Let’s change our thinking

When the time came to the singing of the national anthem, I stood up from my chair and placed my feet parallel to each another.
I dropped my hands to my side and stoop up tall.
I sang the anthem with my eyes fixed on one place.
After the anthem, the deputy minister took to the stage and addressed the audience.
Instead of getting on with the programme, he spent a couple of minutes informing the crowd that we, as South Africans, had little respect for the anthem.
He reprimanded some in the audience for talking and chewing gum while the anthem was being sung.
Magwanishe said we are one of the few nations that had respect for our anthem.
As trivial and pedantic as this observation may appear to some, it got me thinking.
What do we as South Africans really respect anymore?
You do not have to be an avid reader of news to notice the devastation that people inflict on their fellow citizens and property in South Africa on a daily basis.
Whether it’s a violent strike where property is damaged, xenophobic attacks and looting, driving under the influence, or just littering, it all boils down to one thing: a culture of lawlessness.
It appears we no longer respect the law or anything around us. How can we, when we see it broken every day?
The worst part is that the youth bear witness to these crimes which make the deeds appear acceptable to the young eye.
The time cannot come fast enough where we (as we do when we sing the anthem) stand up for what we believe in, stand tall with pride and have our eyes focused on changing the way we think about the country and everyone in it.
The country will be in serious trouble if we continue on the path of disinterest and disrespect for our neighbour, the property and environment around us.
KvdL