We THE People!

They’re prepping for a race war. And they see Trump as their ‘ray of hope’

https://cnn.it/2DyzMzX

NOTE: this is the drivel that is being spouted – neo-nazi and neo-fascist and apartheid- style rhetoric and hate – all based on spurious “facts” and on outright lies.

South Africa, and non-white South Africas have NOT targeted “white” South Africans – on the contrary President Nelson Mandela and subsequent presidents and Mandela’s party, the majority party the African National Congress (ANC) has since the end of Apartheid in 1994 NEVER ordered or even mentioned a systematic “race-war” against white South Africans.

On the contrary white South Africans today live in the many old “white” suburbs and yes, there is a serious crime situation but South Africans of EVERY race are affected and more so the African majority, being the majority are the highest, percentage wise, victims of violent crime.

This very dangerous and divisive narrative that is being spewed by hate groups around the world as they connect with each other on the web and elsewhere is toxic, corrosive, and very dangerous to the work-in-progress that South African society is still engaged in given the centuries old legacy of colonialism and the decades of Apartheid tyranny and racial oppression.

We dismiss these attempts at sowing division in South Africa and we will not let the forces of hate and racial-superiority derail our common objective of living up to the Freedom Charter’s opening words –

“We, the People of South Africa, declare for all our country and the world to know: that South Africa belongs to all who live in it, black and white, and that no government can justly claim authority unless it is based on the will of all the people.”

https://www.sahistory.org.za/article/freedom-charter

we THE people …

as the forces of reaction grow louder, as the fascism of right-wing politics seem to be burgeoning, as the misogyny and racism and attacks on the rights of those who love differently echoes through the corridors of power, as all of this and so much more fills the air we breathe with a noxious stench, may we the people resist! may we the people erect the barricades, may we the people look back to all those brave and courageous souls who stood upright and fought the battles of yesterday – and not give in to despondency, may we the people resist and in resisting may we send a clear and resounding message to the forces that choose to divide, not unite, engender narrow nationalism not fraternal internationalism, may our message to them be clear, concise and loud – no pasaran! you shall not pass, for though you may wield the whip of power, we the people shall not give in to your tunnel vision of the politics of hate and divisiveness, for We The People always have been, and shall remain many, many more. Take heed of history for you stand rickety on the losing side and lose you shall, despite your gains here and there, lose you shall and lose you will, for We The People have been and always shall be many, many more. many more than the 1%, many more than the vultures of capital and greed, many more than you are, and ever shall be.

We The People are many, many more*

Amandla!

Venceremos!

Aluta Continua!

We SHALL Overcome!

* – slogan from Ken Loach’s film “Tierra y Libertad” or “Land and Freedom” on the Spanish Civil War.

Afzal Moolla was born in Delhi, India while his parents were in exile, working as political exiles against Apartheid in South Africa. He then travelled wherever his parent’s work took them, spending time in Egypt, Finland, and Iran. Afzal works and lives in Johannesburg, South Africa.

This piece was first published on Afzal Moolla's personal blog.