ISSUES AT STAKE: Enter the world of positivity and be the change
The #ImStaying group was published on Facebook on 7 September, and has already exploded to well over 500 000 followers, with popular posts focusing on unity and paying it forward through the principle of oneness that can be achieved by sharing ourselves with others
In the space of just one month, a grass roots social media movement has swept up hundreds of thousands of South Africans in a tsunami of positivity and hope.
The #ImStaying group was published on Facebook on 7 September, and has already exploded to well over 500 000 followers, with popular posts focusing on unity and paying it forward through the principle of oneness that can be achieved by sharing ourselves with others.
At a time when our country is the subject of scorn overseas for its xenophobic attacks, with politicians using podiums to drive a wedge of racial division, this avalanche of goodwill from ordinary South Africans could not have come at a better time.
Amid the countless wrongs within our country and the massive challenges we face daily, the reality on the ground is that the majority of South Africans coexist peacefully, flourishing in their different spheres of influence, schools, universities and communities.
And this is what the social media group aims to achieve.
Started by Jarred Petzer, the page is dedicated to South Africans who willingly want to create a positive society by breaking the walls of division and thereby create a unified country.
For some time, South Africans have been yearning for a whirlwind moment to bind us together, similar to the 1995 Rugby World Cup victory and the 2010 Soccer World Cup.
The patriotism that exudes from these daily posts have sent rays of light amid the gloom of a broken nation.
The platform has no room for negativity, racism, gender bias and negative advertising – something we are bombarded with on every social media platform.
It’s disappointing that any news item can quickly become a racial debate as unfiltered comments are posted with no fear of repercussion.
Daily we see this sort of irresponsible online behaviour on the ZO social media pages – people using any opportunity to ignite racial hate speech.
To these perpetrators, I urge you to visit the #ImStaying page. You will find good news stories and inspiring accounts from people within our country who have loved and helped each other in dark times.
It celebrates little moments only we as South Africans can understand the context of the story. It laughs and enjoys our differences… but most of all, it celebrates the one thing we all have in common… we are South African and we are proud of it.
If you have lost hope that we will ever fix this country and restore human dignity and respect for one another, visit this inspiring platform.
Share your good story or transform your mindset by reading and reminding yourself why we choose to live here and why we love our country and the rainbow people in it.
And if you decide to type thoughtless, racially slurred and derogatory comments, you will be blocked.
Negativity is flushed out the moment it rears its ugly head.
We can learn a lot from this Facebook page about how we can make our country a better place to live in for our generation and those to come.
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