Appologies for the late post, but having just eturned from South Africa yesterday and attending classes all day yesterday and today, things have been relatively hectic. After the dissolution of the group, my brother and I hopped on a bus for nearly a 24 hour bus ride through the South African interior from Cape Town to Durban via Bloemfontein. While the bus ride was long and eventful, the end result was not.
The purpose of our travel to Durban was to visit with our maternal grandmother for 3 days before returning to the states. Our grandmother was vehemently anti-apartheid, and while she was not an activ or violent demonstrator, she definitely fought battles in her own way. She has two adoted Black children, whom she took in at a time when it was not actually possible for her to legally adopt a Black child. Her first Black child, Patrick, she actuaally took in in the 70s, in the thicket of the apartheid era. She told us of the pains and trials she had to go through in order to have Patrck registered as "Coloured", such that he might be legaly allowed to live in the same home and attend a decent school. Patrick is now grown and lives in Johanesburg with his wife and two children. The child that I know best is my uncle Peter. Peter came to live wih my gandmother in the 80s, and he was legally adopted as her Black child in the 90s. After finishing his matric, Peter came to live in the States, initially in Florida and later in Colorado with us. I love Peter, and our family bond is as thick as ever, despite the difference in race.
Our grandmother normally has out ex-aunt in law staying with her to look after her, as her sight is almost completely failed. When we visited however, our aunt was visiting family in Johannesburg and our grandmother had a care taker living with her at the time. Her name was Nu, and she was a 28 yar old Zulu born in a suburb of Durban. My grandmother openly professes "her love of Black people", and she was no different with Nu. It is one thing to be anti-racist and anti-apartheid, but my grandmother leans in a far left direction of openly professing her admiration and love of Blacks every opportunity she gets. While this is revolutionary and uncommon, I wonder to what end this love gets. Is it foolhardy to initially trust and take in a person whom you have never once met into your home? Even though this person is in an initial capacity, mt grandmother admits that she did not know Nu at all when she first opened her doors to her.
This revolutionary attitude of my grandmother is an anmaly which has plagued me constantly, even more now after seeing how she opened her arms to Nu. My grandmother is an old Afrikaaner, and she admits that most Afrikaaners her age were supporters of apartheid, and that she does not have may companions her own age due to this fact. This has been weighing on my mind, as I wonder whether or not the attitude of my grandmother will reflect the new attitude towards Blacks which is to come in South African society, and whether or not this is an effective attitude to undertake.
Again this causes me to believe that the most important acts of reconciliation are still to come with the rise of the younger generation. Now that I am no longer in South Africa however, there is little I can do to observe and influence the thoughts and views of the population my age. I do suppose that the best I can do is to keep in contact with my cousins in the country, and to further extend my observations of progress and change when I return next summer. I will be incredibly interested to see what attitudes have changed or shifted when I return, and in what direction they lean. Will they lean far-left like my grandmother or bltantly racist like my initial contact with my cousin? With suc drastically different experiences on either end of my trip it shows that South African society is as divided and unreconciled as ever. There is still a very long walk to freedom.
Friday, June 4, 2010
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
"I forgive you" are the hardest words to say
After today’s discussion I was so impassioned by the talk and thoughts surrounding the topic of reconciliation and forgiveness that it has been on my mind the duration of the day. To me, the idea that forgiveness and reconciliation are independent was difficult to comprehend at first, but I have since been able to come to terms with the fact that these two ideals can coexist independently of one another. The problem then arises for me, is reconciliation without forgiveness ever truly reconciliation? I do not believe so, and I will take an example from my own life to demonstrate why. This is a rather personal topic, however I feel it fits into this category quite well.
My dispute to the claim that full reconciliation can be reached without forgiveness arises from a personal incident which occurred about a year ago. I was in a relatively serious relationship with a partner, and we were very close. Long story short, when I spent the summer in Morocco, we ended the relationship because of something I had done to damage it in such a way which seemed unforgiveable. Since then, we managed to work things out, and remain to this day to be very good friends.
The problem is, however, that my partner has never forgiven me for what I did. We have reconciled, yes, but forgiveness has never even been touched upon. So while we remain good friends, there is always going to be an underlying lack of trust, resentment and guilt because forgiveness was never addressed. Every day, I find myself with insurmountable feelings of guilt and the sole desire to receive forgiveness, although my partner has explicitly stated that forgiveness will never be given to me. So in this situation we have reconciled, but since we have not forgiven each other, it seems that a true and full form of reconciliation can and may never be reached. My partner, apparently, will always have some sort of feeling of resentment and mistrust, whereas I am forced to live forever with irreconcilable pain and guilt. How is this, then true reconciliation?
