Freedom's Just Another Word

 A conversation I had recently with an ill-mannered foreigner. 

"I see you guys celebrated your Freedom Day recently. Hoo ha!"

 "Do I detect a hint of sarcasm?"

Yes well, you guys are not exactly the poster children for freedom and democracy,  or clean government for that matter."

"Say what?"

."Let me put it this way. Which of these freedoms are you most grateful for:

All day queues ending in execrable service by uncivil servants?

Rampant crime that has you gleefully celebrating your freedom behind high walls and electric fences? Your Thabo Beater had more freedom.

 Galloping corruption and buffoonery worthy of The Three Stooges?"

"I can't deny that we have our problems but we do have freedom and democracy."

Yes, almost 30 years of it and you have what to show.for it?"

"Since when have you been so cynical?"

"Ever since I learnt to recognise  Orwellian rubbish for what it is."

 "What do you  mean?"

"Simply that lies are lies, whether they be promises repeated ad nauseam instead of fulfilled, non-performance spun into achievement ot just the standard vomit of cliches and sloganeering."

"And there speaks a guy whose own country is just one banana short of a dictatorship."

"Have you looked around you lately? The family resemblance is getting remarkably close. Your democracy looks uncannily like a dick tatorship."

"What?"

"As they say in your parliament, the dicks have it. You elected the same guys over and over despite the obvious and rapid downward spiral that they are taking you down. What is wrong with you guys?"

"At least we have real elections, which is more than I can say for your lot. We may not all be happy with the outcomes but that's the nature of democracy."

"Sounds more like the nature of stupidity to me. Would you keep on employing the same people who are gutting your company?"

"Hang on now; that's not the same thing."

"Who pays your so-called civil servants from national level down to city level?"

"Obviously the national treasury from taxes."

"And you are perfectly happy to see your taxes squandered by incompetents. thieves and buffoons? That is the will of the people?" 

"Well; there's not too much we can do until the next election." 

"Ah,  five years of freedom to plunder and blunder. What a democracy. So shallow that the roots shake when your ravenous rabbits feed on the green leaves."

"You are being overly simplistic."

"Important principles are simple. Where is the 'for the people by the people'? Or is it the will of the people to be robbed and buggered?"

"Come on, you know that the game of politics is more complex than that.  What would you do?"

"That's your trouble right there. You South Africans still  think it's a game. I'll tell you what I wouldn't do. I wouldn't watch my country gurgle down the toilet U- bend to the sound of mindless singing and dancing."

"Bloody hell! I thought you called to congratulate me on Freedom Day, not depress me to the brink of self-harm."

"This will cheer you up.  Something I cannibalized from 'Me and Bobby McGee' specially for your happy celebrations:

Busted flat in every way

Sliding down the drain

Future faded as a dream

We'll just keep on drifting down 

Hey, it's not as bad as it may seem

Freedom"s just another word for our turn to loot'         You know we didn't struggle to be poor                       And feelin' good is easy, Lord, in a BMW                    That kind of  feelin' good is good enough for me     Good enough for me and for  my party

"Stick to your day job, karaoke king. Why are you so worked up over what's happening in our country?"

"Elementary, mfo ka Watson. We hoped you'd be the exception. New moon rising over Southern Africa and all that.  Instead you've mooned us with your jugglers and your clowns. Not a pretty sight. Talk about dearly bought and cheaply sold! Oh and, happy Freedom Day!"

Tips for the blogger gratefully accepted 

Capitec Bank, South Africa  

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O Tichmann 

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