-- with an anonymous e-mail filled with stereotypes, circulating on the Internet.

And Telecommunications Minister Renee Webb confirmed yesterday she had contacted the man believed to have started the e-mail and encouraged him to stop sending it out.

Titled "Antism: The Ant and the Grasshopper'', the e-mail has been circulating throughout March prompting hostile counter e-mails and defences of its contents as free speech and satire.

"Antism'' purports to be a fable on the value of "hard work and thrift'' using the example of an ant building a home in the heat and storing supplies.

The grasshopper, however "thinks the ant is a fool and laughs and dances and plays the summer away'' and is not prepared for the winter and dies in the cold.

But in the "Modern Bermudian Version'' a host of local cultural references are used to illustrate the fable.

The grasshopper calls a Press conference, demanding to know why the ant is warm and well-fed while others are starving.

Broadcast media use contrasting film of the two, and the NAGB, National Association of Green Bugs protest and charge the ant with "green bias''.

Premier Jennifer Smith appears on the news to tell "her loyal supporters that the PLP government will do everything they can for the grasshopper who has been denied the prosperity he deserves by those who benefited unfairly during the UBP summers''.

Eventually there is a court case for "defamation'' and the fable ends with the ant disappearing abroad.

The grasshopper is left living in a Government-funded home "that he doesn't know how to maintain'' eating up what food the ant had left over, watching Premier Smith announcing "a new era of fairness'' in Bermuda.

The e-mail adds: "Moral... you get the point.'' Ms Webb said she contacted the man whom she knew through a mutual friend before the incident, only as a citizen not as Minister.

Saying the Electronic Transactions Act is strictly for business transactions and not for indecency on the Internet, Ms Webb said she alerted the man to the "offensive'' nature of the e-mail.

"I basically suggested to him that it was akin to sending someone who was Jewish an e-mail making light of the Holocaust,'' she said. "I suggested that he take advantage of any of the racism awareness and diversity courses at the college.

"I called him to alert him -- not as the Minister -- to be careful,'' she said. "He seemed to be taken aback that I called him. He did not think it was offensive. He said he only forwarded it on. It is not what we are trying to achieve in Bermuda.'' Ms Webb said the Telecommunications Ministry had no jurisdiction on the content of what someone downloaded on the Internet -- like pornography or offensive writings.

But such writings as "Antism'' may violate the Criminal Code, Prohibited Publications or Human Rights Acts.

"People, white and black, are insulted by this,'' Ms Webb said. "In fact they're incensed. But this was the first time I have been called about something like this as a consequence of people seeing something that they think is racist.

"I called him, not because I wanted to penalise him, but to get an understanding of where he is coming from. No, I can't stop this. I was not being a Policeman in this.'' One Internet user contacted for this story saw it within the backdrop of recent controversy about expatriate workers in Bermuda.

"It speaks volumes about why it is the PLP government has to stay firm as it attempts to level the playing field in Bermuda,'' the Web user said. "What it suggests is that all the things that people would have us believe either don't exist or are no longer prevalent are alive and well.'' He added: "It is racist. But does it really matter? It's offensive while trying to be satirical. But it uses essentially racist stereotypes. It shows the true divide between Bermudians and expatriates.'' Two companies identifiable in the addresses listed in the headers of recent mailings have issued repudiations of the e-mails and others have quietly warned their staff about "Antism''.

Richard Parker of Applied Computer Technologies, addressing whether the e-mail originated on his company's computers, said: "ACT in no way condones the sending of this or any other offensive e-mails from our corporate e-mail system.

"ACT has a strict code of conduct for e-mail use within the organisation.

Accordingly we have initiated an internal investigation and will take appropriate action to address any misuse of the company e-mail system.'' Mr. Parker added: "As an equal opportunity employer, ACT unequivocally disapproves of racist practices both within and outside the workplace.'' Renee Webb DISCRIMINATION DIS