Fellow columnist, Kenneth Dipholo, has proclaimed 2011 as the year of freedom of expression on the basis of enshrined values and principles of democracy, development and human rights.
I second his proclamation.
I concur with his assertion and back his call. In fact, I do hereby make a clarion call on our government to, this year, let us be. Let commentators make their comments without hindrance and threats. Let people converse without fear of espionage. Let gays and lesbians come out of the closet without stigmatization. Let church goers attend all night prayers at mountain peaks. Let revellers dance all night at clubs. Let there be no sabotage on those who publicly declare their support for opposition parties. Let there be no too much hatred and scolding on those who imbibe just as there is no hullabaloo on those who like helicopters and bonfires.
This country must be elevated to the status of a true democracy. We should do away with proclaiming to be a democratic country while our deeds betray our proclamations. I sincerely do believe the best and most important aspect of democracy derives from freedom of expression.
Without freedom of expression all other freedoms have a null effect. Without freedom of expression, democracy remains a fantasy, a hollow dream. Human rights are wrong when freedom of expression is left out of the equation. Let us be allowed to freely express ourselves.
Just as the President is free to express his disdain for alcohol, let me be allowed to express the joy I derive from it. Just as the President freely taunts women about their weight and height and shivers at the thought of walking them down the aisle for fear of them being troublesome, let no offence be taken when I declare the comfort I find in women.
Oh, and perhaps I should take this opportunity to console, or rather comfort, Mma Tshireletso after being ruled out as potential First Lady by the President.
To her I say, even as the President here finds you too huge and unappetising for his “menu” there are plenty African men out there who love their women “meaty”. Don’t worry or despair Honourable MP, you may not be appealing to the President of Botswana but you will never know, the President in the neighbouring country may be dying of a huge crush on you. Khama was only exercising his freedom of expression and that freedom should not be limited to him alone. When the Vice President gives his evaluation on fellow MPs and labels them hopeless creatures, reciprocity should be welcome.
I am really for freedom of expression. What is the point of giving me the freedom of association and then turn around and punish me for freely expressing my association with, say, Gomolemo Motswaledi? What is the point of giving me the freedom of religion and then turn around and enforce your religious beliefs on me? How do we claim to be a secular State and then force everyone to leave by Christian values and expectations where Sundays are reserved for church and not bars or clubs?
One would have thought in a secular State, where atheists are accommodated, churches and entertainment centers would enjoy the same privilege of unlimited time of operation so that everyone can choose which of the two to patronise.
I must confess I abide by Christian values but it pains me when everyone is forced to follow suit. I am of the belief people must be left to make personal choices as dictated by their preferences in life. I have no qualms with churches opening all day, year around, but I do have a problem when entertainment centers are forced to close at times that are dictated by our leaders, most of whom, after all, do have entertainment amenities, including bars in their homes, courtesy of our taxes.
I, therefore, implore fellow citizens and residents of this country to express their thoughts and emotions freely, without fear. If you want bars to open all day and night just say it.
If you want abortion to be legalized, just say it. If you want prostitution to be legalised just say it. If you are fed up with Khama’s administration, feel free to voice your anguish.
Just be open like me and tell President Khama that as much as I have no reason to hate him personally because I don’t know him personally, I do however hate the way he treats us like a bunch of his kids, step-kids for that matter.
I still fail to understand why I should be forced to sleep as early as 10pm during the festive season when I know for sure the President has all the freedom to do whatever he does during festive break without anyone dragging him to bed while he still wants to entertain his friends and family.
I know very well that for us to freely express ourselves we need to be assured that government ,or should I be precise and say our leaders, would not punish us for expressing views and thoughts that are not in concert with theirs. It is very important that our leaders do accept the fact that as individuals, we are unique not only in physical appearance but in thoughts, views, preferences and habits. Unless and until our leaders accept the fact that they are no supernatural beings, it will always remain difficult for them to come to terms with yet another fact that we too have brains and feelings that function and feel differently from theirs. Our leaders must know that the fact that they consume food, drink water and make use of toilets and breathe the same air with the rest of us, they remain normal human beings and as such need to realise we too have feelings and the brains to think independently and responsibly. In fact, some of us do think more responsibly than many of our so-called leaders. It just happened we cannot all be elevated to positions of power.
And talking of elevation, I hear some people have been elevated to senior positions at the government enclave. The new year has smiled upon them. It is quite clear some of them are being rewarded for their outstanding sycophancy.
Bootlicking has finally paid dividends.