My time here in South Africa has shown me that the whole concept of forgiveness and reconciliation are far from the straightforward and noble concepts which we would like them to be. Religious forgiveness aside, it has become clear to me that forgiveness at least varies so much across cultures that it is almost impossible to apply our American ideals of justice and forgiveness to South Africa, and especially to our own personal relationships. This is a rather odd realization for me to have come to, as it seems to negate the parallels we are attempting to draw between South Africa and the United States. It has now become clear to me that just as we were asked, as Americans, to think outside the lens of capitalism, South Africans have not seen the same version of forgiveness so prominently found in the United States.
Knowing this now, how is it possible for us to take from the South African model of forgiveness and reconciliation and be able to apply it not only to the United States, but to our own personal discrepancies as well? It seems pessimistic to simply throw away all we have learned here, and as such it seems we must be able to analyze and dissect South African reconciliation (as we have done throughout the duration of this course) and take from it what we may. This is much easier said than done, since as we have discussed thus far in the class, we would much rather see others make these changes in our ideals of reconciliation than force ourselves to change our outlook and actions.
If I have learned nothing else from this course, I have learned then that we must take from what we have learned about truth, forgiveness and reconciliation and apply it deliberately in our own lives. Only through individual practice and dedication to these goals and ideals can change be realized. As much as we would like for society’s problem’s to remain for the rest of the world or the next generation, the only way in which change will ever be realized is through an individual’s resolute decision to conscientiously pursue these changes. While this requires much more work and personal concessions to achieve, we as Americans must learn to look out for the betterment of society as a whole, rather than simply for our own personal goals.
My dispute to the claim that full reconciliation can be reached without forgiveness arises from a personal incident which occurred about a year ago. I was in a relatively serious relationship with a partner, and we were very close. Long story short, when I spent the summer in Morocco, we ended the relationship because of something I had done to damage it in such a way which seemed unforgiveable. Since then, we managed to work things out, and remain to this day to be very good friends.
The problem is, however, that my partner has never forgiven me for what I did. We have reconciled, yes, but forgiveness has never even been touched upon. So while we remain good friends, there is always going to be an underlying lack of trust, resentment and guilt because forgiveness was never addressed. Every day, I find myself with insurmountable feelings of guilt and the sole desire to receive forgiveness, although my partner has explicitly stated that forgiveness will never be given to me. So in this situation we have reconciled, but since we have not forgiven each other, it seems that a true and full form of reconciliation can and may never be reached. My partner, apparently, will always have some sort of feeling of resentment and mistrust, whereas I am forced to live forever with irreconcilable pain and guilt. How is this, then true reconciliation?
My time here in South Africa has shown me that the whole concept of forgiveness and reconciliation are far from the straightforward and noble concepts which we would like them to be. Religious forgiveness aside, it has become clear to me that forgiveness at least varies so much across cultures that it is almost impossible to apply our American ideals of justice and forgiveness to South Africa, and especially to our own personal relationships. This is a rather odd realization for me to have come to, as it seems to negate the parallels we are attempting to draw between South Africa and the United States. It has now become clear to me that just as we were asked, as Americans, to think outside the lens of capitalism, South Africans have not seen the same version of forgiveness so prominently found in the United States.
Knowing this now, how is it possible for us to take from the South African model of forgiveness and reconciliation and be able to apply it not only to the United States, but to our own personal discrepancies as well? It seems pessimistic to simply throw away all we have learned here, and as such it seems we must be able to analyze and dissect South African reconciliation (as we have done throughout the duration of this course) and take from it what we may. This is much easier said than done, since as we have discussed thus far in the class, we would much rather see others make these changes in our ideals of reconciliation than force ourselves to change our outlook and actions.
If I have learned nothing else from this course, I have learned then that we must take from what we have learned about truth, forgiveness and reconciliation and apply it deliberately in our own lives. Only through individual practice and dedication to these goals and ideals can change be realized. As much as we would like for society’s problem’s to remain for the rest of the world or the next generation, the only way in which change will ever be realized is through an individual’s resolute decision to conscientiously pursue these changes. While this requires much more work and personal concessions to achieve, we as Americans must learn to look out for the betterment of society as a whole, rather than simply for our own personal goals.
What is the color of Islam?
I must be perfectly honest and say that I had no anticipations whatsoever to become closer to understanding my religion since I have been here, but I have learned more than I had ever thought possible about Islam, especially Islam in South Africa and the Cape Malay influence. It has always been difficult for me to have two coexisting and seemingly conflicting identities shape my personhood: my life as an American and my life as a Muslim. While it has been exceedingly difficult, I have found here in South Africa that personal identities do not necessarily matter if one can link one’s very personhood to an all-encompassing national identity, as has happened in South Africa generationally. This realization was brought crashing down the other day on my walk to class.
