Political: Freedom Before Responsibility Poem by Margaret Alice

I cry for Africa,
Afrique du Sud where
we won freedom before
accepting
accountability.

We abuse liberty,
infringe rights, make
the line between “yours”
and “mine” opaque and
ignore the notion of
reciprocal duty; we don’t
know what it means to do
unto others as we would have
them do unto us, except where
we give in token what we
expect to receive in kind

Europe plundered Africa under
God, left Christianity chained
in an era’s exploitation blessed
by autocracy; when tamed by
Renaissance Europe left Africa
behind - the next step was freedom;
but we never learnt how to respect
freedom’s household duties;

We tasted liberty’s heady glory
taking charge of ourselves with
no ethical wares except a God of
Vengeance, never learnt what mutual
obligation meant – never learnt why
it would become us; today we know:
We have a right to our own life

And why should we respect ALL life?
Our forebears never did. We have right
to freedom of thought, conscience and
religion – never were taught to respect
all differences as sacred and worthy;
just as our masters exploited, maimed
and killed us, so do we. The rainbow
nation is killing one another, rule is
survival, ANC won its struggle through
violence – now it seems violence rules
by right again in my beloved Africa…