I'M NOT A RACIST, BUT....

If I had a rand for every time I've heard this, I'd be sitting on some exotic island sipping Pina Coladas. Every now and then, something is said, or written, that galvanises racists or borderline racists into justifying their racism. We feel better about ourselves because someone has articulated our feelings and sugar coated the very thing we often deny about ourselves. I'm sure that the gates of vitriol will open and all those people that like to hide behind their anonymity will speak their mind. I suppose this veil allows for the true reflections of those that, in more civilised interaction, would never dare say the things they say. All I ask is that before we spew our boiling bile, that we make the effort to think a little, before we say those things.

The recent events of the last week have brought all this hatred out into the open, with the most awful things being said from both sides of the divide. Is it not time that we realise that this moral vacuum that we as a nation have slipped into, crosses all races, black and white and all the colours in between? For instance, I often hear people complain about how lawless taxi drivers are. Well, they are, but at the same time, those people are quite happy to break the law themselves. The aggression, and recklessness I see on our roads are committed by the very people who stand around their braais on a weekend, relating stories about what taxi did what. Yes, white people. Those same people complain about how corrupt the ANC is, and it is, but neglect to complain about white South Africans in business who are guilty of the very same thing. The ANC has unravelled everything that people like Mandela had brought about and continue to polarise race groups against each other. They are like the National Party in a different guise. Given the opportunity, many of us, regardless of race, would take that bribe, break that traffic law or be violent. The point I am trying to make is that it is not a race thing, but a South African thing.

Many of us are angry, but I find that my anger has dissipated into sadness. I'm afraid to think back to those heady days in 1994 or the world cup. It feels like some dream, that I might never have again. It also shows me, however, that it IS possible for us to work together. I only hope that it is not too late. The government has it's own agenda, but let's forget about them for a little while. Let's look at ourselves, and ask what WE are doing to turn back this tide. They say a fish rots from the head, can't we, as the tail, try and take it back?