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
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Disclaimer: All articles and letters published on MyNews24 have been independently written by members of News24's community. The views of users published on News24 are therefore their own and do not necessarily represent the views of News24. News24 editors also reserve the right to edit or delete any and all comments received.