Why is destructive behaviour so acceptable?

MUCH has been said, written and debated around the issue of historical statues. I have deliberately refrained from putting in my two cents worth because I find it hard to comment sensibly on something I don’t understand.  It’s not that I don’t understand the point being made by various groups who have become angrily vocal in wanting to tear down statues I have walked past thousands of times in my lifetime and never really given them a second thought let alone, glance. I get what they are saying, I get the whole colonial imperial racism argument. What I don’t get however is why vandalism seems to go hand-in-hand with protests. Why destroying something is acceptable even when it is so blatantly against the law.

Growing up we were taught to be law-abiding. Not just parental law, but the general laws and by-laws of the country. It was drummed into us, if you transgressed there would be consequences. Whether that was being grounded or having to pay a hefty fine, we knew we would end up paying one way or another. To this day, I always stop at a Stop sign, I don’t jump red robots, and if I do go through one as it is changing I hold my breath because I expect a traffic officer to step out from the side of the road and stop me! I don’t jay-walk, I don’t litter, and if there is no dirt bin nearby, I put it in my bag till I get home and can dispose of it. So perhaps, because of the way I was raised I’ve become one of those anal law-abiding citizens who looks on at our younger generation’s destructive activities with something akin to horror.

In my humble opinion the statues, who have been quietly parking off for as long as I can remember, have become a focal point on which a frustrated, angry youth is venting its dissatisfaction. Unscrupulous groups with varying ideologies have also jumped on the bandwagon considering the amount of media attention the debate has received and all are clamouring for a share in the headlines, airtime and editorial space.  The statues have given people a chance to have their voices heard. It’s not just about history, its about service delivery, transformation and the ever- widening gap between the haves and the have nots.  The wheel is turning too slowly for those who had high hopes and expectations that democracy would right the wrongs of the past. Sadly, little has changed. We still have a greater portion of our community who do not benefit from better health services, education, housing or employment and the longer they are denied, the more we can expect angry outbursts and destructive behaviour to continue.

It’s time our elected officials in all levels of government put their proverbial shoulders to the wheel and take heed of the anger and frustrations felt by a growing majority.  We need to see change happening on the ground, not in the pockets and lives of the privileged but where it matters most.  As the generation responsible for change, we are failing miserably and it is this failure that is fueling the anger, frustrations and destructive behaviour of the younger generation who stand to inherit what we leave behind.