Prejudice Comes In All Shapes and Sizes (And Colours too!)

I have spent the weekend with a friend who own’s the friendliest cat I’ve ever met. It’s a beautiful jet black Bombay, very playful and affectionate and can keep me occupied the whole day. She also seems to enjoy this very annoying game she made up called “find your wallet after I’ve hidden it”. Even more interesting: I’m the first guest that has been able to stay at his place without him having to give the cat to a shelter or another friend while his guest is in. Why? Superstitions and degrees of cat-o-phobia (technically called ailurophobia). Most people I know in Ghana don’t like cats and especially detest black cats because of their association with witchcraft and general “things that happen at midnight” lore besides the irrational fear aspect. I find it odd that we would dislike an animal so intensely just because it had the nerve to be born a color that we don’t like or that it is associated with ideas we don’t even believe in or take the time to understand (yes, all inferences are intended).

Recently I tried to buy a painting from an online store, wrote the email according to their specifications and failed to get a reply. I sent a couple more follow-up letters and yet received no response.

This week I was accused by an ageing gay gentleman of being a con-artist on an online forum because my profile was located in Ghana. No other reason. Imagine opening your inbox to read unsolicited hateful letters from some old man you don’t even know and have never sent messages to – not a good start to your week.

Just because I’m in Ghana doesn’t mean I’m automatically a con artist or ‘scammer’. It doesn’t mean I should be treated with any less respect. Laws can only do so much when people are unwilling to change their erroneous views. Is it so hard to keep an open mind?

I finally ended up buying another painting from another vendor. I also reported and blocked the senile senior. I doubt the website will bother looking into it though. Either way I won’t be hearing from him again thankfully.