Senzeni Na?

I’ve been struggling to write this story for a while. What can one say when your government tricks you? When it pulls the wool over your eyes to protect politicians’ personal financial interests?

I respect the police. They protect us. They have a job and they do it to the best of their ability. Yes, there are times when things fall through the cracks (bribery, corruption, etc.). But on the whole, police are necessary.

However, when policemen and women are used by their government to commit violence, it leaves leaves a bitter taste in my mouth. I become disillusioned.

Checkpoint

Last week I visited the Cinemuse Theatre in Stellenbosch to watch Checkpoint (2003). It’s a documentary highlighting the treatment of Palestinian people by the Israeli border police at checkpoints.

It is powerful and a lesson on how NOT to treat people. I say people, because it does not matter whether you are a Palestinian or an Israeli or even a supporter of either of the two camps, there are things you must never do to a fellow human being.

Just writing these words makes me emotional. I cannot stand injustices and unfairness. It grates me to my core when I see these things happening and I am powerless to correct it. I feel less like a human because how can we be of the same species?