The English South African, His History, Culture and Achievements
The second reason why a distinctively English South African culture is somewhat more difficult to identify in South Africa today than the cultures of other South Africans is of a more negative nature. The English South African culture and identity has been greatly damaged in recent years. The English are not, today, in certain respects, as socially cohesive as they once were. Massive guilt manipulation is responsible. They have been told, for so long, by the black Marxists and even by the rest of the world that they and the Afrikaners are the world’s worst racists, that many of them have become ashamed of their great heritage, their phenomenal achievements, and all the things that make their nation and culture something which so many millions from other cultures aspire to emulate. And so, while other nations in South Africa proudly celebrate their heritage and way of life, the English play theirs down, and even suppress it, in the “New South Africa”. There is less of a sense of community, of cohesion, than there used to be. It is there, but it is in the shadows. It is as if they do not want to raise their heads too high over the battlements, lest they get blown off.
Of course, what is in the shadows can easily come out into the bright light of day again. It will take a sense of purpose to be restored, and strong leadership, and a resurgence of interest in, and gratitude for, the English South African’s wonderful history and culture, the great English language, and all the other things that have gone to make up English identity.
The Afrikaner, also, in the aftermath of the black Marxist/ANC victory in 1994, was in the same boat as the English. His identity and culture were under attack, resulting in a loss of his sense of community and social cohesion. It is not as strong, today, as it once was. It is the old tactic of “divide and conquer” that has been used, to great effect, by the Marxists now running the country.
But for the Afrikaner, this has started to change in recent times. He has started to fight back! There is an Afrikaner political party, Afrikaner cultural events, etc. “Beginning in 2000 with the publication of Chris Louw’s so-called ‘Boteman letter’ written to FW de Klerk’s brother, Willem, there has been an unusual ferment in Afrikaans, a search for new meaning under black domination and possibly a way out of the political impasse constituted by a biological democracy where racial head counts determine most political outcomes. Afrikaner cultural response has been even stronger… in a massive privatisation of Afrikaans culture since 1994. Starting this year [2005], one may discern a new assertiveness among the large mass of Afrikaners who are openly referring to transformation as ‘reverse apartheid’, challenging the dogma of white guilt and subservience, the staple of the mainstream media since 1994.”[5]
It is a very good thing that the Afrikaners have started to fight back. And if things could change for the Afrikaners, they can also change for the English! All is not lost. The deliberate ideological war being waged against the Afrikaners and the English must be resisted! They cannot just sit back and do nothing. They cannot afford to!
The English South African does not perceive the threat as clearly, because, thanks to the fact that he shares a common language, and something of a common history, with millions of people of English descent all over the world, he has to a large extent lulled himself into a false sense of security. There is no threat to the English South African’s language, as there is to the Afrikaner’s. English will not die out, neither in South Africa nor in the rest of the world. And despite the differences between English South Africans and people of English descent in other parts of the world (differences which often become readily apparent when English South Africans emigrate), it is still much easier for him to adjust and “fit in” elsewhere than it is for the Afrikaner, because of the common language and at least something of a common history, albeit a now-somewhat distant history. It is thus far easier for him to view himself as a “citizen of the world” than for many others, thanks to the worldwide influence of the British Empire and all it achieved. Nevertheless, he desperately needs to perceive the threat he faces, for English South Africans are, as a nation, under threat! Their history is under threat (name changes, rewriting the history books, etc.). Their South African way of life is threatened. Their place in the sun, their very existence is under threat, via affirmative action; being made second-class citizens; and in many other insidious ways.
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Filed under: History without the humbug