Turning Point
I started leading trainings in South Africa in 1991, during apartheid. What struck me so profoundly was the pervasiveness of apartheid. It wasn’t just black/white. It was men/women, British/Afrikaans, Zulu/Xhosa, rich/poor, power brokers/pawns, politicians/proletariat, management/labor, Christians/Jews/Muslims/ancestor worship.
What strikes me now is the pervasiveness of apartheid in the world. I’ve been in several countries in the last couple of years. Apartheid in the UK re Brexit, in Spain re the government, in South Africa the same. Then there is the Trump-Clinton apartheid in the US.
People wildly ranting, fear mongering, slamming anyone who doesn’t believe they way they do. It’s a milder form of the ISIS slogan, “Death to the Infidels!!”
Let’s just say we go the way of ISIS (or any One Way of Doing Things), now everybody is happy because we are all the same. Really? I’ll bet we extinct ourselves.
Diversity is the name of the game here on planet Earth. Fundamentally, if men and women were not different, we’d go the way of the Dodo bird. Then there is the diversity within each person’s own orbit, the diversity of relationships, families, neighborhoods, cities, countries and planets in our solar system.
Turning Point. Let’s abolish apartheid world-wide. Let’s end assassination – both physical and verbal – of those who disagree with us. (Including on Facebook) If not, we actually add to the ISIS energy in the world. Ick!
PS Apartheid – an Afrikaans word literally meaning “apart from; apart hood” – the total opposite of respect for differences.
Beautifully said Ann, as always. You are truly appreciated for being you and bringing your best self and wisdom to us all. Namaste.
Thank you, Barbara …. that is certainly my intent. Sounds like today I accomplished what I intended … <3
This resonated with me today and as I read it, I took on a discipline to watch my tongue (sensor the negativity and division which goes on in my head) and open my heart much, much more. Thank you Ann. You are a change agent and an awakener. Bless you
Thank you, Patricia …. I have a discipline to review my day, write down my lifeshocks, congratulate myself for behaving the way I’m glad I did, and to imagine a re-do for those behaviors I wish I had done differently.
I want to share this on FB!
It’s OK by me!
Oh I so want to record your voice projecting these words with the passion that backs them and project it into a megaphone that extends its reach farther than the eye can see. LOVE this!
Tee Hee …. that’s the way I wrote this piece first … with passion and righteousness … ha ha … It took me longer to edit out the righteousness than it did to pour it onto paper in the first glut of words. I’m working to see everything from a clear and kind heart.
How this resonates with me too. I want to find my way being compassionate to those I disagree with whilst still honouring what matters me, but man, it’s difficult sometimes.
While it may not be easy … especially when “they” are SO wrong (LOL), do we really want to lambast anyone for a difference of opinion … which gives them the right to lambast Us for being SO wrong … and then we have war …at some level, that’s war, apartheid, strike the infidels.
As it happens this quote of Brad is on my desk today:
“Peace between us
begins
with the cessation
of againstness”
K.B.B
I love it, Ann. The interconnectedness of all . . . . .
Of course you get it … you think systemically! LOL