was lit.

Why did the UBP three elections running not have the guts to hold major Public forums, properly facilitated, so Bermudians could behold the candidates exposing themselves to the hotseat of Public questioning.

The UBP has allowed itself to be defined by the PLP; they are no longer flesh and blood, no longer relevant.