Generalising about Afrikaners

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http://www.news24.com/News24/MyNews24/Letters/0,,2-2127-2129_2359766,00.html

Generalising about Afrikaners

Jul 18 2008 10:13:52:813AM

One News24 User takes exception to a statement that some Afrikaner
youths are "angry" and "hold rigid views about black people".

Dear Editor,

This is in response to the article which mentions "angry white
youths". That is a headline designed to incite. In fact, it could have
been shortened to just "angry whites", and even then the word angry is
a misinterpretation of the facts.

So, who designed this headline that appeared on News24? I would like
to refer readers to an article that appeared on the same date in Beeld
titled "Ek's 'n weeskind in my land, gee my 'n familie" - which when
translated reads "I am an orphan in my country, give me a family".

I would appreciate person's of the public to notice the difference.
The first article on News24 was about a professor, but his degree
gives him the authority and right to make a statement based on his
opinion only, yet thousands of readers' attitudes will be influenced
by that.

The article in News24 states the following: "The Afrikaner youths'
troubled knowledge was transmitted through the family, the church, the
schools, cultural associations and peer groups." This is a generalised
statement. Is it fair? Is it accurate? Deduced by a revered academic?

The professor said the Afrikaner youths' beliefs and behaviours
mirrored those of their parents - "who upheld, supported and benefited
from white domination in the decades before they were born".

He continues: "In the belief system of white youth, these social
events are interpreted through a singular lens: black incompetence,
black greed, black barbarism and black retaliation."

Sir, with all respect, who and what gives you the right to come to
that conclusion? You state that all white youth have a singular lense?
Even uneducated people know better than to conclude a whole portion of
society shares the same view.

If the professor was earnest in his wish to "get together and figure
it out for the sake our country and the future", he should refrain
from generalising and labelling a whole portion of society. This was
demonstrated recently by xenophobic incidents that I believe were
activated by political and economic frustration and not race.

So I question the motivation for the statement in this article that
"angry white youths [are] dangerous". Why this incitement? What will
this achieve? Surely not reconciliation. So why does this headline
appear? Is it to take the focus away from other problems on the
political playing field?

Sure, many white people are unhappy. Not only young people but also
old people. And so are some black people and coloured people. Why? I
believe it is because of government policy, overall incompetency, and
government official's greed and that has absolutely nothing to do with
black and white relations in this country.

A concerned mother