Business Day
*Time for whites to take their protest public* * * *Mia Swart, Business Day, Johannesburg, 2 December 2011*BY APPEALING against his suspension from the African National Congress, Julius Malema showed that he will not lie down. Like a phoenix he is bound to rise again. Malema's reckless statements have often done nothing but infuriate. But he has made constructive statements too. A few years ago, he said that white South Africans do not march. He was referring to the fact that white South Africans do not join in large numbers when significant historical events are commemorated. During Human Rights Day or Youth Day celebrations one sees few white faces. The same is true during political protests.
There is clearly no culture of protest among white South Africans. With few exceptions white South Africans don't protest. The Black Sash was a notable exception. From the mid-1950s, white middle-class women who were members of the movement demonstrated against discriminatory legislation such as the pass laws by marches, demonstrations and vigils. To show their disapproval they stood outside public buildings, defiantly wearing their black sashes.
White South Africans generally watch and criticise black South Africans who protest for political and economic rights from the safety of their living rooms. Whites may sign internet petitions from the safe isolation of their homes and offices, but are reluctant to march. White South Africans are more likely to show up en masse for rugby matches or U2 concerts than to defend their civil rights or the civil rights of their compatriots.
It is difficult to argue that there is anything good about the passing of the "secrecy bill" last week. But this bill did have a few illuminating side-effects: it starkly showed alliances and allegiances (also in the ANC); it demonstrated the power of politics (stronger than the power of business or the courts); it finally shook many out of their self-satisfied states of complacency; and it finally inspired black and white to protest side by side.
The protests outside Parliament and Luthuli House were significant acts of social engagement and protest. But in light of the bill's potentially democracy- destroying nature, one would have expected many more to join in. From what I could gather, the protests seemed a bit too orderly, a tad too tame. In October I attended a social justice protest on Rabin Square in Tel Aviv. Thirty thousand people gathered to object to economic policies that ordinary Israelis find oppressive. Protesters chanted slogans with a revolutionary rhythm until late in the night. The atmosphere was electric.
Just months before 350000 protesters gathered in Tel Aviv during the Occupy Tel Aviv protest.
This has been the year of protests. Even more dramatic than the protests organised by the Occupy Wall Street movement across the globe, the protest on Tahrir Square will be remembered as symbolic of the Arab Spring and the Egyptian Revolution. The intensity and scale of the protests remind one of the words of Victor Hugo, that there is nothing as powerful as an idea whose time has come.
More than 50000 protesters occupied Tahrir Square when the protests started on January 25. Al Jazeera reported that by February 1 more than 1-million protesters had peacefully gathered in and around the square. This protest was recently revived by Egyptians protesting against the interim military rulers. These protesters are persevering in spite of efforts by the security forces and police to dismantle them. Referring to the crackdown on protesters protesting as part of the Occupy movement in the US, Naomi Klein wrote that the Occupy protesters are coming closer to their brothers and sisters in Tahrir Square.
Protesting can have a certain pretentious see-and-be-seen quality. But protesting Egyptian style is far from glamorous. It means persevering in spite of bad weather and tear gas. It means camping outside for weeks.
White South Africans should be inspired by the global protests and march en masse . Ironically it is this kind of mass mobilisation that will help break down barriers between black and white, create a sense of identification and perhaps reduce paranoia in our government.
White South Africans seem too timid, inhibited or complacent to raise their voices or to stamp their feet. Passionately joining in protests is the most appropriate response to the passing of the secrecy bill. And in the spirit of Tahrir Square, one would hope that South Africans will soon march not just for themselves but also for their neighbours in Zimbabwe.
. Swart is an assistant professor at Leiden University. *From: http://www.businessday.co.za/articles/Content.aspx?id=160236* -- You are subscribed. This footer can help you. Please POST your comments to [email protected] or reply to this message. You can visit the group WEB SITE at http://groups.google.com/group/yclsa-eom-forum for different delivery options, pages, files and membership. To UNSUBSCRIBE, please email [email protected] . You don't have to put anything in the "Subject:" field. You don't have to put anything in the message part. All you have to do is to send an e-mail to this address (repeat): [email protected] .
<<inline: BusinessDay.gif>>
