RHODES MUST FALL
- A call that red light and dynamite to shine!
If African he certainly no love for, and sympathy with Cecil Rhodes. He was an extreme example of a political schemer (think Jameson Raid) and champion of British imperialism. It is under this same imperialism suffered my people, and almost bled to death due to the extinction of thousands of women and children during the Anglo Boer War.
And yet, as both African and Christian, I feel called to warn against the irresponsible calls to Rhodes statue (and others like it) toppled. The image of instigated mobs that destroyed statues reminiscent of violent revolutions in endless pain, chaos, destruction and hatred led. In a multicultural and ethnically diverse Southern - Africa can such mindless behavior to extreme stress and constant conflict leads. And such chaotic political and economic darkness especially our neighbor south of the Orange certainly not afford! (Eskom care has for too much of it ...)
To statues to start breaking down, creating a dangerous irrational climate and breeding ground for anarchy. It is headed for a situation where no more sober thought and argued, and many caught on a wild journey of emotional activism. A Opruiendheid that generate human dynamite, that somewhere is going to explode ... And where do you do if you start breaking down? Who should fall and who will stand? Who is going to judge? Yes, Rhodes was an imperialist and oppressor, no doubt. But Shaka? Or some want to hear it or not, he was a tyrant whose actions the extinction of many tribes resulted. And so now, even with both Rhodes and Shaka, one can also learn a lot ... entrepreneurship, perseverance, strategic thinking ...
No, we will leave and respect existing monuments (street names, school names, town names ...) as part of the history. Though this is not a history that does not make everyone equally excited. Let's give it to people who otherwise feel if we are to build new ones. Let us calm debate about people like Rhodes and Shaka or whoever's role in history.To statues to go break the errors and injustices to which they had a part not fix it. Broken statues do not create wealth and business confidence ... nor reconciliation and peaceful coexistence. It's easy (and do not require much brain power) monuments to break down and names change, but it will not create jobs or promote a much needed positive investment climate. Studies, hard work, integrity and innovative thinking will rather create a new country and build opportunities for all ... Or the protesting and morsende students Rhodes' head are demanding, these characteristics, I doubt ... No, guys leave the nonsense and go back to the books and try rather to yourselves a work ethic ... for ye would even old Cecil as an example, just by chance, and used to see you also see that there are still many untapped diamond waiting in the African soil ... for those willing to work!
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