The "New Apartheid" in SA

29 May 08

Perspective from an LEO friend in SA:

"The term, 'Apartheid,' was first introduced duringthe 1948 election campaign by DF Malan's Herenigde Nasionale Party (HNP, for 'Reunited National Party'). The opposing United Party actually gained the majority of votes inthe general election that year, but, due to manipulation of the geographical boundaries (you would call it 'Gerrymandering'), the HNP won and took power.

In 1951, the HNP and Afrikaner Party merged to form the National Party, which became synonymous with the term 'Apartheid.' The Apartheid Era saw the forced removal of people from their homes, as well as what we would call ' terror-tactics,' routinely employed by the government to keep the population, all races, in line.

With the end of the Apartheid Era, we ostensibly re-united with the rest of Africa and the world. Unhappily, reality, as always, is neither as clear, nor as wonderful, as the theory. 'Enlightened' elected officials and bureaucrats have since shown themselves to be every bit as racist, tyrannical, and power-mad as the worse of the Apartheid Era! Elitists have elevated themselves into permanent power and riches at the expense of the populace and the future of the nation.

Imagine that!

In Cape Town alone, we have recently seen the forced, brutish displacement of 20,000 people from their homes. In most instances, these people had come here legally (albeit recently) and were positively contributing in their communities. Many had established businesses and were raising families. However, locals, with the tacit encouragement of the government, looked upon these new arrivals as a threat to their livelihoods in our extremely limited job market. They also took issue with the fact they were marrying into local families.

Of course, a tourist entering Cape Town today will not see any of the violent images portrayed so vividly on local television. In fact, one wouldn't even know that anything of the sort was even happening here unless he saw the news. The truth of the matter, however, is that we have had a plague of violent, forced removals. People have been herded into 'camps,' and there has been much violence perpetrated upon these poor people on the mere grounds that they are recent arrivals.

Wait! This all sounds like 'Apartheid' to me! In fact, it sounds a lot like Nazi Germany in 1935! And, these brutal, violent acts are being perpetrated by the very people who so piously fought to overthrow the former, Apartheid system in the first place. 'Xenophobia,' ' Apartheid,' 'tribalism,' whatever you call it, South Africa is taking a step, no, a leap, backwardsinto anarchy!"

Comment: "The most radical revolutionary will become a conservative the moment the Revolution ends!"

Interesting the way pious, self-righteous revolutionaries, in no time, are transformed into the very overbearing, narcissistic despots they once professed to hate! Human nature hasn't changed much in 6,000 years!

/John