U2 are in South Africa - traversing continents in a big boat with a giant claw and one heck of a live show. Their frontman does a series of roundtable press conferences and is asked what he thinks about the song "Shoot the Boer" (A Boer being Afrikaans for Farmer).
A loaded question that he would have been wise to swerve.
(As Background: The song has been used by the ANC Youth Leader Julius Malema to exhort his colleagues to action. Resulting in some people taking it literally. And in Malema getting what we call here "a good klap" from the senior ANC stalwarts: who know that this won't end well for anyone. However the old boys have a problem controlling Julius. See, they have been using him as a mouth to freely say the things they aren't brave enough to say themselves. So he just gave them the finger and took himself off to Harare to sing a duet with Bob Mugabe. Who just loved the whole idea. "Been doing it for YEARS, m'boy ...")
But I digress. So - the reporter asks the question, Bono shoulders bravely up and responds that there is a time and a place to sing these songs. In fact he and his uncles used to sing Irish Republican Army songs round the kitchen table when he was a wee lad. And, he continued, while struggle songs had a role to play it would be "pretty dumb" to play them in a "certain community".
Everyone immediately gets their broekies in a huge tangle ... and there's lots of throwing of tickets into rivers and howls of disapproval and slapping down of the race card ... how dare this upstart rockstar support the ANC's resident sayer of the unsayable. It's tantamount to a call to arms.
Steve Hofmeyer, a South African recording artist who is Afrikaans and a pretty argumentative fella, takes it all to heart. And, after ditching his tickets in the Jukskei, writes a parody of U2's Sunday Bloody Sunday (http://stevehofmeyr.co.za/website) and everybody's knickers take another twist as they turn on Steve. (Who once poured cold tea over a journalist because he blamed her for breaking up his marriage ... there's a civil protest for you)
And off all the aunties go again ... Round Two.
I am thinking about all this silliness last night as I am watching U2 show Cape Town the meaning of a good time; and I realise I really respect both of these men. Steve and Bono say what they think. And each puts his money where his mouth is. Bono into his charity. Steve into the river.
Freedom of speech and expression is freedom of speech and expression. And must include all aspects of that spectrum. Sometimes provocation and incitement are dangerous. Sometimes provocation and incitement are necessary to bring about freedom. Look at what has just happened in Egypt. Wouldn't have happened if everyone had just shut the hell up and stayed home.
If we determine what is allowed to be said and who it is allowed to be said by - however distasteful we personally might find the sentiments; that is censorship. Censorship and Freedom of Speech are incompatible bedfellows.
Any country that allows for Freedom of Speech, is then able to formulate laws to govern unacceptable behaviour that might arise from individual interpretations of that freedom. So, sing a song because you are pissed off with the way things are - we aren't going to jail you. However, we reserve the right to keep an eye on your behaviour.
Shoot anyone, regardless of why ... and you will be tried for murder.
