Vicky
02-28-06, - 12:02 PM
Typical of the self-depreciating psyche of the Bahamian....'If it's white, it must be right!'
Has anyone thought about what the white elite of our country think of the average black Bahamian? And that the fear of that same average Bahamian is actually based in reality, a reality that many of us do not want to face up to: 'dey don't like us, dey tink we're boarish and unsophisticated. And the ones who don't tink like that...don't tink about us at all....to them we do not exist because we do not affect their favoured lives in no way.
My ire was raised to its limits last month while on Bay Street. We stoped in Pyfrom's (I beleive it's called). Here, in the middle of Nassau in 2005 blatent disgrace. Two white women one stuffy (Ms. Piggy) and about 40, the other suck (Olive Oyle) and abot 55. Both standing behind the area of the cash register. As we entered the shop, Ms. Piggy was laying into an employee for asking permission to run out to the bank before it closes. The employee was and elderly (50ish) black woman, standing there, eyes brimming with tears as her employer Ms. Piggy berated her with Olive Oyle giving encouragemnet. Telling here, even with patrons present, that she shoulda use her lunch time to go to the bank and not the company's time.
Now ordinarialy this would not be a big deal for me..but you should have heard their tone and seen the hurt in the employee's eye. And, when the employee - some 10 years older than the older of the two winches -answered "yes Maam" to her tormentor....well I was ready to buss! and you said nothing to miss piggy and olive oil. I say you wrong to. bad things happen when good people do nothing.
We've always been taught to respect and honour our elders. It was obvious that these women did not get that lesson. Adding insult to injury was the fact the these women were the only ones allowed to handle cash at the busy shop. Like all a'we does teef! They even had a pre-teen doughter of Ms. Piggy cashing.....It just felt wrong and weird.... Ok so its a family buisness or something. That is not uncommon even in black family owed buisness.
Nassauvians need to fix that issue of the Bay Street merchants....too many massas opressing folk....too many 'Yes Maam's!
Yes Maam/Sir is a sign of respect not slavery.
Has anyone thought about what the white elite of our country think of the average black Bahamian? And that the fear of that same average Bahamian is actually based in reality, a reality that many of us do not want to face up to: 'dey don't like us, dey tink we're boarish and unsophisticated. And the ones who don't tink like that...don't tink about us at all....to them we do not exist because we do not affect their favoured lives in no way.
My ire was raised to its limits last month while on Bay Street. We stoped in Pyfrom's (I beleive it's called). Here, in the middle of Nassau in 2005 blatent disgrace. Two white women one stuffy (Ms. Piggy) and about 40, the other suck (Olive Oyle) and abot 55. Both standing behind the area of the cash register. As we entered the shop, Ms. Piggy was laying into an employee for asking permission to run out to the bank before it closes. The employee was and elderly (50ish) black woman, standing there, eyes brimming with tears as her employer Ms. Piggy berated her with Olive Oyle giving encouragemnet. Telling here, even with patrons present, that she shoulda use her lunch time to go to the bank and not the company's time.
Now ordinarialy this would not be a big deal for me..but you should have heard their tone and seen the hurt in the employee's eye. And, when the employee - some 10 years older than the older of the two winches -answered "yes Maam" to her tormentor....well I was ready to buss! and you said nothing to miss piggy and olive oil. I say you wrong to. bad things happen when good people do nothing.
We've always been taught to respect and honour our elders. It was obvious that these women did not get that lesson. Adding insult to injury was the fact the these women were the only ones allowed to handle cash at the busy shop. Like all a'we does teef! They even had a pre-teen doughter of Ms. Piggy cashing.....It just felt wrong and weird.... Ok so its a family buisness or something. That is not uncommon even in black family owed buisness.
Nassauvians need to fix that issue of the Bay Street merchants....too many massas opressing folk....too many 'Yes Maam's!
Yes Maam/Sir is a sign of respect not slavery.