NO Silent Nights.
Posted on 09. Dec, 2011 by Graham in Brandon Faber
by Brandon Faber
It would be really easy for me to go into a tirade about the secrecy bill / info bill / save our backsides bill – whatever you want to call it. . . But I’m not going to.
Except for the one thing, off course.
It is absurd for a bunch of MPs who couldn’t be bothered to attend half the parliamentary sessions per year (which they are paid for), and who are largely guilty of dodgy dealings with the state, Travel gate and Arms Deal included, to vote on something that will aid them in burying their wrongdoing.
The joys of being your own Judge and Jury, and then keeping the truth from the public, eh?
Other governments (past and present) who have enjoyed this privilege include the peace-loving saints from Zimbabwe, Syria, Iraq, North Korea, the old Soviet Union, China, Afghanistan, Apartheid-era South Africa and so on.
You get the idea I’m sure: Hooray for these upstanding governments, known for their humane treatment of citizens and transparent dealings.
It’s never going to get past the Constitutional Court anyway . . . However, the mere thought that 200+ souls (whom I wouldn’t trust to run a bath with any measure of success) have the arrogance to think they can decide the fate of 50 million gets under my skin in a way that no crap election slogan, no faded, empty-promise-promoting poster, no baby kissing, cracks painting, juvenile delinquent politicking has ever managed to do.
Politicians. . . HUMPH! Too kak to get real jobs and that’s a worldwide phenomenon ladies and gentlemen.
ANYWAY. Anyway.
The point of this final diatribe also serves to remind the fourth estate, owners and publishers specifically, that you cannot shout for freedom on one hand and then curtail those exact freedoms on the other because an impending piece of truth may offend a large advertiser.
The same is true for the large client/advertiser.
You cannot stand shaking your head in dismay at Governmental secrets when you, yourselves, are guilty of acting like the kid who owns the ball on the playground – willing to remove it should things not go your way.
Nah, citizens of South Africa, if we want to have freedom then we must be mature enough to accept that, sometimes, freedom bites you in the backside by revealing the ugly truth.
We respond to those truths by rectifying the problem areas raised and (if need be) punishing those responsible for it.
We do not shoot the messenger.
Not in politics. Not in business. Not in media.
We need to grow up now. We need to take hits on the chin when deserved. We need to apply ourselves to fixing problems with governance, products, whatever – at root cause.
We need to all accept consequence of foolish actions and, even more so, we need to EXPECT consequence.
So here’s to freedom in 2012.
May you be free to point out my mistakes and may I be afforded the opportunity to rectify and apologise should I stray. May Sunday papers hunt down and expose the corrupt who steal from the public, who underperform and renege on promises made.
May ads not be pulled when products or campaigns are slated as sub-standard.
May we take things in our stride over the coming year.
May the dream of an open, fair and just society remain within our reach.
May we never fear the truth, may we never grow silent.
