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| Avery |
The tables started turning
after we went to the slave lodge and to the District 6 Museum. It is a
misperception that Slavery has been abolished from our planet. I myself
believed this, perhaps I was afraid to take a closer look and investigate an
issue that was supposed to have been solved generations before my existence. I
see now how I am wrong. Although not necessarily a law in practice that states
its legality - slavery exists in society today and its effects are detrimental
to everyone even if they refuse to pay attention to it.
The redistricting that took
place under the Apartheid Era was among one of the foulest violations of human
rights that I have encountered.
Essentially, an entire region of Cape Town was redistricted as a “White
Only” District and in the year 1966 relocations of nonwhite families began in
brute force. Regardless of their financial situation, regardless of how many
generations upon generations had been reared in the home- they were removed one
by one until District 6 was barren. To solidify the message, the buildings that
had been occupied, or businesses owned by black families were demolished- a
resounding missive that suggested White Supremacy, trying to solidify Black
Shame.
The areas that these
families were moved to were far from the prime real estate beneath the Mountain
and near the Waterfront. Today, they are separated by highways and man made
barriers. The divide shocked me as we drove to the townships where only a
generation ago these families were relocated.
On my right side- vacation homes lined the mountains edge and
corporations stretched out their greedy legs. To the left- shacks with tin
roofs and boarded walls served as makeshift shelters for families. If you have
never felt your blood boil- I recommend touring these areas, seeing for yourself
the separation- knowing the whole time that greed and ignorance of today and
not of historical times has caused the suffering that you see.
While we were on a tour of one of the townships
I noticed that there were quite literally fields of garbage lying around. It
was clear that the trash was litter that had accumulated and was beginning to
choke the land and the people upon which it sat. At first, I was displeased
that there was not proper recycling in place. This was a very western mindset
for me to have. Here I am assuming that
the next biggest issue to solve for my generation would be improving the carbon
footprint of a country by reducing, reusing and recycling and suddenly I am
seeing that some corners of the world do not even have adequate waste disposal
mechanisms. Just as I was having this realization and feeling quite literally
hopeless as to where to start reform action our bus had the good fortune to
pass a man that was picking up trash by himself. He caught my gaze and gave me
the thumbs up, then carried on with picking up the garbage. I am inspired by
this man’s determination to see a task through. Even as he stood- ankle deep in
other people’s refuse he carried on and worked to better the community for
those with whom he shared it. I don’t know really how to explain how, but his
seemingly menial chore made something in me click. If he can try, why cant we all?
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