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LETTER OF THE WEEK

MIXED RACE ISN’T ‘BLACK’

Dear Sir,

CAN I just stress that mixed people are not black. A reader wrote in saying why do Halle Berry and other personalities accept the label black? (Voice
letters, Nov 5th issue)

Well, I’m a Black man living in Birmingham and personally I think it’s just for the fame. They are not black at all, they are mixed and it disgusts me
really because the black awards should go to black candidates.

What happened to the recognition of black actresses like Vivica A Fox, Jada
Pinkett, Queen Latiffa and Kerry Washington?

I do think that the terms should be defined and not intermingled with something
that is not true. Black is Black Mixed is ‘mixed’. Simple really. We are just not the same.

Peter Waye
Birmingham

THE REAL SKIN SHADIES

Dear Sir,

I READ the article by Dotun Adebayo in last week’s voice and to be honest with you the more I read on, the more upset I got.

Why is it that the darker members of the black nation are subject to ridicule or
humiliation or suffering even, because some one somewhere wants to make a few extra pounds?

How dare this guy turn this into an idea… to make a profit by discriminating against his own kind?

If you like a certain skin tone then that’s your own personal preference, but to make it into an idea for profit is not better than what they did to us
back in the day.

You see issues like this all over the place in the music industry especially…. this…diluted racism!!

I am dark skinned black woman and my partner is a strong dark skinned black
man that is my choice, I happen to like darker skinned men but that is as far as it goes!!! How dare this man think it ok to do such a thing, making the women who stood outside feel less about themselves,that they are of less
standard than that of the fair skinned.

People that implement things like this and think its ok because it makes money
are a perfect example of one of the many issues that keeps the black nation in oppression. No matter how much money this man has made from this ‘business strategy’ you can’t put a price on the dignity he has taken from my dark skin
brothers and sisters.

Melanin Rich
London

YOUNG MAYOR MAKES US PROUD

Dear Sir,

I AM so pleased to read about Justin Cole becoming the new young mayor of Lewisham. (Voice page 2 Nov 5th issue) It is pleasing to see a young
black boy so engaging with politics and his community. To show such ambition at
such a young age is very encouraging. I hope he is able to make a difference in
Lewisham in his role.

Tiana Jones
London

IGNORANCE IS BLISS

Dear Sir,

I CAN’T believe the ignorance of Sarah Kennedy stating that she could not see black people in the dark. Not only are her remarks deeply offensive but to broadcast them on a national radio highlights the disregard of the upset she would cause. I do hope that she is reprimanded for this.

Gavin Lewis