Apartheid in South Africa

Exploring the topic of apartheid in South Africa has provided me with very valuable insights about history. A key insight I have obtained from the various modules is that every historical event takes place within a given context, which defines the trajectory that the event takes. A second important insight gained from the course is that history indeed repeats itself. Before taking this course, I strongly opposed this perception, believing that once something happens, it remains history. Studying the historical context of the South African apartheid and learning that racial segregation and discrimination existed in South Africa way before 1948 revealed to me that the apartheid was not actually something new; it was a case of history repeating itself. Thirdly, the course has taught me that since history repeats itself, solutions to most issues plaguing the society can be found by simply studying history to see how past generations dealt with similar issues.

Gun violence is ranked among the top nine social issues facing the society today (Yeshiva University, 2020). In fact, the past year-2020- is cited as one among the most violent years that Americans have witnessed in decades (Bates, 2020). According to Bates (2020), more than 19,000 people were killed in firearm-related incidents as well as shootings in 2020 alone. 2021 seems worse, with Thebault, Fox and Tran (2021) reporting that approximately 54 gunfire-related deaths occur each day since the year started. Having established that history tends to repeat itself, and in reference to Niccolò Machiavelli’s statement that human events ever resemble those of preceding times, I am persuaded to believe that the recent rise in gun violence is not a new phenomenon but is fueled by past events, laws and behaviors that were condoned earlier. This perception is reinforced by the report that gun violence is one of America’s legacies and that following independence, the U.S. government legalized ownership of arms. More specifically, it is recorded that the U.S. Constitution allowed white settlers to use violent means to occupy land owned by natives (Ward, n.d.). This account indicates that gun violence, in which victims are mostly blacks, is nothing new but is deeply rooted in America’s history.

Response to Jessica

I find the idea of people being held as prisoners of war in the contemporary era as disturbing as you find it. With all the claims that the U.S. attained independence and everyone got liberated, it is sad-to say the least- that innocent men and women should be denied their basic freedoms in what is alleged to be foreign policy. I agree with you that the freedoms and rights stipulated in the Constitution are arguably mere paperwork; that the law does not really protect citizens.

Response to Richard

When you mentioned the 1950s as the period from which you selected your contemporary issue, I felt an instant urge to discontinue reading your post since to me, the 1950s do not fall within the contemporary times. However, your post addresses an issue that pervades most societies today: conformity. I fully agree with you that we do not have to do things the way our parents did, especially with technological revolution and the changes that have taken place over the years. I am a strong supporter of the view that if anyone does not wish to get married or have kids, their wish should be respected. Even so, much as I concur with you on the importance of breaking the mold, I wish to differ with you on the contentious issue of accepting and embracing the LGBTQ community. Whilst one’s expression of sexuality is their choice, we should accept that such orientations may take quite some time before they can be accepted in the society.

References

Bates, J. (2020). 2020 ends as one of America’s most violent years in decades. Time. https://time.com/5922082/2020-gun-violence-homicides-record-year/

Thebault, R., Fox, J. & Tran, A. (2021). 2020 was the deadliest gun violence year in decades. So far, 2021 is worse. The Washington Post. www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2021/06/14/2021-gun-violence/

Ward, B. (n.d.). The roots of gun violence in the United States. https://isreview.org/issue/109/roots-gun-violence-united-states

Yeshiva University. (2020). 9 biggest social justice issues of 2020. https://online.yu.edu/wurzweiler/blog/2020-biggest-social-justice-issues