Here is a letter to Dagsavisen, a smaller Norwegian daily traditionally associated with the labor movement, from January 27th 2009. The letter is written by a 14 year old girl. This translation is unauthorized and does not give the author the credit she deserves. Notice the line in the last paragraph. It would be extremely interesting to hear what reactions the letter got from students and teachers at Holmlia school in Oslo. Get in touch, girl.
In school we have all learned that all people are equal, irrespective of background, culture and appearance. We have learned about anti-racism. I thougt that my school was free of racism. But yet students of today show lacking knowledge, prejudice and not least a lack of respect. With this letter I want to illuminate the fact that not all racism has vanished from the schools of today. Maybe it never disappeared, or this brand of racism is new, or it has reoccurred.
The brand of racism I will point at is jew-baiting. Are all teachers enlightened to the fact that this brand of racism actually exists as an everyday occurrance for school students? Do they know that this may be the start of, or perhaps for a long time has been, a large problem? No, I do not think so. After the lacking response teachers have given to notifications of this problem, I see that the teachers most likely have not noticed, or not wanted to notice, or are unable to handle such a problem without more overseeing. This is about knowledge among the students, the lack of knowledge. And with lacking knowledge comes prejudice. Prejudice creates racism.
We all have the second world war, Holocaust, Hitler and judaism i RLE on our curriculem, but before this knowledge is pumped into the students, and not always manages to fill up the most deserving spots, racism occurs. Shal this racism then be a problem to be postponed? Should not this be a problem until after the knowledge has been pumped in, and one sees who still lacks some pieces? Should one postpone working against racism until everyone has learned what they should? How come the teachers do not handle the problem the minute it occurs? Is there not jew-baiting in the schools? I see that there is a problem.
Many in my class are muslim. One can not ignore the strife between jews and muslims, especially now with the war in Gaza. In some fanatical communities Allah may promise a muslim a place in paradise if one kills a jew. Is this a reason for why young muslims are jew-baiting at school? I am not saying that all my muslim co-students would kill a jew in order to come to paradise, not at all. I am saying that many who have a background where political conflict between two countries have an important impact upon you, may lead to racism and hatred against the party with which your country is in conflict.
There are Israeli citizens who are against the war, and not all are fanatical in their beliefs. At the same time there are Palestinian who are not muslim, and many Palestinians do not support what Hamas stands for. It must be possible to be against the war in Gaza without being a jew-hater. It is important to remember, do not assume that all are the same! All are not the same! Everyone does not hold the same views!
Political opinons ought not remove your worth as a human being. A jew is worth as much as any other human being. Students of today must understand that jew-jokes ARE racist! To use the word jew as a swear-word is racist bullying! If you think you know what racism is, why are you then a jew-baiter? Are you a racist?
