Culture Wars in the West

ImageThere are few denials these days, if any, that in most Western countries a cultural war rages, characterized by an intense and sometimes very personal disagreement involving politicians, intellectuals, activists and an assortment of ideologues. This war, or rather these wars, have been raging for some time already, at least since the Second World War. Their origins can be traced back to the intellectual legacy of a little-known Italian communist who lived in the first half of the twentieth century.
ImageThere are few denials these days, if any, that in most Western countries a cultural war rages, characterized by an intense and sometimes very personal disagreement involving politicians, intellectuals, activists and an assortment of ideologues. This war, or rather these wars, have been raging for some time already, at least since the Second World War. Their origins can be traced back to the intellectual legacy of a little-known Italian communist who lived in the first half of the twentieth century.

Lees verder: Culture Wars in the West

Losing a war

ImageIn recent weeks Washington DC has been rocked by a sex scandal. A Republican member of Congress, Mark Foley, was accused of soliciting underage pages (teenagers who work as aides to members of Congress) by sending them emails with explicit sexual content. Foley, who was known as a campaigner for "values", was exposed as a hypocrite when copies of the emails were published on the blog "Stop Sex Predators" before it was picked up by ABC news and broadcast nationally.
ImageIn recent weeks Washington DC has been rocked by a sex scandal. A Republican member of Congress, Mark Foley, was accused of soliciting underage pages (teenagers who work as aides to members of Congress) by sending them emails with explicit sexual content. Foley, who was known as a campaigner for "values", was exposed as a hypocrite when copies of the emails were published on the blog "Stop Sex Predators" before it was picked up by ABC news and broadcast nationally.

Lees verder: Losing a war

The North-Korean bomb

ImageAt 10:39 a.m. local time on 9 October 2006, a small tremor shook North Korea’s North Hamgyong Province. The event was measured at magnitude 4.2 on the Richter scale by the US Geological Survey, although detectors in Japan, China and Australia detected localized seismic activity which may have been somewhat lower on the Richter scale.

There was an immediate flurry of activity internationally, culminating with announcements by Japan, the US and China condemning North Korea for testing a nuclear weapon and breaking its obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty which it signed in 1985 as a condition to buy a nuclear power plant from the Soviet Union.

ImageAt 10:39 a.m. local time on 9 October 2006, a small tremor shook North Korea’s North Hamgyong Province. The event was measured at magnitude 4.2 on the Richter scale by the US Geological Survey, although detectors in Japan, China and Australia detected localized seismic activity which may have been somewhat lower on the Richter scale.

There was an immediate flurry of activity internationally, culminating with announcements by Japan, the US and China condemning North Korea for testing a nuclear weapon and breaking its obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty which it signed in 1985 as a condition to buy a nuclear power plant from the Soviet Union.

Lees verder: The North-Korean bomb

South African crime: resistance against white theft?

Image

Ntokoza Mthembu

Academic Ntokoza Mthembu explains himself in an e-mail interview with Dan Roodt

"If I knew whether it was guerrilla war or resistance I would not be writing articles asking whether crime is a surge in resistance but I would be part of it, taking part in the war right now. That said, I don’t know whether it is resistance."

"All settlers need not to be fearful but what they need to do is to hand over the land and all the resources…"

Image

Ntokoza Mthembu

Academic Ntokoza Mthembu explains himself in an e-mail interview with Dan Roodt

"If I knew whether it was guerrilla war or resistance I would not be writing articles asking whether crime is a surge in resistance but I would be part of it, taking part in the war right now. That said, I don’t know whether it is resistance."

"All settlers need not to be fearful but what they need to do is to hand over the land and all the resources…"

Lees verder: South African crime: resistance against white theft?

Joe Slovo’s legacy lives on

Joe Slovo may be dead, but his legacy lives on. With the release of the movie "Catch a Fire", Uncle Joe’s progeny (with Australian film maker Philip Noyce) have struck another blow against the evil Boers.

The plot, written by Shawn Slovo (the oldest of Uncle Joe’s awful trio), with credits to Robyn Slovo (another of Pappa Joe’s awful trio), is as predictable as it is dull: A morally balanced black victim is set upon by Nazi Boer operatives (the Germanic accent is as unmistakable as it was predictable). He vows revenge, and sets out to blow up an oil refinery – a plan crafted by Pappa Joe who used others to do his dirty work. This is yet another rehashing of an idea that may have been originally due to Nadine Gordimer, or some other author whose only claim to legitimacy lies in exploiting and warping the historical facts of the apartheid period in South Africa.

