BAD FEELINGS.

I’ve been hearing a lot about this phenomenon called white guilt lately, in various discussions and debating forums, in newspaper opinion pieces, etcetera.  My understanding of what this guilt should be is in a document known as the “guilt-list”. 

In 2000 Carl Niehaus and Mary Burton suggested that white South Africans apologise collectively to Africans for the wretchedness that was apartheid.  Part of the document reads,

“We acknowledge the white community's responsibility for apartheid since many of us actively and passively supported that system. Some white people were deeply involved in the struggle against apartheid but they were very few in number. We acknowledge our debt to fellow black South Africans since all whites benefited from systematic racial discrimination. We therefore believe that it is right and necessary to commit ourselves to redressing these wrongs.”

Now what I’m not clear on is whether this is an admission of guilt or a feeling of guilt.  In other words, when white folk say this now, are they saying they have committed a specific or implied offense, or are they saying they feel they’ve done wrong or failed in an obligation?  What it sounds like is a spoilt child wanting to be at the center of attention.  What is this wannabe radical, pseudo intellectual trying to say?  Well, let me put it this way, if this was an earnest feeling from a place of humbleness and fairness, then ideas and solutions of how we can redistribute wealth, capital, property and land would come from those communities that hold much of those assets privately, namely white folk.  Instead all we hear from them are excuses why redistribution won’t work or isn’t fair.  How we’ve lost so many commercial farmers and how those who are given land are inept farmers.  We are told that BEE is no different to apartheid policies or racial profiling and that in the twenty years of democracy, this black government of ours has not been able to make any progress - as if democratic elections, water, electricity, houses, roads, etcetera cannot be counted as progress!  Of course not, they already had all that. 

Again, I’m not sure about this white guilt story.  I know there’s a lot written on it, I know that people of European descent living in South Africa quote it often in what I can only see as a liberalist attempt at feeling better about their unwarranted privilege.  Sometimes it even feels like an elaborate con designed to make the world feel sorry for them,  “Poor rich white people, see how bad they feel and how they’re suffering psychologically.”

What I do know about is what could be called black guilt.  In a country where the majority of the population is African and that majority lives in a perpetual state of privation, those fortuitous few that are able to escape the pain of lack are much like organic foods … few and far apart – you got to love clichés! They are the ones who visit extended family members during holidays and give up their double or queen sized beds to sleep on decades old single beds, which they share with cousins, in cold blooded shacks.  Of course even those willing to go slumming are few and far apart.   Chances are, if you’ve been raised, as an African, in a situation of privilege, you’re too larny too visit and sleep in such spaces.  You’ll see them family members at a funeral or wedding, where you won’t even observe the rituals and or customs.  If you’re a lady, you won’t be there early to help the other ladies “peel” vegetables.  If you’re a man, you won’t be there to help slaughter and carve up the cow, probably because, “It’s inhumane!”  Something about the SPCA and animal rights or whatever.  This is not to say that you won’t feel bad that you cannot identify with your kin, but rather that your western comfort supersedes your need to connect. 

Now imagine the person who internalizes the problem and sees that a solution is needed.  How do they handle the bad feelings? I’ve decided not to call it guilt, bad feeling is better.  Ask Pres. Jacob Zuma to explain why I make that distinction.  If you as a white person are having difficulty dealing with your "guilt", try putting yourself in the shoes of an African ghetto child afforded a private schooling, vacations every summer, outings to top notch restaurants, etcetera and still has to go home to those neighbors who only know want. 

I know there are many Africans who will say this is a situation we shouldn’t feel bad about, that having money is not immoral, irrespective of the millions who go without everyday.  Perhaps not.  Perhaps those who become successful are an example for those who aren’t there yet – “…and I use the word [yet] with meticulous consideration deliberately…” – that they too can get there.  Problem is, those who are still to get there don’t have you as examples.  The moment you make it, you’re out like yesterdays newspaper.  Eish, clichés!

My point?  Stop whining about white guilt and work towards solutions.  Stop pointing fingers at one another and see that the past haunts us all, even today.  We need to begin looking at one another as one South African family, once we do that, helping each other will come easy.  If those on the bottom begin to feel like those on top care about them, they will begin to feel good about themselves and therefore good about our society as a whole.  Once that happens, everybody can work towards the same goal … making South Africa better for all!  Even to those snobbish darkies, I’m not saying you must learn your cultures and begin speaking in vernacular languages the whole time – though that would be cool – but stop looking down on those who look like you but have less.  That shit is just plain stupid! 

Okay, that’s my rant for the day.  Hope you take our country more seriously and less selfishly.  

Peace…