Vatican: What is this chemistry behind the “colored” smoke of the conclave? And why do some consider white smoke a sign of racism, compared to black smoke?

Author: HAKIZIMANA Maurice

Social media has been filled with smoke stories over the past two days. The black smoke billowing from the election of a new Pope at the Vatican indicates that no good news is forthcoming, that the election has not yet reached a good conclusion. The white smoke indicates that things are only joyful because very soon the good news of the new Pope’s name will be announced.

Some Black people also ask why “black” smoke, like their color, is the one that shows there is no good news, while “white” smoke, like white people‘s, is the one that announces the good news? They say this has to change! That this is racism! Do you value these things related to skin color and ethnicity that are still incorporated into everything that moves?

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But first of all, what is this chemistry that hides behind the “colored” fumes of the conclave?

Historically, tradition has it that the famous white smoke is obtained by adding wet straw to the ballots. It is in fact the fine droplets contained in smoke saturated with water vapor that allow light to be reflected in all directions, and which give this white color. It is the same phenomenon that gives clouds their whiteness (they become black when they are so loaded with water that the light coming from the Sun can no longer pass through them). Black smoke was long obtained by adding pitch or lampblack to the ballots. The idea is to produce fine carbon particles that will absorb the light (mixed or not with water).

In 2013, at the time of Pope Francis’s election, the Holy See Press Office’s information service revealed that a second electronic stove had been added to the historic stove since 2005 to improve the system and prevent false alarms. Chemicals were added to enhance the color.

“For black smoke, the chemical compound used is a mixture of potassium perchlorate, anthracene (a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, editor’s note), and sulfur,” the statement reads. “White smoke is obtained using a mixture of potassium chlorate, lactose, and rosin. Rosin is a natural amber resin obtained from conifers.”

In both cases, the idea is to use a smoke-generating compound (chlorate or perchlorate) combined with “natural” colorants.

Are Black people “discriminated against” by the “color of black smoke”?

The purpose of this article of mine is to say something to Black people like me who say that “the blackness of black smoke like them” discriminates against them! That this blackness of black smoke demeans them! That the Vatican should look for another “worse smoke than black” because of the feelings of Black people and their skin color! And some on social media are recommending to the Vatican: why not use red, green, or blue smoke?

I’m telling you this, listen to me carefully: This thing of introducing skin color and ethnicity into every little thing, don’t you think it’s a disease? And will “white people” also prevent us from using white toilet paper in our bathrooms and recommend that we change the color to “black” or another color? So, will you accept that toilet paper be black in the bathrooms?

And we, speaking of our skin color: do we like the color of our skin? Why do you like to wear white for holidays and black for mourning? Why in traditional culture (for example, in ancient Rwanda) was it said that when “imana zeze” (literally “the gods are white”) meant peace and when “imana zirabuye” (literally “the gods are black”) meant misfortune? Were the white people there?

I’m not ashamed of my skin color! I don’t agree with everyone who puts skin color affairs into everything! Black, white, yellow, red, green, they’re all colors! I don’t judge my friends by their skin color. I look at what’s inside their skin, especially in their head!!

This world

Author: HAKIZIMANA Maurice IITo follow my channel  Whatsapp https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaCyM5ILdQejDYwQ2b2u II To follow me on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/professormaurice/.