Crackling Day Response

‘Crackling Day by Peter Abrahams is a short story about racism. It follows two black kids in Apartheid South Africa as they make their long, hard and cold trek to Elsburg Siding for the squares of pig’s rind which would pass for their daily meat. Racial issues played a huge role on blacks during that time and caused many hardships. On the way back, the two black kids are confronted and hassled by three white kids, and after one of the black kids retaliates, his Uncle is forced by the whites to punish him unjustly for his actions.
An important idea in this story is the Apartheid, inequality, and living conditions of the blacks. One of the black kids collect cow dung everyday so that his Uncle and Aunty could use it as fuel, and it was possibly the only thing they cook use to cook or to keep the house warm. The two black kids would also have to make the long “trek to Elsberg siding for the square of pig’s rind that passed for our daily meat.” This shows that they are not allowed or can’t afford ‘daily meat’ and are instead walking miles for pig crackling. There are also though living conditions shown. Aunt Liza, Uncle Sam and their nephew lived on white man’s land. This is shown when the white man warns Uncle Sam that “if you are to live here, you must teach him.” This is also unjust for the blacks as Uncle Sam is made to beat up his nephew for his actions towards the white children. Uncle Sam and his nephew have no say in the white man’s decision despite the fact that it was the white children who had provoked him.
The young black kid also had to walk out in the cold with bare feet and they therefore cannot afford or obtain shoes. The author also emphasises how tough it was on the blacks. He uses hyperbole when he said “after what seemed like hours” and describes the cold as a “cruel enemy.” He also described that the morning air went down the black kids “throat like an icy draught.”
Racism and inequality still occurs in todays world, from racial profiling to other issues such as affirmative action, police brutality against minorities, and the history of slavery and the rising resentment against immigrants. Since the attacks of 9/11, racial profiling and discrimination has increased. In the early aftermath of the attack, people who resembled types of Muslims with beards and turbans were killed or beaten unjustly. Various people of the Middle East or South Asian origin have faced controversial detentions or questioning by officials at American airports. Another group who get discriminated and racially profiled are the Gypsies. In Europe they have been persecuted to a similar extent as the Jews and now are largely mistreated or ignored.
Racism is still around today because of ignorance. People can’t accept people for who they are and stop generalising. Racist parents teach their children to be racist, and some children cant grow up to realize that their parents are wrong.