Flowers

Political parties in Canada, U.S. and all over the world in fact, do not believe in variety, in the right to be different but still be beautiful like a bouquet of flowers.

I was born in South Africa and lived in a tiny house with no room for a garden because apartheid racism did not regard us as human beings, let alone citizens with the right to vote. We were in cities to serve the Queen of England, by being cooks, cleaners, nannies, gardeners and policemen.

That’s why flowers fascinate me. I don’t know their names, just the sunflower because it’s so defiant and the rose, because of the Hollywood lie symbols like Valentine’s Day.

Political parties are a bouquet in a way. Members sign up because they like what’s in it. The final bouquet is the country, or should be. That seldom happens because personal aggrandizement muscles out the country. Donald Trump is a case in point. He is so hell bent in claiming his election was stolen, he doesn’t care that it is withering his own bouquet, the Republican Party.

Political parties are anti-variety and anti-beautiful because they do not tolerate the different viewpoints within the bouquet. Members stay and embrace punishment or take a walk on the parliament floor and join the opposition party.

Climate change. That’s one thing any party needs in its political bouquet. Why? Because you are wearing a mask.

By: Nonqaba waka Msimang.