about race. Surely Bermudians have to get over that on the way to getting rid of racism. If we really intend to do something about racism, then we must be able to talk about race. We need a national dialogue and too often we have monologues from a very few people.

We must be cautious, however, because there are people who use discussion of race as a cloak for racism. That seems to be especially true of those people who constantly use the past to beat Bermudians. They take their personal failures out on the Country by claiming they were defeated by race when they were all too often defeated by themselves.

Perhaps the first step is to stop talking about black Bermudians and white Bermudians, and to stop talking about Portuguese Bermudians as if being Portuguese was another race. The more we can abandon divisive distinctions based on race the better. But we should be careful to get rid of the distinctions and not fall into the trap of such nonsense as calling someone a 1/32nd black Bermudian.

Far too often we refer to people as black or white. Sometimes it is a means of simple identification but far too often the designation black or white carries with it baggage which arises from background, education or political leaning.

Sometimes we are asked to answer questions on race in an official sense and it might make better sense when we are asked that question if we simply answered "unknown''.

The continued use of racial designations allows the demagogues to play games with race and to use the designations to divide Bermudians. It is, of course, to the advantage of demagogues to divide us because their power lies in support from alienated people. If a demagogue can convince enough people that they are unhappy then there is support from an alienated group who think they have a cause whether or not they actually do.

Some of the problems in discussing race arise because many people protect themselves and avoid controversy by staying quiet. They do not enter the discussion of race simply because to do so can result in accusations of racism. If they do participate, they often do so in letters to the Editor to which they do not sign their real names. This too often leaves the open discussion of race to only a tiny number of people who do sign their names.

The sad thing is that they often gives the appearance of being racist and do not appear to represent general thinking.

It has to be recognised that fear is a factor in the discussion of race and as long as that is true openness will be difficult. We have to develop the courage to speak and the tolerance to listen. We must learn to emphasise the commonality rather than the differences. We are, after all, Bermudians.