Dont take it lying down by Mpiwa Bagwasi

Where would South Africa be if people like the great Nelson Mandela and one of the most respected journalists Steve Biko did not challenge the Apartheid regime and did not fight for what they believed they deserved? It would have remained a backward and primitive nation where interracial marriage would be taboo, a land where Castor Semenya would have never received the opportunity to compete in the Olympics and where freedom of speech would only be an unattainable goal for Journalists.

Of course it makes sense now that all these prospects are ludicrous but for those who took it lying down and accepted this…somehow it all made sense to them. Perhaps because they believed that indeed, they were inferior or they settled for less than they deserved-non equality. There is always a platform to settle on, a place to blame current situations which we believe we cannot change, this platform is circumstance. Just like a penny in a well, my heart drops when I see the streets of Africa flooded by skwatter kamps and street children believing that stealing is the only way to survive and journalists writing empty and bogus stories which only serve the purpose of humiliating the subject. It is so distressing to see people settle for way less than they deserve, how do we look at the enormous transformation from Apartheid to Democracy and still believe that we cannot change our circumstance? In the wise words of the President of America, Barack Obama “YES WE CAN”. So if you continue to settle for less and rest on the dreadful platform of circumstance, great opportunity and change will fly over you as you take it lying down.