You know how we all ALWAYS have an opinion on something regardless of the situation? (Come on you know we do.) Hell I myself had an opinion on this topic until it literally happened on my front door.)
Never have I been more ashamed and embarrassed to call myself a South African than I did in the past 3 weeks. I remember I was in my bathroom on one Friday night when I heard screaming and shortly after that gunshots. (Now needless to say that I live in a complex and where the front gate is to my flat is the equivalent of 2 streets difference.) So you can just imagine how hectic things must've been for me to hear all that from such a distance.
There is a very busy, long main road where I live and most of the businesses on this road are foreign owned. It's not something that I've ever taken notice of because this is South Africa afterall, the "rainbow nation." I have grown up in diversity, my own family is diverse themselves. But believe it or not every single foreign owned shop was closed for about 4 days because people feared for their lives. Our whole community was brought to a standstill.
The only time I noticed how serious the problem was, was when the gunshots happened. (My own ignorance, I know.) But now that I am aware of the problem I would like to be a part of the solution.
It seems to me South Africans have forgotten that just 21 years ago were experienced apartheid. We were treated differently for our skin colours, we had to go to other countries to seek refuge. And now when other people (from THOSE very countries that we seeked refuge, might I add) have come into to our country seeking the same we treat them like animals?! We burn them and beat them just because they are from another country?! Are we not ALL HUMAN first? Do we all NOT bleed the SAME colour blood. Where does this hatred stem from? Are we going to start picking each other apart because we walk differently or eat different foods too? Where will we draw the line? Why does hatred have to continue from generation to generation? What EXAMPLE are we setting for our youth?
I recently read a story in the North Eastern Tribune where an eleven year old Zimbabwean boy wrote an open letter. It tore my heart apart. This little boy was even too scared to go and play outside because he did not want people to know that he is from Zimbabwe. Should an eleven year old be worried about things like that? NO!!!!
Our South Africans are complaining that the foreign nationals are "stealing their jobs." Yet ALOT of thoaw foreign nationals have started their own businesses and are creating job opportunities. ALOT of them are adding value to our economy. Yet we go and ransack their shops!!!! Are we just looking for "freebies?"
NEVER condemn anyone for trying to make a better life themselves. We should be lifting each other up and NOT tearing each other down. I DO NOT want my son to grow up in a country where every little thing is determined by the colour of his skin and where he comes from. Give credit where credit is due people. We could learn a thing or two from people who are coming from war areas and bettering themselves.
No comments:
Post a Comment