Tribalism is the favoring of people
or culture by default of their tribe while racism is favoring of a people or
culture by virtue of their race. Throughout the ages man has been afraid of the
unfamiliar and guilty of banishing that which was foreign. The creation of
countries, states and villages supports the fact that by nature we tend to
surround ourselves with people we have things in common with be it language,
skin tone, bodily features etc Unfortunately in a bid to do so huge atrocities
have occurred among ourselves.
The claws of tribalism and racism
have been long reaching all around the globe. The tasks ahead of us in purging
these stains in our society remain urgent and difficult. Conventions and
treaties have been signed in a bid to unite the entire world in one cord of
love regardless of gender, race, religious beliefs etc. However, the bulk of
the workload still lies ahead.
Realistically, we know that we cannot end tribalism and
racism and all the many –isms that surround us. Nonetheless, this doesn’t mean
that we should stop fighting for equality and the sanctity of human rights all
over the world. We can as a nation make it possible for all of us to co-exist
regardless of our differences in culture, dressing, speech, religion, beliefs
and mannerisms. Kenya, with over 40 different tribes can set an example in East
Africa, Africa and the world as a whole in the laws we pass to ensure we live
on peace, love and unity.
We too can accept that we are
hostages to our own human failures to develop and support a decent way of
living. We must be retrospective and look inwards so as to get solutions to the
plagues that ail our societies. There is little chance of failure if each of us
are intent on providing even one positive idea, or thing to our neighbour’s
life. African culture is based on brotherhood, looking out for each other and
helping each other. Let us be
responsible for those among us who need protection for the sake of the society.
The orphans, widows, terminally ill, those in living in abject poverty are but
a few examples of those that need a helping hand to take the next step. In so
doing, we will then be warriors who champion the rights of not only those we
know, those with whom we are familiar but of all mankind.
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