Sitting at the back of the bus

I had just moved to San Ramon, CA and still trying to find my way around. I was sitting in a bus awaiting departure when the bus driver came to me and started a conversation. As is usually the case, my kinky hair and accent elicit the often asked question: “So where are you from?”

“South Africa”, I would say.

I am always amazed that it is people not of African descent who have some idea about the history of South Africa and her sporting activities. African-Americans for one reason or another seem to be lagging behind in this respect.

Anyway, the brother says to me (of course in jest): “I hate you guys. I’m so angry with you. When the white man put us in chains, loaded us in ships and took us to slavery, you did not come and get us. You let us suffer for hundreds of years and never took the time to set us free.”

I have heard these sentiments before from the comedian Paul Mooney. I responded: “While one white man packed you in ships, his brother was putting chains on our hands and minds. He took our land and made us slaves in our own lands. When you got your freedom, why did you not come back to free us?”

Laughter!

As I read the piece by Vusi Gumede(http://www.thoughtleader.co.za/vusigumede/2011/01/26/the-world-remains-in-a-shambles-but-there-are-positive-signs/), somehow this anecdote came to mind. I think my bus driver brother has a big point. Africans in the Diaspora - including African-Americans – do not really have established homes where they seem to belong (and be accepted as such). Take Barack Obama and his ‘struggles’ for example. One way to free them is to make Africa not only free and prosperous but a superpower in the world’s socio-economic milieu as well.

But with the attitudes that we currently display, I’m afraid we are still failing our brothers and sisters the world over. Think about this
• Corruption has never created prosperity. It has never created a superpower. Yet we not only condone it, we cherish it. Even if done at our own peril.
• We elect (visionless and clueless) leaders whose only interest is to enrich themselves, their families and cronies.
• When President Zuma was asked a question by a journalist in Davos about his impression of China. His answer was: “It is China’s turn.” Of course this means we have to be spectators while China becomes a superpower.
• We share these same sentiments with Zuma.