Why Ethiopians Should “Speak Life”
A friend sent me a link to “Speak Life” by Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley. The song came out two years ago and currently has close to 34 million views on YouTube. The music was shot in Ethiopia while Damian Marley was on the African continent for a tour. After listening to the song a few times, I took a moment to reflect on the powerful lyrics and the timeliness of the message for all humanity, especially Ethiopians.
If you have been following what is happening in Ethiopia, I can assume that you have been filled with frustration, helplessness, sadness and anger. We are at war with ourselves, with each other, and if you are like me, this is weighting heavy on your heart. Things like this stops us from seeing things clearly and it stops us from living.
Most Ethiopians may not agree about the best solutions to the country’s biggest problems and current issues. But while those disagreements are fierce, they are not as strong as their feelings of distrust, dislike and disdain for people who belong to the opposing political parties or ethnic groups. We have way too many social media accounts dedicated to a specific ethnic group/political party which enables people to live in information and opinion bubbles, and makes those with opposing views seem more abnormal and evil, but this needs to change. The way we talk to our fellow humans becomes their inner voice over time. We all understand how hateful and derogatory words can cause hurt. Our words resonate and they have a significant impact.
Let me encourage us then to be mindful before we post anything on social media, before we send an email, before we respond to another brother or sister, let us think about our intention and how our message impacts others. I hope this beautiful music video inspired you to “Speak Life” in your personal life, and to those you interact with in real life and online. I will leave you with the music video and the following lines from the song that touched me the most…
How we can keep repeating our history
Making the same mistakes as our ancestry
Seems like all of life lessons missed we
It's risky So give praises
One day you may find your oasis
Rise up to the challenge you're faced with
Be hopeful and creative You'll make it
It's basics People been doin' it for ages
In many other cultures and places
On a regular basis
There's so many cases
Let's face it
Way too much time has been wasted Building military bases
Fighting our war with no bases Life is sacred
