A photo of the Bahamas Youth Leadership Development Programme with talk show host Zhivargo Laing, centre, posted to the Bahamas Consulate Atlanta’s Facebook page on Wednesday.
By RASHAD ROLLE
Tribune Staff Reporter
rrolle@tribunemedia.net
THE Bahamas Consulate General expressed disappointment Friday at the racial attack a group of Bahamian youth and their chaperones experienced during a trip to Atlanta, Georgia.
Zhivargo Laing, former State Minister for Finance, recounted the incident during his Guardian 96.9fm show Thursday, describing how a white man used the “n” word to attack them, called them “sluts” and told them “go back to Africa.”
The youth were shaken by the incident, though they said it showed the importance of not generalizing people's behaviour as it was another white man who came to their defence and punched the man who insulted them.
The consul general, Astra-Armbrister Rolle, said in a statement published to the consul’s Facebook page: “On Tuesday, July 17th 2018, the Bahamas Consulate General welcomed representatives from the Bahamas Youth Leadership Development Programme and former Cabinet Minister Zhivargo Laing to Atlanta. We were tremendously disappointed to hear that the group, after we had hosted them at our office, was ‘verbally attacked’ by a belligerent individual who expressed racist sentiments as referenced in today’s Tribune. It is with deep regret that we must acknowledge that events like these, while still uncommon, do happen from time to time; when they do, they should serve as vivid learning experiences for our young people who are experiencing first-hand the complex racial realities of our global community.”
“Though the event was emotionally disturbing, the consulate is extremely grateful that the Bahamian delegation was unharmed during the encounter. The students and the organizers are to be commended for immediately calling the local authorities and handling themselves with dignity in the face of undignified actions.”
“The Consulate’s primary function is to ensure the welfare of members of the Bahamian diaspora visiting or residing in the 10 states that we service, and we are committed to providing a welcoming experience for all. To this end, if you or anyone you know feels disturbed in our jurisdiction, please do not hesitate to call our office on 2970 Clairmont Road NE (Suite 290) at 404-214-0492. For our office hours, additional contacts and a full list of states that we service, please visit our website at www.bahconga.com.”
Comments
John 5 years, 9 months ago
Welcome to America
ThisIsOurs 5 years, 9 months ago
Welcome to the world. Racists exist everywhere, Canada, Europe, Africa, America, The Bahamas...there are just differing levels of subtlety.
John 5 years, 9 months ago
O but this happened in America..hopefully, Donald Trump will make it great again!
ThisIsOurs 5 years, 9 months ago
Trump is a racist. It's reported his father was a member of the KKK. That's doesn't necessarily mean that he has the same sentiments, but his actions and the presence of Miller and Bannon as trusted advisors confirm it. If you want to assess someone just look at the people they're "comfortable" hanging around and especially the people they hire. Look at Minnis for example, who he pick to manage all our money? That's tell you everything you need to know about him.
CaptainCoon 5 years, 9 months ago
Freedom and Liberty.
Gotoutintime 5 years, 9 months ago
Think America is bad---Try Russia---Would never go back there.
ashley14 5 years, 9 months ago
Wouldn't want to go to any communist country. I know supposedly they aren't but really. Didn't lose anything in China either.
ashley14 5 years, 9 months ago
Racism is everywhere, but I'm really sorry this will be a memory for these kids forever. As the kids told one white man was using racial slurs while another white man punched him in their defense. There is no excuse for what happened, but it isn't everyone. It is so much better than it ever was. I'm proud for the changes, but it's not enough. Atlanta is like every city there are safe and not so safe areas. I'm not referring to white and black areas. It's more drug and gang areas. Miami is where I as a white women feels unsafe alone. I travel through Miami from time to time, but I didn't lose anything there. America as a whole isn't racist and I hope that most don't judge us by the stupidity of others.
PastorTroy 5 years, 9 months ago
All 'European Colored Americans' are not OVERTLY bias or racist, however, many choose to be especially at this time, I've lived there for more than 10 years, America is what America is, many of us just have our head in the sand and "drunk' on America's strategic 'soft power'. I've heard through the grapevine that the Mississippi of The Bahamas is Spanish Wells, I was told never to visit and definitely never to let the sun go down while you're there if you are one of what the Europeans labeled certain humans with natural carbon: Black. But racism today is different than the 1950's, today we're dealing with the carbon copies, the book readers of history, so racist can be anywhere, we live in an information age, many are just using it to make themselves feel superior and to accommodate their individual lack of [natural] superiority and shortcomings. But there is a pendulum shift currently going on and much of todays actions are being recorded in the history books, there are two things mankind cannot stop no matter how hard they try, many of us may/may not live to see it but time and change WILL happen no matter how we feel about it, evil may strive for a while, but good will always win. I wish peace and love to all who believe in good.
sheeprunner12 5 years, 9 months ago
Try going to the Abaco Cays ......... SMH
voiceofthepeople 5 years, 9 months ago
Hey Sheeprunner it is the same in parts of Nassau only the shoe is on the other foot been called conkie joe many times in Nassau
sheeprunner12 5 years, 9 months ago
Why do black Bahamians get upset with American "racist bigots"?????? ....... when at home they are comfortable calling each other niggers, bastards, bitches, hoes, and sluts???
We have already gotten so used to adopting the black American rap and Jamaican dancehall culture ......... that we are impervious to how degrading these names can be ....... Until we come face to face with an American cracker or hillbilly??????
Bahamians must LOVE themselves more ............. and stop living hypocritical lives.
jamaicaproud 5 years, 9 months ago
Did a Jamaican take away you woman? Regardless of whatever, does that mean these young people should not be upset? You rascist half breed. Trying to find an excuse to call people out of there name. Why bring Jamaicans into your mess?
John 5 years, 9 months ago
The younger generation in the Abaco's are cool. But the older folks..perfect rednecks still!
voiceofthepeople 5 years, 9 months ago
Thats not always true all depends who you buck up with , people are people whever the are from Abaco Nassau or Timbuktu.
CaptainCoon 5 years, 9 months ago
This story isn't true, they exaggerated this. America is the land of the Free and the home of the Brave.
Racism isn't a thing anymore, stop it.
John 5 years, 9 months ago
And the Lord, God says ‘I will judge that nation that you served as slaves. The slaves shall die peacefully in that nation but in the fourth generation their descendants, and yes that includes the Haitians too shall leave that country with great wealth. And if you believe the biothat predicted 400 years of slavery for the African. You must also believe this part. And since it was the Haitians who helped set the slaves free, not only here in the Bahamas and the Caribbean but throughout Southern States in the US/A. Be careful how you treat them!
John 5 years, 9 months ago
People trying to say America is not mentioned in tube Bibles end time prophecy, but O yes it is! The facts are that when America was acting on enslaving the Black man, it didn’t act alone. And when it was meeting out it’s atrocioudities against the enslaved, then freed African, America didn’t act alone, hence y’all get the definition of ‘Mystery Babylon’. Amen
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