I think not. I know doing a blog about racial inequality has been done, especially by South Africans, but in light of a current event in my country, I feel compelled to write.
This morning, I read an article about one of South Africa’s foremost sports presenters, Darren Scott, who was ousted this week for using one of the most racially charged and demeaning slurs in our country towards a black colleague. He is now no longer a presenter on SuperSport and no longer host of his breakfast radio show, or afternoon drive radio show. All because of one word. It’s a disgrace. It’s also caused public outrage, and sparked massive debates, causing this incident to become a trending topic on Twitter. It shocks me that we, as a nation, are still so bound by our colour, and still so threatened by anyone who is not that colour.
But, by that same token, we should also be outraged by Julius Malema and his outright and blatant racism towards white people, spurring his followers (which are MANY) to take up arms, and “Kill the Boer“. He was accused of hate speech, and found guilty in a court of law, ordered to apologize…blah blah blah. He defied that court order. He ignored the reprimands from his superiors. Yet he’s still in a position where he can influence the masses. He is a man-child, aligning himself to who ever serves his cause best, and flips sides when it doesn’t work for him anymore. He was one of the leaders who got former Pres. Mbeki taken out of office, but now that his “comrade”, current Pres. Zuma, is no longer so much on his side, he wants Mbeki back. He has no regard for his own party’s policies or rules, and publicly (and internationally) criticised the president of his own party, the ANC, and the president of Botswana no less. Way to GO! I cannot understand why he is allowed to be leader of the ruling party’s youth league (ANCYL)… He is perpetuating the hatred among young black people for white people.
And then you have the same type of idiot on the other side of the spectrum, who is trying to keep the ideology of Apartheid going, and trying to get white rule back. These men and women are instilling these absurd ideas in the minds of their children, who then go off to university, and “initiate” black cleaners at their hostels…And that’s just one example.
As long as the idea of you vs. me is kept alive on both sides of the argument, Apartheid will never be dead. As long as the argument “I deserve a free house, with free electricity and free water, because I’m black and previously disadvantaged” is valid , Apartheid will never die. When someone thinks they deserve handouts for nothing except based on the colour of their skin, Apartheid will never be dead. Because for every guy who thinks he deserves a job that he’s not qualified for just because he’s black, there’s a white guy, who is qualified who won’t get the job, because he’s white. He then obviously will build up a resentment towards black people in general, because that’s how humans operate. I know it sounds like I’m on the white side of the argument. I’m not. I understand affirmative action. I understand that in the years of Apartheid, black people didn’t have the opportunities that whites did. I understand that the playing field needs to be leveled. I just think that all candidates should be first and foremost qualified. After that, the affirmative action can start. But don’t tell me there’s any fairness in a qualified person losing a job to an unqualified person just because he has the wrong skin colour. That’s racial discrimination. It needs to end.
I’m tired of living in a country where racism is alive and well, and showing no signs of dying.
Tolerance shouldn’t be applauded. Why should I get a gold star for tolerating another human being? I have flaws, just like everyone else, but I shouldn’t be thankful that someone tolerates me. The idea of tolerance is elitist. It’s an idea of one person being superior because he tolerates his inferiors. Bah! It shouldn’t be an issue. We’re not animals. We’re all the same. Whether we like to sleep with men or women, or pray to God or Allah, whatever language we speak, or whatever life we choose to lead, it’s nobody’s business but our own. Who am I to judge anyone else? Who are you to judge? Who are you to discriminate against anyone who isn’t like you?
Racism will not end until black and white is no longer built into the law.
WaywardChild's Blog 