Be no modern slave.

Rob ( A white young man) was so excited to share information with his peers about some new invention. And all the boys was so excited to hear what he had to say, with no hint of defense they had listened, and they were all then provoked to ask more questions. I was pleasantly surprised to see how educational it was and how the information penetrated the minds of the white boys and mostly moved by the fascination on their faces.

I asked myself why that tradition of sharing information is not something common in the black community. I found it that whenever I engage in a conversation with a group of intellectuals,. Brothers and sisters listens, and impatiently waiting for their turn to dispute or make a “better” point. The priority is not really sharing the information but rather protecting their own intellectual capacity or status. At times they will even retain information of development just so that they will remain being idolized by the fellow brothers in their hoods and sadly fear to share information that could empower and uplift them. I ask myself, if society praises one so much for one’so intellectual capacity yet we don’t even realize that we have become so addicted to the title to being regarded as the smartest and would therefore fail to share information with other and when we do ,its still subtly motivated for an intrinsic boost of ego or validation.

 How are we going to eliminate the stereotype that ”Black people only know as much as they are told to know”. This ill is found not just socially but unfolds itself in many podiums. We wake up to social media that teaches us the importance  of meeting friend at expensive restaurants ,checking in for more like, taking photos and forgetting to embrace and celebrate the moment yet we still claim that It was fun”. We claim to be so smart and can never raise a hand when asked who makes saving money a habit (I too fall victim to such). When we as black people continuously clap hands to black empowerment (wish it was called human empowerment). Yet we still fall slaves to the teachings of the western.  

Im still bothered when we as gay people (the community society boxed us in) hates each other and still fails to understand, why I as a young men…oh gay..uhm black gay guy..uhm a black .Setswana gay men, the skirmish between religious groups ,race, cultural groups etc. is a battle that we will continuously fight. I would at times want to say that the battles we are fighting are bigger than the subject. It’s a battle of darkness. The scars of Apartheid are deep , so deep that we ask ourselves are we ever gonna get to a day that we will say “ we are over that?”” Maybe not…but I do believe that there might be a day where a man will share information with anyone because as Africans believing in the spirit of Ubuntu. We support a notion that says we are one because of each other, if applaud is raised for that then it means information will be shared when no guards are on. Identity will be protected because we live in such a free world that it’s not needed.

A picture I took the other day with my Residence gang! Just love how cute they were!

 Acceptance will be the order of the day because people are content with who they are and only in love with personal development as priority to uplift their neighbor. And not just the  leaving your fellow brothers in the village, come to the city get educated and go back December holidays to reign and accumulate praise only, yet never sharing. I pray for the day people will not see me as a gay guy that black but a guy that is totally silly! And for that finding pleasure in my mind and character rather than annoyance in my presence. I pray for the day society will not measure the quality of people based on their popularity but on the value they add with their influence, and not value to Turn-up; but value that encourages self- development and need to get educated. I pray for that day that people will be so confident in their own skin where we don’t have to run around in the street and say Im Black!! Treat me Fairly. BUT say “Im Black! But the paint is still wet!”

Fellow brothers and sisters. That second you want to twerk again..think of Saartjie Baartman that was robbed from her humanity and integrity when she was displayed in a museum for  her physical attributes that the white men found bizarre and different. How slaves are you not to repeat the same act voluntarily and still use your intellect to justify it. Black brother when you feel the need to rape a lesbian sister in the hood, think about the day our fore fathers worked so hard, and were gunned down for fighting that we will someday live in a free country, and remember it was never said a free country for “black heterosexual people”. My educated brother and sister, when you open your bottle of cognac and dash it with ice and soda water in a soda glass( oh you drink it in a cognac glass under room temperature with no ice-that memo didn’t come with the degree) and you look down on the guy who use to walk with you in the dusty street, think about this June 16(a day not many understand its significance) and remember that a true educated men is that known to encourage education and shares knowledge.

Brothers and sisters…try to find that one in all of us! Be no modern slave!