NAMIBIA can no longer ignore the alarm bells of disintegrating values and responsibility on nearly every level, that must be recognised before it can be addressed.
The problem is that tried and tested values of Namibian communities are subjected to a tyranny of a minority who also treat the silence and tolerance of the silent majority with contempt.
Namibians are being robbed of their innocence and insulted as primitive or ignorant, because they maintain traditions and deeply entrenched cultural rules that their communities live and die by.
The vocal minority and individual rebels without causes portray countrymen and women as backward and simple-minded because they live by simple and uncomplicated rules and don’t demand much.
By now, Namibians have learned through the wonder of technology that those who shouts the loudest do not care the most, but only about themselves. The silent majority and law-abiding victims suffers the most, but bear their burden in silence and with bravery.
That is why the loudest until today did not lift a finger to run to the defence of women who are betrayed on social media platforms as prostitutes and the successful in life as suspects of vice. That is shameful cowardice only overtaken by arrogance. While they spit venom the mothers cry tears of blood and the choir of self-interest is not there to wipe the tears.
However, the very least they are entitled to is respect for an uncomplicated way of life and therefore they should not be the prey of the political ambitious who float from opportunity to opportunity.
The most basic values of Namibians are simple and it cannot be replaced by values across the oceans and in foreign lands of the vast corners of the world.
Off course, Namibia is the product of the international community, but what Namibia cannot and should never be is the slave of imported influences that erode their core values.
The vast differences between the South African and Namibian history, society and liberation should also be appreciated by everyday Namibians.
A lot of popular slogans of the past have not only lost their meaning and purpose due to a growing sense of nationhood, but became unacceptable in today’s Namibia. The struggle for Namibia was FOR freedom as an independent nation, while South Africans fought against apartheid.
But much worse than racial discrimination is the ethical discrimination and superiority of principle. It simply means that personal values above all else are paraded as the only standard under the cover of innocence and a pretence of general kindness.
Unfortunately the arrogant will never ponder the possibility of being wrong, but will always point an accusing finger at the honest, good, hard-working and law-abiding members of society.
The fact of Namibia is that nearly all Namibians from all walks of life are trying to do good by others and mean well. Most will always try again, not matter how many times they are disappointed or fail, because to be good far outstrips the desire to be evil.
Namibians are not going to make progress in establishing national and unshakeable core values as long as the absence of values are tolerated and contempt for human life of a few are casting a shadow of doubt on the decent and silent majority with core values.
Some of the most lasting traditions of Namibia that can rightly claim credit for peace and reconciliation is that everybody was brought up to love their neighbour. The generosity of a culture of care and share is legendary and as old as Namibian history itself.
There are communities where it is a taboo to send a stranger away without offering them something to drink or to eat and it is so important to their pride that they will share the last scrap with the most disagreeable of strangers.
In general, Namibians believe that a handshake is a bond and it is common to introduce people to each other where they shake hands on meeting.
Most Namibians are educated by their grandmothers and they revere their grandfathers as the protectors and the lions of the community. Grandmothers are still today bringing up more children than parents, because it is a norm and a fine tradition.
Namibians generally are accepting responsibility for their mistakes and additionally most are brought up that to apologise is not enough, but there is a price to pay and that damage must be repaired to heal wounds.
Most importantly, the weak of society must be protected and assisted.
The emergency rooms cannot be where the rivers of blood of women and children meet, and the police stations are the walls on which citizens pound their fist in despair because the animals caught are released to go on a continuous rampage.
In a society that took it upon itself to judge every next citizen and look for the worst there will be not justice left, because there will be no Namibian standard to hold them to.
To make matters worse, the minimum standard of almost every Namibian are accused of being too high, too harsh and too old-fashioned to be regarded as reasonable.
The biggest pain to bear is to see innocent people looking if they themselves are not guilty, or contributed in any way to the bad decisions and actions of others.
When the innocent feels guilty about the evil of others, the guilty first go free and then on a rampage.
Namibians must not lose their innocence, and let the guilty get amnesty.
Only then Namibia will be free, because it is just.
