This is a response to yesterday's shared anonymous letter, What About Bob? and so if you have not read that yet, start there and then come back here and continue. Alexa is a good friend of mine who has been involved in many of the conversations we have had on race, reconciliation, restitution and other terms that may not begin with R but this is stuff she is passionate about and doing her best to live [...]
A week or so ago, i received an email from an old friend of mine who is currently living outside of South Africa and who asked to remain anonymous. Let's call him 'Bob'. Bob emailed me some thoughts about the current situation in South Africa and his feeling as a white South African at this time. As i read through Bob's mail i had some strong reactions to some of the stuff he is saying, [...]
i get it, South Africa is in a bit of a mess right now, and that statement is a bit of an understatement. And yes, xenophobia might not be the correct word, but it's the one most people understand and so it does seem to work for now so please don't let us get distracted by that. With this whole Xenophobia vibe, there are two truths: [1] One truth is violence, fear, destruction, hate [2] Another [...]
This is my friend Rob Davey who lives in Zimbabwe. i have not seen Rob for something like 10 to 15 years i imagine and yet we recently connected and i asked him if he would write a piece for this blog. i have a saying that 'Quality Shows' and with some people you just identify that immediately - Rob is one of these people - reading this piece will give you that impression as [...]
When I was in hotel school they used to drill the phrase “exceed the guest’s expectations” into us all the time. It was never enough to do what the guest asked; we were pushed to always go “above and beyond” the call of duty. As a believer I have found that this lesson also applies in how we live our lives because let’s be honest, doing the bare minimum of what Christ has asked us [...]
The other day i wrote a poem titled 'to them who have ears' and just thinking about it a little more today, have dubbed it a choir poem - as in those who get what it's about and who agree will totally be reading and nodding and cheering and liking and sharing... but those who don't, are unlikely to even read it and if they somehow do, unlikely to understand the point trying to be made... [...]
to the ones who feel like they're constantly defending please won't you stop for a second and help me on this shine some clarity on the situation because i really don't understand what it is about this that makes you not want to listen please help me recognise what it is that keeps you from engaging in this conversation as if taking some time to lend me your ears will result in a group of [...]
i hate white people! i know, i know, i could barely believe it myself when i found out, but having heard so many people suggest it on my blog the past week or two [some in comments i chose not to print due to their not-fit-to-be-read-by-other-humans content] it really must be true. It started when i started suggesting that i don't think white people are better than black people [if i had a dollar for [...]
This is the last passage i will be sharing from the book, 'Robert Sobukwe: How Can Man Die Better' [because you do need to go and get a copy and read the whole thing, you know!] And this is a look forward to how Sobukwe might have felt about the current situation with a big focus on justice and what i think lies ahead of us in terms of a move from racial focus to [...]
A rendition from the heart: Wouldn’t it be great to wake up one day and see everyone living at peace with each other? Wouldn’t it be wonderful that no one harboured feelings of resentment and injustice with the other instead we stand side by side as brothers? I yearn and hunger for a South Africa of equality in life and in living standards. I long for a land where the needs of the majority are [...]