Realtor Rick Allenberg alleges racial profiling by client Roger Johnson
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/realtor-rick-allenberg-al...
The article is followed by all kinds of people alleging "reverse racism" etc. Ugly.
I posted my comment and will share it here. I find it almost unbelievable that a White South African could be so absolutely clueles as to why a person of colour who does not know him might not be entirely comfortable dealing with him in business. But all the "reverse racism" garbage comes out and even a couple sexist comments too. Clearly Allenberg is not the only one who is clueless.
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I understand why Allenberg is upset, but he was not racially profiled- he is a white South African presumably socialized as a product of a racist regime. He was presumably educated that Black people were inferior. Great if Allenberg is not racist but the perception of risk that he could be is real enough and the intent of the country that educated him. (Allenberg left South Africa around the time Mandella was released from jail.)
Johnson's fears come from more than race. No matter if you agree with them or not it is not racism. It is not unreasonable that a Black man may not want to do business with a White South African on what is perhaps the biggest purchase of his life. Perhaps, had they met in a less loaded atmosphere they might have come to know each other, build trust, but that is not how real estate works. You have to take a leap of faith. Understandable why this leap could be difficult.
In that sense both Allenberg and Johnson are victims of a state that made trust impossible. The existence of that regime had, and still has, negative effects on Black people outside South Africa. While white people could ignore apartheid it was not so easy for Black people.
I think Allenberg should understand that the perpetrator is the previous racist regime of South Africa. He ought to have some sympathy for Johnson. South Africa's previous regime made it impossible for some Black people, at least Johnson, to trust White South Africans.
Allenberg could apply a little compassion, and seek out another customer rather than go to court against a co-victim. Thanks to the former RSA regime Allenberg likely will always have some risk of difficulty with some Black people through no fault of his own but through no fault of theirs either.