WITHOUT SYMPATHY

Rip It Up, Issue 226, 1 June 1996, Page 9

WITHOUT SYMPATHY

I was flicking through this amazingly well produced, home grown little mag the other day, for the first time(!), and by chance stopped at the Letters page. I was happily browsing down the columns when, just as I was about to turn the page, I spied a disgustingly offensive little letter about blacks, which reflected extremely badly on its white author (RIU 225, May 96). Quite frankly, it got my knickers in a knot! The little letter was not so cleverly disguised as an opinion

on the open-mindedness of people, not just ‘blacks’, versus alternative listening ‘whites’, I think(?). The only words I could read were ‘blacks’ and ‘those people’.

Well, Melissa, I am ‘black, yes, and proud. I don’t listen to what you call ‘black’ music often, but if my friends want to, they can. The point of my letter is, I come from Howick, the proverbial Mecca of grunge, alternative and indie music, and a few (the ‘minority’) people at school, listen to R&B, hip-hop, etc. I can tell you, these white, black music listeners cop the same shit as you. Why are you trying to confuse the issue? Why don’t you just take a major stagedive off the Harbour Bridge? I suppose not all white people are like you(?). I don’t know, your letter makes me wonder.. Leonie, Howick.