Is it possible to start a movement amongst our media and citizens to just for one day NOT USE a polarising word, not do a polarising deed and celebrate the awesomeness that we are?
Is it possible to take South Africa back from greedy politicians and their mouthpieces?
Would you join me on 16 December 2012 – the Day of Reconciliation – and pledge the following:
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A little background:
I find myself being invited to more and more events with a tag line that reads similar to this; “Join us in celebrating the first black recipient/investor/owner/shareholder in …….”
Then the person representing the ‘latest breakthrough’ in economic/other empowerment is paraded through for the benefit of assembled hacks to consider whilst they chow down on expensive goodies or dream about the freebies they may get….
And I get an awful gnawing feeling in the pit of my stomach – part concern for the integrity of the person/people on parade, part concern for the direction our country is once again headed in, part concern at my part in shoring up what invariably is a farce.
And all through this process the feeling that deep down something is wrong here grows! Is the tail wagging the dog? Has business found another way to stay in the limelight by using these people? Does business care? Is this the only measure of success that business can celebrate? Have we sunk so low that we measure ourselves only on our colour and not on our excellence?
Surely after 18 years of democracy there are no more ‘first black’ anythings to be celebrated?
Did we fail so miserably in our quest to build a new South Africa into a powerhouse of innovation and business?
The burning question is; “How can I get every media instance and right thinking person in South Africa to just stop using those polarising words, tactics and excuses?”
Just to remind you:
The Day of Reconciliation is a South African public holiday held annually on 16 December. This holiday came into effect in 1994 after the end of apartheid, with the intention of fostering reconciliation and national unity.
Before 1994, 16 December was commemorated as the Day of the Vow, also known as Day of the Covenant or Dingaan’s Day. The Day of the Vow was a religious holiday commemorating the Voortrekker victory over the Zulus at the Battle of Blood River in 1838.
16 December is also the anniversary of the 1961 founding of Umkhonto we Sizwe (Spear of the Nation), the armed wing of the African National Congress.
As you can see – the majority of pledges taken on 16 December have been of a warlike nature, lets tip this one over and pledge to not allow ourselves to polarise and drag South Africa down.
Don’t forget to sign and share our little plea!
Alan Straton
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