Joe Slovo may be dead, but his legacy lives on. With the release of the movie "Catch a Fire", Uncle Joe’s progeny (with Australian film maker Philip Noyce) have struck another blow against the evil Boers.

The plot, written by Shawn Slovo (the oldest of Uncle Joe’s awful trio), with credits to Robyn Slovo (another of Pappa Joe’s awful trio), is as predictable as it is dull: A morally balanced black victim is set upon by Nazi Boer operatives (the Germanic accent is as unmistakable as it was predictable). He vows revenge, and sets out to blow up an oil refinery – a plan crafted by Pappa Joe who used others to do his dirty work. This is yet another rehashing of an idea that may have been originally due to Nadine Gordimer, or some other author whose only claim to legitimacy lies in exploiting and warping the historical facts of the apartheid period in South Africa.

Lees verder: Joe Slovo’s legacy lives on

Alex Boraine: Scratching where it’s not itching

ImageIN a recent news article, former deputy head of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) dr. Alex Boraine accused the National Prosecuting Authority of dragging it’s feet in the prosecution of people denied amnesty by the TRC. The United Nations Committee backed Boraine’s plea, claiming that people suspected of torturing prisoners during apartheid should be put "on trial and pay compensation to the victims."
ImageIN a recent news article, former deputy head of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) dr. Alex Boraine accused the National Prosecuting Authority of dragging it’s feet in the prosecution of people denied amnesty by the TRC. The United Nations Committee backed Boraine’s plea, claiming that people suspected of torturing prisoners during apartheid should be put "on trial and pay compensation to the victims."

Lees verder: Alex Boraine: Scratching where it’s not itching

Propagandataktieke vir beginners

ImageAs daar een politieke wapen is wat die ANC baie goed bemeester het en waar Afrikaners van kan leer, is dit om propaganda te maak om hul beleid te verdedig. Hierdie standpunt is weliswaar oorvereenvoudig, aangesien ‘n hele klomp bykomstighede die Afrikaner se politieke rug gebreek het, maar daar is ‘n onmiskenbare element van waarheid hierin opgesluit. Die ANC het teen alle verwagtinge in die onmoontlike reggekry, hoofsaaklik omdat hulle ‘n goeie span rojaal befondste propagandiste gehad het en oor die nodige aggressie beskik het om hul idees die wêreld in te dra.

Die vraag verrys: Hoe het ‘n terreurorganisasie dit reggekry om ‘n ideologiese Berlynse Muur in Suid-Afrika op te rig juis in die periode toe sloophamers besig was om dié muur met groot fanfare in Duitsland met die grond gelyk te maak? Die antwoord is: propaganda.

ImageAs daar een politieke wapen is wat die ANC baie goed bemeester het en waar Afrikaners van kan leer, is dit om propaganda te maak om hul beleid te verdedig. Hierdie standpunt is weliswaar oorvereenvoudig, aangesien ‘n hele klomp bykomstighede die Afrikaner se politieke rug gebreek het, maar daar is ‘n onmiskenbare element van waarheid hierin opgesluit. Die ANC het teen alle verwagtinge in die onmoontlike reggekry, hoofsaaklik omdat hulle ‘n goeie span rojaal befondste propagandiste gehad het en oor die nodige aggressie beskik het om hul idees die wêreld in te dra.

Die vraag verrys: Hoe het ‘n terreurorganisasie dit reggekry om ‘n ideologiese Berlynse Muur in Suid-Afrika op te rig juis in die periode toe sloophamers besig was om dié muur met groot fanfare in Duitsland met die grond gelyk te maak? Die antwoord is: propaganda.

Lees verder: Propagandataktieke vir beginners

Zim staan laaste in ekonomiese klas

Zimbabwe, wat deur die verdrywing van blanke boere en politieke onenigheid gekortwiek word, was Afrika se swakste ekonomiese presteerder in 2006, terwyl Angola, dansy olie-uitvoere, die beste was. Aldus ’n VN-studie wat verlede week gepubliseer is.

Zimbabwe met al sy probleme het ’n negatiewe 4,4 persent groeikoers geregistreer, wat dit die slegs presterende ekonomie maak, volgens die VN se Ekonomiese Kommissie vir Afrika in ’n verslag wat in Addis Abeba gepubliseer is.

“Ekonomiese prestasie in Zimbabwe het negatief gebly… veral vanweë politieke probleme wat deur herhaalde droogtes vererger is,” meen die verslag.

Zimbabwe, wat deur die verdrywing van blanke boere en politieke onenigheid gekortwiek word, was Afrika se swakste ekonomiese presteerder in 2006, terwyl Angola, dansy olie-uitvoere, die beste was. Aldus ’n VN-studie wat verlede week gepubliseer is.

