Lighten up and have a chuckle

I READ with interest Dennis Pather’s column and feel that perhaps, like many South Africans, he needs to remove the chip he seems to have on his shoulder, particularly so far as race is concerned.

Regarding the two young girls who dressed up as “maids” at a private party: why is there such a “song and dance” about the matter?

The kids were obviously out to have a good time, and, I’m sure, not hell-bent on hurting anyone’s feelings or trying to embarrass anybody.

He mentions it was at the expense of thousands of sisters, mothers, aunts and grandmothers who have spent the better part of their lives cleaning up others’ homes and looking after their children, but doesn’t mention that many of these people are also well looked after by their employers.

We should learn to look at ourselves and sometimes have a good laugh at who we are. Who cares about some youngsters dressing up like somebody else? Is it really that serious? What about Leon Schuster dressing up in his movies as other races, and performing on-screen for all to see?

Why no censoring, or column and comments, on his behaviour? The reason is that we all enjoyed his antics, had a good laugh at ourselves, and nobody got upset.

We should learn to lighten up, not take everything so seriously and to be less sensitive about who we are.

I couldn’t give a hoot if a couple of black guys or girls dressed up as white people and had a good laugh at my expense. I would have a good laugh with them.

Perhaps not everyone got the memo about democracy or freedom of expression. WADE WILLIAMS

Ladysmith I WANT to commend Dennis Pather on his column last week (“School our kids in race dynamics”), but he should go a step further and say racial education should begin in the home, where parents need to hold their comments about other races in check when speaking in front of their children.

The parents need to learn to avoid the jokes and slurs that are made carelessly and often automatically. In South Africa, most adults need to think about their casual conversation carefully. HELEN GIBSON

Hillcrest