I am thinking about Thomas Sankara and what his politics have taught me about relationships. It is a lesson I only very recently understood - almost 4 years after first reading the works of Sankara. Let us reflect on Sankaras views on the expenditure of public servants. When he became the president of Burkina Faso in 1983, one of the first things he did was to abolish the norm of civil servants being chauffer-driven in Mercedes Benzes and flying First Class. Sankara argued that there is no reason why the people of Burkina Faso must pay exhorbitant taxes to sustain the lifestyles of civil servants. He argued that most Burkinabe cannot afford to own even a cheap car, yet they must pay taxes for people to fly First Class. He said, and I might not be quoting him verbatim: First Class means you get to have a bigger chair, more space to stretch yourself and be given a glass of champagne every few minutes. Is this what our people, who toil so hard and are struggling to put a meal on their tables, must pay for? Public servants will from this point onwards travel normal Economy Class. That plane is going to the same destination, so whether we travel First Class or Economy Class, we will get to the same destination. And if it crashes, then whether we were in First Class or Economy Class, we are going to die the same brutal way. You see, it took me a while to tell my person that I love him. I am sure this baffled him, but I finally explained it to him recently. I said to him the reason for the delay in declaring my love is because I have said those words repeatedly without understanding the depth of their meaning and the responsibility that comes with saying them. In the past I used to say them simply because I genuinely did love, but not because I really understood the responsibility one is taking when they declare to love someone. I Love You is not just three words to be said in a moment of passion - it is a commitment to something bigger. It is a responsibility, and a big one at that. So when you say you are a Sankarist, you must know the responsibility that comes with this proclamation. You are committing to something big, something which is becoming a herculean task in this society characterised by the worst elements of crass materialism. So do not say you are a Sankarist unless you are prepared to take the responsibility that comes with defending the legacy of such an upright man. In the same breath, do not tell people you love them unless you are prepared to take the responsibility that comes with love, which is, above all else, the complete subjugation of ones selfishness, in whatever manifestation it comes in...
Posted on: Sun, 16 Nov 2014 06:12:35 +0000
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