Maravi

Preaching tolerance

Preaching tolerance
By Editor
Tuesday March 13, 2007 [02:00]

Tolerance is generally defined as one’s capacity to endure something, especially pain or hardship. To tolerate is to allow something that one does not like or agree with to happen or continue. It can also mean to endure something without complaining, to put up with. This is what we always have in mind when we talk about tolerance. And this is what we also recognise to be the meaning of tolerance when we hear other people talk about tolerance. Tolerance and respect for our fellow human beings make us allow our critics to express their opinions or views without inhibition, whether these views seem palatable or not.

Tolerance is an extremely important ingredient in the meaningful existence of humanity. Intolerance must surely rank as one of the worst forms of immorality in human affairs. If accepted, toleration allows others to help us see things differently because, as the saying from Mali states: “The serpent that is hidden increases in size.” This means that weaknesses in ourselves get stronger if not corrected. Another wise saying from Uganda states that: “Because of lack of criticism, the warthog’s teeth have grown disproportionately long.” This means that people should welcome criticism and correction so that they do not develop incorrectly.

It is with this background that we welcome President Levy Mwanawasa’s advice for Zambians to guard against tolerance because we realise that most conflicts arise where tolerance is absent.
But like Fackson Shamenda observes, tolerance must begin with Levy himself. When we look around, we see a distinct lack of tolerance among our politicians.

There is no culture of humility which accepts that all citizens have a right to participate in the shaping of their destiny directly without fear or reprisal. Our politicians, especially those in powerful and ruling positions, always want to smash any contrary thinking of citizens.

Levy himself is not strong to criticism. In fact, he doesn’t like to be criticised. But Levy needs to bear in mind that he is not President only for those who agree with him, those who are in good terms with him and those who sing praises for him. Levy is President for all Zambians, including those who detest him and those whom he detests.

Levy has a duty to treat every Zambian with respect and humility and he should lead by example in this area. Leading or presiding over the affairs of 11 or 12 million people is not an easy task and requires a lot of level-headedness and humility. Sometimes, if not many times, Levy doesn’t seem to have these qualities. We are not saying this for the sake of it. From time to time, our people see for themselves the way Levy explodes, even at the slightest provocation.

Of course, we hear Levy say he is only open to constructive criticism. But what do these politicians mean when they talk about constructive and destructive criticism?

The terms “constructive” and “destructive” criticism have been coined in order to place potential opponents or so-called enemies in some categories so as to reward the loyalists and punish the malcontents. From experience, we see that those in powerful positions would accept flattery and agreement from their praise singers as constructive criticism. Criticism per se does not exist. If they are opposed or criticised, then those opposing or criticising are expressing hate, not pure disagreement.

Of course we are mindful that there are also cynics among our people and politicians. But these should be isolated from the point we are making above because we have always said that cynics have never been known to build any society. So cynicism cannot be hidden behind the word criticism.

But in most cases, our leaders don’t seem to differentiate between an ordinary citizen seeking to exercise his freedom of expression and a rabid political opponent. It seems our leaders can’t distinguish between a critic and a traitor.

However, we are encouraged that Levy now seems to be appreciating the importance of tolerance although there is a big challenge for him to practice it. We urge him to put his theories in practice because rhetoric is not good; action is.

Levy is not in State House to do as he pleases. He is there to perform the duties which that office requires him to do - whether he likes it or not. And in so doing, sometimes he has to meet and talk to people he may not like simply because duty requires him to do so. Levy should learn to reconcile his differences with people through reasoning and also to be tolerant of those who have different views from his.

Labels: EDITORIAL, TOLERANCE

posted by MrK @ 7:00 AM