i want to continue this series on trying to figure out as white people, how we can be better allies to our friends of colour and i guess people of colour in general. i would LOVE to have more of you contributing pieces to this series, so if you have an idea please get hold of me.
This is similar to the ‘Just say No’ post i did a while back, but i also want to take it a little bit further.
For the last month or so, i have been writing a status per day on Facebook that reads a little something like this:
Today i commit myself again to get involved when i see incidents of racism in front of me whether on the screen or in word or action around me. #NoOnMyWatch
There are a number of reasons for these posts:
[1] To remind me of the commitment i have made: It is easy to commit yourself to something and then ten months down the line [or three days] that thing happens and because the commitment was made a while back, it is not as fresh in your mind and so the movement to action might be a bit slow as well. By consciously typing out a new statement each day i am recommitting myself to that same thing and also reminding me and keeping it fresh which also helps me to be more focused and intentional in looking out for the more subtle forms of racism that might sneak into my day.
[2] It is meant as a call to arms – i would love to see #NotOnMyWatch become a movement for white South Africans in terms of race stuff but even all South Africans when it comes to matters of justice which affect everyone. The more of us who declare that and then follow it up with action when necessary, the stronger the movement becomes. i am hoping that by seeing it in front of their faces every day my friends and followers will either get sick of it and unfriend/unfollow me [good riddance] or more importantly commit themselves to the same thing and be reminded again that for this day they need to be on the look out for that.
[3] The ants outnumber the crickets. This may be an obscure Pixar reference [Both ‘Antz’ and ‘A Bug’s Life’ carry an aspect of this theme] but the idea is that if i stand up against a racist incident and it is one on one or one on five, then it is likely to not go so well for me and could even end in violence directed towards me. But the hope is that if i spot a racist incident and stand up against it, that five or six or twenty other people in the space will stand up as well and suddenly the racist or person being racist is outnumbered and will back down and hopefully quietly slink away. This is peer pressure at its most valuable and is precisely what i see South Africa needing. A nation who declare #NotOnOurWatch time and time again until the message becomes clear and dominant. We will not tolerate racists, racist-undertoned jokes, racist statuses, opinions/habits/mindsets/practices.
Which reminds me, i have a status to go and write…
Do you know someone who might be able to write a great ‘How to be an Ally’ post for this series? Please tag them in this and tell them to get hold of me with their ideas. This does not need to just be me.
[For other posts so far in this ‘How To Be A Better Ally’ series, click here]
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Why do blacks and whites fight each other? Did you know mnet and vodacom want to place restrictions on whatsapp so thst we are forced to pay these greedy companies. Etoll want our money. Did you know that the 4 big banks hold 23 percent of the clearing house company thst controls all money transfers in SA. Sars, banks, govt, cell companies are all our enemies, not each other. We need to stop being distracted by sport, rugby, soccer, cricket and racial fights. We need to stand together against these powers that seek to enslave us.
Instead of watching soccer or rugby all day we could be out helping a neighbor or friend or teaching someone maths or English.
Instead of boozing it up we could be saving or investing in something or someone.
Instead of this guy must fall or this statue, we could be planting a community garden.
Instead of using cash, we could be trading or bartering or giving something we don’t need away.
The whatsapp story is an example of how they want to keep us apart and make us pay to communicate. We need to come together on that issue.
Avoid banks as much as you can. They too just steal your money through exorbitant fees.
Racism, how can this be in our modern age? How? It’s the powers that be, large corporations, government, banks who encourage it do we are kept busy fighting each other. I’d rather drink a beer with a white guy, black guy who is my equal than a banker who enslaves me.
Racial fighting, sports, fast food, news is the opium of the masses.
When you are awake, out of the matrix, you can see it for what it really is. One saga after another.
“Money is our chains. Use it, seek it and we enslave ourselves. ”
Money.
We need to eliminate this otherwise it’s like fighting in a sinking ship.
Thanks John, i definitely think money plays a huge role, but because of apartheid and the systems and structures linked to it, the money is still largely in the hands of the white community as a whole which helps to create the race tension and conflict and if we could sort out the money aspect then i agree with you that it would be a lot easier for most black and white people to come together, and maybe even bankers then…
Have you ever thought about not caring where the money is? Maybe it is mostly in white hands. We not going to get them to part with it. How about a new currency or bartering only? Avoid money. Avoid it completely and you are freeeeeee.. Its a weird and difficult to understand concept, but it could work. Can you use your expertise to promote that? For every rand we are free, we set someone free.
i like the idea of that Kelly, but i do think it is a little naive and wishful thinking’ish as you would need the momentum of a TON of people who decided to go that route to make it possible and plausible and to be honest there are some other things that i feel need my time and attention more than that particular one right now. The focus is definitely not on money but on unity and unity and racial reconciliation and one exciting country – but for people on at least one side of the conversation that does mean money or more importantly land and so those are things which do need to be discussed. Thanks for sharing your thoughts – i do think the world could do with a – peaceful – revolution of sorts especially as its economic systems are related – and so keep thinking and dreaming and acting and let’s see what can happen..
I like you, and think that you’re very educated and articulate and artistic. But I am a little worried that you’re pushing for the seeking of money. This is like pushing for slavery, which you are obviously against. Why do we want something that is not real. SOmething that is only agreed upon to have value?
Apartheid and other systems and government all want money, but money in itself is nothing, at most a piece of paper, at least just a number 324234234234 on a computer.
For example if you go buy a house.
1. You go to the bank and the bank enters in – R1 000 000 on your account
2. The bank enters +R 1 000 000 on Mrs A account
The bank then receives bond from you for 30 years. Yet is parted with no money at all.
http://theeconomiccollapseblog.com/archives/money-is-a-form-of-social-control-and-most-americans-are-debt-slaves