Johan Pienaar
The
word ironic seems to be used a lot in discussions about AfriForum these
days. So much so that one is almost in danger of slipping into cliché
when describing
this statement by Kallie Kriel, CEO of AfriForum as ironic.
“All the while acknowledging the principals of the promotion of mutual recognition and respect between communities.” I
will, however, follow Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng lead in this regard
when he described AfriForum’s use of the preamble to the Constitution
on court papers ironic,
given their selfish and highly insensitive attitude to other cultural
and racial groups. It only seems respectful.
One
should as a rule of thumb always be suspicious when someone is
compelled in defence of themselves to extoll their virtuous respect to
the world. It is one of those
things best said by others of you instead of by you. It is entirely
possible that I might be of course like Justice Mogoeng confused by AfriForum’s application of respect between communities. I am sure that
Kallie Kriel would be happy to correct any such misunderstandings
on my part. Allow me some possibly not so respectful questions then.
How
for instance did AfriForum respect rape survivors, sadly, not an
insignificant percentage of womxn by ridiculing rape culture in the
Western Cape High Court as
“rape lite”?
Was
it respectful to these survivors when in the affidavits presented to
Judge Donen AfriForum first questioned whether, in fact, a womxn was a
rape survivor and then
saying that they can’t understand why a rape survivor would be at a
protest?
Am
I just failing to see the respect when Afriforum under oath tells a
rape survivor that if she felt unsafe and threatened, by what Judge
Donen described as sexual
assault and intimidation of the survivor by AfriForum supporters and/or
employees, that she could simply have left the scene?
Should
I think that it is respectful that AfriForum conducts an internal
investigation into the sexual assault and intimidation of womxn on the
campus of Stellenbosch
University yet doesn’t know the names of the victims? Should these women
have felt respected when under oath AfriForum stated that they didn’t
need to know their names to conduct the investigation?
Is
the way Kallie Kriel as CEO of AfriForum shows respect to women by
ignoring the conduct and rape culture of his supporters and employees,
even after a damning judgment
was delivered in the High Court?
Am
I to read their frivolous application for an interdict in order to try
and silence me at huge legal cost to myself as respect for my right to
Freedom of Speech?
Judge Donen didn’t.
How
about respect for the right of Afrikaans newspapers to differ from them
– or will they threaten consumer boycotts to show how much they respect
the rights of others
to exercise their freedom of speech?
How about their advocate Johann Hamman’s claim in court that I could not rely upon the Constitution in my defence?
Did
AfriForum intend to how respect to the rights of their political
opponents to a peaceful protest when they flew down employees from their
offices to confront them
and ultimately cause the violence which erupted on campus? Once again
these are the words of Judge Donen, not myself.
Did
they show respect for the right to expression of Afrikaner-students who
disagree with them when they violently ripped posters from the statue
that said “AfriForum praat nie namens my nie? Was this possibly some tactical defence of
their freedom of expression?
Is
AfriForum promoting mutual recognition and respect between communities
when their supporters use their social media and internet platforms for
the vilest, unrepeatable
racism and personal insults without ever publically admonishing them or
taking legal action against them as they have done when black
individuals engage in such action?
Is
mutual respect the agenda of their employees when they lead social
media witch hunts against commentators and individuals who disagree with
them?
And
is the whites-only, womxn deprived management structure of AfriForum an
ingenious way for an organisation who claims to defend our
transformative constitution
to respect and recognise other communities?
I probably just don’t understand what respect is.
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