WE ARE ALL THE SAME

Kao Fela Rea T’Soana. We Are All The Same. I saw this message painted on the side of a community center while in Lesotho over the holidays, and liked the message. It’s a happy, feel-good kind of message. Except unfortunately, I don’t think it’s true. All too often in Africa, people are treated based on their differences, rather than their similarities. 

I am judged by the color of my skin on a daily basis. Children who are born with darker skin than those of their siblings are teased mercilessly. People of coloured or mixed descent are caught in the middle as they aren’t either White or Black. It makes me want to cry (and it has) over the sheer unfairness of it all.

One night during evening prayer, we read Acts 10, where after seeing a vision from God, Peter says, “God has shown me that I should not call anyone profane or unclean.” This led to a rather lively discussion about apartheid and racial discrimination. It was probably one of the most uncomfortable experiences I have ever had. I was literally the white elephant in the room. I have never had anyone throw stones at me. I have never had anyone command their dogs to attack me. I have never had to be in a certain geographical area by 6pm or risk being thrown in jail. And yet, all of these things have happened to members of my host family. One of my host sisters explained that even at her prestigious university in Cape Town, the students segregate themselves by race. Whites sit with whites, blacks sit with blacks, etc. It’s not a mandatory requirement, but students do it naturally. She explained this matter-of-factly, without batting an eye. Apartheid may be officially over, but that doesn’t mean it’s gone.

I certainly expected to encounter racism during this year, but never quite like this. It’s not just recent history; it is now, and it is very much alive. Maybe one day, I will believe that We Are All The Same. But right now, reality tells a very different message.