THAT Donald Trump might be the next US president is scary. That a black man who went to a Trump rally was told he would not be attacked, is scary. The scary bit is that Trump’s followers thought it necessary to protect a black stranger entering their rally.
I confess to having no idea whether that actually happened. Based on media reports of racial and religious bigotry accompanied by violence and threats of violence at Trump rallies, including a black protester being punched in the face by a Trump supporter, it might have happened. But where it really did happen was in SA, at an Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) rally.
It was not a black man who was promised safety, but a white man. The white man was me. I heard boisterous chanting near my home, so went to investigate. A friendly black security guard warned me against proceeding around the corner because, he said, it would be dangerous.
"Why?" I asked. "It’s an EFF rally," he said. "Why is that dangerous?"
He pointed to his head as if signifying mental illness and said: "They’re crazy. Even Parliament isn’t safe with them."
When I arrived at the toyi-toying gathering in red, a human tunnel opened, at the end of which was someone in authority. He accepted my extended hand and held it as we spoke.
"What’s happening?" I asked.
"We’re recruiting for the EFF, but don’t worry, you won’t be attacked, you’re safe with us. We’ll protect you," he said. He kept repeating safety assurances during our ensuing chat.
The answers of EFF leader Julius Malema’s follower to policy questions were ominously Trump-like. They amounted to vacuous promises that an EFF government would provide bountiful black advancement, jobs and prosperity. Companies and workers would be protected from foreign competition and migrants. We would have corruption-free government.
Oh yes, and whites would be safe.
"What will your job-creation policy be?" I asked. "Trust me, we’ll create jobs," he said, as if scripted by Trump.
"How will you attract investment?"
"We don’t want foreign exploitation, neo-colonial or foreign investment and imports."
After a final assurance that I would not be attacked, I reciprocated their hospitality by promising not to attack them, and asked why I might be endangered rather than recruited. He did not seem to understand the question.
"Do you want to recruit me?" I asked pointedly. "Don’t worry, we won’t harm you."
When I returned past the quizzical guard, I asked why, instead of recruiting me, they said they would not attack me.
"Because you’re white," he explained.
He was unimpressed by their assurances. He said they work by intimidation.
The similarity between Trump and Malema is scary. Scariest of all is that they live in countries that take them seriously. They epitomise führer-like bluster. They come across as racists and bigots. They are divisive and stir the passions of followers with emotion, not policies. They are for protectionism, indigenisation and anti-immigration extremism.
They are rich, yet appeal to poor, uneducated, uninformed and potentially violent sycophants. They believe in omnipotent Big Brother government. That they are Tweedledee and Tweedledum reveals the extent to which the difference between the "left" and the "right" is more apparent than real. The alternative to both is personal and economic freedom.
Just as people at a Trump rally might think of protecting rather than recruiting a black stranger, no one at the EFF rally tried recruiting a white stranger, not even when he suggested the opportunity.
• Louw is executive director of the Free Market Foundation
The similarity between Donald Trump (left) and Julius Malema is scary, says the writer. Picture: RETUERS/SUNDAY TIMES
THAT Donald Trump might be the next US president is scary. That a black man who went to a Trump rally was told he would not be attacked, is scary. The scary bit is that Trump’s followers thought it necessary to protect a black stranger entering their rally.
I confess to having no idea whether that actually happened. Based on media reports of racial and religious bigotry accompanied by violence and threats of violence at Trump rallies, including a black protester being punched in the face by a Trump supporter, it might have happened. But where it really did happen was in SA, at an Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) rally.
It was not a black man who was promised safety, but a white man. The white man was me. I heard boisterous chanting near my home, so went to investigate. A friendly black security guard warned me against proceeding around the corner because, he said, it would be dangerous.
"Why?" I asked. "It’s an EFF rally," he said. "Why is that dangerous?"
He pointed to his head as if signifying mental illness and said: "They’re crazy. Even Parliament isn’t safe with them."
When I arrived at the toyi-toying gathering in red, a human tunnel opened, at the end of which was someone in authority. He accepted my extended hand and held it as we spoke.
"What’s happening?" I asked.
"We’re recruiting for the EFF, but don’t worry, you won’t be attacked, you’re safe with us. We’ll protect you," he said. He kept repeating safety assurances during our ensuing chat.
The answers of EFF leader Julius Malema’s follower to policy questions were ominously Trump-like. They amounted to vacuous promises that an EFF government would provide bountiful black advancement, jobs and prosperity. Companies and workers would be protected from foreign competition and migrants. We would have corruption-free government.
Oh yes, and whites would be safe.
"What will your job-creation policy be?" I asked. "Trust me, we’ll create jobs," he said, as if scripted by Trump.
"How will you attract investment?"
"We don’t want foreign exploitation, neo-colonial or foreign investment and imports."
After a final assurance that I would not be attacked, I reciprocated their hospitality by promising not to attack them, and asked why I might be endangered rather than recruited. He did not seem to understand the question.
"Do you want to recruit me?" I asked pointedly. "Don’t worry, we won’t harm you."
When I returned past the quizzical guard, I asked why, instead of recruiting me, they said they would not attack me.
"Because you’re white," he explained.
He was unimpressed by their assurances. He said they work by intimidation.
The similarity between Trump and Malema is scary. Scariest of all is that they live in countries that take them seriously. They epitomise führer-like bluster. They come across as racists and bigots. They are divisive and stir the passions of followers with emotion, not policies. They are for protectionism, indigenisation and anti-immigration extremism.
They are rich, yet appeal to poor, uneducated, uninformed and potentially violent sycophants. They believe in omnipotent Big Brother government. That they are Tweedledee and Tweedledum reveals the extent to which the difference between the "left" and the "right" is more apparent than real. The alternative to both is personal and economic freedom.
Just as people at a Trump rally might think of protecting rather than recruiting a black stranger, no one at the EFF rally tried recruiting a white stranger, not even when he suggested the opportunity.
• Louw is executive director of the Free Market Foundation
Change: 1.19%
Change: 1.36%
Change: 2.19%
Change: 1.49%
Change: -0.77%
Data supplied by Profile Data
Change: -0.19%
Change: 0.69%
Change: 1.19%
Change: 0.00%
Change: 0.44%
Data supplied by Profile Data
Change: 0.62%
Change: 0.61%
Change: 0.23%
Change: 0.52%
Change: 0.12%
Data supplied by Profile Data
Change: -0.21%
Change: -1.22%
Change: -0.69%
Change: -0.51%
Change: 0.07%
Data supplied by Profile Data