After getting off the Jammie, Nykeyia and I were walking along the way to class, and we decided to pick up a drink and some gum. I picked up my water and gum, and sat them down on the counter to pay. The elderly gentleman at the counter asked me if I was Muslim, I responded yes. After I had paid and a brief pause, he looked at me and told me that the color of my face was not Muslim. I looked at him pensively and told him no, I was from America. I asked him where he was from and he told me Jerusalem, so I would suppose he may be a Palestinian refugee, as he did tell me goodbye in Islamic tinted Arabic. At the time Nykeyia and I laughed it off, but later it had me wonder if his perception was common amongst others as well. I have often had people tell me that they thought I was a very light skinned Indian or perhaps Lebanese, Syrian (generally lighter skinned Arabs) or Turkish.
To start unpacking this incident, of course the first thing that comes to mind is the fact that this is another very blatant example of race being addressed in South Africa, although it should be recognized that he was somewhat candid about the way he brought it up. He did not tell me that I was White, or that I was America, rather he beat around the bush slightly to say that my color was not Muslim. I found this so strange, as to me, Islam is an all-inclusive and equal religion, which is one of the things which attracted me to it in the first place. Why then, should my Islamic identity be qualitatively judged based on the color of my skin? This racial issue pertaining to Muslim identity has become clearer to my in South Africa than in any of my previous experiences in the states.
After our experience and tour at BoKaap, I was under the impression that I would find Cape Town a safe haven for me as a Muslim. I even found out (through my own research, Bilqees claimed to know nothing of Shiism, a generic Sunni response) that there is a rather impressively large Shia mosque and community here, of which there is little to none in the states. Especially after seeing the wide range and variety of the people of BoKaap, I felt convinced that Cape Town would be an all-inclusive society where I would be able to flaunt my Muslim identity shamelessly. This, I found, was not the case. Even here, in a society so diverse and so bent towards racial reconciliation, I was still being judged on my seemingly paradoxical outward appearance.
This has caused me to understand that I must work towards bridging the seemingly irreconcilable gap between my two identities. I refuse to let go of some if not most of my American values, yet I have an emerging new identity as a Muslim which must be able to fit into the mix equally, if not more so than my Americanism. I am curious to pursue and to research further the varying perceptions of people about Islam and its compatibility with other cultures. This man on campus, as well as many others I am sure see a conflict between Islam and many Western cultures. I hope that this is not the case, and I am determined to prove them wrong and show that the color of Islam is as multifaceted as the wide array of cultures in South Africa.
After getting off the Jammie, Nykeyia and I were walking along the way to class, and we decided to pick up a drink and some gum. I picked up my water and gum, and sat them down on the counter to pay. The elderly gentleman at the counter asked me if I was Muslim, I responded yes. After I had paid and a brief pause, he looked at me and told me that the color of my face was not Muslim. I looked at him pensively and told him no, I was from America. I asked him where he was from and he told me Jerusalem, so I would suppose he may be a Palestinian refugee, as he did tell me goodbye in Islamic tinted Arabic. At the time Nykeyia and I laughed it off, but later it had me wonder if his perception was common amongst others as well. I have often had people tell me that they thought I was a very light skinned Indian or perhaps Lebanese, Syrian (generally lighter skinned Arabs) or Turkish.
To start unpacking this incident, of course the first thing that comes to mind is the fact that this is another very blatant example of race being addressed in South Africa, although it should be recognized that he was somewhat candid about the way he brought it up. He did not tell me that I was White, or that I was America, rather he beat around the bush slightly to say that my color was not Muslim. I found this so strange, as to me, Islam is an all-inclusive and equal religion, which is one of the things which attracted me to it in the first place. Why then, should my Islamic identity be qualitatively judged based on the color of my skin? This racial issue pertaining to Muslim identity has become clearer to my in South Africa than in any of my previous experiences in the states.
After our experience and tour at BoKaap, I was under the impression that I would find Cape Town a safe haven for me as a Muslim. I even found out (through my own research, Bilqees claimed to know nothing of Shiism, a generic Sunni response) that there is a rather impressively large Shia mosque and community here, of which there is little to none in the states. Especially after seeing the wide range and variety of the people of BoKaap, I felt convinced that Cape Town would be an all-inclusive society where I would be able to flaunt my Muslim identity shamelessly. This, I found, was not the case. Even here, in a society so diverse and so bent towards racial reconciliation, I was still being judged on my seemingly paradoxical outward appearance.
This has caused me to understand that I must work towards bridging the seemingly irreconcilable gap between my two identities. I refuse to let go of some if not most of my American values, yet I have an emerging new identity as a Muslim which must be able to fit into the mix equally, if not more so than my Americanism. I am curious to pursue and to research further the varying perceptions of people about Islam and its compatibility with other cultures. This man on campus, as well as many others I am sure see a conflict between Islam and many Western cultures. I hope that this is not the case, and I am determined to prove them wrong and show that the color of Islam is as multifaceted as the wide array of cultures in South Africa.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Go Team Go
Lately there has been quite a lot of talk and discussion surrounding the issue of group dynamics. This is an incredibly relevant topic, and one that we can observe being played out in our own small niche, as well as South Africa. Our group, as has been previously noted by others, is incredibly similar to the situation in South Africa, due to our incredible diversity and wide range of personalities. Inevitably, however, conflict will and has arisen in our small community, and there are multiple aspects of this issue that I think have not been addressed thus far.
