Slavery - Holocaust - Apartheid -- Revolutions and Democracy in Latin America

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Date Posted: 12:09:23 04/26/02 Fri
Author: Patrick
Subject: Slavery - Holocaust - Apartheid

Although none of these topics have anything to do with the overall theme in this latin America class I would like to voice my "foreign" opinion about all three topics as short as possible...:)

Slavery
It's been roughly a 140 years since slavery was abolished in America - it took the US until 1960 to come even close to realizing the promises made to slaves in the 1860s. Of course it wasn't over then. It still goes on today. African Americans have, as we discussed, less opportunity, less leverage with the political leadership as any other minortity in this country. Now, from an Austrian standpoint - reparations in my opinion should be paid (if you choose not to accept it, fine) - a monument has to be errected somewhere - maybe even more than one, museum should have continous exhibits about Native American and African American struggle in the US history, a formal apology should be made by president, congress and senate alike. The judicial branch should also make an apology for the mistreatment of African American prisoners then and even now.
Outlandish requests? Inplausible? Whacky? Maybe..but look at Europe and what happened after the Holocaust.

Holocaust
As an Austrian citizen, 2nd generation after the end of WWII, i still carry an inherited guilt with me that comes up everytime the words holocaust, nazis and jews come up. It's as indescribeable as the descendant of slave owners who wrote the book we discussed in class. I am personally were sensitive about the subject. Most Germans and Austrians are. However, we paid reparations, apologized for our crimes against humanity, tribunals not only prosecuted the top leaders but many other local, and community figures for crimes against humanity and war crimes. Our judicial system apologized and paid reparations as well for the show trials performed under nazi rule. Germany and Austria are still paying reparations today, millions of Euros have gone to descendants of victims of the Holocaust or of descendants of war labot camp prisoners from allover Europe, mostly russian citizens however.
I don't think any other topic gets as much news, TV and movie coverage than WWII and the holocaust. It is a constant bombardment of "propaganda" by Hollywood and interest groups. Now, I don't want to say that awareness about the Holocaust is wrong - far from it but the depiction of common German,Austrian soldiers as inhumane, barbaric and evil is an insult to generations today. It seems that in order to sell a movie about WWII you gotta have the evil german commanders and the heroic allied forces coming in slaughtering those evil Nazis. Most soldiers in the Wehrmacht were just that - soldiers, nothing more, nothing less. Of course there were numerous SS run regiments who were fanatic nazis and believed in Hitler. I am not trying to make a case for Nazis here. All I am trying to say is that awareness has to created in different ways. Pictures like Rosewood for example must be as important as the newest Steven Spielberg war movie. American schoolchildren should be required to go to a slavery exhibit or plantations. Hear from descendants about the deadly journey over the Atlantic.
It has always been interesting to me how a country so great and so patriotic can have such a bad educational system. Maybe this is how the top tries to control the masses. That's probably it. Why is Jay leno always finding people on the street that don't know the name of the Vice president or of the PM of Britain? Can't tell you were Austria is on a map. I got some hillarious responses in my time here...:)
An educated few, it seems, is trying hard to push things forward but with no success. Sad.
Apartheid
Yes, the more striking part of the idea of comparing Apartheid with Slavery is when you compare the different governments that rules during theses stages. Prof. Boaz called the APartheid regime a fascist government in this class and comp. politics class as well - personally i don't see much difference in the democratic elected government of South Africa (only whites could vote) and the government of your ancestors ( only whites could vote). I would go as far as to call the democratic elected government of the US during slavery a fascist, repressive regime. Whoa, whoa - i know i'm gonna get heat for this one. Especially when considering that nobody dared to go that far with the analogy in the other class. Prof. Boaz stopped short and rather called the US a "republic" - that's fine, i am not attacking her opinion on that. I rather want to stir up the conversation. The forefathers were no saints, there were no noble pilgrims and the Native Americans did not jsut have to get moved in order to make space. I suggest a good reading: The People's History of the United States" by howard zinn, I read it over the break and it gave me so much ammunition against the US on every horrific topic that i can understand why it is not taught in class.
Gotta stop now or my response doesn't make it on the board. Please respond, i'm interested in your response and don't take anything personal by all means. In my comparative class some people oftentimes don't see the difference. I am mereley stating my beliefs and want to stir up controversy in order to get a basis of discussion. so here we go - your turn...
Patrick

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Replies:

Re: Slavery - Holocaust - Apartheid -- Cynthia Boaz, 17:04:11 04/26/02 Fri
Re: Slavery - Holocaust - Apartheid -- Emilie, 08:48:22 04/27/02 Sat