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Use of `non-white' derogatory term
Purandhar Setlur, Oakville, Letter to the Editor, Toronto Star
Mar 22, 2004, 02:45

From his name, Russell Juriansz, does not appear to be from India. He could be a burgher (a descendent of a Dutch or Portuguese colonist) from Sri Lanka, then Ceylon. He is part-white and therefore does not qualify to be the ``first non-white appointed to provincial panel."

``Non-whites" are sick and tired of being reminded they are the first ones to be admitted to a previously all-white boys' club. History has shown that white domination and colonization denied ``non-whites" from being at the forefront. The term, ``non-white," is derogatory because it conveys the meaning that all other races are compared with the white race, synonymous with the standard of measure of the imperial or metric systems. By the same token, ``non-whites" may refer to whites as ``non-black" or ``non-brown" or even more aptly, ``freckled." Your newspaper owes an apology. The colour of the appointee is immaterial, it is his judicial ethics and independence that are material to his performance.

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