“The marvelous new militancy which has engulfed the Negro community must not lead us to a distrust of all white people, for many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny and their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom. We cannot walk alone”, wrote king.
“Negro … must not … distrust … all white people” can be read here as:
Despite the hatred the previous colonialism and apartheid may have imparted on us (black people) – we must not show it towards other people (new white generation) – as they will continue to do the same on the next black negation who may have no idea why they are recipients of such inhuman treatment, as a result – we will never achieve King’s dream of being “… transformed into a situation where little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls and walk together as sisters and brothers”.
This Negro distrusting white people brings to mind of what I told my friends in the previous posts Travel: And see the “never before seen that:
“if that lady goes and calls up on her boyfriends or guys saying you want to beat her or said something funny thing to her, those guys would definitely come running and would want to beat the hell out of 4 of us, and would not want an explanation whatsoever”.
This, I said, was a as a result of “fear of the unknown white dominance” and a sense of “inferiority invasion” which I dismissed as nonsense to my friends, we could have been subjected to if he had continued with his ill-manner and behaviour as referred to in Travel: And see the “never before seen.
And vice versa
Like the other black race, many of the white race/colour also demonstrate a sense of distrust towards the other race/colour and anything associated with that race.
As a result, given the amount and degree of oppression decades the majority have received during the minority rule, it will take a very long time for both races to accept and be “… transformed into a situation where little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls and walk together as sisters and brothers” – just like it will take many years to alleviate the economic discrepancies between the two communities presently in the country, South Africa.
When “fear of the unknown white dominance” and “inferiority invasion” cloud one’s judgement and conscience – we are made to believe what is said about the other (different from you, no matter how negative) and anything about it/them.
In fact, it felt like my “fear of the unknown white dominance and inferiority invasion” gave then the right to ‘execute or moer’ my friends and I, if we did anything contrary to what they deemed right and cool.
In a way, you think, I was afraid of the “white dominance” that it would have been right (and somewhat constitutionally correct) for them to execute and moer us for having invaded their territory and dominance (referred to as Castle Tavern).
Why such a distrust
The distrust – where white do not trust blacks, and vice versa – we are witnessing and experience individually and as a nation is, to a great extent, a result of the oppression witnessed during the colonialism decades, where the majority we ill-treated by minority and were never thought to be human being, worthy or deserving of being called such.
Although it may take some time for South African, black and white, to trust one another again, it can but only be hoped that such time will come soon.
White waiting for such a time and moment – when we can trust one another again – we must continue to ask ourselves the following questions that “Did SA Freedom fighters or any other freedom fighters die for:
- Our “fear of the unknown white dominance” or to be “transformed into a situation where little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls and walk together as sisters and brothers” – like King’s America’s (and the world’s) Dream?
- Our disrespect for the freedom and democracy for all?
- Each other’s name calling because they are of a different opinion to that which is known or dominant?
- Our disrespect for our humanity?
- Our leaders’ lack of accountability when it’s crucially required?
How to venture into the future
As we venture into the future we hardly know and cannot expect much from, and as the environment around us changes minute by minute – the following are vital questions South Africans and all nations must ask in moving forward and building a South Africa and its South African Dream, that is:
- Inclusive (irrespective of our origin or place of birth)
- One nation, one race, one future
- Transformed and progressively improving
- Accountable to itself and others when deemed necessary
- Striving towards an equal society (especially economically)
- Caring, loving, passionate about oneself
- Willing to make mistakes, learn, change and grow, etc
Hopefully, I will use the lighted these experiences have provided me with, in dealing and associating with people of different race/colour from mine.
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