Morocco- The Power of Propaganda in Creating Racism

(MENAFN- Morocco World News) Bananas were always one of my favorite fruits but lately after all the propaganda made about it I lost my appetite. I no longer gain any pleasure when eating abanana. Nowadays bananas are seen as a symbol of racism. It all started during a football matchin the Spanish first division when Barcelona played against Villarreal.

In that game the Barcelona right back 'Daniel Alves 'on his way to set the corner kick was thrown a banana by a fan. He then picked up the fruit and ate it. After that game many footballers started making videos in which they atebananas while uttering the slogan 'We're All Monkeys.' These videos went viral and from that moment the banana became something connected with racism. So if a person throws a banana at you it means that that person is discriminating against you and comparing you to a monkey. I never understood the reason behind such reaction and I still do not understand it.

Let me clarify something right off the bat:I amnot in favor of racism or any kind of discrimination. My disagreement goes to the significance and attention that people give to certain things the result of which is offensive or insulting interpretations. Bananas were never seen as a symbol of racism until that moment. The main reasons behind it were the media spreading this idea and the importance that people mainly black people gave to it. Consequently another form ofracism was added to the long list.

Things always tend to take the significance that we give to them. The media has a huge power overcreating a new ideology and those who do not have the ability of seeing it tend to fall into the same trap over and over again.

I am totally against all sort of discrimination and I never tolerated the act of throwing a banana apple orange or any other thing at a person norshould it be ignored. But the problem lays in the attention that people give to certain acts which tends to make that action worse than it was supposed to be.

Daniel Alves himself when he was asked to take part in 'We're All Monkeys' campaign didn't hesitate to refuse the offer. According to him what happened in the stadium should have stayed out there and never interfere with his personal life. However he added that he did not feel affected by what happened. This is the sort of behavior thatwe all should follow instead of helping to create another situation that does not help tackle the problem of racism we face every day all over the world.

Do you really think that by eating a banana you are helping in the fight against racism? I'm sorry to inform you but you aren't.You are just being used and you are unconsciously contributing to the creation of new racist ideologies.

What really helps to fight racism and discrimination is the acknowledgement of our acts. We must acknowledge that we are just human beings who behave stupidly sometimes.But our stupidity is something that can be healed if we accept our mistakes. Above all. We must keep in mind that the color of your and my skin does not make you or me better or worse than anybody else. The good news is contrary to the ad campaign weare not all monkeys. We can still change our behavior and clean our minds from all the wrong ideologies that we might have about other ethnicities. There is always time to changewhile we are still alive. Dead people are the only ones who cannot change because it is too late.