Posts filed under ‘Identity’
An Apology to Africa
Bishop Catherine Roskam delivered this apology to Africa during a Service of Liberation at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine on Sunday January 13th 2008:
I am sorry, Africa.
Of all the places we have exploited-and we have exploited many – it is only from you that we have also stolen the people.
I am sorry that we took your people and held them in bondage for centuries, a holocaust of perhaps twenty million souls.
Africa, we transported your children in conditions unfit for any living creature. When they became sick or died, we threw them overboard, like so much unwanted ballast. Those that completed the excruciating journey, we sold like cattle, auctioning them off to the highest bidder. (more…)
++Desmond Tutu kry ’n kil ontvangs in Kenia
Foto: Blane (Tutu Center, New York 2007)
Emeritus aartsbiskop ++Desmond Tutu het hier kort ná sy aankoms in die geweldgeteisterde land die koue skouer van die Keniaanse regering gekry, wat hom bloot as ’n toeris beskryf het omdat hy nie genooi is nie.
Dié koue ontvangs vir Tutu, wat ’n afvaardiging van besorgde Afrika-kerkleiers sou lei, het ook pres. John Kufuor van Ghana, voorsitter van die Afrika-unie (AU), in sy spore laat omdraai toe hy sy beoogde besoek laat vaar het.
Terselfdertyd was oudpres. Ahmed Tejan Kabbah van Sierra Leone, wat deur premier Gordon Brown van Brittanje as bemiddelaar voorgestel is en hoof van die Statebond se verkiesingswaarnemerspan was, gister op ’n vlug uit Nairobi nadat hy ingelig is oor pres. Mwai Kibaki se standpunt jeens buitelandse bemiddeling in die Oos-Afrika-staat se ergste krisis in ’n kwarteeu. Lyke in sommige strate in Nairobi was gister die stille getuienis terwyl die polisie en die anti-regeringsoproeriges slaags gebly het.
Tutu het wel met die verslane opposisieleier, mnr. Raila Odinga, vergader. Ontleders meen die land se skielike spiraal na chaos skaad Afrika se demokratiseringsproses.
“Die prentjie van Kenia as ’n model vir stabiliteit is flenters,” het Tutu gesê. (more…)
Afrikaners: Voed die nuwe nasie die ou etnos?
Jan van der Merwe , Doktorale student in antropologie aan die Universiteit van die Vrystaat , oor Afrikaners in ’n post-apartheid Suid-Afrika:
Lees die oorspronlike opsetel hierso. Listen to Eban van Renen’s podcast reading of this essay here.
Impak op Afrikaners se Kultuurbeskouing
“Een van die realiteite waarmee Afrikaners voortdurend gekonfronteer word en wat telkens in ’n onlangse antropologiese studie aan die Universiteit van die Vrystaat na vore getree het, is die feit dat Afrikaners ’n kulturele minderheid in Suid-Afrika is. Hierdie realiteit, tesaam met die ANC-regering se eksplisiete proses van nasiebou, het ’n regstreekse impak op Afrikaners se kultuurbeskouing.
South Africa: A Lesson of Freedom
From the Pacifica Radio archives, this archival audio gem:
“Rhodesia came into existence as a colonial slave state, established during the halcyon days of the British Raj. A quick glance at a modern world map, however, attests that the powerful colony would eventually assert the right of self-rule… that from the belly of Rhodesia, the independent nation of South Africa would be born.
LISTEN to this episode.
“National independence, however, is not synonymous with freedom. Was it possible that the oppressed could set a new standard for freedom-fighters the world over? In the face of modern technological warfare, could they succeed? And if so, how without the gutters of Johannesburgh running red with blood?
“Stephen Biko, a soon-to-be martyred activist,
Desmond Tutu – an Anglican priest from a township parish,
and Nelson Mandela, an imprisoned social activist,
would inform history of a new process of emancipation. Together they would prevail upon the state and the world to recognize humanism as the true basis for national sovereignty, and demonstrate a method whereby, for the first time in history, the slaves would free their masters.
“This week, From the Vault explores the stories of three heroic South African leaders, woven together by the songs of Mama Africa, Miriam Makeba, and the recollections of Pacifica’s own Eva Georgia and Bridgette Ramasodi, women who grew up in South Africa under Apartheid.
