I’ve been very touched by the outpouring of support from a very large number of people who sent emails, left comments and even called to say a few words of encouragement to me after reading “Huhuhuhu doesn’t do me hu”. I have never been in any doubt whatsoever that I have a legion of well-wishers and I appreciate each and every one of you.
It is particularly gratifying for me that a lot of you said you’ve often had cause to disagree with the things I say and how I say them but you’ve never felt the need to ask me to shut up or be silenced. That’s the spirit. I have a right to express my ill-informed, misguided, often-biased opinions and you have a right to express your educated, objective, expert views. That’s why on this website, I’ve decided never to sift through the comments and take out the ones I don’t like.
It’s not about me. It’s not about you. It’s not about the so-called “big men”. It’s about a principle: speak your mind and let me speak mine. This is the principle that will move our nation forward (oops!) and change (another oops!) our country for the better.
I am more than grateful to those of you who accept the fact that it’s alright for me to be the “maverick” – even if you don’t like what I do. I am also grateful for those who “don’t get it” – as a friend wrote in an email to me. We may never see eye-to-eye. But I believe that without such diversity of opinions (and styles of expressing them) our nation will, as Robert Mugabe said, “move very well in the wrong direction”. Now we don’t want that, do we?
Once again, thanks!
“I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it”
– Attributed to Voltaire