Zimbabwe met al sy probleme het ’n negatiewe 4,4 persent groeikoers geregistreer, wat dit die slegs presterende ekonomie maak, volgens die VN se Ekonomiese Kommissie vir Afrika in ’n verslag wat in Addis Abeba gepubliseer is.

“Ekonomiese prestasie in Zimbabwe het negatief gebly… veral vanweë politieke probleme wat deur herhaalde droogtes vererger is,” meen die verslag.

Lees verder: Zim staan laaste in ekonomiese klas

Afrikaners moet internet beset

ImageAfrikanerbevryding kan in die kuberruim begin en uiteindelik  na die fisieke territorium van Suid-Afrika oorspoel.

Sedert ek vir die eerste keer aan die einde van 1995 ‘n internetkonneksie verkry het, volg ek die ontwikkeling van dié verskynsel met belangstelling. Nie verniet nie het Jeff Bizos, die stigter van Amazon.com, gesê dat die internet nie net die manier waarop mense sake doen nie, maar ook die politiek gaan verander.

Bizos het die idee vir ‘n internetboekwinkel (maar wat deesdae omtrent enigiets onder die son verkoop) gehad terwyl hy iewers in ‘n motor tussen San Francisco en Seattle op reis was. Met ander woorde, hy het deur werklike grondgebied "geseil" terwyl hy sy revolusionêre idee vir e-handel uitgedink het.

Vele mense is besig om die verband tussen grondgebied in die tradisionele sin en die kuberruim raak te sien. Enkele jare gelede, in November 2000 om presies te wees, het die Franse filosoof Michel Serres op besoek aan Johannesburg beweer dat die internet soortgelyk aan die Middeleeuse woud is. Serres is iemand wat al oor enigiets van Fontaine se fabels tot die wette van termodinamika en kommunikasieteorie geskryf het.

ImageAfrikanerbevryding kan in die kuberruim begin en uiteindelik  na die fisieke territorium van Suid-Afrika oorspoel.

Sedert ek vir die eerste keer aan die einde van 1995 ‘n internetkonneksie verkry het, volg ek die ontwikkeling van dié verskynsel met belangstelling. Nie verniet nie het Jeff Bizos, die stigter van Amazon.com, gesê dat die internet nie net die manier waarop mense sake doen nie, maar ook die politiek gaan verander.

Bizos het die idee vir ‘n internetboekwinkel (maar wat deesdae omtrent enigiets onder die son verkoop) gehad terwyl hy iewers in ‘n motor tussen San Francisco en Seattle op reis was. Met ander woorde, hy het deur werklike grondgebied "geseil" terwyl hy sy revolusionêre idee vir e-handel uitgedink het.

Vele mense is besig om die verband tussen grondgebied in die tradisionele sin en die kuberruim raak te sien. Enkele jare gelede, in November 2000 om presies te wees, het die Franse filosoof Michel Serres op besoek aan Johannesburg beweer dat die internet soortgelyk aan die Middeleeuse woud is. Serres is iemand wat al oor enigiets van Fontaine se fabels tot die wette van termodinamika en kommunikasieteorie geskryf het.

Lees verder: Afrikaners moet internet beset

Antjie Krog se “surrogaatvader” is Lord Kitchener

ImageAntjie Krog se jongste uitlatings oor Bok van Blerk se “De la Rey”-lied in die Mail & Guardian toon net weereens in watter mate sy die werklikheid agtergelaat het. Die feit dat sy eens op ’n tyd voorgegee het om ’n Afrikaanse digteres te wees, maar nou ’n anti-Afrikanerpropagandis geword het, kwalifiseer haar geensins om namens ons te praat of maak dat haar ekstremistiese sienings ernstig opgeneem kan word nie.

Om “De la Rey” te sien as ’n teken van die identiteitsoeke deur “kinders van Nazi’s” is belaglik.

ImageAntjie Krog se jongste uitlatings oor Bok van Blerk se “De la Rey”-lied in die Mail & Guardian toon net weereens in watter mate sy die werklikheid agtergelaat het. Die feit dat sy eens op ’n tyd voorgegee het om ’n Afrikaanse digteres te wees, maar nou ’n anti-Afrikanerpropagandis geword het, kwalifiseer haar geensins om namens ons te praat of maak dat haar ekstremistiese sienings ernstig opgeneem kan word nie.

Om “De la Rey” te sien as ’n teken van die identiteitsoeke deur “kinders van Nazi’s” is belaglik.

Lees verder: Antjie Krog se “surrogaatvader” is Lord Kitchener