“From the Vault brings you the inspiring story of South Africa’s struggle for freedom and social justice – South Africa: A Lesson of Freedom”
LISTEN to this episode.
Twee uit Oprah-skool oor Afrikaans
05/05/2007 19:25 - (SA) – Rapport
Twee uit Oprah-skool oor Afrikaans
GAVIN PRINS
Kultuurverskille en boelies het glo meegebring dat twee van die leerlinge aan Oprah Winfrey se spogskool vir meisies sedert die vakansie weier om terug te gaan.
Die twee maats, Michelle Conradie en Gwenneth Mans, se ouers wil nie oor hul besluit praat nie. Rapport het egter verneem die kletskoningin het by geleentheid self vir me. Amanda Conradie, ma van Michelle, uit Amerika gebel om te sê haar kind word “geviktimiseer”.
Nou sit Michelle en Gwenneth glo by die huis terwyl hul voormalige klasmaats twee weke gelede weer agter hul luukse skoolbanke by die Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls ingeskuif het.
Me. Frances Mans, Gwenneth se pleegma, het bevestig haar kind is by die huis, maar het gesê “ek wil nie daaroor praat nie”, waarna sy die telefoon neergesit het.
Conradie antwoord nie haar telefoon nie.
Rapport verneem egter die lewe by die weelderige skool met sy ses gesonde maaltye per dag, moderne klaskamers en spoggerige slaapkamers het vir die meisies net te erg geword.
“Hulle mag byvoorbeeld nie Afrikaans praat nie. As hulle gevang word, word hulle van sekere van hul regte ontneem. Dis die meisies se eerste taal en dit word nie toegelaat nie. Dis belaglik,” sê die bron. “Die stelsel by die skool werk nie vir almal nie.”
Mans is glo besig om vir haar pleegkind ’n ander skool te soek.
Die skool se bestuur weier om daaroor te praat.
Mnr. John Samuels, bestuurder van die skool, het gisteroggend gesê: “Ek kan nie kommentaar lewer nie.”
En op ’n vraag of hulle die probleem uitstryk, het hy gesê: “Watter probleem? Hoe kan ons iets uitstryk as daar nie ’n probleem is nie?”
Die skool was verlede maand in die nuus toe ouers gesê het hulle wil hul kinders meer as net die voorgeskrewe een keer ’n maand besoek. Maar Samuels het toe gesê alles is in die kinders se belang.
Ook in Februarie is berig ’n meisie is aangesê om die skool te verlaat nadat sy die een of ander siekte opgedoen het.
Maar nie al die leerlinge by die skool het klagtes nie. Me. Colleen Jefferies, tante van Taryn-Leigh, sê daar is geen probleme waarvan hulle weet nie. “Taryn het in die drie maande daar só ’n volwasse mens geword. Dis ongelooflik. Sy is baie gelukkig by die skool.”
Die skool het Winfrey R268 miljoen gekos. Sy het die 152 minderbevoorregte meisies wat daar skoolgaan, self uitgekies.
Gavin Prins
06/05/2007 21:19 – (SA)
Johannesburg – Two Afrikaans-speakers have not returned to Oprah Winfrey’s upmarket school for girls after the holidays, apparently because of cultural differences and bullying.
The parents of the two friends, Michelle Conradie and Gwenneth Mans, don’t want to talk about it.
But Rapport newspaper has heard that the talk show queen on occasion phoned from the United States to tell Michelle’s mother, Amanda Conradie, that her daughter was being “victimised”.
Michelle and Gwenneth have been sitting at home for the past fortnight, while their former classmates returned to the posh Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls.
‘Not allowed to speak Afrikaans’
Frances Mans, Gwenneth’s foster mother, confirmed that her daughter was at home, but said “I don’t want to talk about it” and put down the phone.
Conradie did not answer calls to her phone.
Rapport’s information is that life at the school with its six healthy meals a day, modern classrooms and fancy bedrooms had just become too much for the girls.
A source said: “For instance, they’re not allowed to speak Afrikaans to each other, even though it’s their home language.