First of all, it has come to my attention that molding and plying of personalities is necessary for any group to be able to function and operate cohesively. That is to say, that every member of our group has been required to shift a little bit of their normal operating behavior in order to be able to live and cope with everyone else in the group. For example, I have had to be a little more lax in how I wear my hijab around the house. Due to Jack being here, I can’t walk around the house freely as I normally would, so I have had to sacrifice this and also come up with new, clever and a little less modest ways to adhere to my religion and accommodate myself and everyone else. This is just one example, but I am sure if asked, other people would have similar stories.
While this is the case and we have had to shift certain attitudes and actions to accommodate others, one other very important thing must be observed, and that is the fact that nobody in this entire house will ever be willing to radically or dramatically shift the way that they act to accommodate any other member of the group. That is to say that people are going to do exactly what it is that they want to do, and for this reason, instead of brooding and resenting the fact that these people will not change their ways, we must find ways to cope their actions in a way that best suits us. Yes, we may find ourselves thoroughly annoyed, inconvenienced and upset over the actions of others, but ultimately the power lies within ourselves to be able to cope with these traits of other people which we cannot change. While it is difficult to admit, the power to accommodate ourselves and to get the most out of this trip, lies with taking responsibility for our own thoughts, rather than trying to change others.
Again, also along these lines, we cannot simply go about our lives as we normally would with no regard to anyone else. While, as Americans, we have been raised within a system of meritocracy and capitalism, it is incredibly selfish and borderline insensitive to simply refuse to concede any personal gain for the good of the whole community or group. While people have pieces of themselves on which they are not willing to compromise, we must realize and accept that there are preferences and activities or habits we must be willing to forego for the prosperity and successfulness of the group. Simply clinging to our selfishness will get us nowhere, essentially, as the whole group must be able to progress unhindered by personal issues and baggage.
These are just a few of the things I have been observing and considering lately, and it has brought me to a new place in understanding group dynamics, especially as they relate to this group and to South Africa. I have made a resolute decision to be willing and open to the idea of sacrificing my prospects of personal gain if it will help to further the aims, reach and general progress of the group. While the incentive to do this is low and a there remains an issue of free riding by other individuals, I still feel morally obligated to do as I have mentioned because it seems to be the absolute right thing to do. While the right thing is never easy to do, it is always the right decision. Even though this blog has been directed almost exclusively to our group, in the future and perhaps in another blog I would very much like to expound on this and relate it to the South African model.
First of all, it has come to my attention that molding and plying of personalities is necessary for any group to be able to function and operate cohesively. That is to say, that every member of our group has been required to shift a little bit of their normal operating behavior in order to be able to live and cope with everyone else in the group. For example, I have had to be a little more lax in how I wear my hijab around the house. Due to Jack being here, I can’t walk around the house freely as I normally would, so I have had to sacrifice this and also come up with new, clever and a little less modest ways to adhere to my religion and accommodate myself and everyone else. This is just one example, but I am sure if asked, other people would have similar stories.
While this is the case and we have had to shift certain attitudes and actions to accommodate others, one other very important thing must be observed, and that is the fact that nobody in this entire house will ever be willing to radically or dramatically shift the way that they act to accommodate any other member of the group. That is to say that people are going to do exactly what it is that they want to do, and for this reason, instead of brooding and resenting the fact that these people will not change their ways, we must find ways to cope their actions in a way that best suits us. Yes, we may find ourselves thoroughly annoyed, inconvenienced and upset over the actions of others, but ultimately the power lies within ourselves to be able to cope with these traits of other people which we cannot change. While it is difficult to admit, the power to accommodate ourselves and to get the most out of this trip, lies with taking responsibility for our own thoughts, rather than trying to change others.
Again, also along these lines, we cannot simply go about our lives as we normally would with no regard to anyone else. While, as Americans, we have been raised within a system of meritocracy and capitalism, it is incredibly selfish and borderline insensitive to simply refuse to concede any personal gain for the good of the whole community or group. While people have pieces of themselves on which they are not willing to compromise, we must realize and accept that there are preferences and activities or habits we must be willing to forego for the prosperity and successfulness of the group. Simply clinging to our selfishness will get us nowhere, essentially, as the whole group must be able to progress unhindered by personal issues and baggage.
These are just a few of the things I have been observing and considering lately, and it has brought me to a new place in understanding group dynamics, especially as they relate to this group and to South Africa. I have made a resolute decision to be willing and open to the idea of sacrificing my prospects of personal gain if it will help to further the aims, reach and general progress of the group. While the incentive to do this is low and a there remains an issue of free riding by other individuals, I still feel morally obligated to do as I have mentioned because it seems to be the absolute right thing to do. While the right thing is never easy to do, it is always the right decision. Even though this blog has been directed almost exclusively to our group, in the future and perhaps in another blog I would very much like to expound on this and relate it to the South African model.
