Memories of South Africa | Joel S. Hirschhorn

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Joel S. Hirschhorn -- World News Trust

Dec. 17, 2013

Earlier this year I had the great pleasure to visit South Africa.

Compared with most Americans, the passing of Nelson Mandela brought tears to my eyes many times as I recalled being in many of the places being shown on countless news shows.

In particular, I was fortunate in spending significant time with several black elderly South Africans who knew Mandela and were prisoners also, and who spoke in considerable detail about the horrors of living in the apartheid society. Nothing I have seen and heard on many news outlets has presented the true horrors of what life was like for not only blacks but also other people of color in the apartheid society. There were virtually no freedoms whatsoever for nonwhites and the blacks suffered the most. I recall listening to these apartheid experts and feeling absolutely bewildered that the apartheid government and society could actually have been created and prospered for so many decades.

What those who follow news closely should have learned is that the South African apartheid government was supported by the United States and so many other countries for a very long time. Why? Mainly because this hideous government was clever enough to position itself against Soviet communism. And when it came to choosing between fighting the evil oppressive apartheid government versus making it an ally against the Soviets in the cold war, the United States and many other democracies supported apartheid. A terrible, terrible historic reality. But if we are to learn anything from the brilliant, moral teachings of Mandela is that we must have the will power to forgive all those who supported apartheid and move on.

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