A nation that abuses sympathy
Republicans, our nation glorifies mediocrity. Many of our endeavours run on sympathy and that’s where we lose it.
Look here, instead of sweating it out, we use sympathy to offer less or nothing at all.
For instance, come to think hard and long of how some fellow Republicans in our cities and towns have decided to go to despicable lengths to earn a living out of a relatives’ physical inability.
I have in mind some strong muscular guy who spends the whole day pushing a little girl on a wheel chair around a traffic intersection in Lilongwe, begging for alms.
From a layman’s diagnosis, the little girl has a set of symptoms to suggest she has some syndrome that has retarded her faculties.
Sadly, this guy employs all his efforts to look as hopeless as possible, taking advantage of the girl’s condition to find his way into drivers’ wallets and handbags.
Like many Republicans abusing sympathy, the guy would like the world to believe he does his daily task out of love to help the little vulnerable girl.
But help me out in case I am wrong; what love is there in getting the girl baked in the sun seven days a week? Isn’t all this as bad as forcing the girl to earn a living on her own?
What are the risks of zigzagging such a busy traffic spot? What about the girl’s rest?
For me, true love would be for this guy to leave the girl home and work the hardest elsewhere to put bread on the table.
On the street, where does the girl answer the call of nature? Isn’t she denied the precious socialisation and learning that would come from association with family and friends?
With the introduction of special needs education in our local schools, shouldn’t she be attending school?
Republicans, can we for once show some true love and not take advantage of the culture of sympathy that has congested our air.
Truly, art can do something about this.
Herbert, there are a myriad other examples of how, as a nation, we abuse sympathy. And we dont only abuse sympathy but, sadly, we want to benefit from it. In your example, one can bet that it is the dude doing the pushing who benefits from what ever alms are gathered more than the poor girl being pushed around. This also happens at the political/higher level. Think of the USD300 million that the Global Fund has bequethed on our nation to help in the fight against AIDS, TB and Malaria. Whom do you think will benefit from it? Whilst those with AIDS, TB and Malaria will continue to suffer and die in poverty, some health people will be driving 4×4, globetrotting, and getting hefty perks and allowances in the name of fighting the diseases. Our politicians parade out poverty and desperation to get “aid” which only “aids” them. Can you imagine that someone cooked up a multi billion dollar bill as the cost for rehabilitating the areas affected by the floods. Yet, most of those who were really affected by the floods have moved on. They have rebuilt their mud houses, and are preparing their gardens for the next growing season. Yet, in their name, someone is globetrotting with a begging bowl soliciting money on their behalf. We have become a callous nation Herbert. An ancient evil linger amongst us. You can see it in everything about our nation and societies.