A reply to Pharoah's comment...

Firstly, my sincerest gratitude goes to you Pharoah for taking the time to visit our blog and more especially to read and respond to our posts.

Now for the matter at hand... Regarding the opinion pieces in all JMS1 blogs, I think it is fair to say that the opinions and claims expressed in these posts are: 1) merely that, opnions and 2) not referring to ALL South African or Rhodes students, but only a number of them. So what I'm saying is that the claims made in my opinion piece are like I said, not about " ALL Rhodes first yers, but MOST (in my opinion)". So NO, I am not the driver of a "Rhodents are hypocritical and xenophobic band wagon", but merely pointing out what SOME Rhodents are like.

On the point of the "recklessly thrown" statement that South African youth demand respect when they are outside South Africa... firstly what I said is that we demand FAIR treatment, and I do not think that I, or anyone else for that matter, needs to have some form of research to support such a claim. I do not think that anyone would not want to be treated fairly wherever they are. So we may not literally or actively DEMAND fair treatment, but I think it is fair (excuse the pun) to say that, fair treatment is indeed what we EXPECT.

I would also like to advise that careful reading is done by Pharoah, because nowhere in my post did I state that "foreigners only get jobs if no South Africans apply for it". Such a claim would indeed be, in your words Pharoah, a "careless assumption". Surprisingly so, it is an assumption that not I, but YOU have made. The point,that was clearly not so articulately made by me, is that it is extremely difficult to get a job in South Africa as a foreigner. If one clicks on the word foreigner in my original post, you will go to the South African Home Affairs website where one can read more on South Africa's policies regarding immigration.

True is that the youth have different issues to deal with,one of those being xenophobia, and indeed some of us are doing well with the issues and others not so well. To use your opinion Pharoah, not everyone is the same, so as much as some Rhodes students are part of those condemning xenophobic attacks and that indeed does count for something, some are not doing that. Sadly, for most, it is not at all difficult to say you're against the xenophobic attacks, but turn around and still pass comments such as the ones in my original post.

Once again, I must emphasise that these opinion pieces we have posted do not necessarily represent what we think of everyone but of some. The words in my post are definitely "pointing the guns" at the individuals in question and not everyone.

Xenophobia is indeed a real problem and I hope that this response renders as proof that we(I) are trying to end the ignorance through "FLAWLESS" arguments and NOT "RIDICULOUS" statements. I agree, more zen less phobia :)


Mad love
Mary Jane :)S :)