“If they’re caught, certain privileges are taken away. It’s ridiculous. The school’s system doesn’t work for everyone.”
Mans is looking for another school for her daughter.
The school management is tight-lipped about it all.
Academy manager John Samuels said: “I cannot comment.”
When asked if they were attending to the problem, he responded “What problem? How can we attend to a problem if there isn’t one?”
The school was in the news a month ago when parents said they wanted to visit their daughters more often than the prescribed once a month.
Samuels said at the time that it was “in the girls’ best interests”.
There was also a report in February that a girl was told to leave because she had contracted an illness.
Most pupils ‘very happy’
However, there also are positive reports from the pupils.
Colleen Jefferies, aunt of Taryn-Leigh, says there aren’t any problems that they know about.
“In her three months there, Taryn has become such an adult, it’s unbelievable. She’s very happy at the school.”
Oprah’s academy cost her a cool R268m, and she personally selected the 152 less-privileged pupils to attend it.
Gavin Prins
06/05/2007 21:19 – (SA)
Mormonism and Same-Gender Attraction: Marlin Jensen Speaks
“In the case of the gay person, they really have no hope.” Marlin Jensen: March 2006
This post explores recent statements on behalf of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, or the Mormon Church, by Marlin Jensen an LDS church historian and member of the First Quorum of the Seventy.
If you have reached this page because you are in crisis over your sexual orientation, you may consider following some of these additional links for a wider, inclusive voice from fellow Mormons as you continue to explore your attitudes and opinions about homosexuality within the Mormon community:
A Plea for Reconciliation — respecting the dignity and worth of every human being
Mormons for Marriage — promoting marriage equality
Latter-Day Saint Doctrine — the case for civil same-sex marriage
LDS Resources for Latter-Day Saints Dealing with Homosexual Attraction — reliable info for Mormons by Mormons
Signing for Something — D&C 134:9 in action
Family Fellowship — Strengthening families with homosexual members
Gay Mormon Stories — First-person narratives of gay Mormon men and women
The Trevor Project – Suicide prevention and anonymous help in time of crisis
Gays and the Gospel — A resource for Latter-day Saints and other Christians regarding the rights, marriages and families of their Gay and Lesbian neighbors
Seeking Forgiveness — Apologies from Latter-day Saints (Mormons) who wish to find peace and reconciliation following the LDS Church’s involvement in passing Proposition 8
Reconciliation — a call for dignity towards, respect for and mutual understanding between Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender people and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
If you are suicidal and actively thinking about killing yourself over your same-sex desires, please know that you are a person of great worth, deeply loved by God, even right now as you find yourself in crisis. To talk to someone, anonymously and confidentially, please call 1-800-488-7386 or go to the Trevor Project home page now.
Here is an edited transcript of an interview conducted on March 7, 2006 for the PBS Frontline documentary, The Mormons, an exploration into the “. . . richness, the complexities and the controversies of the Mormons’ story as told through interviews with members of the church, leading writers and historians, and supporters and critics of the Mormon faith.” Find the original Frontline post here. Find the ofiicial Mormon response here.
… What is the official position of the church on homosexuality?
… Our position on that is that there is a single standard actually of morality for all members of the church, and that essentially is that we abstain from all sexual relationships and sexual relations prior to marriage. Once we do marry, we are loyal, completely loyal, to our marital partner, and that the only marriage sanctioned by God is of a man to a woman. As Paul said, “Neither is a man without the woman nor the woman without the man in the Lord.”
["Wonderful People" and their Same-Sex Feelings, Thoughts and Desires]
So there is really no allowance within our doctrine for a homosexual relationship of woman to woman or man to man. Obviously that creates a lot of pain. It has created a lot of pain for me just because I’ve known some of these wonderful people who have these feelings, who have these thoughts, who have these desires, and I’ve worked with them in my official capacity as a church leader. … I’ve sat with those that have tried for years to transition to a more traditional way of life and who haven’t been able to produce those feelings in themselves that would permit them honestly to marry. …
[Nature, Nurture and Choice]
The thing that we have to ultimately say … is, yes, there’s nature; yes, there’s nurture; but there’s also agency. We all have the capacity and power to choose. If you’re going to live your life within the framework of the Gospel, within the framework of our doctrine, then you’ve got to choose to marry someone of the opposite sex, and if you can’t do that honestly, then your choice has to be to live a celibate life. That is a very difficult choice for the parents, for the young man, the young woman, for whoever’s [sic] making that choice, and my heart goes out to them. I think we’re asking a tremendous amount of them.
