NO WOMAN, NO CRY

Bob Marley the prophet was on par when, in his rendition; ‘No Woman, No Cry’ intoned words that reflected an emotional and physical detachment, brought about by perpetrators of racial prejudice between women and men during our pre-democratic state. Everyone embraced this song during those days as it spoke volumes with the masses against the oppressor and its symbolic meaning for liberation and hope. Therefore compelled the government of the day to censor or ban such intones from this country. However, what people did not realize was that this rendition had a paradoxical intone embedded in it.

In today’s society, ‘No woman, No Cry’ depicts a somewhat different social revolutionary statement, that’s between matriarchal and patriarchal forces. The playing-grounds of this neo-revolutionary state have changed to a certain extent from pre-democratic racial South Africa. The rules of engagement have altered people’s perceptions in their societal existence and norms; evidently, endorsed by freedom.

Democracy: liberated black men and black women - conversely, democracy took away from society the moral stance that keeps the human torch burning in its core from its habitual norms. In Marley’s paradoxical rendition, he cries: “Good friends we had, good friends we’ve lost…No woman, No cry” Who are these friends that Marley is referring to? It is evident that Marley was pointing towards modern-day women, who not only look down on men, but are willing to cast them out from the societal responsibilities, as protector and provider.

Matriarchal domination in business has created a paradigm shift, which render masculine powers useless in relationships and corporate environments. These days women are given first preference when it comes to issues of employment as oppose to men and that is a fact. Fact: women want to dominate jobs that are preordained for masculine domination, in spite of their inadequate physical disposition. Fact: no woman will pay a man for sitting at home doing nothing, no matter how much they love each other; a man can do that. Fact: when a man has no money, there is no relationship. Fact: a woman can’t do it all on her own and bare children without male assistance; those who claim to be fine about it all, their liars. Fact: a man can look after five women with children on a single salary. Fact: no woman does that, if there are, there are few. Fact: a woman won’t pay Lobola, clear and precise.

We as a society are killing the very bases of our nation, by cutting the heads that are meant to be protectors and providers. Having grown-up without a father figure in my life, I wouldn’t want to get involved with a woman who sees me as inadequate as a man. I would want a woman who will appreciate me as my mother does regardless of money or no money.

However, the current status qua that aims at preventing men from reaching their most high in business acumen and family environment by favouring women only is not what every man signed up for in birth. Just as no woman signed up for sexual abuse, physical abuse and emotional abuse. No man in his right mind would want to have children and be unable to provide for them, emotionally and physical. Without a job or financial assistance, a man is no man. Therefore, many men abscond from their duties of fatherhood by either denial or escapism.

We speak about mentorship for young women and schools for girls. Tell me this; will these boys growing up in today’s society match the standards that are given to young women currently. When they reach manhood, will they be adequate providers and protectors? On the other hand, will they also find some kind of escapism or deny the whole shebang of having children and a family to look after?

Patriarchal domination was and still is in all facets of society a pale façade to comprehend and agree to. Mainly due to men that abuse the system; men who see women as tools of their sexual satisfaction and things that are designed to be dominated. Repression in any form is repression, whether it is emotional or physical and it needs to be expunged from all social spheres.

Every man should think of himself as a father of their nation - a man who views and reflect from every sector of life and societal vicissitudes, thus act accordingly to bring harmony to all societal problems that arise in the nation. In countries like Afghanistan, women are still seen as symbols of ridicule and inferior to their male counterparts. There are still to this day, tortured and killed without condemnation from that country’s lawmakers.

We as South Africans need to be very careful as to how we spread equality amongst men and women. This needs to be done in a way that benefits everyone and lives no capable man or capable woman from any element that brings a revolutionary change that is beneficiary to our society. Our statute; from the constitution to our lawmakers, in every bill and every act needs to cater for change that is gradual and unimposing.

Any man who loves women knows that it is tough to live without them. Women are nurturing and intuitive beings who makes men what they are. “No woman, no cry. No woman, no cry x2. I remember when we use to sit in the government yard in trench-town…..little daughter don’t shed no tears, little sister don’t shed no tears. Everything is gonna be already…” Bob Marley was certainly on par: “No Woman, No Cry” Without women, men are nothing and without men, women are jointly nothing.

As society, we must come together and rectify the sins of the past, not by being gender bias, however by bringing equality to all, utilizing the proper channels. Not by ousting or utilizing discriminatory tactics that will leave half the nation with hatred in their hearts. Let’s not dent this nation with an emotional detachment that will be hard to mend. A future stain, which will be hard to wash away; in future. Where our dear little daughter will shed tears, little sister will shed tears. Where everything ain’t gonna be already. Is that the future we want?

WORD TO A NEW REVOLUTION