Morne Esben says that we should start being more mindful in our everyday interactions of how we deal with people, what we say to them and how our actions make them feel.
Today is national Human Rights Day and as much as the Sharpville massacre is the focal point of this day in South Africa, it should force every South African to stand still for a moment and reflect on what that means – not only within the context of the country and its history, but also from our own personal context.
We should all know by now why this is such an important day so I won’t go into all that detail, but what I do want us to consider is how we possibly hold back the goal and the dream of a fully inclusive and integrated South Africa protected by our great Constitution – a country that respects people from all walks of life, backgrounds, religions, ethnicity and sexual orientation.
In the lead-up to Human Rights Day, the country observed anti-Racism week and the Anti-Racism Network has encouraged South Africans to talk about and work through this very sensitive yet major issue in South African society. But how do we do that constructively? How do we get all South Africans to collectively talk about and understand each other’s differences in heritage and culture without it resulting in a mudslinging match? How do we get the Penny Sparrows of this world to understand that the stuff they talk about around the braai or the dinner table with like-minded individuals may not be acceptable in public? These are all questions that we as a country need to look at and ask ourselves.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m in no way saying that human rights abuses only take place in South Africa. Far from it. It’s in fact very well documented that xenophobia, sexism and racism takes place in even the most civilised countries.
But let’s forget about the rest of the world for a moment and think about how we as individuals can help move OUR country forward.
The recent xenophobic attacks in parts of the country showcased the very worst of South Africans and showed exactly how unwelcome foreigners feel in the so-called Rainbow Nation.
It may be on opposite ends of the spectrum but it’s not very different from when we body-shame the overweight girl or guy in our social circles, or the powers-that-be at schools refusing to let our children wear their hair whichever way they chose. It’s not very different from dismissing a person’s opinion or idea in the workplace because of the colour of their skin.
These things can be subliminal and can be very damaging, so I suppose that’s what I want us to be wary about. Let’s start being more mindful in our everyday interactions of how we deal with people, what we say to them and how our actions make them feel.
If we don’t, then we may as well be the person who lights a petrol-bomb to torch the shop of a foreign national.
*Esben is a morning news/sport anchor and presenter of the Smile Early Bird Info Hour
** The views expressed here are not necessarily those of Independent Media.