> Comrades is the race thing ever gonna change in South Africa, the thing is > we are so self acclaimed failing us from reasoning to the par of giving up > our derail race differences, my point is we need to work round us > understanding the real understanding to what is more to be fought, between > class differences or race differences. > > On Tue, Apr 13, 2010 at 4:52 PM, Aphiwe Bewana > <[email protected]>wrote: > >> ** >> >> ** >> >> *The race picture of South Africa* >> >> >> >> In South Africa today two things are involved. It’s either you are black >> or >> white. If you are white you are rich, privileged, you tend to think that >> you >> are inherently superior to others. Generally, you are living a good >> life, >> except for your anxiety and insecurities associated with black people >> and >> with all that is associated with them [i.e. corrupt, uneducated and >> incompetent black government; crimes they commit; incompetent blacks who >> had been pushed into positions of power above you because they are >> black]. >> You somehow believe that you should not really be blamed for the ills of >> colonialism or apartheid because you were not an architect of these >> evils >> but mere recipient of privileges. >> >> >> >> If you are a black you see yourself as a victim of generational white >> people’s evils, cruelty in our and your ancestors land, you believe that >> a >> fair discrimination according to the tools that oppressed you [i.e. >> race] >> and affirmative action is the only crucial way to redress these ills. >> Your >> social position currently places you in middle-class [i.e. as “*black >> diamond*”] or in working labour and poor class [including the >> unemployed]. >> >> >> >> >> You are either educated, politically connected somehow, in business, so >> generally you are rich / has potential to live a better life [but worth >> noting is that this is new money or potential new money]. Or you are >> part of >> working and poor mass which is generally doomed in a continued >> impoverishment unless radical changes commence and hopefully soon. This >> view >> may sound simplistic and narrow but it reflects the true snap-shot of >> race >> and class relations in South Africa today. In simple terms, what has >> happened in South Africa in new democratic era is huge gains in the >> provisioning of basic services [i.e. water, electricity, houses] to the >> poor >> and marginalized; and a project of de-racialization of privileges but >> burden and traps of impoverishment still remain with majority of black >> people. >> >> >> >> *What is racism?* >> >> >> >> For the purpose of clarity I shall use a Wikipedia (2010) definition of >> racism, which defines it as a belief that race is a primary determinant >> of >> human traits and capacities and that racial difference produce an >> inherent >> superiority of a particular race. We would agree as well that while >> racism, >> like other forms of discrimination, is based on prejudice, what >> distinguishes it is the ideology of white supremacy, which serves as a >> rationale for the unequal relations of power that exist between people. >> >> >> >> Maybe one of first fundamental starting points in discussing and >> understanding racism is a sincere recognition that racism is real, alive >> and >> well across the world, not just limited to the shores of SA or Africa. >> Secondly historically it [racism + capitalism = apartheid capitalism] >> has >> been practiced by European white people for at least a century >> throughout >> the world, be it towards natives in Asia, America, and Africa. For >> example, the >> system of conquest, colonisation, slavery, extermination of the >> indigenous >> populations and looting their natural resources in the last centuries >> has >> had dreadful consequences for the overwhelming majority of the peoples >> of >> Asia, Africa and Latin America. >> >> >> >> One can further argue that in most countries [developing and >> undeveloped], >> most of their social and economic problems today are the result of the >> conquests, the colonisation and an unbearable disparity in the >> distribution >> of wealth; but also their continued impoverishment post-colonialism is a >> results of their inability to ultimately combat the residual effects of >> colonialism on cultures. Scholars agree that no place other than South >> Africa has the struggle for respect for human dignity kindled so much >> hope. >> This promising country, which was yesterday the target of isolation and >> universal condemnation, can tomorrow be an example of brotherhood [and >> probably sisterhood] and justice. >> >> >> >> Like all post-colonial societies, South Africa has to deal with its >> cultural identity in societies: the dilemmas of developing a national >> identity after colonial rule, which in essence can be judged by how >> different “races” relate in society. Even in this front, South Africa >> was a >> beacon of hope as we deliberately self-titled ourselves a “rainbow >> nation”. >> This was great, but ours now should not be to pathologically obsessed >> with >> identity and race argues a Moroccan scholar Bin 'Abd al-'Ali. He goes on >> to explain his convictions that for example what is seen in contemporary >> Middle Eastern case is 'a pathological obsession with ... identity, and >> trust him it never leads to unity and prosperity. Narrations by senior >> comrades of our liberation movement about their experiences of Middle >> East, >> make apartheid seem not as terrible after all. >> ** >> *How do we deal with racism?