We have been notified that some members of the public have laid formal complaints about our billboard on the M1 South in Johannesburg with the Advertising Regulatory Board.
In the spirit of encouraging, and protecting, free speech, we would like to ask the complainants, whoever they may be, what precisely they find wrong about our billboard, which simply reads: “www.RacismIsNOTtheProblem.co.za”
Complainants have said the billboard "promotes racism" and "shouldn't be allowed anywhere in SA".
One says the billboard conveys a message that "white people should remain racist”.
We welcome public engagement on this important issue; our view is that racism is not the problem. What we mean by this is that, while racism is a problem that we need to confront whenever it occurs, it is simply not the biggest hurdle that we must overcome as a country.
The complaints about the billboard prove the point we are trying to elucidate. As South Africans, we have grown so accustomed to being told that the biggest problem is racism that we risk being incapable of conceiving of a world where it is not so.
Said Director of Racism Is NOT The Problem, Gabriel Crouse: "If you think racism is everywhere, we have news for you. We say racism is a problem when it is, and we say it is not a problem when it is not. The movement to get real on this basis cannot be stopped.
"Our research across all nine provinces shows that racism is relatively rare and that most people of all colours think fake racism is used by politicians to dodge accountability. This is good news that an elite minority cannot accept, but we will help.
"The supermajority of South Africans already know that skin never equals sin, that racism is not everywhere, and that merit beats quotas. We have the data to prove it. If you don't believe it, ask a few thousand strangers, like we did."
Crouse added: “Once it is normal to say 'racism is NOT the problem' when evidence points that way, we can get real about the crises crushing South Africa. Anyone can try to ban our billboard, but you cannot ban common sense."
If you would like to know more about the new Racism is NOT the problem movement, click this link.
Media contacts: Gabriel Crouse, IRR Head of Campaigns – 082 510 0360; gabriel@irr.org.za
Duwayne Esau, IRR Campaign Officer – 081 700 0302; duwayne@irr.org.za
Media enquiries: Michael Morris Tel: 066 302 1968 Email: michael@irr.org.za
Kelebogile Leepile Tel: 079 051 0073 Email: kelebogile@irr.org.za
