Don't Call Me Names

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We agree to disagree. It's that simple. You and I disagree most of the time, but we agree on basic things like, I woke up this morning. That presupposes I slept. I cannot wake up if I didn’t. Nurses and security guards on night shift live a different reality of sleep and wake up but it doesn’t change the fact that they do. The baby is crying. We agree on that. We get hungry, eat, and run to the bathroom when nature calls.  Agreement solid.

That is why we lose out when we slap labels on our disagreement. I don’t understand many terms we use to describe political opinion.

1. Far left

2. Left wing

3. Centre left

4. Right wing

5. Far right

6. Right wind extremist

7. Liberal Conservative

8. Neo Liberal

9. Woke

These terms incinerate common sense enshrined in proverbs. Take the English proverb, we don’t see eye to eye for example. I don’t speak Spanish or Tagalog but I’m sure they have an equivalent. The problem with political labels is boxes and I mean sealed boxes. I cannot say President Biden is too old to run again, because I might end up with a nasty label.  I support workers’ right to strike, but I cannot point out union bosses and their personal agendas, far removed from legitimate concern about wages and working conditions.

Labels mute free speech. Labels result in pandemonium when invited guest speakers are harassed by the vocal minority on campus.

By: Nonqaba waka Msimang.

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