Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site watrose.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!watnot!watrose!gdvsmit From: gdvsmit@watrose.UUCP (Riel Smit) Newsgroups: can.politics Subject: Re: South Africa bogosity Message-ID: <7655@watrose.UUCP> Date: Mon, 4-Nov-85 14:26:57 EST Article-I.D.: watrose.7655 Posted: Mon Nov 4 14:26:57 1985 Date-Received: Tue, 5-Nov-85 22:35:52 EST References: <80@ubc-cs.UUCP> Distribution: can Organization: U of Waterloo, Ontario Lines: 31 In article <80@ubc-cs.UUCP> andrews@ubc-cs.UUCP (Jamie Andrews) writes: > I suspect that all these picky little semantic points are being >argued because either (a) some people are just feeling pedantic or (b) some >people don't believe that the political situation in S.A. has to change. If I am sounding pedantic, I am sorry, but if one constantly find that people make pronouncements and form opinions based on half-truths at best, it is sometimes difficult not to become pedantic. It is because of my experience of having lived in South Africa and reading here what the press and others sometimes preach as gospel about SA, that I do not believe half of what I read about the Soviet Union any more. > The issue is institutionalised racism, and any government or people that >perpetrates that deserves to be punished. [ ] > I'm not suggesting that S.A. is the only place where this goes on; >but there are some who seem to be suggesting, through tangential arguments, >that S.A. shouldn't be punished at all. This is completely bogus. > I am not arguing against punishment, rather, I am arguing for actions that will lead to the abolishment of apartheid with the least amount of violence, pain and upheaval for ALL concerned, and with the greatest potential of resulting in a stable, racially harmonious (is there such a place on this earth?), completely democratic society. If punishment in the form of sanctions and boycotts (also of the innocent) is the only way, then I will support even that, but I am by no means convinced that, at this point in time, it is the only nor the best way. I am also arguing for more consistency. I would like to see the same kind of ferver for punishment of other countries that do similar (and worse) things than South Africa (and if anyone is not willing to do that, then let him/her put up and shut up).