[Celibacy for the Unmarried and the Homosexual]
And yes, some people argue sometimes, well, for the gay person or the lesbian person, we’re not asking more of them than we’re asking of the single woman who never marries. But I long ago found in talking to them that we do ask for something different: In the case of the gay person, they really have no hope. A single woman, a single man who is heterosexual in their thinking always has the hope, always has the expectation that tomorrow they’re going to meet someone and fall in love and that it can be sanctioned by the church. But a gay person who truly is committed to that way of life [homosexual] in his heart and mind doesn’t have that hope. And to live life without hope on such a core issue, I think, is a very difficult thing.
[Being Charitable towards Gays]
We, again, as a church need to be, I think, even more charitable than we’ve been, more outreaching in a sense. A religion produces a culture, and culture has its stereotypes, has its mores. It’s very difficult, for instance, in our culture not to be a returning missionary. What about the young man who chooses not to go, or the parents who marry and for whatever reasons don’t have children, or the young woman who grows old without marrying, or the divorced person? I think we can be quite hard — in a sense unwittingly, but nevertheless hard — on those people in our culture, because we have cultural expectations, cultural ideals, and if you measure up to them, it’s a wonderful life. If you don’t, it could be very difficult. …
[Science and Revelation]
Science is moving toward the idea of a scientific origin for homosexuality. What if this isn’t a choice, but the way people are born? Would that change the church’s thinking about it?
I think that the origins of homosexuality are still very much up for grabs. … I don’t think the church could ever change its position, because gender, gender identification and the idea that a man and a woman coming together in marriage and to procreate and to have a family is such a core element in God’s plan for our life. There’s no room in doctrine, and there’s no room within the plan of salvation, as we call it, or God’s plan for our life, for homosexuality to be accepted. …
At several points in your history there were changes in your doctrine. Is there any way, through revelation, this ban could be changed?
Again, through revelation, I suppose anything could be changed. But certainly, in the consistency with which God has dealt with us from the beginning, the elements of his plan for our life, the essential elements have remained unchanged. That’s why in this context, in the context we were talking about here, the tension between the plan of salvation and the gay person, I just don’t think there’s room for the plan to accommodate the idea that someone can marry, live with, be romantically involved with someone of the same gender and can then be living in accord with God’s plan or our life. It’s too antithetical. Just cannot work within the confines of his plan. …
I feel there’s been a sea [sic] change in the Mormon community I’ve talked to. I still hear “abomination,” but don’t you feel there’s been a change?
“Yeah, I do. We’re more enlightened. We’re more accepting in the sense that we understand this is a condition that some people are dealing with and that even if it needs changing or even if it needs controlling, that can’t be done without our support, our love, our empathy, our interest in them as people. That’s much different, I’m sure, than it was in my youth. I hear very little terms of derision used anymore, for instance, yeah.”
Saint George’s Home for Boys 1915 – 1991
NOTICE
You have reached the original SGH page which began in January of 2007. As of July 13th 2008, this original page has been visited 3,334 times and 159 people left comments.
It got so popular — and so big — that it needed its own web page to continue to grow.
Please click here to go to its permanent home where you can read all the past comments and write your own.
This page remains here for a while, but you cannot read or leave comments here. So don’t panic. Just click here now. Really!
The new SGH URL is: http://saintgeorges.wordpress.com/
Recent 2008 SGH news:
- Old Boys wax poetic — to great effect
- Jaycee Milner (84-88 Beaton House) joins the conversation
- Marc Wastie shares photos from the seventies
- Mike Dollman contributes “Study Camp” photos from the sixties
- “DC” Dudley Claude Pringle remembers “Goggies” in the late 50′s
- Canon Eric Richardson turns 95
- Brian Gannon meets with Eric Richardson in Cape Town
- Fr. Norman “Bee Bop” Clayton found alive and well at 84 by John O’Neill . . .
