I like you

I don’t like you
Because
You are White
I like you for
Celebrating kindness
A loving nature
Free spirited
True believer
Enabling liberator
Soul protector
Living
Vector

I don’t like you
Because
You are of mixed descent or so-called coloured
I like you for
Sharing loyalty
Unrelenting tenacity
Support never-ending
Challenger unbending
Soul mirror
Opinionated
Reverberator

I don’t like you
Because
You are black
I like you for
Positive energy
Challenging my thinking
Questioning instincts
Collectivist tinkering
Bouncing negativity
Capturing true inner voices
Respectfully

I don’t like you
Because
You are Asian
I like you for
Love radiating
Mind challenges concentrating
Laughter celebrating
Earth principles protecting
‘Being the change’
Philosophically pulsating
Living
Congruently

Under Apartheid racial classification casted South Africans into these four categories or racial groupings, White, So-called Coloured, Black and Asian. for me there is the HUMAN RACE and I was lucky to learn very early in life that the statute books and society does not have to decide how I like or dislike people. Being rude, lazy or disrespectful are some of the things that can motivate liking or disliking. The piece was inspired by a discussion with a true friend and mentor in the context of moving on from the mental trappings of racist societies. This one is for Dawn, Patricia, Khanysani, Meghan and Siyamthanda. A celebration of all the BORN FREE’s -- you don’t have to nurture the ideological trappings of society. I love you. Quoting Mahatma Ghandi 'Being the change you want to see'.

Simone Beatrice Naik Noemdoe, 2011-08-25.