Winnipeg Sun | Sep. 11, 2001 | Orest Slepokura

Anti-racist goes racist

The Editor:

Re: "Anti-racist goes racist," Ross McLennan, The Winnipeg Sun , September 11, 2001.

To describe the UN anti-racism conference just concluded in Durban, South Africa, Ross McLennan weighs in with this analogy: "[I]t became a rerun of the Rodney King beating, black and Arab countries assigning themselves the role of the L.A. police, Israel cast in the part of their hapless victim."

If black and Arab countries are to be stand-ins for the L.A. cops who beat King, who would Reginald Denny represent? This white truck driver was pulled from his vehicle and beaten savagely on April 29, 1992, during the mainly black riots that broke out after the first trial ended in acquittal of police officers accused of beating King. Two black males, Damian Williams and Henry Watson, were charged with a long list of felonies in the assault, which millions saw because of a helicopter-borne television camera which also videotaped the event, that had included Williams striking Denny's head with a concrete block, then executing a merry jig to express his satisfaction.

More to the point, who would Damian Williams symbolize? Ariel Sharon? The Israeli Defence Force?

Sincerely yours,

Orest Slepokura
Strathmore AB

c. Rick Salutin