can i have a little anthem with a side of butchered f&*% up

i am sure that you have all seen the ard matthews clip from supersport. the one where he 'sings' the national anthem? if not, have a look.

watching this clip was one of the most painful 2:15mins of my life. it was like watching a car crash where you don't like what you see, but you can't look away. let's discuss...

we as south africans are a very proud group of people. we are quick to judge and scrutinise our country, and more often than not, threaten to leave. but if one person takes one jab at our country, we are up in arms and are quick to defend our birthplace and our home. and having someone anally rape the national anthem is one of the deepest stabs to our belly.

yes, ard matthews made a complete fool of himself on national television, and i will be interested to see how his PR team handles this one. sex and drug scandals are easy to sort out, but this kind of shenanigan, not so much. but he highlighted a problem that a lot of south africans have, and that i have most definitely noticed growing up.

our national anthem is such an intricate part of our country's history. it was the first mark of democracy and equality. it signified us moving forward as one, and growing as a nation. i remember being in grade 1 in 1994, and having to learn how to draw the new south african flag, and learn the new anthem. it was the beginning of a new world. a world filled with growth and opportunity.

there are 4 verses in 4 different languages: xhosa, sesotho, afrikaans and english. we have a11 official languages, but to put all of them in a song would keep us singing for 3 hours straight; so we have 4. these are 4 important verses that every single south african should know, with no excuses. if you cant pronounce the words, thats okay, as long as you get the gist of it, and are still able to sing the entire song with pride. but the problem is that too many people don't know all 4 verses. they only know 2, namely english and afrikaans.

you have all heard it. when you are in a big stadium or hall, or even a bar, and everyone gets up to sing the anthem with their hands on their hearts. there are people singing, trying their best, but the minute 'uit die blou...' starts, the crowd erupts, and sings from a part of themselves that wasnt present at the beginning. suddenly the words to the song come back to them.

now this is just embarrassing. appalling in fact. it highlights the segregation that we are trying so hard to fight. i don't know if its a case of people not wanting or not willing to learn the whole anthem, but it just isnt right. i get upset about it, and i have black friends and white friends alike who are also insulted by this.

how is it that people don't know the anthem? are you no longer taught it at junior school? where is this falling off the map?

yes, ard matthews royally f&*%ed up, but he just highlighted a problem that a lot of people are experiencing, and that needs to be addressed. we should be proud of who we are, and how far we have come, and something as simple as not knowing the anthem is a slap to the face of millions.

but hey, #imjussayin

rabi

the human touch

in this new digital age of twitter, facebook, bbm, skype and the million other communication media and social networks, it is a lot easier to keep in touch with a lot more people. you are kept up to date as to the comings and goings of your friends, you can maintain contact with those in distant lands, and you can find long lost loves and friends whom you thought you would never see or hear from again.

that's great, right? or is it?

with communication taking this turn, yes we are kept abreast of what's what, but what we are losing, and missing out on is that basic human contact that you, me and everyone else needs. it is a basic human need, that feeling of love and belonging (maslows 3rd level thank you very much). human contact provides that acceptance that the digital age doesn't allow us.

i have two very good male friends. i can easily count them amongst my best friends. and whenever i leave them, i am filled with this feeling of hope, comfort, confidence, happiness, optimism, and just good old fashioned love. and no, i am not in love with either of these two, they are the kind of people who aren't remotely afraid of human contact. they are always there with a hug filled with good energy, touch your arm when they talk to you in order to fully engage with you, are around in your personal space. they are not only in contact with you with words, but also with their whole being.

and that is the essence of human contact, where you can completely envelope someone in whatever communication you are trying to achieve. it boosts your self esteem and makes you feel just grand. which is something that is slipping away quicker than i care to imagine thanks to this new digital age. don't get it twisted, i am appreciative of my facebook, twitter and skype accounts, but think that communication between people shouldnt stop there. there is more that can be said with a hug, than can ever be said via a QWERTY board.

this contact is an important component of growth and development of our species, and i fear that it is falling at the wayside. with human contact you can transfer a lot more energy from one person to the next, than any other way. human contact never lies like words do. it is the truth, and the truth that has a more positive effect on you than anything that you can do on your own.

so, even though we are all busy with our lives. trying to get somewhere. trying to run away from somewhere else. take a moment. give a hug. be open. and you will be surprised at the difference it makes. its some other kind of awesome.

*hug*

but hey, #imjussayin

rabi