1970s South Africa. (60's, state, Russian, historical)

[Baldrick]

Here is a link to a thread i made on the Photography Forum. It's a link to some photos in a 6 minute slide show with comments on the photos and on what was taking place in South Africa at the time.

South Africa under apartheid in the 1970s

I thought people on this forum might be interested in the historical aspects of the photos as well as the aesthetic ones.

[green_mariner]

Originally Posted by Baldrick

Here is a link to a thread i made on the Photography Forum. It's a link to some photos in a 6 minute slide show with comments on the photos and on what was taking place in South Africa at the time.

South Africa under apartheid in the 1970s

I thought people on this forum might be interested in the historical aspects of the photos as well as the aesthetic ones.

South Africa in the 70s is not a place I would want to live in.

[jtur88]

I do not see any pictures here that could not have been taken in the USA in the 1950s and 60's. From the historical perspective, the USA and South Africa were only a decade or so out of lock step at the time.

And yes, I spent two months in South Africa in 1976, and lived in Louisiana and Alabama in much of the 50s and 60s, so I saw all this first hand.

[Baldrick]

Originally Posted by jtur88

I do not see any pictures here that could not have been taken in the USA in the 1950s and 60's. From the historical perspective, the USA and South Africa were only a decade or so out of lock step at the time.

And yes, I spent two months in South Africa in 1976, and lived in Louisiana and Alabama in much of the 50s and 60s, so I saw all this first hand.

It's quite well documented that the South African Government used the segregation of Blacks in the Southern US in the 50s as a blueprint for Apartheid...

[Trimac20]

Even today South Africa is one of the most racist nations on earth. And it cuts both ways. It has an ugly past.

[green_mariner]

Originally Posted by Trimac20

Even today South Africa is one of the most racist nations on earth. And it cuts both ways. It has an ugly past.

It is quite ugly. I met a White person from South Africa a few years ago. This is how he sees it. According to him, it was no good under apartheid, and it isn't that good now, and that the only good leader South Africa has had is Nelson Mandela.

My view is that South Africa was corrupt and undemocratic in the apartheid regime, and now it isn't any better now.

[Trimac20]

Originally Posted by green_mariner

It is quite ugly. I met a White person from South Africa a few years ago. This is how he sees it. According to him, it was no good under apartheid, and it isn't that good now, and that the only good leader South Africa has had is Nelson Mandela.

My view is that South Africa was corrupt and undemocratic in the apartheid regime, and now it isn't any better now.

That's the problem with people when oppressive regimes end. Those who feel oppressed, whether they say it openly, want 'payback' and so now whites are oppressed in South Africa. The same thing happened everything: the conquering army promises liberal and become the dictators, French Revolution, the Russian Revolution, other Communist revolutions. The oppressed becomes the oppressor, one kind of evil is replaced with another.

Peace cannot come from the barrel of a gun. Fire cannot fight fire. Two wrongs do not make a right.

We adults teach our children this - they understand it, yet we don't practice it ourselves? Sometimes I think 'grown up' should be an euphemism for 'hypocrite.'

[green_mariner]

Originally Posted by Trimac20

That's the problem with people when oppressive regimes end. Those who feel oppressed, whether they say it openly, want 'payback' and so now whites are oppressed in South Africa. The same thing happened everything: the conquering army promises liberal and become the dictators, French Revolution, the Russian Revolution, other Communist revolutions. The oppressed becomes the oppressor, one kind of evil is replaced with another.

Peace cannot come from the barrel of a gun. Fire cannot fight fire. Two wrongs do not make a right.

We adults teach our children this - they understand it, yet we don't practice it ourselves? Sometimes I think 'grown up' should be an euphemism for 'hypocrite.'

I've learned this. People who are oppressed and bullied often have long memories and never forget, because for them, it's personal. I think they become the oppressors because of those long memories, and sometimes, the oppressed who get power haven't had it before and can get corrupted as a result.

[Trimac20]

Originally Posted by green_mariner

I've learned this. People who are oppressed and bullied often have long memories and never forget, because for them, it's personal. I think they become the oppressors because of those long memories, and sometimes, the oppressed who get power haven't had it before and can get corrupted as a result.

Do you think this might explain poor southerners being racist towards blacks during the Jim Crow/Reconstruction era and throughout the Civil Rights struggle too? But that's more taking out their frustrations at the wealthy on another oppressed group.

[WIHS2006]

Originally Posted by green_mariner

It is quite ugly. I met a White person from South Africa a few years ago. This is how he sees it. According to him, it was no good under apartheid, and it isn't that good now, and that the only good leader South Africa has had is Nelson Mandela.

My view is that South Africa was corrupt and undemocratic in the apartheid regime, and now it isn't any better now.

Mandela knew that Blacks & Whites needed to work together.
The problem is that the fall of the National Party and Apartheid led to it's replacement by another One Party State - the ANC.

Meet the new rulers ... the same as the old rulers except this bunch is Black. See what I mean?