I was born in a country that is multicultural full of color. I was exposed to so many tribes and languages. Just walking outside the door was an adventure and as I child I learned to mix languages and create our own languages with my friends. In one sentence I could have English, Bemba and Nyanja and my friends would respond with two or three different languages. That was just one part.
But one thing I learnt from my parents and grandparents was to love one another and treat people with respect.
I grew up respecting peoples’ opinion. Just because someone has a different view from you does not mean you have to vilify that person. This is the reason we will never achieve world peace. Everyone has different values and everyone wants to project their values on others. So now tell me. If you cannot live in peace with your neighbour who has a different sexual orientation, how are you to live in peace with someone of different coloror different religious beliefs?
A few months ago when I openly expressed my support for my gay friends, I was flooded with hate mail. I was threatened with rape if I ever go back to Zambia because this is “So Un-African”.
My views haven’t changed, instead of me staying up all night and worrying about gay people, I’m busy dreaming of the actions I need to take to make my business better; I’m dreaming of ideas on how to make my day great so that I can share my love with my loved ones; I’m dreaming of ideas that will unite us as one instead of segregating us.
I was brought up in a Seventh Day Adventist Family, I loved it and what I got from it was to love others as we love ourselves and to treat people with respect.
One of the Issues I have with blind followers is that they do not question what they read, they just follow. It was less than a 100 years ago that black people where not even considered human. Black people were put in public displays as a missing link between humans and animals. And you are telling me that they did not know that what they did was wrong? People are repeating the same crimes today by vilifying people based on gender, sex, belief and education.
What people do to themselves willingly is none of my business. As long as they respect other people, not breaking the law, paying taxes and are good citizens I have no problem with that.
Now let’s talk about gay not being part of African Tradition. When I was growing up, I read about African medicine women or men who lived outside the villages. These people in my readings were respected members of the community and did not succumb to the social norms. They often married the same sex and they were considered sacred beings. So when did homosexuality become a taboo in African history? It’s when Christianity was introduced. Be careful what you believe. Think for yourself and ask question.
Now lets go back a few hundred years.
“Ugandan King Mwanga II was widely reported to have engaged in sexual relations with his male subjects, according to the report by NGO Sexual Minorities Uganda (SMUG) “Expanded Criminalization of Homosexuality in Uganda: A Flawed Narrative”.
Ugandan martyrs were burnt to death between 1885 and 1887 on the orders of Mwanga II, for denying him gay sex when they converted to Christianity”. International Business Times
Another example is that of Queen Modjadji, the Rain Queen, who had 15 wives. This is so close to home. I heard many stories about her as a child. Pieter du Plessis, a South African writer, also wrote about Modjadji the Rain Queen. In his piece about her he mentions that “On the political front the rain queen has always held a special place of respect amongst African leaders including the great Zulu king Shaka who respected her and once needed her help with a big drought in Zululand. Modjadji is thought to have been the only other person apart from the late, volatile president Laurent Kabila of the Congo, to keep Nelson Mandela waiting during a meeting. When the meeting did take place during 1994, he spoke to her only when spoken to and then only through an intermediary. Mr. Mandela did have more meetings with her thanks to a generous gift of a luxury four-wheel drive vehicle and a super luxury Japanese sedan. Thus the icy reserve that her position demanded was melted with the expensive gifts, Mr. Mandela was allowed to speak to her without the services of an interlocutor. On addressing the media Mr. Mandela told reporters, just like Queen Elizabeth 11, Queen Modjadji did not answer questions”.
Now that America has legalized Gay marriage are we really moving forward or just stepping back in time? What benefits is Africa having from all these intruders and the values they are projecting on the continent? What has been the benefit of colonization in the last 100 years? Don’t let people install fear and hate in you just because of what they believe. Who brought you your religion? This is my opinion as a global citizen.
