LISTEN: Online racism, this could be someone you know

We live in different times to that of our parents. Everything we do and say is tracked, so if you’re going to post something online just know that people will read it. If you say something truly horrible just know that everyone will read it and share it and shame it. Just ask Penny Sparrow how she feels.

Take a look at your facebook feed, do you see the old South African flag? Is someone in your circle of friends posting rants about “these people?” Do you read comment sections where there is always a fight between different cultures and races? Of course you do. Because this is South Africa and we haven’t learned how to deal with our own ignorance.

There are many of these community facebook pages that we all belong to. And all too often during Diwali it rears its ugly head. This is the very same reason news24 turned off their comment section. Maybe facebook should look at doing this too? I’m talking about people who disagree with Diwali, the minute someone say’s “It’s the festival of lights, not bangs,” you know you’re in for an argument. I understand that we love our pets, and that during Diwali our pets our incredibly anxious, I have my own pets who suffer from this every year. But we know this sacred festival is coming around every year, we even know the date. Why as a self-proclaimed conservationist and animal lover do we not prepare adequately for this? How can you then justify thunder and lightning strikes that happen more often in a year than Diwali? How can you remain mum during New Year’s Eve when there are certainly fireworks? You are equipped with power and information now. You can go down to your vet and purchase medicine, if you don’t like that, then you can also put your dog in a quiet room and put the radio on and spend the time consoling the animal. I think this is a tiny sacrifice to make every year for our friends celebrating their sacred day. Shouldn’t you too?

I understand that there are fireworks that are too loud, I also don’t believe we should be selling firecrackers at all. These should be banned outright.  But be careful of confusing your love of animals and defending their rights with cultural references to “these people,” because that doesn’t make you an animal lover, no that just makes you a racist and I don’t like “you people.”

Take a listen to Sirshin Moodliar and Simon Carter this head on.