Was driving down a silent road, when I heard the sound of loud music, and found another car drawing up close, with windows down and music-full blast. Suddenly the peace I was enjoying was broken by the cacophony of noise, and as the car drew abreast, I found people laughing, jeering, and scoffing those outside!
The sound from the other car was garish. It’s not that I disliked their songs, but the volume was meant to disrupt, meant to intrude, and cause disharmony and tension.
The car passed and slowly the sound grew less.
I looked at my music system. It was certainly the best. If I had wanted to, I could have out-drowned the noise from their car, but I had chosen to let them move on.
Today, as the rhetoric increases in the country, as ministers who should govern, instead, threaten and provoke so they can win a few more votes from the unsuspecting people, I feel we need to look at our powerful music systems and realise the energy and volume they carry, even though today, we choose to be silent.
That music system is the power of our Voting Finger, which with one sonic blast of sound, can put any other loud noise to rest. But that is not it’s way.
It’s method is to allow the ones who shout and mock, jeer and threaten, to continue doing what they are good at doing, and then in silence on voting day show it’s majesty and dominion.
Look at those who drove in the car with the loud noise. Why did they want their music so loud that their own eardrums could have been at the point of bursting?
Why couldn’t they have listened to their music with windows closed and still have enjoyed the volume without others outside finding their quietness disrupted?
Why?
Because, they wanted to provoke the silence outside.
Today, the ones who provoke make the loudest noise.
And what is the provocation we hear from our politicians today?
Protection against imaginary foes, who they tell the people will steal their religion from them. Protection against menfolk from other communities who will steal their womenfolk from them.
The loud noise I heard in the quietness of the night was that of bullies, telling others outside how powerful they were, through the noise they made.
But was that noise required?
Wasn’t there peace and quiet, calm and tranquillity outside?
And that is what the ‘voting finger’ needs to realise; that there is no enemy to fear, from whom you and I need protection.
Don’t get moved by the loud music, instead, ask relevant questions. Ask about cheaper food, affordable housing, money for clothes to cover yourselves and why this disturbing inflation.
The real power is ours, as long as we don’t give in to the garish music..!
Robert Clements is a newspaper columnist and author. He blogs at www.bobsbanter.com and can be reached at bobsbanter@gmail.com
