A perspective on the race issue.

[See It Clearly]

I was reading a book titled "Cry, the Beloved Country".

It's a fiction book that tells the story of South African racial struggles.

Not really a black vs. white book at all. In fact it tells of the black's and white's who were fighting side by side to put an end to the discrimination in South Africa.

This book was originally written in 1948 and there is a line in the book that I found particularly prophetic.

Two black Reverand's are having a conversation and it goes like this:

"Yes, that is right about power, he said. But there is only one thing that has power completely, and that is love. Because when a man loves, he seeks no power, and therefore he has power. I see only one hope for our country, and that is when white men and black men, desiring neither power nor money, but desiring only the good of their country, come together to work for it".

The other was grave and silent and then said:

"I have one great fear in my heart, that one day when they (white men) are turned to loving, they will find we are turned to hating".

[Gabby]

I was reading a book titled "Cry, the Beloved Country".

It's a fiction book that tells the story of South African racial struggles.

Not really a black vs. white book at all. In fact it tells of the black's and white's who were fighting side by side to put an end to the discrimination in South Africa.

This book was originally written in 1948 and there is a line in the book that I found particularly prophetic.

Two black Reverand's are having a conversation and it goes like this:

"Yes, that is right about power, he said. But there is only one thing that has power completely, and that is love. Because when a man loves, he seeks no power, and therefore he has power. I see only one hope for our country, and that is when white men and black men, desiring neither power nor money, but desiring only the good of their country, come together to work for it".

The other was grave and silent and then said:

"I have one great fear in my heart, that one day when they (white men) are turned to loving, they will find we are turned to hating".


There is a lot of wisdom in those quotes. Hate unfortunately is cultivated by those in power to control the masses.

[mysticbeauty_nbeast]

I was reading a book titled "Cry, the Beloved Country".

It's a fiction book that tells the story of South African racial struggles.

Not really a black vs. white book at all. In fact it tells of the black's and white's who were fighting side by side to put an end to the discrimination in South Africa.

This book was originally written in 1948 and there is a line in the book that I found particularly prophetic.

Two black Reverand's are having a conversation and it goes like this:

"Yes, that is right about power, he said. But there is only one thing that has power completely, and that is love. Because when a man loves, he seeks no power, and therefore he has power. I see only one hope for our country, and that is when white men and black men, desiring neither power nor money, but desiring only the good of their country, come together to work for it".

The other was grave and silent and then said:

"I have one great fear in my heart, that one day when they (white men) are turned to loving, they will find we are turned to hating".

Bold and Italics mine. Does art imitate life?...or does life imitate art in this book? In this instance I'd have to say that old adage really does apply that art imitates life. Referring to that last statement in your post: In that one thought hides all of our modern day issues within the topic of race. Admittedly, I've not read the book since High School..it had it's impact on me then..and remains with me now.

Imo, Apartheid remains one of the most vile acts of the modern era. But apartheid was worse, imo, then what I'll call our own 'race' wars and civil rights movements of the 1960's and 70's. It was far more brutal...beyond dehumanizing...it was the worst of man kind. Apartheid treated the natural South African black populace less then chattel..less then animals...something to be used and thrown away...like so much bad lettuce in the frige. The white government treating them like so many animals to be used and thrown away. It was far worse in it's effects on the mind set of the people of South Africa that no salve can heal. What else could be born of such hatred and vile abuses?

Modern/present day. We've not had to endure anything close to apartheid since those horrific last days in South Africa. Nelson Mandella has now traveled the world over...written numerous books...all speaking too what happened...why it happened..and what would cease the situation from ever occurring again in the world. Information is what we have now...Education and open discussion on race relations...yet, South Africa is far from healed. Anger...retribution...a reverse racism can be sited over the past 20 years...it's a mess over there! So abolishing Apartheid has brought about exactly what the last sentence of your post sited. Hard truth to be certain..but there it is.

~Mysty