We’ve come a long way babies!

Yesterday my mom and I were driving in the town where I grew up and she still lives. It has changed and grown enormously and she was reminding me of the old apartheid days.  Our small local post office had a separate entrance for black South Africans. We had separate benches, train carriages, beaches, schools, swimming pools etc.  It was just crazy!

I had huge white guilt and took a fair amount of flack in my modeling days when I traveled all over.
I was naïve in thinking we were the only racist country in the world and everywhere else people were fair and tolerant. 
It is only lately actually, that I have seen how racist & bigoted some countries still are. Hearing how the religious right in USA operates further reminded me of how far South Africa has come. I am not knocking the majority of the sane, normal and respectful Americans. I love your country and I love how so many of you are fiercely patriotic.
(Gary and I are very tempted to live in San Fran for a few years!)
For a long time I didn’t feel patriotic, I felt ashamed of how we had treated fellow South Africans. I don’t feel like that anymore. I feel enormously proud of the progress we have made. We are called the rainbow nation due to the many different colours, cultures and languages spoken here.

A few weeks ago I attended a meeting at the NG (Dutch Reformed) church with other reps of various charities. We were a real mixed bunch all trying to work together and connect with each other. In the old days the NG church was known to be very religious and very pro apartheid. This is no longer true and the church is real and sincere and spirit filled. The catholic churches have dusted off their bibles and being filled with joy and energy and growth.
Muslims and Jews and Christians and all other flavours co-exist in relative peace. Our past has made us softer, kinder and more tolerant of our differences.
The enemy is not another South African, our enemies are HIV, poverty, crime, corruption and ignorance.

Everyone is trying to do their bit and help SA get back on its feet. We no longer point out the differences in our churches as much as we used to do, we focus on common goals.
Many government officials are often corrupt and we have this big lack in our community in health and education and other areas. People no longer moan about this anymore, they just roll up their sleeves and get stuck in.
I am not totally naïve and think it is all perfect, we have a huge way to go but look how far we have come.

For me, our grass is looking pretty green.

Comments

[Elaine]

You are so Right. I must say I have noticed the same thing. Especially after reading some of the anti- religious things over here and on your sister's blog comments.

It also surprised me when I was in the US to realise how very far we as South AFricans have come. True there are still those who are intollerant, but the overall tollerance of our cultural, religious and personal differences make me VERY proud of being South African.

Whats even better is that we can discuss things like adults and not have to get in huge fights about it everytime ( hoping saying it makes it more true ;-) )

[Sue at nobaddays]

Thank you for this *lovely* post, Mel. I was raised in Pretoria just two doors from a very big, very dour NG church. Also have many memories of the bad old days when everything was separate -- schools, busses, entrances, bottle stores! And now, living a million miles away here in San Diego and with so much having changed in the old country, you sometimes forget. So thanks for the gentle reminder!

[yvonne]

This is a WONDERFUL post, and most encouraging! And, you're most welcome to the San Fran bay area anytime!