A Dark New Era

It was many years ago, that wise men wrote, courageous men spoke, determined men preached and frustrated men protested. All this in the name of equality. An entire generation plagued by the grim consequences of racism. Yes, it was many a decade ago. So how far have we come? Where are we now? We are at the crossroads of a new era of oppression. A time where no man can freely speak his mind. Everyone avoids the major issues, sweeps them under the rug.

Our basic right to voice our thoughts has been systematically taken away from us. How did a fight so noble, an effort so worthy, a struggle so immense result in the eventual birth of trivial self justifications. This certainly wasn’t Martin Luther King’s dream. Where all men “pretend” to be impartial. Where instead of a cease in racism, ALL other races have jumped into that very loop. Where people fail to call it like it is, suddenly it seems more important for one to cover their back by giving endless, empty speeches.

I speak not of one race, but of all races. All we are left with is a ’shadow’ of freedom of speech. People no longer talk because too many ‘no-go’ areas exist. Gone are the days when being moody or unfriendly was called just that. Nowadays……..it’s called racism, whether black, white, red or blue alike. So how do we know where to draw the line? When will we learn how to differentiate? Everyone ignores the real wrong doings. Many have allowed ignorance to take over, it’s not about showing your dentals, it’s not about the small talk, that doesn’t prove a thing. It’s about your attitude, it’s about your character, it’s about your inner sentiments. How long will we fail to make this simple differentiation. It’s no wonder grim, atrocious crimes go unsolved, they’re too busy trying to figure out what to say to not ’seem’ racist.

Yes, thankfully the once publicly displayed racism has been scrapped but unfortunately has been replaced by a new era of subtle racism. The biggest difference now is that it springs from all races and everyone is trying to cover it up. The back and forth under-breathed bickering has erupted a volcano of uncertainties.

But it’s not just about the race card. This gruesome oppression has taken all forms. People are not even allowed to express their thoughts about their own jobs. I think of many scenarios and in almost all of them, I’d have to ‘watch what i say’. Be it  a job, politics, social networks, name it. Yes, we’ve been robbed of our basic right, from under our noses.

So how will we tackle this new era? How will we voice our concerns, when our voices are systematically silenced. Everyday brings a new frustration, where any comment, petty as it may be, raises unnecessary arguments and fruitless fault finding. It’s time we re-visited the problem in order to realise that the solution we have chosen has given birth to a stream of toddler problems and further complications. We’ve taken 1 step forward and 2 steps back. When WILL we finally all just get along?