THE STRAITS TIMES TUESDAY, JULY 18, 2017
bigonkindness
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Striving for harmony among different races With Racial Harmony Day on July 21, here are some potentially sensitive situations or scenarios that may crop up because of Singapore’s racially diverse culture. How will you react to each of them? By Jeffrey Ang SCENARIO 1 Your neighbour is burning paper offerings along the common corridor, and the fumes are wafting near the main door of your flat. He sees you and apologises for the inconvenience caused. You: A. Tell your neighbour off for subjecting you to these fumes. B. Keep quiet but give him an annoyed look and make sure he sees that. C. Tell him it is fine, because it is only for a short while.
SCENARIO 2 You have been tasked to organise a class barbecue. Your parents give you the contact details of a great caterer near the school, but two classmates will not be able to eat the food because of dietary restrictions. You: A. Go ahead with that caterer and hope the two classmates will bend their rules. B. Stick with the same caterer and tell the two classmates to prepare their own food. C. Look for a different caterer which serves food appropriate for everyone.
SCENARIO 3 While hanging out with some classmates, one of them makes a mildly racially sensitive comment about a friend who belongs to another race, saying it is a “joke”. You realise that it is offensive and you: A. Laugh along, assuming that the friend being made fun of will not take offence. B. Pretend you did not hear the “joke”, and change the topic. C. Tell the person who told the “joke” off firmly, and say that such remarks should not be uttered at all.
YOUR CHOICES SCENARIO 1 If you respond with A, you will destroy the relationship between you and your neighbour. Choosing to respond with B will still create tension. Responding with C shows that you respect your neighbour’s beliefs. Besides, he has apologised! Expert tip: Showing respect and tolerance for other people’s beliefs and practices will help to ensure a harmonious living environment. SCENARIO 2 It is unfair to expect people to bend their beliefs for your convenience, which is what is expected if you choose A. If you choose B, not everyone in the class will feel included, which defeats the purpose of the class barbecue. C is the ideal way
as everyone will feel included and have a good time. Expert tip: Being sensitive to a person’s feelings is important. It takes little or minimum effort (such as changing a caterer) to achieve that, so why not? SCENARIO 3 There is nothing funny or light about racially offensive remarks, and laughing along in A makes you just as guilty. If you choose B, you are just fooling yourself and not helping anyone. Instead, take a stand and nip such occurrences in the bud, like in C. Expert tip: Racism does not just happen among strangers but sometimes among friends as well, in the guise of banter and jokes. Be aware of such cases. Not sure what to do in certain situations? You can approach Tinkle Friend
WHAT IS TINKLE FRIEND? Tinkle Friend is a toll-free helpline and online chat for primary school pupils to share about anything under the sun. Helpline: 1800-2744-788 Monday to Friday: 2.30pm to 5pm Online chat: www.tinklefriend.com Monday to Friday: 2.30pm to 5.30pm Every Wednesday evening: 6.30pm to 8.30pm
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