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I’m amazed! I have come to a conclusion that some of my people are paranoid and some of my people are angry. I submit that my previous article titled “On the vuvuzela and tolerance” was probably one of the most moderate and fair views on the subject. And I’m not blowing my horn!

Popular football analyst Bareng-Batho Kortjaas penned a very aggressive argument in the Sunday Times, titled: “To the vuvuzela-haters — this is Africa”. He says “the air horn … has got airheads mouthing a helluva lot of hot air”. He continues: “The irony of it all is that the most denouncing the vuvuzela’s democratic right to be blown are part-time football fans who, under normal circumstances avoid setting a foot near a soccer match because it is ‘too dangerous’. The local football tradition will not be done away with to appease a few Europeans and a handful of local ‘fans’ who do not even know what the local soccer league is called.”

Ouch! That is entirely true, but painfully harsh. The sports editor of Business Day also said: “Perhaps it hasn’t come to Europeans’ attention that they are no longer our colonial masters.”

Moderate? Fair? Here’s why.

From the beginning I sought to move away from racial/cultural stereotypes (ie Africa this, Europe that). Subsequently, I narrowed down the argument to “like, dislike and intolerance”. That is, some of my people like the vuvuzela and some of my people dislike it. The problem is “BOTH” are intolerant of one another. Therefore the argument of “intolerance” applied to both sides of the debate. To further substantiate, I pointed out in conclusion that “we cannot afford to be rude and arrogant” as much as our “visitors” must strive to understand the locals.

Having elaborated I’m still amazed as to where “race card” and other idiosyncrasies come in. It is irresistible to conclude that some of my people are “PARANOID” and some of my people are “ANGRY”!




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4 Responses to “On the vuvuzela and tolerance — part 2”

Setumo

How long do you think it will take you to realise when you play the race-card YOU are view as the racist.

All your “clever” - “From the beginning I sought to move away from racial/cultural stereotypes (ie Africa this, Europe that). Subsequently, I narrowed down the argument to “like, dislike and intolerance”.” - does not hide the fact that you are STILL thinking in terms of racial divide ;-)

OK - now that that is cleared ;-)

YES - thankfully - Vuvuzelas is as South African - now - as Impis and Boere

So what about this - TOLERANT - suggestion:

Please blow as much and as hard as you like and can the Vuvuzelas - during games that African Nations are participating in WC 2010 - and stuff ;-) the sensitive-hearing Europeans or who ever gets an ear-full of the harmonious sound !!!

And

BE TOLERANT for the visitors to your own house/country and DO NOT “blow your horn” when other nations (without any African team) play against each other.

Surely - this will demonstrate that we Africans are indeed very tolerant
but
also demonstrate how much we enjoy our harmonious Vuvuzelas when “we” are playing.

RESPECT all round !!!

WIN-WIN for all involved, don’t you think.

I am sure FIFA will then NEVER be able to complain or deny us “our” flavoured Soccer World Cup with and without Vuvuzelas

(Report abuse)

Brand on June 25th, 2009 at 6:15 pm

Whole heartedly agree with the poster above.

(Report abuse)

sipho on June 28th, 2009 at 11:46 am

ja, people want to insert race into everything.

like i’ve said elsewhere, i’m not happy with the “this is how we do things in africa” people because i honestly don’t think the people who say that [sh/w/c]ould possibly have enough experience with football throughout the continent to be able to say such a thing. [and if they had, they wouldn’t. so…] — the level of emotion on the side of the south african writers shows the underlying degree of desire for acceptance by europeans/white people [not always the same thing] that still exists here.

but brand — while i was updating my blog, i was thinking about the number of times that i’ve gone to/lived near a stadium in [insert african country here] and could hear a vuvuzela. the number is… 0.

what makes you so sure that players from other african countries would want to hear them? i’m just interested to know?

to me, the whole “because it’s african” is more of a cop-out than anything else. i mean, what happened to “local is lekker”? i’m just wondering.

(Report abuse)

mundundu on June 28th, 2009 at 12:53 pm

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“…one of (the) most prolific and controversial writers… his views have elicited scores of letters… strength in Setumo’s writing is that he is able to initiate new issues or cast a fresh light on existing ones.” – Peter Malherbe (Editor – Reporter.co.za)
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