"Our Lives Begin to End the Day We Become Silent About Things That Matter."
- Martin Luther King Jr. When one looks back through history, extraordinary people can be seen who spent lifetimes fighting for those who could not fight for themselves. Standing up against the all-encompassing gloom of corruption, tyranny, racism, hatred ... is exhausting and can sometimes blind us against the tiny light (goodness, giving, hope) that still exists silently in the darkness. I am not a political person, but today I cannot help but question the morals of people in America who support racism, and the rampant corruption keeping Africa from developing. As I face both of these attacks on ethics and morality on a daily basis, I weigh them against one another- which is worse and which causes more devastation? On one side, America is currently having its morality challenged with blatant racism amongst those who swear to protect, following a blind belief that a ethically questionable individual could lead with a steady hand, and that money is more valuable than Centuries- old sacred lands. I am a proud American, travelling has made me see just how great our country can be; but in times such as these I find myself less likely to wave my nationality in public. For months people have been debating on social media and families have been torn across the electoral divide. Being an anthropologist, I always try and put myself in the shoes of other people- I want to understand why people would possibly vote for Trump, why does a pipeline need to pass through sacred lands, and what would make a young African America fear her local police force? I won’t go into the intricacies of these tests against our ethics – we have all heard the arguments and watched social media- through all of this I have tried to stay objective. However, I cannot stay quite... Because the decisions made this week and in the coming months will impact everything that I love and value- it will make that tiny light of hope, which I am desperately trying to cling to, go out and I fear never return. If you live in a city with a corrupt police force or close to the pipeline protests- take a stand. If you allow ignorance to continue then you are no better than the racist white-man pulling the trigger. Look at history – look at the regret people have felt for standing by while their communities are torn apart. Don’t ignore race, we are a world of multiple cultures and skin tones, there is no question that I see the world differently than someone who follows Islam, than the African-American who grew up in the ghettos of Chicago, or the West Virginian Methodist that believes prayer will heal. It is our diversity that makes us great, it allows the world of have millions of realities and endless potential. If we do not realize this, and continue to use the old motto of “Us versus Them” then change will never come and we will continue to have the same challenges as our ancestors. Just look at the photos from the pipeline protests and try to deny that it is not reminiscent of the photos taken in 1965 at Selma's Edmund Pettus Bridge. If we do not learn from our past – then we are doomed to repeat it. On the issue of Trump, I once again have tried to understand. He has run a large business (somewhat successfully), he is not a politician, and he understands the struggles of the working man.... However, when you put these arguments against facts, I still do not get it. Malawians have asked me, “why do Americans want Trump, he will destroy everything?” and I have no response. How can Malawians understand what Americans cannot? Maybe it is that they have been living under corruption for so long that they are in a rare position to notice it, or because they have experienced first hand what poor American presidencies can do to the African Continent (Bush did a lot of damage here). From my perspective – it is clear that when a white cop shoots an unarmed black child it is wrong and racially motivated, and that Trump is unquestionably sexists and racist with no concept of how to be a true global leader; and I cannot (not matter how much I’ve tried) understand the other reality which is shared by so many. I have an amazing (soon to be) sister-in-law who is Muslim – she has spent her lifetime working to become a doctor so that she can heal people and help mothers through the intricate challenges of bringing forth the next generation. The fact that someone could group such a kind soul with terrorism, threaten to deport her, and make her feel unloved and unwelcomed is unacceptable. Trump has fuelled this hatred – he has made the amazing diversity of America appear to be our weakness and something which should be feared. If you vote for Trump then you cannot see what my Malawian coworkers see- maybe you do not see that you are backing racism, maybe you have not felt what it is like to be hated simply for your heritage, or maybe you actually believe that Muslims, Mexicans, Syrians, Somalis... are less of a human than yourself. On the other side of my debate around 'which is worse', today in Usisya there is no water (the local river has dried up), there is no food (people are eating 1 meal a day of only pounded maize flour), and the hospital is seeing 80-100 patients a day who are inflicted with preventable diseases. They are in this position because generations of greedy individuals have stolen and laundered the money/food/ support which was supposed to help them build up out of poverty. I do not know how anyone could steal the food meant to feed a hungry family, anymore than I understand the individual who would support Trump. Who is causing more damage? The local “business man” who builds his riches off of aid meant for the most desperately poor, or the “business man” who fuels his campaign through fanning the flame of fear against the great multi-cultural people who build America... how do I weigh these things and where do I take up the fight? In the end, I have decided to take up my fight with those who support such actions. One man cannot take down a country, one man cannot steal millions – it is the people who stay quiet and the people who openly support these individuals who I blame. Trump was one of 17 Republican Candidates and the American people are the ones who got him to the final voting line. This is my plea... put yourself in the shoes of the African-American youth, the Muslim-America, the poor family is rural Africa. Try and see the world from the perspective of the people your "leaders" are hurting – and then try to say that the stolen money, the poorly placed vote, or the silence/ignorance are okay to continue with. “The World is a Dangerous Place to Live, Not Because of the People Who are Evil, But Because of the People Who Don’t Do Anything About it.” - Albert Einstein
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Bonnie HarveyCurrently working in northern Malawi as Programs and Evaluations Coordinator for Temwa Archives
June 2019
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