We had our fair share to say about #FeesMustFall last week, we don’t really need to recap just how inspiring it was to see our country’s youth rise up together and unite behind a common cause.

A lady called Batia Efrat wrote a piece that has generated a massive buzz, the title of which is ‘Five Things White People Must Stop Saying About #FeesMustFall’. If your Facebook newsfeed was anything like mine it was probably a healthy mix of informed debate and ignorant rants, which is why an article like this will always open such a heated dialogue.

Over to Batia with some excerpts from that post:

I am white but my activism isn’t. It used to be, before I understood what white privilege means and how – even without my knowledge – it has assisted me and worked in my favour from the moment I was born. Privilege is a complicated topic; the sheer word evokes a knee-jerk reaction in those who don’t truly understand what it means. Though I am not going to educate readers on the concept in this particular piece, I do recommend that those who still believe that white privilege is a myth take the time to read up about it…

I’ve put together a list of things which I feel that white South Africans need to stop saying in regard to the #FeesMustFall movement. These misconceptions are not only harmful ideas for those who convey them but such bigotry puts a dent in the victory and accomplishments of our youth movement; and they need to stop. Today.

She then goes on to highlight each of the five things individually, although I will just touch on three for the sake of brevity:

If you voted for the ANC you can’t complain.

Regardless of who you voted for in the most recent elections, everybody has the right to access education. In fact, the ANC promised “free education for all” as part of one of its campaigns to glean more votes. I am not going to waste time by pointing fingers at members of our democracy – the bigger issue at stake is why the ANC refuses to address the #FeesMustFall movement with any seriousness. EDIT: ANC has shifted the blame by “accusing university management and analysts of being underhanded”.

Disillusionment with the ANC party grew when President Jacob Zuma and Higher Education Minister Blade Ndzimande denied the request to show leadership by directly addressing protesters outside of Parliament. Since then new hashtags have come to life including #ANCMustFall which is gaining momentum quickly….

If you can’t afford university, you don’t deserve to be there.

This is one of the more crude statements to appear on my newsfeed over the last few days – and it reeks of classism. The reason there is such a huge wage gap between white and black folk in South Africa is no mystery; and the people who put forth naïve ideals such as this one are the same people who believe that “race does not matter” and “we must all just forget about apartheid.” While there are certain benefits for black people within the “new South Africa” such as BEE, many black South Africans are still trapped in the web of poverty which stems from a history of oppression…

I had to work hard to pay my way through university and now they want it to be given to them for free.

This is where white privilege really comes into play: failure to recognise that the finishing line for you is always that much closer than it is for a person of colour. No, privilege does not mean everything in your life has been smooth sailing and opportunities have fallen onto your plate and you’ve never had to lift a finger to achieve them. Privilege simply means that whether you realise it or not, society has worked in your favour which has made it possible for you to reap benefits sufficient to the work you’ve put in. The area you lived in as a child, the school you attended, the fact that you had running water and electricity growing up, the internet connection you are using to read this article, the surname you were given, the accent which you developed – these things which are so often taken for granted matter. Though these privileges can seem mandatory, they are in fact luxuries which many people of colour do not have.

Batia then ends with this compelling argument:

My point is: don’t be so quick to invalidate another person’s struggle based on your own experience. Nobody is belittling your hardships but it is your social responsibility to check your privilege next time you feel like discrediting somebody else’s suffering. You do not have to feel guilty for being born as a white person. You are not a bad human being. All you have to do is recognise that you’ve been given the upper-hand in a world which is designed to work against black people. So when you bash someone else’s struggle, do not be offended when you are called insensitive, racist or conceited. Instead, realise you are in a position of power which can be used to help uplift those who have been marginalised.

All South Africans will never agree wholeheartedly on just how effective (and necessary) the #FeesMustFall protests were, but it does wonders to see someone offer rational reasoning as to why it pays to put yourselves in another’s shoes once in a while.

You can see a selection of some photos from Friday’s Union Building protests HERE and read Batia’s post in full HERE.

[source:otlmedia]