Don’t yield to terrorism’s goal of hatred and stereotyping
The attacks in Sri Lanka are heartbreaking, and an outpouring of support is what should be expected as the shock of senseless violence begins to sink in.
Reading comments in news articles and social media posts, though, I notice an extension of the terror itself. People from different faith groups utter anti-Muslim words and use Islam as a synonym for terrorism. This is uneducated, disappointing and racist.
What many fail to realise is that Islam is a faith based on many of the exact same ideals as Christianity. Neither faith is based on violence, neither condones terrorism or desires a world without peace.
Muslims are just as much the victims of these acts as any other religion, country or group. Followers of Islam are subject to the exact same fear anyone feels upon hearing news of terror attacks.
Hatred of a faith or stereotyping a culture as inherently bad is carrying that initial horror further.
These horrific acts should bring us closer together and call for more understanding and action in preventing future violence
There are 7.7-billion people living on this planet. The two largest religious groups are Christianity and Islam, making up more than half of the total population. So, before we accept the stereotypes perpetrated by the uneducated, remember that the goal of terrorism is to make you hateful out of fear.
E Peek, Glenwood, Durban
A tireless fighter for a better world
The death of writer and journalist Juby Mayet robs SA of an extraordinary person, a woman passionate about her politics, an intellectual giant who brought equality out of the ivory tower and into people’s lives.
Her policies were intellectually of the highest order but combined with a profound sense of compassion and justice. She was a tireless agitator for a better world. It was her firm stand that brought us victory over the enemies of free people the world over.
It was this same wise leadership and nobility of purpose that contrived a pattern for a world in which people of goodwill would strive earnestly to settle their problems without resort to force and arms. The world goes on and pauses only briefly for the passing from the stage of a great woman.
Farouk Araie, Johannesburg
Strong opposition SA’s best chance
I simply cannot understand Peter Bruce’s rationale for voting for the ANC to support Cyril Ramaphosa, especially in light of the recent pre-election poll results from research firm Markdata, which indicate that both the ANC and DA are losing support to the EFF. What this means is that the EFF is likely to be the kingmaker in forming coalition governments with a fractured ANC in major provinces. Even the Western Cape is under threat.
We have a friend who has been an ANC MP for years. She is a strong Ramaphosa supporter. Thanks to ANC secretarygeneral Ace Magashule’s tampering with the candidate list, our friend, along with many other Ramaphosa supporters, has been relegated to the bottom of the list, so she has no hope of being voted in.
We face a terrifying prospect of ANC MPs who are largely part of the corrupt old guard forming alliances with the EFF. Ramaphosa has already bowed to pressure from the EFF to lend support to the issue of land expropriation without compensation.
Hemmed in by corrupt Zuma supporters anxious to retain their influence and avoid prison, and with our dangerous Deputy President David
Mabuza as well as Ace breathing down his neck as they set their sights on the presidency, Ramaphosa will have little room for manoeuvre.
We need a strong opposition to face the corruption threat. Otherwise Ramaphosa’s faltering New Dawn could well descend into a dark night for our beloved country. Janet Mills, Cape Town
We must plan for climate disasters
The signs of global warming have been there long enough but were ignored by many. Today, countries like Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Tanzania and many others are suffering because of our actions.
Here at home, we are also victims of this unpredictable climate, confronted with heavy floods in KwaZulu-Natal, the Eastern Cape and the Free State, which cost the lives of more than 70 people.
These cyclones and heavy rains give our government a signal, a sign that they need to plan better in terms of human settlement. People must settle where it is safe for habitation, not near rivers and swamps. We need to be safe and stay alive. Tom Mhlanga, Braamfontein
Gallery the picture of neglect
Are some heritage buildings more eligible for help than others? I ask because of the truly dreadful state of the Johannesburg Art Gallery in Joubert Park, which houses the most wonderful collection of art in Africa. Despite the fact that the west wing of the building is under a huge circus-like tent to prevent further water damage, rainwater is leaking into the walls of the building, drains are flooding, and electrical wiring is causing the building to be unsafe.
Please, DO SOMETHING!
Lorraine Deift, Illovo
Who bows lowest, wins
Barney Mthombothi is, once again, spot on. He writes, in no uncertain terms, that the people who land up in parliament as our representatives only get their seats as a reward for their loyalty to the governing party. In other words, not those best qualified but those who can bow the lowest. This is so scary I have nightmares. Lorinda Winter, Still Bay