When Did We Become Livestock?

They called us the generation that will slay this beast of negative ethnicity, but they were acutely misled. This is the generation that will feed it, fatten it enough and then lead us to slaughter. Education does not cure squat. Not even education up to the university level. That is why I logged onto Facebook only to find a person who has apparently been given ‘the power to read’ post something along the lines of “Even his naive and sheepish community and supporters won’t want anything to do with RAO!”

We do not have to agree when it comes to politics. That is the essence of politics. It is founded upon disagreement. But really, why would a person want to dab a whole community as naïve and sheepish? Liken it to a creature that cannot think for itself?

See, I know campus people come from all over the country, and it is here that intercultural friendships are forged. When students go to the streets to riot, however flimsy the reason may be, they are united by one common chant: Comrades Power.

Comrades Power, as I understand it, is not just another slogan bandied about every time a fly buzzes past. In fact, a person you call a comrade is one you are ready to bleed for. A comrade is like family. Someone you are really willing to die for, so you live for it. In the thick of things, when tear gas burns your face, or when your HELB loan runs out a little prematurely, or when you forget the value of x in the exam, it is this comrade that comes through for you. At that point when it really matters, you do not view them as a member of that tribe who has issues with the government.

Come to think of it, when you are seven students in a room past midnight, each struggling to keep awake with a can of Diet Coke on one hand, and a stack of miraa on the other, trying to beat that assignment deadline together, do you really care about which part of the country he comes from?

Onyango at that moment is not a Luo but a study mate, Waitherero is not just a kuyu but a partner, and so is Kiptoo, Mwaibale and Osman.

However, when you go to Facebook, you call an entire tribe a cabal of vainglorious sheeple and feel okay with it. Reason flies out of the window.

Perhaps I am biased because a comrade called my tribe stupid. Perhaps I take it too personally, you, dear readers do not have to. But you will agree with me that in light of the recent mboms! we need to measure our words through three faculties: Is it kind, is it true, and most importantly, is it necessary. Because when we fail to think before we speak, our words stink.