Monday, May 24, 2010
Houston, we have contact
While I am sure that after our last speaker everyone will be blogging about Contact Hypothesis, I have been thinking about this topic in a rather personal way, and while I have been trying to link it to things I have seen, the most pressing example seems to revolve around my own experience. I am White, this I will admit or as our lecturer today referred to us as “Whities”. I was born to British and Afrikaner mixed family, and I am quite the stereotype of a classic “Caucasian”, I am blond haired and blue eyed and incredibly fair skinned. There is just one thing standing between me and a stereotypical Whitie: after submitting myself to Islam I now wear a hijab. This departs me from the classic view of a White person and lands me in a whole new category to which I have never belonged: minority status.
While I admit that it is unlikely I am equated to other minority statuses such as Black or Indian, I must also say that after I put on the hijab my whole perspective changed. Suddenly I became a part of another and different group, and I found that slowly but surely, my friend circle shifted and changed. In a religious sense I found myself hanging around a lot more Muslims, however racially I found myself in the company, almost exclusively I might add, of Arabs. This remains true to this day, almost all of my friends are Arabs, and while I have been in this country I have often times missed the company Middle Easterners, the sound of Arabic and lengthy discussions surrounding Islam. It dawned on me today, that I had d experienced the Contact Hypothesis in all its glory after my transition to Islam. Without my really being aware, I completely changed who I was hanging out with to be in a more similar and comfortable group.
I might add, that all the while I and my friends were complaining about American’s perspective of Islam. Now I realize that if I had really wanted to shift Americans’ view of Islam, the best way to do so would have been to retain my previous friend circle. While this may be the case, throughout our recent discussions surrounding the Contact Hypothesis, I now understand that I am probably doing a service to many if not all of the students in this group, as from my understanding not many have them have had extensive, if any, experiences with Muslims or Islam. This was similar of my experience, really, until my conversion. I had no idea that really I was doing nothing to alleviate the American perception of the Muslim minority by gravitating to hang out with other Arabs and Muslims.
I had also conditioned myself to find comfort, safety and security amongst Arabs. I really have found myself missing Arabs since I’ve been here, and this has raised another interesting point. Without knowingly doing so, I had conditioned myself using the very same Contact Hypothesis discussed thus far in this class. I have been in such high contact with Arabs throughout the past year that I have found this group to be my main go-to for socializing and intermingling. This has been the most interesting point in my opinion, that I have successfully and completely implemented the Contact Hypothesis and proved its existence.
Knowing this now, I will make it a point to attempt to rekindle some of my old friendships with friends I perhaps went to high school with, or knew before my conversion. I know that I was relatively ignorant about Islam before I converted, so it would probably do many Americans a relative amount of good to come into close contact with me, a Muslim, to dispose of some of the prejudice, distrust and fear surrounding this particular group. I know that my newfound identity has opened up my family thus far to new perceptions of Islam, and this new perception could quite easily be carried over to positively influence other American views as well.
While I admit that it is unlikely I am equated to other minority statuses such as Black or Indian, I must also say that after I put on the hijab my whole perspective changed. Suddenly I became a part of another and different group, and I found that slowly but surely, my friend circle shifted and changed. In a religious sense I found myself hanging around a lot more Muslims, however racially I found myself in the company, almost exclusively I might add, of Arabs. This remains true to this day, almost all of my friends are Arabs, and while I have been in this country I have often times missed the company Middle Easterners, the sound of Arabic and lengthy discussions surrounding Islam. It dawned on me today, that I had d experienced the Contact Hypothesis in all its glory after my transition to Islam. Without my really being aware, I completely changed who I was hanging out with to be in a more similar and comfortable group.
I might add, that all the while I and my friends were complaining about American’s perspective of Islam. Now I realize that if I had really wanted to shift Americans’ view of Islam, the best way to do so would have been to retain my previous friend circle. While this may be the case, throughout our recent discussions surrounding the Contact Hypothesis, I now understand that I am probably doing a service to many if not all of the students in this group, as from my understanding not many have them have had extensive, if any, experiences with Muslims or Islam. This was similar of my experience, really, until my conversion. I had no idea that really I was doing nothing to alleviate the American perception of the Muslim minority by gravitating to hang out with other Arabs and Muslims.
I had also conditioned myself to find comfort, safety and security amongst Arabs. I really have found myself missing Arabs since I’ve been here, and this has raised another interesting point. Without knowingly doing so, I had conditioned myself using the very same Contact Hypothesis discussed thus far in this class. I have been in such high contact with Arabs throughout the past year that I have found this group to be my main go-to for socializing and intermingling. This has been the most interesting point in my opinion, that I have successfully and completely implemented the Contact Hypothesis and proved its existence.
