Million Man act of faith
2008-06-10 08:24
Brandon Faber, News24 User
Today is Million-man-march day. Did you know?
I sure as hell didn't... The first real bit of information only filtering down (way-way down where I reside) yesterday morning when a caller phoned in to John Robbie's breakfast show on 702.
The ensuing conversation went a bit like this: John Robbie: "...but what's the point, what purpose does the march serve?" Caller: "...well what else is there to do John?" The rest of the two-man debate basically circled around mentioned central issue with no clear winner at the end... quintessential politics.
"I am the future" states the official petition website, www.millionmanmarch.co.za. "United Against Crime" they say. "I may not see tomorrow!" it exclaims. "Evil triumphs when good men do nothing," they declare.
The first question I have is where was the marketing behind this initiative? The caller (who is taking part today) did not have exact details and this was the day prior to the big march to head-in-the-sand-ville.
Where was the VUKA ad sponsored by M-NET, the Pick n Pay sponsored badges, t-shirts, caps? Where were the billboards of encouragement courtesy of MTN and Vodacom - where were the united front by business leaders who are so "concerned about crime". No sponsors names on the website, no mention of Joburg Metro offering to bus people to the march - zip.
Hubert H Humphrey said that the right to be heard does not automatically include the right to be taken seriously. And this, I fear, is the danger hanging over the (no doubt) noble intentions of the MMM. Will it be taken seriously without the backing of South Africa's business and media heavyweights?
Will it work
Will it stir an emotion, some action, some fluttering of honest intent from the powers that be, or will it be seen as a failure, a depiction of dissent from a sad few - will uncle Charles address the crowd and tell them they can leave these shores if they don't like it?
In the midst of the war on Iraq, millions of people marched in evolved democracies to show dissent and disgust at the status quo. Did it stop the war? No Mr Robbie, but it showed general public dissatisfaction with those responsible. Tony Blair suffered at the hands of this wave of public outrage and so did George Bush's Republican Administration.
"In a democracy, dissent is an act of faith," says J William Fulbright and, let's be honest, at this point in time "faith" is the only thing most South Africans have to hold on to.
Faith that their pleas will not fall on deaf ears. Faith that the future is not lost. Faith, that through the determined actions of many, change will be affected in the hearts of few.
There will not be a million people marching to the Union Buildings today - there will be 50 million because no true South African scoffs at the notion of someone doing something to protest the violence, the misery and the destruction of our nation.
Today they march for us. Today we should be proud of them, and proudly South African.
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