AFRICA: STORIES FROM HOME (DAY 3)
THIS IS AFRICA!!
This is Africa, a land with so much confusion. We have forgotten how to love one another and instead we fight one another. We have told ourselves we are free from white rule then turn around and kill a man, a woman, a child with the same skin colour as ours because they do not belong in our space. They are African but not when they are an immigrant, then they are a pest destroying your garden. We worry about a black man who left his own home to seek refuge in another African country and not about the white man who has both of you labouring and paying you peanuts. Who is the enemy?
This is Africa, where a white woman/man will be served with respect and on time whereas a black woman/man will be treated like their time is invaluable. Black on black discrimination. We choose to greet a white person and offer them extra’s but rarely do the same for a black person. Then we cry foul when we are treated lowly by the white man, don’t we just attract it upon ourselves? Don’t we just give them the green light because well if a black man don’t respect a black man then…
This is Africa, a place where a gay man is a disgrace but a lesbian is a sexy thought. Where a gay man will be stoned to death, stabbed in the back (literally), named and shamed until he questions his own existence. Yet a lesbian is never chastised instead they are sex symbols and a need in the community to quench the thirst of fantasies. What are we doing? Why are we judging one another? Why are we such a mess? The church says the bible says, half quoting the bible. Spewing hate words and giving them back seats in the church. I bet your bible says, ‘God loves straight men only, the rest belong to the devil so go ahead and kill them.’ Pshshshshshsh..
This is Africa where young women are raped by their father’s, uncles, friends, strangers and classmates and somehow it’s their fault. When it is a relative, it cannot be taken further to the authorities. You better buckle up and be strong young lady. You better not lose that respect you meant to have for them either. When it’s not a relative then what were you wearing, what time was it, what where you doing there? Because they couldn’t have possibly raped you if you were not acting or looking like someone who didn’t want to be raped. You wanted it! You asked for it! Its your fault, now live with it!
I have heard stories of work places that have separate bathrooms for the white and the black and the toilet paper is different. I have heard stories of a white and black man having the same job, in the same company but earning differently. We both know in whose favour. Heck I have witnessed this. I have witnessed an internal position open up and a black woman get a hearing because she applied. She was getting too big for her shoes they said. Now I am not saying be a racist, I am saying be your brother’s keeper. When will we be of one love, one strength and one movement?
I have read stories where gay men minding their own lives and business have been attacked for their sexuality in the name of what? I have seen pictures where they are hurt and pleading their case, and still men that want to be called men comment and promise to kill them. Its ugly, its tiring and it needs to stop!
I have seen the effects of rape on young women especially those that were told it’s their fault or were told it was taboo to get their family member prosecuted for what they did to them. I don’t know why the society takes lightly to this crime. The trauma, the paranoia, the guilt that doesn’t even belong to them, the fear, shouldn’t be on them. I don’t know why men will sit and support one another in such filthy deeds. Stop rape! Create an environment where women feel safe. This we need to do together!
One love!
One strength!
One movement!
AFRICA!