Ban the old South African flag

When Springbok captain John Smit explained to those who had waived the old flags in the faces of him and his team that the players were aware of the fact that they were playing for all South Africans not just a minority, he captured right there the essence of the debate.

The old South African flag represents a minority while the new an entire country.

Though some are going to great lengths to point out that the old flag has not been banned and that waving it is not illegal they are missing the point. It is offensive to the vast majority of the people of this country because it was one of the primary symbols of apartheid. It stood for whites only, passbooks and any number of other evils that flowed from that system.

In essence by waving it you are throwing that in the faces of your countrymen and women and rejoicing over a disgraceful period in our history.

Yet even if it were only offensive to a minority would that make it any better?

How would Jews and other people feel, if for example, people started waving swastikas and Nazi flags around?

Does the fact that the law may not ban something highly offensive make it alright to trot it out?

Of course the big argument being put forward is that it constitutes freedom of speech and expression. People should be allowed to do and say things that are within the law no matter how offensive we may find that.

I am a great advocate of just that proposition.

However we must have regard to the fact that while the act itself is legal the consequences may well not be. By waving a red flag in front of a bull (get it … flags and bulls — after the debates this week) you are inciting violence.

Of course this will raise the question of who is inciting the violence; the flag waver or the party who reacts to its legal (and immoral) display?

I believe that is irrelevant — if it is going to create situations which lead to assault and much worse, get rid of it.

Yes I have campaigned strongly for the Springbok emblem but that is an entirely separate debate in which the ANC themselves have sanctioned it. Here we are dealing with an in-your-face effrontery by those seeking to confront the government and other races.

All South Africans have a flag that stands loud and proud for us all and as such there is no need for the old one, it should be banned.