- Vanessa Hurlimann (nee Finlay) remembers the “Big Walk” of 1972
SGH “Parade Ground”: 2007
Click here for a “bird’s eye” view of Saint George’s Home for Boys
Bishop Bavin St. George’s School in Bedfordview, South Africa, may be less than 15 years old, but the great jacaranda trees which shade the extensive, well-kept grounds have been there since shortly after the St George’s Home for Boys opened in 1915.
When the lovely but dilapidated Herbert Baker buildings were restored under the watchful eye of the current rector, Reverend Morgan Ellis, the gardens, too, slowly began to take shape and are now a valued part of the Bishop Baven St. George’s school.
I recall life at St. George’s home for boys in the early seventies when my father, George Harold van Pletzen, assumed a post as Housemaster of Crawford House for two short years. Although not employed by the Home, my mother, Helen Kay van Pletzen, devoted herself fully to providing for the boys under her care in this piously Anglican, militaristic place.
Courtesy of Marc Wastie:
Efficiency squads: 1977 and 1978
Charles Wastie and Newton Besant
Marc Wastie receives the under 10 Athletics Trophy
Freddy de Jager and a Project Volunteer (Steve?) outside the Feeding Shelter
Memorial Service: 1978
Saint Georges in the News: 1967 (Courtesy of Mike Dollman)
Click on any image for a larger scan
Study Camp at Lidgeton, Natal, 1966. Mike Rossouw, Trevor Stringer, Robyn Putter, Greg (surname eludes me), Mike Dollman and the master was “Tubby” Laughton.
Robyn Putter, 1966
Michael Rossouw and George Budd, 1966
SGH under 14B Team: 1972/73 (Courtesy John O’Neill) Double-click any photo for more options
Notable Names
Notable names: Canon Eric Richardson, Father Norman Clayton, Audrey (RIP) and Ken McHolm (RIP), Heather McHolm, Kennedy McHolm, George and Helen van Pletzen (1970 – 1972), Raymond Last, Frederick Lourens, Brian Gannon, the Rossouw brothers, William Wilson, Stewart Clark, Keith Frandsen, Harald Gunkel, David Grissselle, Richard Levey, Karel de Waal, Neville Rennie, Jeffrey Girout, Peter Ford, Mervyn Ekron, Mike Dollman (1966 – 1967), Michael Rossouw, Albert de Jager, JJ de Jager, John Inns (RIP), Roger Inns, George Struagh, Peter Ford, Tony Girout, Gary Hand, Andre, Linda and Blane van Pletzen (1970 – 1972) and most recently “found” — Wendy Thompson, Steve Towse, John O’ Neill, Shane Botha, Peter Burrow, “DC” Dudley Claude Pringle, Stuart Wavel Pringle, Trevor Stringer, Robyn Putter,Tubby Laughton, Jaycee Milner (84-88), Craige Milner, and Nick Young.
Old Boys’ Gallery
Michael Rossouw (left) and David Rossouw
Dudley Pringle
Trevor Budd
Housemaster’s Gallery
Beaton House at Umtentweni (Courtesy Steve Towse) Double-click any photo for more options
Spackman House at Umtentweni (Courtesy Steve Towse) Double-click any photo for more options
Heather McHolm and SGH boys (Courtesy Steve Towse) Double-click any photo for more options
JJ de Jager (Courtesy Steve Towse) Double-click any photo for more options
Crawford House Boarders in the latest incarnation of SGH: Bishop Bavin School
It was at Saint George’s Home for Boys that I received confirmation (March 21st 1972) and was first exposed to the liturgy of the Anglican Communion in this chapel.
1971 Confirmations: Kennedy McHolm, George van Pletzen, Raymond Last, Frederick Lourens, John Rossouw, William Wilson, Stewart Clark, Audrey McHolm, Helen van Pletzen and Susan Tomkine.
1972 Confirmations: Keith Frandsen, Harald Gunkel, David Grisselle, Richard Levey, Karel de Waal, Blane van Pletzen, Neville Rennie, Jeffrey Girout, Peter Ford and Mervyn Ekron.
A recent picture of Norman “Bee Bop” