Revolutionaries were women abusers and that was ok then

[Marq]

According to the Mayor of Durban, (the one that believes the new road signs with revolutionary heroes names thereon are National Symbols), the apartheid era was responsible for some bizarre behaviour......

The hardships of the apartheid era led to some bizarre behavior from some men. Such behavior tended to reduce the status of women to that of lesser human beings. The attainment of democracy meant a total change of attitude and behavior patterns.

From the latest Issue 127 of the municipalities Metro Beat where he is celebrating our women.

This guy continues to amaze us with tidbits of information. He is telling us that apartheid was responsible for men doing bad abuse type stuff to women and now that things have changed and the revolutionaries have won, these men must now turn over a new leaf.

As long as we have guys like this dragging the past forward in every article he writes, blaming anything and everything on apartheid, we will live in the past and never move into a decent world. Oh and dont go against him cause then you are a counter revolutionary and we dont want that stuff here...do we?

[Dave A]

I think it's easy to forget that women having a "diminished" status than men was very widespread not that long ago - not just locally, around the world! And there are still places in this world that don't give women equal rights to men (let alone carry the notion in their hearts where it really counts). So the problem probably is/was broader than just apartheid.

I reckon playing the blame game can only get in the way of fixing it, but Dr. Mike being a bit myopic about it is barely surprising.

Perhaps if he rips off his shirt and engages in public self-flagellation with a shambok whilst he walks down the entire length of West Street (whatever it's called now), it might help ease his guilt complex.

[Marq]

Perhaps if he rips off his shirt and engages in public self-flagellation with a shambok

And you think I have wicked thoughts

I believe in creating our own reality....now if everyone can get this picture in mind ..... whoa...hey done deal - I can see him in action right now.

I was referring though to the other racist one...the mayor of Nottingham, not the sheriff. Now here I believe a stocks scenario facing the run down library gardens with the resident bible bashing megaphone preacher shouting at him and telling him of the errors of his ways. One should be able to pick up rotten eggs and garbage to throw at him, as in old traditional ways (which he continually refers to) from the potholes and mess left by the municipal strikers.

[Dave A]

Oh - the mayor!

That'll teach me not to rush through these things. I'll beat myself with the convention program shortly. (Don't worry, it's on a single A4 120g paper sheet - probably couldn't even give a paper cut )

But in that case - it's got to be easy to thrash the shambok when it's someone else on the receiving end. Popular catch-alls get popular support, so who cares whether it's true or not.

[tec0]

Well if we looked at Germany and the Second World War they are still being ridiculed by it with all these Second World War programs on TV and stuff. Fact is people don’t want to move forward because then they will have no-one to blame. Sad stuff really but tell you what maybe one-day a new page will be found.

[Yvonne]

Off topic a bit, but forgive me as this post has a reference to the "Street naming" issue.

I recall watching a TV interview with a well spoken lady from the IFP who seemed to be very credible, in her desire to follow a democratic path to ensure the name changes did not go ahead.
Ah! such conviction that logic and diplomacy would win the day, I actually believed she might just succeed!

Sadly, on our last visit to Durban we found she had lost the battle!

We have just visited Chicago, and in the downtown area, the streets have two boards up. - The normal street name, and a second - very smart name board which declared this street honors a certain person!

What a brilliant idea, then the "cost" of the name change is purely the "honor" board! and a great solution.
And when political change comes - as it will in South Africa, the cost of replacing the "honor" board is a better option, rather than the full cost of renaming the roads (could be better allocated to social budgets?)

Yvonne

[Marq]

Now that is a great solution to the whole shambles.

Now if we could just find the street poles that have not been removed by the local politburo, and then of course convince them there are other ways to go about ramrodding stuff into place....we could be in action.

[Dave A]

A damn fine compromise, Yvonne! That makes a lot of sense.