Knowing this now, I will make it a point to attempt to rekindle some of my old friendships with friends I perhaps went to high school with, or knew before my conversion. I know that I was relatively ignorant about Islam before I converted, so it would probably do many Americans a relative amount of good to come into close contact with me, a Muslim, to dispose of some of the prejudice, distrust and fear surrounding this particular group. I know that my newfound identity has opened up my family thus far to new perceptions of Islam, and this new perception could quite easily be carried over to positively influence other American views as well.
Monday, May 17, 2010
Competition
While today was obnoxiously long and draining, mentally, I feel incredibly charged. The entirety of this trip has I feel, has been incredibly intellectual, and I feel as if my brain is constantly on high alert. Today, through sleepy and after-lunch eyes, we faced our second lecturer who spoke extensively about land reform and the issue of redistribution in post-apartheid South Africa. This topic, while it may seem trivial, is incredibly dense, I feel. This rose many emotions for me, and even though I felt I knew a lot about this topic due to my ties with Zimbabwe, I am pleased to say that I learned and realized quite a lot throughout the course of this lecture and the discussion which followed it.
I had always thought about the Zimbabwe issue as a Mugabe issue, that is to say that all of the land reform mishaps in Zimbabwe came about as a direct result of Mugabe’s failure to lead effectively. This, I have now realized, is only partly true. As we discussed, Mugabe’s enactment of the controversial and devastating land reform policies was primarily opportunistic, and instead of encouraging the vote, I feel that it should stand out and do the contrary: showing his ineptitude as a leader. The real driving force behind the policies came from the people themselves, that is to say that it was a socially popular movement. The people were the ones who gave rise to their own demise, in a sense.
Our lecturer as well as many others have voiced their concerns and fears over the situation in South Africa, they dread more than anything having it turn into another Zimbabwe. With Whites controlling approximately 80% of South African land today, it seems that a similar policy could rise in South Africa if one is not careful. However, after the lecture today I must say that my fears are somewhat nullified about this view. True, South Africa has come a long way since the violence and heavy protesting of the apartheid era, however as we discussed, the South African model of revolution came about in an almost exclusively urban way.
Along with this, South African contemporary society has been based around an urban lifestyle, in places like Johannesburg and Cape Town. This is distinctively different from Zimbabwe, which used to be known as the “breadbasket of Africa”. This nickname sheds light on the fact that Zimbabwe has seemingly been a very rural and farm based society. Even from my short time in Bulawayo, the second most major city, I saw that life there is centered on the farm. Bulawayo is very spread out, and it is entirely common to see plots of farmland intermixed amongst the suburban neighborhoods, and the main city is completely encircled by farms. This has given Zimbabwe an increasingly rural society, whereas South Africa is defined by it’s urban political arousals.
In this way, it seems unlikely that South Africa would ever experience such a social revolution in the same manner as Zimbabwe precisely due to the fact that all of South Africa’s political activity thus far has come from its metropolitan centers. There is a serious lack of a strong political activist base in places like the Transkei and other rural areas, and due to this, it seems unlikely that there would ever be a strong enough political movement that would ever push land reforms in a direction similar to that of Zimbabwe. While this has pacified my concerns somewhat, it does nothing to remedy the actual land reform issue facing South Africa today.
The fact of the matter is that South Africa is facing a crossroads. What can be done to remedy this serious situation? There is no way that South Africa can fool itself by claiming it has reconciled with the past when 80% of the land lies in the hands of Whites. I must say that I did like the idea of a TRC for land. However romantic and grand this idea sounds, the fact is that no White land owner will most likely willingly give up a vast majority or any of the land they feel has been in their family for generations. So that while a TRC for land is a lofty goal, in practice it seems a little far away.
As much as I desire to look at this from a strictly economic view, the reality is that this is not entirely possible. Yes, I still have faith that economics will come into play and solve the problem ever so minutely and slowly, it is very true that another method is necessary to move things along faster and more efficiently. The way in which this should be done, however is not clear to me now, and I do resolve to think on this for some time to come. I also will find more time to think on a solution, now that my fears of a second Zimbabwe have been put to rest. This is, of course, in addition to the fact that now I view Mugabe in a different light. I still hold no respect for the man, however I feel that when he enacted the disastrous policies that he did, he did so out of a bid for popular support rather than the mass destruction of his country. This makes him out to be a little less mad, but even more of an inept leader. In this regard, I have opted to change my perception and view of this issue to a more knowledgeable and informed position, and one of objectivity rather than blame or resentment.
I had always thought about the Zimbabwe issue as a Mugabe issue, that is to say that all of the land reform mishaps in Zimbabwe came about as a direct result of Mugabe’s failure to lead effectively. This, I have now realized, is only partly true. As we discussed, Mugabe’s enactment of the controversial and devastating land reform policies was primarily opportunistic, and instead of encouraging the vote, I feel that it should stand out and do the contrary: showing his ineptitude as a leader. The real driving force behind the policies came from the people themselves, that is to say that it was a socially popular movement. The people were the ones who gave rise to their own demise, in a sense.
