prick_in_my_rear

Is ons gedagtes so toe soos 'n kleios se gat

Thursday December 25 2008 05:35:00 PM +02:00

Daar word gesê daar is niemand so blind soos die wat nie wil sien nie; daar is niemand so doof soos die wat nie wil hoor nie.

Ek sukkel so 'n bietjie om te verstaan hoekom ons Afrikanervolk nie kan onderskei tussen ons beeld en ons identiteit nie. Nou ja, ek kan alreeds hoor hoe diegene wat my naam se spelling opmerk sal vra: wat weet 'n rooinek van Afrikanerbeeld en -identiteit.

So, ek sal maar begin om myself voor te stel, Ek is 'n Suid-Afrikaner, gebore te Nelspruit, Ek het meer as helfte van my skoollewe Afrikaanse skole bygewoon. My familie is 'n mengelmoes van mense van Duitse tot by Skotse herkoms. Die identiteit wat ek self het is die van 'n Suid Afrikaanse man wat Engels praat met deel van die familie, en Afrikaans met 'n ander deel.

Wat dit vir my beteken is dat ek 'n liefde het vir die Afrikaanse kultuur, die taal, die musiek en die mense (die identiteit), maar 'n probleem het met die laagermentaliteit van diegene wat nie kan begryp daar's 'n verskil tussen ons identiteit en ons beeld. Ons huidige beeld word deur meeste van ons Suid-Afrikaanse mense ervaar dat ons in 'n rassistiese nasie, eerder as 'n nasie wat ons identiteit wil behou.

Ons identiteit is nie rassisties nie, maar ons beeld wel. Hoe kan ons ons identiteit as Afrikaanse Suid Afrikaners behou en tog deel wees van ons reënboognasie? Ons moet ons self nie verwyder uit nasie van die land om ons identiteit as 'n volk te behou nie. Ons identiteit sal behoue bly solank as wat ons die taal liefhet en gesels, Ons identiteit sal behoue bly solank as wat ons ons helde soos Racheltjie de Beer, Hendrik Potgieter, Dirkie Uys en al die ander eer.

Ons beeld sal altyd in gebrekkig vertoon solank ons weier om te aanvaar dat ons geskiedenis, saam met die goeie, ook mense soos Hendrik Verwoerd en PW Botha opgelewer het. Ons beeld sal nooit heel wees solank ons nie ook die Suid Afrikaanse helde soos Nelson Mandela, Walter Sisulu en Oliver Tambo wil eer betoon nie.

Laat ons ons harte oopmaak en ons verskille toejuig ----- juis omdat ons soveel in gemeen het. Laat ons een nasie word met verskillende identiteite maar wat saam bou aan 'n nasionale beeld. Laat ons nie beskuldig word van menings en denke wat so toe is soos 'n kleios se gat nie.

The rainbow nation reborn

Thursday December 18 2008 02:28:00 PM +02:00

I found hope this last weekend in Bloemfontein. I have travelled among the people of our country and found much suspicion, Why does this Mlungu come to this place they asked. But no more.

I found hope this weekend in Bloemfontein. I was welcomed as one of them, I was included in the debates, My opinion was sought and prized. I am one of the people, I was hugged in emotional moments by Gogos, by matriarchs, by young men.

I am part of this rainbow nation, I found hope in Bloemfontein.

You too can find hope, You can have meaningful participation, You can be a part of the solution, Stop being a wallflower waiting for the dance and the invitation, Stop waiting for things to happen, Stop watching things happen, Make them happen.

You can find your local representative of COPE and feel the love. South Africa needs you, Men, Women, The young, the old, the beautiful, the people who look as dodgy as me. South Africa needs you to stand up and be counted.

I joined COPE and found acceptance, love and damned good policies. I joined COPE because we care about the people, we care about solving the crime problem, the poverty issues, education and much more.

I joined COPE because Affirmative Action needs to be skills based not struggle credentials based. I joined COPE because empowering the poor should never be about RACE. Poor is poor. I joined COPE because they have given me hope for the future. Why will you be joining?

COPE won 10 seats in the CAPE

Thursday December 11 2008 05:56:00 PM +02:00

vs the DA's 9, The ID's 5 and the ANC's 3

Am I excited that COPE's baptism of fire was so elegantly handled, Hell yeah

COPE is HOPE in defence of democracy

Dear Neighbours

Wednesday December 10 2008 09:57:00 AM +02:00

Dear Neighbours

If you as little as six months ago had suggested
that I would be involved in something that will affect
South Africans lives in any big way, I would have
questioned your sanity

Today I stand as a interim leader and part of the COPE Provincial
Task Team for Mpumalanga. I have never previously aligned myself
with a political party, but in COPE I found a home. I have finally
found a political party that is not driven by racial issues, I have found
a political party that is inclusive.

When I attended the COPE policy indaba on Saturday I was
overjoyed to find many South Africans felt the same way as I did
about many issues. During these debates about policy, issues were
raised and addressed in ways that exceeded my expectations.

I, however am in need of your input and support on issues that are
relevant to our own town and province. In order to make this as
inclusive as possible I would like for you to join me at my home on
Wednesday evening for an informal chat about the issues.

I also want to take the opportunity to introduce you to some other
members of the provincial task team that will be representing you in
Bloemfontein from the 14th - 16th of December.

We will be taking questions and input from the community.

Where 20A Norma street, Sonheuwel ext 1
Date Wednesday 10 December 2008
Time 18:00 for 18:30

Please RSVP as seating will be limited
Melanie 013 745 8337

Regards
Guy McLaren

Sewerage pumped into the Vaal River

Tuesday December 9 2008 08:32:00 AM +02:00

Sewerage pumped into the Vaal River

In the Vaal river, situation, the public were forced to take the municipality to court to prevent them from polluting the waterways.

The Government has “plans”, but has yet to remove any of the inept staff from from the municipality. Skills and ability to do the job seems to be less important than giving jobs to friends.

COPE want to reverse this trend. I was in a policy meeting on Saturday where a decision was made by the Mpumalanga delegates to suggest that BEE gets renamed Community Economic Empowerment or CEE.

It was decided that people who have already been empowered should not be eligible for Empowerment deals. It was also decided that Mpumalanga would suggest that race not be a consideration in empowerment deals. Employment should be based on empowering all South Africans regardless of race, creed or any other criteria.

Affirmative Action was discussed and it was agreed that a sunset clause and AA should be linked to skills. We cannot be giving jobs to people based on political affiliation rather than ability.

I was one of the two people there that would have been classified white under the previous and current regime, I am absolutely honoured to be working with people whose maturity and thinking have gone beyond colours.

I am pleased and excited to be part of the Mpumalanga Provincial Task Team. To even be considered as one of the interim leaders of this movement in Mpumalanga is an honour. I am excited to be serving my country, my province and my people in this capacity.

I know that COPE is the first truly non-racial, forward looking political party that I am proud to be associated with.

COPE is HOPE in defense of Democracy.