Having black blood pumping through your veins and living with the struggle does not colour you black. Even though the people of mixed racial decent are labeled as being black by the international community. Having white blood pumping through your arteries and sharing white culinary habits does not taint you white. The nature and history of South African society dictates that people of mixed racial decent were always categorically separated from blacks and whites.

Succumbing to the popular MTV-type opinion that decrees that if you are not white, then you are automatically black is not an option. Whether this is some covert ploy to maintain the integrity of institutionalized binary race thought of there being only two sides to the race coin or possibly, an effort to avoid addressing the connecting fiber of a seemingly white and black world – people of colour can only stake their tenure of the future by accepting their diverse cultural and genetic imprints. Coloured people are neither black nor white. If coloured people are white or black, then the apartheid government has certainly succeeded in robbing us of our identity. If black and white is the only two sides of the coin, then surely the colored is the coin.

In South Africa, the coloured identity is much more established and insular than in any other part of the world. This semblance of a coloured identity is just enough for the way forward. Beyond Identity, is a concept of racial deconstruction with the aim to dissect the precepts and borders of racial thought that continues to artificially divide. This patronizing concept of colouredness, a vestige of supremist creation, only serves to alienate people of mixed heritage in terms of unity, self-respect, self-worth and vision. Obliviously this genealogy of a colored people could be a valid account but it is irrelevant. It is irrelevant as it can just easily be the genealogy of so-called white and so-called black people.  Show me a pure bred and surely a human being would be depicted, a pure mix-breed. The stigma of being white, black or colored and colouredness has tainted and stunted the development of mankind. Tainted once but now the colorful collage are no more the derelicts of society but the ilk of a new and better tomorrow.

Being exclusive and supremist is the way of the past, the future holds that we meet each half-way at all cost to prevent another undue bloodshed. Any form of militant and radical belief in a dogma is proof enough of the rape and pillage of freedom. Freedom at the hands of bloodshed is the way of the past, freedom of the future lies with you, saying “No more segregation of any sort”. We as people, as individuals have to choose to re-address the prejudices and economic disparities that are still rife in our society.

No more segregation forged in the trenches of a currency. The bartering of the human race at any cost is  a blight  on mankind.  The trade in humans led to slavery, to fuel ancient and modern economies, which ultimately is the cornerstone of many basic human rights violations. For every human right there is a corresponding discrimination that is either legitimized or practiced somewhere in the world. An ism that divides either along racial, economic, social, religious or political lines which directly impacts in the way people respect and treat each other. Racism, for the lack of a better word, is 99% in the mind and 1% reality. Racism confined to color is a fallacy. Racism in truth is based in economics, but manifest in ethnic, cultural, regional and spiritual (to name a few) exclusions.  History proves this over and over. Being American, being South African, being British is not only about identity or nationalism but another form of racism.

Economics attached to a deviant trait of man, wanting to control others, are responsible for the poor relations between mankind. There is no suggestion that the economic system should be abolished or abandoned, on the contrary it should be revisited by a world truth and reconciliation council investigating the intention of man in relation to principles of fair economics and racial profiling; and how the practice of past economic (and foreign) policies or treaties have lead to war and division between man; and ultimately draw up an international economic and foreign charter with the interest of all people at the core.

A desired result would be that the laws that protect the rich from the poor, and the poor from the rich would be re-written to protect mankind. A classless society I hear you shout in dismay. Yes and No! Yes, as man has allowed economics and greed to destroy and decay the moral fiber upon which his existence depends. And no as your conception of a classless society, is based on a prior knowledge of class. If the concept class did not exist in the first place, you would not have known about class thus free and equal.

>> Ross Rayners <<

So, what does it mean to live as a colored or if you like in South Africa? It meant to be subjected and cajoled to the bitter taste of Afrikaner racism. It meant to live in a society martyred by hypocrisy in a state of identity psychosis. It meant an exposure to a social bigotry, a social insecurity underpinned by ignorance, fear and vulnerability. Out of this, certain perceptions and stereotypes, called ‘Colored’ naissanced, still lived today. This nuisance evolved and over time became known as the Colored Commandments or Gam Gedagtes:

* I believe that I am the best in the street where I live. Anyone who lives in a bigger house, drives a better car or whose kids attends a more expensive school is liable to receive some unfair treatment, harassment or verbal slurs from me. I believe that I am better than anyone else, and the minute that I see another colored excel, I will suppress, oppress and undermine their achievements. Even my own children.

* I believe that when I am in need, then the neighbor is obliged to give me whatever I need (like sugar, rice or even a few rands), otherwise that neighbor is not fit to be regarded as a friend or acquaintance.

* I believe that I am compelled to obtain new possessions as determined by the rate at which my neighbors or work colleagues acquire new possessions. I am entitled to have the loudest musical system, the biggest satellite dish and the most expensive clothes on the market (all clothes should be designer-labeled). Should I not be able to afford this, I am entitled to sink my heavy ass into debts that I know I will not be able to pay.

* I believe that I have the right to afford my children education on the basis that I can boast about their achievements like it was my own. I retain the right to assess scholastic progress better than the drunken teacher. Education has not worked for me; so it will work for them as long their education do not surpass mine, as I made them. My children will work for me once they have completed their studies. My children are not to think for themselves.

* I believe that I may call black people ‘kaffirs’, white people ‘whities’; asians ‘coolies’ and other coloreds ‘hotnot’, ‘gam’ or if you like. In addition, I believe that I am better than anybody is and nobody may address me as any of the above because it is politically incorrect to label me as such. Such slander is a direct violation of my basic human rights but not yours.

* I believe that all white and black people are racist. I believe that I am racially tolerant by not allowing my children to play with black children because black people slaughter animals in their yards and believe in the tokolosh. I reserve the right to protect my children against the onslaughts of the white man’s way of living, allowing their offspring economic freedom. I believe, in addition, that my child should never be independent of me otherwise I have not been a good parent.

* I believe that I am not African. I am born on the South African continent. My narrow-mindedness is more than a vice and it does indeed surpass my intellect, don’t you forget that.

* I believe that my social constitution and laws are governed by what people think of me. The perception of what other people will say determines what I believe. A proud draadsitter.

* I believe that the government owes me a house and an education due to the inequities of the past. Why should I work for what I want, as my drinking time will be cut in half and besides, the government owes me.

* I believe that all other religions are an abomination of my religion and belief in God. May they have a happy journey to hell, God bless them. My authority should not be questioned because I have the Church by my side. At least I am saved.

* I believe that once I get elected to office or any committee, as it is due to me, I will turn my back on those idiots that elected me for that position. As long as I earn a good salary, I will not do anything to uplift my community, I don’t owe them anything.

Breaching any of the commandments will afford you extra-special names like ‘coconut’, ‘traitor’ or even ‘gatkruiper’. A first offence, in most cases, will be forgiven. After that, any act shall be scrutinized and deemed suspicious. You are warned. The truth or validity of the colored commandments depends on you.

Although there are plenty of talented people in colored communities, advancement are hampered by in-fighting, bigotry and blind recourse in the colored commandments. Frankly I do not belief or adhere to The Colored Commandments, as it is nothing but perceptions and stereotypes born out of a people that were not allowed to develop their own identity. It was stunted. Now is the time for change.

Let us change the way we look at life and ourselves. Let us have Colored Gedagtes.

>> Ross Rayners <<