I have had a few requests to blog about my feelings towards current issues facing South Africans. Julius Malema and Eugène Terre’Blanche are the two main issues that people want me to write about.
I wont. I just wont do it. I wont give either of these men more time in the media than either of them do or do not deserve (Ironically having written both of their names has invariably achieved what I set out not to do).
What I will do right now is call for a calm. I’d like to call for people to have the presence of mind not be swept up in whatever political up-chuck forces its way in to the media, whatever political irrelevance bring itself upon the person or people sitting to your left or right. I’d like to call for people to pause, touch, think and then engage. Do not mindlessly follow those who have the loudest voices. Make up your own mind, formulate your own opinion and remember, we are all South Africans, we are all human beings and we all suffer the decisions of our friends, families, neighbours, enemies, politicians or leaders. We are all South African.
I’d like to end off this post with something I wrote and published on SA Rocks two years ago:
I am South African because of my heart
It is not my head,
my gut,
my culture,
my heritage
or my race that make me South African.
I am South African because of my heart.
It is not where I live,
where I grew up,
what school I went to or where I came from that make me South African.
I am South African because of my heart.
I am not here because I have no choice.
I am not here because I am trapped.
I am here because I choose to be here.
I am South African because of my heart.
You will not define me,
debase me,
defame me
or make me leave.
There is nowhere else in the world that I belong.
I am South African because of my heart.
I do not align myself with a particular belief,
system,
party,
person,
race,
area
or group.
I choose stand where I stand for the better of my country.
I am South African because of my heart.
Fear does not override me,
crime will not deter me,
racism will not defeat me
or those like me
because inside we have the same heart
and it is South African.
I am South African because of my heart
and my heart longs to be home.
This is my home.
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April 8th, 2010 at 9:55 am
Very well said! From afar I obviously can’t feel the tension that is building up in SA, so it is difficult for me to comment, but from what I have read in the media, its all getting way out of control. This is when Zuma needs to shine and take control as a leader. If he doesn’t do it now, he never will. This is his ‘Mandela’ moment – his moment to bring unity, not division…
April 8th, 2010 at 10:32 am
http://www.eu2hell.blogspot.com
I realise you don’t have an opinion on topics that upset the country (and the world), sporting the pink shades that block out all bad news. I admire that people can do that.
On the other hand, such attitude shows a lack of spine, conscience and grip. When Hitler rose to power, the world was asked to keep calm. When the Nazis invaded Czechoslovakia, Chamberlain asked Britons to keep calm. When millions of Jews were murdered, the (Roman Catholic) Pope asked for calm.
Calm – like silence – supports solely the villains. As an Asian in South Africa, I understand your reluctance to speak up against those who inflame the nation, accentuate the racial divide and take the peoples of South Africa closer to the brink. Outrage, not calm, is the right response to violence, whoever wields the axes and spears.
April 9th, 2010 at 10:32 am
http://www.eu2hell.blogspot.com
>> Janelle
That’s the problem with “voices from far away” – unaware of the political undercurrents that spill over here from time to time and frequently end in horrendous brutality all too often.
Before applauding to “head in the sand” attitude, inform yourself better.
April 9th, 2010 at 5:55 pm
ahh the beautiful game. Where would we be with out it. Nice blog will check back again to see if you have any updates
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June 22nd, 2011 at 7:42 am
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