Dignity or Daily Bread
Yesterday, a few Ghanaians lost their jobs because of the actions of their employer. In the heat of the discussion about Atlantic Lobster and Dolphin, some people are suggesting that had we not created this firestorm, the waiters would still have jobs; they would be able to feed their families and pay their children's school fees. Dignity or Daily bread which would you choose?
Would you prefer to have a full belly yet walk in a land where you can be denied a service because of the colour of your skin? Would you prefer to stand in a store and be ignored because the Ghanaian clerk does not respect your Cedis so they will rather serve the Euro or the Dollar or the Rand before they look at you and realize you were first in line? Would you prefer to go to a bar or a restaurant and be told that you cannot enter because it is for Koreans only? Just a few weeks ago the Dalai Lama was not granted a visa to South Africa to attend the birthday party of Desmond Tutu, one of the country's freedom fighters, because South Africa is not ready to lose investments from China. Dignity or Daily bread? We have all found ourselves in situations where we bend because we are weak, or the financial circumstance seem so grave we cave to Daily Bread.
However, there comes a time when your birthright is at stake, when your nation is being recolonized and you have to stand up and claim what is yours as stated by the constitution and the blood of our forefathers. I feel sorry for those who lost their jobs -I am sure they have their own story to tell - But the bigger story here is as Ghana continues to become an economic hub in the region, the rights of Ghanaians cannot be exchanged for a loaf of bread. If not for the unstinting sacrifice of some brave men and women, Ghana would still be called Gold Coast and Nelson Mandela would still be in Robben Island. As weak and imperfect as we are, we should be able to point out when Dignity trumps daily bread.
What saddens me about this Atlantic issue is that this blog, like many other sites does not seem to be interested in finding out the truth. It comes accross as trying to soothe one person's ego that was wounded by a very tasteless joke. Has anyone checked the membership list to see if any Ghanaians or people with dark skin (since you claim they are a whites only club) are members? Friends of mine are registered members there and they are 100% dark skinned Ghanaians. If the restaurant or owners had been racist would the offended lady have been served. Mind you this was her SECOND visit so it cannot have been such an offensive racist place as many - who do not even know the place - are making it out to be.
We are so quick to "diss" our own country until something like this comes up, then all the big names are called and we are ever so quick to lynch and burn and only question after the damage has already been done. How many of us ladies will opt to buy Ghana-made shoes and bags instead of Italian ones? Yet we say we are SO proud of our heritage and are determined to build up our nation which you claim is being re-colonized. Don't hate, instead educate!
I happen to be a light-skinned Ghanaian due to my mixed race. How often do I get "obroni, wo krom saa na ye ye adie" or "obroni wei, me twa no paa" or worse thrown at me. I quietly turn around and explain to the person in twi or ga that judging people by skin colour is not on. Usually we end up parting in peace and both sides take a lesson from the experience.
What if after proper investigation has been done, the truth comes out that the club DOES have black members? Then what? You will have spread lies and in doing so destroyed a whole lot. So please, if you want to be constructive as you claim then do a THOROUGH research and give both parties the same unbiased forum.
1stly, Ammazing Series did well to expose this alleged tasteless, expensive and insensitive "Joke". The first rule of restauranting (not just in Ghana but Globally) is don't crack tasteless jokes in front of your customers, or face the wrath of social opinion and perhaps more. It is a no brainer!!! Please, let's not suffer fools. The proprietors of the Restaurant got what they deserved for having a situation like that transpire at their premises. They should have fired the manager when the story broke instead of defending the indefensible.
2ndly, they did not have a license to operate. What about that??? Even if they have 2,000 Ghanaians as members, chale, they don't have license to operate!!!! When your are breaking the rules, it is best to lay low and not be an arrogant prat about it.
3rdly, forget the thorough research, the onus is on the restaurant to jump through hoops and rings of fire to apologize for their tasteless behaviour.
Ananse has spoken!!!
Amen and well said!!
There is an old saying - whenever you point a finger, remember 3 fingers are pointing back at yourself. Let us not only point a finger but also review the fingers that are pointing back at ourselves. Someone was recently refering to mixed people as 'half caste' in a very jolly manner isn't it? Again we me must endeavour to do our research in advance before any smug proclamations. Review the history of and origins of this word. The term in educated circles is widely considered to be rude and insulting. Remember the finger(s).
Asep. i don’t quite get ur point. Where was the rush to judgement. Did you not hear the guy apologise. As for the term ‘half caste’ if you follow my blog you would know that it has been well discussed. In Southern Africa you can use the word coloured and nobody flinches, in Ghana the term half caste is used and nobody flinches, these terms cannot be used in the US because of race sensitivities, in Africa these terms are not considered derogatory. How does that compare to a man blatantly denying someone membership because of her race. Before you pontificate check your facts, if the boundaries of Ghana were constructed by an Imperialistic system are you saying we should continue to kowtow to that same system? And we wonder how apartheid was only dismantled in1990. WAKE UP PEOPLE