Forget about Rugby World Cup victories and suchlike for drawing a nation together. Crises also have that effect.
In fact, someone suggested that, in order to instill patriotism, Education Minister Naledi Pandor should forget about the pledge for learners and transfer instead to the defence department where she can recommend we invade Lesotho or a similar little country which won't klap us too hard for violating their sovereignty.The neo-cons under Pres George Bush realised a long time ago that nothing mobilizes national passion more than a good war, although there is a thin line between the pros and cons of scrapping in someone else’s back yard - unintended consequences like your young people coming home in body bags being the biggest negative.
Three race-charged issues have been raised in the past 10 days in which the positive effects far outweigh the initial negative stimulus.
Firstly, Jacob Zuma had his briefing with black journalists apparently associated with the Forum of Black Journalists to the exclusion of white journalists.
I came to love journalism 30 years ago because of the work of the Media Workers Association of South Africa, which was a more inclusive name for the former black media workers organization it replaced. So, I understand acutely the rationale behind a collegial association of people around conditions of work, glass ceilings, legal attack and support, mentorship and so forth. This is no different to organizations for black lawyers or accountants or street sweepers.
But it would be ludicrous if, when a case is presented in court, we have a black lawyer alongside a white lawyer because on their own, they cannot do justice to the task at hand because of racial blinkers. Or bring in a black auditor alongside a white auditor because working alone they are incapable of signing off on a set of financial statements.
Similarly it beggars believe to suggest that Zuma must speak to black journalists because they may be more sensitive to what he has to say. Will there be a similar briefing for white journalists? The basic skills set you bring to your job as a journalist is the same if you are black or white.
The Human Rights Commission does itself no favours by equivocating as it has on this issue.
It is the response of black people – media workers and ordinary citizens – which makes me feel good. They don’t want this exclusion, period. And they make me proud to be a South African today.
Secondly, the Free State University video has been roundly condemned by white people, led by former Pres F W De Klerk, some angrily and emotionally so. I have stood against De Klerk on most issues, but I write today to acknowledge his leadership on this issue, perhaps almost more necessary than when he took the critical steps to lead white South Africans towards non-racial democracy in the 1990s. And I salute those whites who have spoken out in public. I feel proud to be a South African alongside these citizens.
Thirdly, in our own dorpie, some nutter named M Ducie went on the offensive about the bastardization of the white race as a result of whites and blacks conjugating. When I saw his comments, I was tempted to fly into print with a rebuttal. But white readers were ahead of me, stating more eloquently than a black rabble rouser as I, that this bugger is on another planet or should consider relocating there.
Whether these issues constitute a common vision of nationhood and patriotism may be debatable, but I have no doubt it shows we are on the right road, more so than when our teams perform well internationally. And it’s a great feeling.
