Much as I dislike to admit this in myself, I have inadvertently entertained racist notions, conveniently slipped into stereotypical thought patterns or been guilty of bigotry. Definitely not something to be proud of. Thankfully, experience has given me more awareness and humility (so I hope).

In recent years, the idea of "respect" has increasingly been bantered around my consciousness. That's a lot of what civilisation is about. Everyone has a story to tell; every person is deserving of respect; and every human being can fail.

And that is something to consider vis a vis the foreign workers brouhaha. To me, it's an ugly reflection of the class mentality that we humans exhibit from childhood. Because you don't score A's, are not good-looking, don't wear Nike shoes (my generation), don't hang with the cool crowd, you are not as good.

In adulthood, it's the house, the car, the size of the bank account, who you mix with, your title, that marks you as special. Sure, it's good to go for the best, be the best that one can be, but that doesn't imply that those who slog away in construction sites, at coffeeshops, as sales assistants, etc. are inferior. Sometimes, it's the luck of the draw, and who is to judge?

Because every human being is deserving of respect, and the same human being fails.

Talk about lust. It doesn't matter the colour of the skin or the occupations, the "colour wolves" are present across the spectrum. Men in power (relatively) have tried to take advantage of me and a humble steel worker has treated me with respect. Conversely, an ah pek tries to "bump" into me and another makes doubly sure I have enough room to feel comfortable on the bus seat next to him.

Foreign workers have shown me more simple courtesy than our well-togged chinese executive-types. Dressed in their work clothes, smelling of sweat, not a few have paused to let me climb up the bus first, while similarly, not a few chinese executives have "cut the queue" so to speak, up the bus. The reverse happens too.

It boils down to humanity. Not skin colour, not clothes, not money, not jobs, not the accessories. I like how the authors of this fluffy, slash and burn, novel series (The Destroyer), put it:

Said the driver, "Don't tell me that if we didn't have coloureds, the crime rate wouldn't drop."

"It would drop even faster if we didn't have people," said Remo.