* >> >> So the question still remains how can we best deal with this wicked >> culture >> of racism in our society? Some of the answers lie in a speech delivered >> by >> former Cuban President Fidel Castro to the South African parliament four >> years into a democratic era. He expressed that: “*There are still today >> two South Africas, which I ought not to call the "White" one and the >> "Black" >> one; [because] that terminology should forever be dropped if a >> multiracial >> and united country is meant to be created”. * >> >> He continues,* “I'd rather put it this way: two South Africas; the rich >> and the poor, one and the other; one where an average family receives >> twelve >> times the income of that of the other; one where the children who die >> before >> their first year of life are 13 per 1000 and the other where those who >> die >> are 57 per 1000, in which life expectancy is 73 years, the other in >> which it >> is only 56 years; one where 100% of the people know how to read and to >> write, another illiteracy is more than 50%; one with almost full >> employment >> another where 45% are unemployed.* >> >> *One where 12% of the population own almost 90% of the land, other where >> almost 80% of the inhabitants own less than 10% of it; one that >> accumulated >> and has almost all the technical and managerial knowledge; the other >> doomed >> to inexperience and ignorance; one that enjoys well-being and freedom, >> the other having been able to conquer freedom but without well-being”. >> *In >> essence what Fidel was saying was that base economic empowerment on >> class, >> not race, to bring about real change. >> >> >> >> These are very relevant points as they relate to the reality that our >> liberation struggle was simply never only about winning political power, >> never about an empowerment of a small elite or about replacing a white >> with >> a black elite, but was, and still is, about the liberation and >> upliftment of >> the majority of our people. It was and still is, about fundamentally >> transforming the conditions of the overwhelming majority of our people. >> >> >> >> Worth-noting, with regards to the Middle East case is that what Bin 'Abd >> al-'Ali described as an obsession with national identity may be >> explained by >> 'the absence of a championing social class in that place, as argued by >> ascholar Ayubi. >> >> >> >> *The nature of racism: An Individual and Systemic analysis * >> >> >> >> In helping us to better understand the concept of racism, an >> intellectualOmowale Akintunde states that racism >> is a systemic, societal, institutional, omnipresent, and >> epistemologically >> embedded phenomenon that pervades every vestige of our reality. Also >> important to note in the nature and logic of racism is deliberate >> association with group privilege and supremacy as I previously >> mentioned. >> >> >> >> Akintunde further argues that we ought not to only conceive racism like >> murder, wherein the concept exists but someone has to commit it in order >> for >> it to happen. This limited view of such a multilayered syndrome >> cultivates >> the sinister nature of racism and, in fact, perpetuates racist phenomena >> rather than eradicates them. >> >> >> >> Further, this view of racism disguises its true essence, thus allowing >> its >> tenets to proliferate. For example if racism is conceived of as the >> conscious employment of certain acts, using certain taboo terms (i.e., >> kaffer, baboon, nigger, spic) and one does not consciously perform >> “racist” >> acts or utter certain taboo terms, then one can reasonably assert that >> one >> is not a racist. This view of racism helps us to fully comprehend that >> racism in its true nature occurs at both individual and systemic levels >> and >> these levels are not necessarily mutually exclusive of each other, but >> may >> negate and re-enforce each other. Thus we always have to analyse race >> both >> at an individual and systemic level. To me what becomes the most >> critical >> aspect of racism in a systemic one than illusions of an individual(s). >> >> >> >> We all know that in South Africa racial prejudice and violence did not >> suddenly disappear in 1994, but instead continue to play out throughout >> this >> period of political transformation, standing as an obstacle to >> substantive >> equality and inclusive citizenship. Moreover recent national events in >> last >> few weeks show us that racial tensions [superficial or deep] in the >> country appear to have been re-ignited significantly. >> >> >> >> In our case here in South Africa, one of most widely-cited critique of >> the >> Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) established in 1995, has been >> its >> narrow interpretation of its mandate to investigate 'gross violations of >> human rights (Valji 1999). Another scholar Mamdani writes that whereas >> the >> individualizing of responsibility may have been appropriate in dealing >> with >> the former dictatorships of Latin America, in South Africa violence was >> committed in the defence of racialised privilege: the violence of >> apartheid was aimed less at individuals than at entire communities, and >> entire population groups [race]. >> >> >> >> >> >> Even in one of most sophisticated and supposedly, intellectually >> liberated >> sector in society (higher education sector), the 2008 report on racism >> showed that that the experience of feeling discriminated against, in >> racial >> and gender terms in particular, is endemic within institutions. It >> declared >> that *“Indeed, it would not be an exaggeration to suggest that no >> institution can confidently indicate that the principles of >> non-racialism, >> such as those adopted by UFS, UCT, WITS etc to guide its transformation >> agenda and which were outlined above, have been achieved”. * >> >> >> >> These are some of few comments given by university stakeholders to >> investigating panel: *“1. racism is still ubiquitous, but the victims >> can >> smell it a mile away. The problem is how to articulate it so that the >> pain >> can be expressed. (UJ meeting with Council from report on racism by DHE >> 2008). 2. You feel it but can’t pinpoint it. Talking to (white) >> colleagues and you feel a wall coming up. It exists, but how can we deal >> with it? (VUT meeting with staff)”. *I am sure this is still true >> picture >> on most areas of study and work, particularly more severe in working >> condition of labour workers [i.e. farms]. >> >> >> >> In transforming institutions [state institutions, or work places], >> scholars >> argue that demographic transformation [individual level] is a necessary >> but >> not sufficient condition for transformation. The other elements are >> institutional culture [systemic level] – the need for a qualitatively >> different environment and the need to ensure social access, i.e. to make >> the >> institutions a welcoming place for all. >> >> >> >> Some scholars including Kelly Rosenthal believe that one of avenues for >> real transformation in society lies in the realm of relationships. Here >> you >> can ask yourself whether at first glance or first contact can you >> genuinely >> be-friend and tolerate a white person without necessarily having any >> reservations about their potential racist tendencies? [This is not to >> mean >> blacks are immune of racist tendencies]. If you have answered yes, then >> it >> may means there is still much more hope our young democracy to prosper >> with >> regards to hypothesis advocated by Rosenthal and colleagues. >> >> >> >> Personally, in my tenure as student and student leader at the University >> of >> Cape Town (UCT), I found to have more in common [social beliefs, ideas, >> life >> orientation and more] with Jeremy Cronin’s son (Ben) than I had with my >> fellow black guy, Bulelani Ngcuka’s son (Luyolo). I do not believe this >> was >> due to different taste in life or individual preferences, but it goes >> beyond >> our shared blackness, or growing up in similar backgrounds, but it had >> everything to do with our current class positions in society and the >> fact >> the he thought his new privileges warrants him to live a high and >> bourgeoisie life. >> >> >> >> In some cases race relations might take a less harsh form of >> discrimination >> or personally directed form of discrimination. For example in 2005, a >> scholar Sipho Seepe narrates a story that had intrigued him by a fellow >> university colleague's frantic attempts to learn French. Upon inquiry he >> indicated that he was going to France for two weeks. "Just for two >> weeks!" >> he exclaimed, unable to suppress his disbelief. Yet it made sense - in >> France the French were not going to be at his service if he did not >> speak >> French. This much they knew. >> >> Despite having spent all his youth and adult life in South Africa, the >> need >> for him to learn an African language had not dawned on him. This >> disregard >> for and lack of interest in the languages of compatriots is a defining >> characteristic of many white South Africans, for whom blacks do not >> exist >> except to be at their beck and call. In this case, the French mattered - >> Africans did not. This remains the case for most white South Africans >> today. >> >> >> >> I am sure we would all agree that South Africa's social, political and >> economic stability can be sustained only through addressing racial and >> class >> inequalities. This can be done through fair discrimination on racial >> grounds as dictated by space, times and material conditions in society >> as it >> continues to normalise. But this cannot be achieved if most of us South >> Africans still attack and defend from our racial trenches. >> >> >> >> This cannot be achieved we encourage what we have today, ethnic and >> racial >> chauvinists, and political entrepreneurs who play the race card for >> sport. >> We can sit and smile while there are people acting lunatic with >> manufacture >> racial intolerance ring all sorts of racial bells. We should vanguard >> against people who have been will manipulated to use a genuine struggle >> for >> liberation of the people to cover-up and protect class interest of those >> who >> bankroll them. >> >> Socialist regards, >> >> >> Ntsiza [Impondomise] >> >> >> -- >> "It is our aspiration and our aim that everyone should become socially >> conscious and effective; but to achieve this end, it is necessary to >> provide >> all with the means of life and for development". >> >> -- >> You are subscribed. 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