Dear Editor,

Se Le Mafa, e fai atu e tu’u ae fai lava? Silasila fo’i oe, o le tele o lou tautala so’o, ma e so’ona taumafai faamatafela e ta’usa’oina (justify) ou manatu, o le atili fo’i lena ona e lavea ma iloa ai lou faavalevalea.

The more you talk and try to assertively justify your position, the more you’re hurt and the more your incompetence and stupidity are exposed.

You say you’re not a racist, and yet your letter has racist/racism written all over it. You know it quite well and you do it intentionally; and yet you think others don’t, especially those who mistakenly believe that I am a girl/woman.

So let me expound:

Referring to someone as a female, when he is not, or disparaging someone doing something in a feminine way, is the oldest chauvinistic bias in the book. Samoans are usually guilty of it. 

For example, when playing a game that involves hitting a ball, you often hear a male say: “You hit like a girl.” (Se o le ka a le keige/fafige lau ka.) It’s a belittling tactic. Also, the sarcasm (reputed as a low form of wit) in “lady friend” just adds to your chauvinistic tendencies and character.

It’s especially worse when you’re not sure of someone’s gender (as in online forum exchanges) but still in a bodacious definitive way, assign and impose the female gender on that person - as in your letter. The tactic is bigoted, chauvinistic, misogynistic and ...RACIST!

So stop it. Everyone now knows you ARE a racist. And a xenophobe!

LV Letalu

Utah and Lalomanu