I don't really know where to start...because it seems as if every single words uttered, written or published could spark and unleash waves of protests and disagreements.
At the time of writing this post we are not even 2 weeks within the new year and we have already been shaken by waves of racist comments and opinions...
I somehow wonder: ''How on earth does an unknown woman named Penny Sparrow manage to gain national attention through social media comments?'
I mean, seriously, the lady is not in politics, nor in showbusiness...as far as I know she was working as a real estate agent.
How on earth did she manage to influence a national outcry, how on earth her comments have managed to negatively affect the lives of so many people ?
I have got my own explanation on how it happenned...
You see, the country is surrounded by darkness.
Darkness is not something that you switch on or off. Darkness is simply the absence of light. As soon as you switch off the lights, darkness comes alive. If bad people manage to make the headlines, it is because good people refuse to switch on the lights of love. Good people only react after things are done.
If the unknown Penny Sparrow was able to shake 40 million people with few facebook lines, don't you think that we should be able to construct and build life around by switching the lights on while using social media?
I don't mind people showing pictures of themselves and of everything they eat on a daily basis through Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and in whatever other platform existing out there, but I also believe that platforms should be an opportunity to spread the lights.
There will always be haters, racists, xenophobes, secessionit...but if we take a step ahead by spreading lights when running for public offices or posting constructive contents on social media, the people who operate in darkness will not prevail, though they will try.
We must learn how to switch on the lights....
We retweeted and reshared the unfortunate comments of Penny Sparrow with passion, but when was the last time we used the same passion to reshare or retweet life building messages?
On the contrary, when we see life building contents on social media, we just skip them but when something disgusting is posted, we inderictly promote the author of the crap. And I know that the reshare made on Penny Sparrow were done in intent to bring justice...but why do we leave so much focus on reactionnary tactics?
Come on people...let's learn how to increase the light around us. Sometimes bad people cruise simply because we refuse to shine.There are so many racists and xenophobes out there who can be changed if we start retweeting, resharing and promoting the great life building contents on social media with the same passion unleashed against Penny Sparrow.
I believe in evil and good, and I am confident to tell you that the devil has a plan for South Africa. People in South Africa are way too sensitive and tend to act and comment severely, disproportionnally on any single thing that bothers them. Penny Sparrow disproportionnally reacted to what she saw in some beaches, in April last year, a short 'misunderstood' declaration made by the King Zwelithini on foreigners sparked violence and got many people killed.
That's how sensitive South Africa is. But what if we spread great messages to stir that same sensitivity into building something great?
During those heavy times, let'share some lights...share and retweet constructive messages...let's win over darkness.
One more thing: "if you live in South Africa, please share this message on your social media platform and email it to at least more than three people you know. We can not afford anymore to remain silent and not share the good stuff we receive every day."