Racism Is Not The Problem, a new initiative launched by the Institute of Race Relations (IRR), said yesterday that complaints have been made at the Advertising Regulatory Board about its billboard on the M1 South in Johannesburg.
In a statement, the initiative welcomed the complaints as a sign of engagement with an issue that it deems as important. However it asked the complainants to let them know what they find troubling about a billboard that simply read: “www.RacismIsNOTtheProblem.co.za”
Some complainants have said the billboard “promotes racism” and “shouldn’t be allowed anywhere in SA”.
Others said the billboard conveys a message that “white people should remain racist”.
Director of Racism Is NOT The Problem, Gabriel Crouse, said : “If you think racism is everywhere, we have news for you. We say racism is a problem when it is, and we say it is not a problem when it is not. The movement to get real on this basis cannot be stopped.
“Our research across all nine provinces shows that racism is relatively rare and that most people of all colours think fake racism is used by politicians to dodge accountability. This is good news that an elite minority cannot accept, but we will help.
“The supermajority of South Africans already know that skin never equals sin, that racism is not everywhere, and that merit beats quotas. We have the data to prove it. If you don’t believe it, ask a few thousand strangers, like we did.”
“Once it is normal to say ‘racism is NOT the problem’ when evidence points that way, we can get real about the crises crushing South Africa. Anyone can try to ban our billboard, but you cannot ban common sense”, Crouse concluded.
If you would like to know more about the new Racism is NOT the Problem movement, click this link.
A picture of the billboard can be seen on the movement’s Facebook page.