"The simple switch from black to white lives isn't racist” as quoted by Blackman, what’s racist is someone thinking that such literature could be comparable, to that of any form of racism.
This anti-white agenda recognised by some, to me, shows how blinded we are to the behaviours of mankind. Whilst watching Noughts + Crosses I was exposed to a world of which mankind created, a social hierarchy that still to this day exists, through books like the Colour Purple, A Caged Bird and movies like Roots, black peoples oppression is encapsulated. However, racism has never been enlightened in such a way that people are forced to empathise with the story line, as white people witness their race be tortured and punished, simply based of the colour of their skin.
Such writing, depth and knowledge should be commended for its details and purpose, not called out for its “racist intentions”. Why has Blackman been labelled as an anti- white writer when the book was written in 2001, a period of time some would argue racism was more apparent, as opposed to racism now. Blackman has not reversed an incorrect account of history, she has simply recorded an extremely oppressive period of time, where events such as those displayed in the book/series took place. Across the world, we see police kill minorities or convict minorities of crimes, based on stereotyping, this is mainly prevalent in the USA and is accounted for by the film When They See Us. Which shows the unjustified, manipulative work the police do, when they target innocent black people, primarily based on the colour of their skin. We see citizens in society being denied opportunities because of their race or gender and we still have a social hierarchy and social codes within every society, where there is an apparent race which dominates the nation economically. In London it is white people, and in South Africa it is also white people that dominate, and so her story still plays a massive role within society today, as the ideas she explores are still a massive threat to our nations.
I ask again, why is she called an “anti-white” writer for recording acts that happened in our history, of which people of colour suffered under for decades, just the other way around ? If Blackman can be labeled as an“anti white writer”, then why don’t we label Historians as anti to what they document, the lives of the Jeiwsh people…Christians… Sikhis…etc, as they all document the past history of humanity, in accordance with what happened. Most historians place a judgement on their work and form a bias, yet Blackman doesn’t, her opinion in this series/book is not addressed, as what happened in history to the black race is known across the world, as unjustifiable, her work sheds light on this, nothing less. The fact that Noughts and Crosses now has been made into a film, accounts for its relevance to our modern day society;unfortunately, this oppression for the black minority or majority still happens. In many african nations, the government deprives their people of work or a sufficient income, in the UK, we do not see nearly as many ethinic minorities in top professions, which again sheds light on the significance of Blackmans work. Racism is entrenched within society, there always has to be a more dominant race and for Malorie Blackman, it looks like the same race has continued and will continue to be at the top of the social hierarchy.
Blackmans book/series gives me hope that indeed slavery will end…. in time racism may come to an end. But until people understand how it feels to be racially profiled…. to suffer… to be oppressed…. the system will never change. Our social construct will remain the same if individuals of all colours don’t speak, stand up and change the agenda. Blackman has enlightened us that there is still work to be done, if people can label her as an “anti white writer”, for reversing history to its most extreme case, how far can we as humans say that we have moved along with the times ?
