The video of a school going boy spewing expletives has rightly confirmed that the society is busy ‘eating’ itself morally. The young boy is obviously doing what he has seen done and sanctioned by the adults around him, and while his actions, especially words are to be condemned, we equally need to examine what we have contributed to such behaviour in our society.
While it is therapeutic to express one's emotions, it is not acceptable to express our feelings in a way that might hurt others. The boy wanted to show what he felt about a schoolmate but he chose to go public, thereby exposing the recipient in light. Isn’t this what our leaders do every day? Painting other people in bad light is where politicians rank highly. We are daily treated to an array of political tantrums that border on the absurd and as a country, we celebrate or get hurt depending on the political divide that we fall to.
The case of politicians openly referring to national leaders as ‘mshenzi’, ‘mtoto wa mbwa’ , ‘mwizi’, ‘mganga’ etc have obviously reached our young kids through the media. Kids cannot be blamed for doing what leaders we look up to are doing on a daily basis.
Whereas such behaviour and speeches are expected during campaigns, it is totally reckless to witness the same during such serious activities as during debates in the various county assemblies, religious functions, and even funerals. Cases of politicians fighting in Parliament, in churches, and during funerals are almost becoming the ‘norm’ and children watch and sooner than later copy and practice the bad manners.
How do we blame these children when a ‘bishop’ is still trending for using unacceptable language on his congregants?
Bomet