Our lecturer as well as many others have voiced their concerns and fears over the situation in South Africa, they dread more than anything having it turn into another Zimbabwe. With Whites controlling approximately 80% of South African land today, it seems that a similar policy could rise in South Africa if one is not careful. However, after the lecture today I must say that my fears are somewhat nullified about this view. True, South Africa has come a long way since the violence and heavy protesting of the apartheid era, however as we discussed, the South African model of revolution came about in an almost exclusively urban way.
Along with this, South African contemporary society has been based around an urban lifestyle, in places like Johannesburg and Cape Town. This is distinctively different from Zimbabwe, which used to be known as the “breadbasket of Africa”. This nickname sheds light on the fact that Zimbabwe has seemingly been a very rural and farm based society. Even from my short time in Bulawayo, the second most major city, I saw that life there is centered on the farm. Bulawayo is very spread out, and it is entirely common to see plots of farmland intermixed amongst the suburban neighborhoods, and the main city is completely encircled by farms. This has given Zimbabwe an increasingly rural society, whereas South Africa is defined by it’s urban political arousals.
In this way, it seems unlikely that South Africa would ever experience such a social revolution in the same manner as Zimbabwe precisely due to the fact that all of South Africa’s political activity thus far has come from its metropolitan centers. There is a serious lack of a strong political activist base in places like the Transkei and other rural areas, and due to this, it seems unlikely that there would ever be a strong enough political movement that would ever push land reforms in a direction similar to that of Zimbabwe. While this has pacified my concerns somewhat, it does nothing to remedy the actual land reform issue facing South Africa today.
The fact of the matter is that South Africa is facing a crossroads. What can be done to remedy this serious situation? There is no way that South Africa can fool itself by claiming it has reconciled with the past when 80% of the land lies in the hands of Whites. I must say that I did like the idea of a TRC for land. However romantic and grand this idea sounds, the fact is that no White land owner will most likely willingly give up a vast majority or any of the land they feel has been in their family for generations. So that while a TRC for land is a lofty goal, in practice it seems a little far away.
As much as I desire to look at this from a strictly economic view, the reality is that this is not entirely possible. Yes, I still have faith that economics will come into play and solve the problem ever so minutely and slowly, it is very true that another method is necessary to move things along faster and more efficiently. The way in which this should be done, however is not clear to me now, and I do resolve to think on this for some time to come. I also will find more time to think on a solution, now that my fears of a second Zimbabwe have been put to rest. This is, of course, in addition to the fact that now I view Mugabe in a different light. I still hold no respect for the man, however I feel that when he enacted the disastrous policies that he did, he did so out of a bid for popular support rather than the mass destruction of his country. This makes him out to be a little less mad, but even more of an inept leader. In this regard, I have opted to change my perception and view of this issue to a more knowledgeable and informed position, and one of objectivity rather than blame or resentment.
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Roadblocks and Newscafes
So I arrive in Johannesburg’s Tambo International Airport after a solid 24 hours of traveling all the way around the world. Needless to say I feel quite defeated and beaten, but after a warm welcome form my cousin, I am prompted to try my luck out on the town with the locals nonetheless. My cousin (a white South African by birth) takes me to her friend’s house, where the group of friends is comprised of a handful of whites matched by a handful of Greeks and one relatively heavyset Black man. I think nothing of the mixed assortment of races, due to my own friend circle at home. It seems relatively normal to me, so I mix in with the flow and answer their random questions about America.
Then came my first experience. My cousin and I drove to the gas station because she wanted cigarettes, so while she went in I sat in the car waiting. Right before she comes back out, a Black man comes up to the car holding a windshield cleaning implement and motions at the car. I motion back a very clear and decisive “no” gesture but still he advances. Despite my desperate hopping and flapping from inside the car, he proceeds to clean and wipe the windshield anyways. My cousin comes back and hands him a few cents. She then asks me if I told him not to clean the windshield, and I replied of course I tried to stop him. She says “Agh no man, they’re blery kaffirs they don’t know any different”. I was shocked. Had she really just said this? Was I imagining this? I thought that this would never have happened in America, not such an outward racist comment.
Upon our return to her friend’s house, the food had finished being cooked and so we sat down to eat. At one point, one of the girls looked at the heavyset Black man and said to him “Sean you’re such a Black man! Look at you eating with your fingers it’s disgusting”. Everyone laughed, and Sean seemed to shrug it off like it was nothing. I was again, quite shocked. This was something that also would never have happened in America.
The final event which shocked me was on our return from the Newscafe, a respectable upper class bar in Johannesburg. We had all been drinking, except for one girl, who only had her learners permit and who had left it home that night on accident. Needless to say she drove home. On our way out of the establishment we saw a police roadblock the way we were trying to go, so we turned the other way only to find another roadblock 200 feet down the road. We approached and told the police our story and the policeman seemed intent on stopping and harassing us. Eventually we ended up bribing him and going free. After we pulled away the driver said “It is such a good thing they were blery kaffirs at that stop or we never would have gotten out”. Again. Shock.
But why now was I so shocked? I came to realize that in America racism is entirely covert. One would never ever openly address racism to one’s peers or to someone’s face. Racism in America operates on a lowly and hidden scale. No one would address this to someone. No one would ever comment on someone’s eating habits and attribute it to their race as opposed to their personality. This is why I was shocked, being from America and having taken many sociology classes relating to racism in America, I found myself outraged that racism could be taken in such a light as I had seen thrice throughout my very first few hours in South Africa. I was actually a little mad that I had come to a country specifically to study reconciliation, and here was a younger, up and coming generation propelling forward so many of the wheels of racism that so many people had fought so hard to overcome.
I think, then, that while South Africa has overcome its very first roadblock to defeat racism and work towards a real diversity, they must now find a way to combat the more difficult form of racism which remains: that of individual and interpersonal racism. I would be curious to approach my cousin and her friends now, after having synthesized this, and ask them what they thought about the reconciliation process thus far in the country, as this is something I was too afraid to ask after my initial shocks with racism. I would be very interested to see what the younger generation of South Africans thinks of the bridge and link between the institutionalized racism of the past and the interpersonal racism of today, as this is the monster more difficult to rid from the country.
I am now exceedingly curious to find out more about the younger generation's attitude on racism. I am overly anxious to be in Cape Town in a university setting where we will be able to talk and interact more with university students so that I may gain a greater understanding of race relations in the younger generations. This is crucial, as this up and coming generation is going to set the stage and pave the road for serious democratic consolidation and reconciliation within this fledgling nation.
Then came my first experience. My cousin and I drove to the gas station because she wanted cigarettes, so while she went in I sat in the car waiting. Right before she comes back out, a Black man comes up to the car holding a windshield cleaning implement and motions at the car. I motion back a very clear and decisive “no” gesture but still he advances. Despite my desperate hopping and flapping from inside the car, he proceeds to clean and wipe the windshield anyways. My cousin comes back and hands him a few cents. She then asks me if I told him not to clean the windshield, and I replied of course I tried to stop him. She says “Agh no man, they’re blery kaffirs they don’t know any different”. I was shocked. Had she really just said this? Was I imagining this? I thought that this would never have happened in America, not such an outward racist comment.
Upon our return to her friend’s house, the food had finished being cooked and so we sat down to eat. At one point, one of the girls looked at the heavyset Black man and said to him “Sean you’re such a Black man! Look at you eating with your fingers it’s disgusting”. Everyone laughed, and Sean seemed to shrug it off like it was nothing. I was again, quite shocked. This was something that also would never have happened in America.
The final event which shocked me was on our return from the Newscafe, a respectable upper class bar in Johannesburg. We had all been drinking, except for one girl, who only had her learners permit and who had left it home that night on accident. Needless to say she drove home. On our way out of the establishment we saw a police roadblock the way we were trying to go, so we turned the other way only to find another roadblock 200 feet down the road. We approached and told the police our story and the policeman seemed intent on stopping and harassing us. Eventually we ended up bribing him and going free. After we pulled away the driver said “It is such a good thing they were blery kaffirs at that stop or we never would have gotten out”. Again. Shock.
But why now was I so shocked? I came to realize that in America racism is entirely covert. One would never ever openly address racism to one’s peers or to someone’s face. Racism in America operates on a lowly and hidden scale. No one would address this to someone. No one would ever comment on someone’s eating habits and attribute it to their race as opposed to their personality. This is why I was shocked, being from America and having taken many sociology classes relating to racism in America, I found myself outraged that racism could be taken in such a light as I had seen thrice throughout my very first few hours in South Africa. I was actually a little mad that I had come to a country specifically to study reconciliation, and here was a younger, up and coming generation propelling forward so many of the wheels of racism that so many people had fought so hard to overcome.
I think, then, that while South Africa has overcome its very first roadblock to defeat racism and work towards a real diversity, they must now find a way to combat the more difficult form of racism which remains: that of individual and interpersonal racism. I would be curious to approach my cousin and her friends now, after having synthesized this, and ask them what they thought about the reconciliation process thus far in the country, as this is something I was too afraid to ask after my initial shocks with racism. I would be very interested to see what the younger generation of South Africans thinks of the bridge and link between the institutionalized racism of the past and the interpersonal racism of today, as this is the monster more difficult to rid from the country.
I am now exceedingly curious to find out more about the younger generation's attitude on racism. I am overly anxious to be in Cape Town in a university setting where we will be able to talk and interact more with university students so that I may gain a greater understanding of race relations in the younger generations. This is crucial, as this up and coming generation is going to set the stage and pave the road for serious democratic consolidation and reconciliation within this fledgling nation.
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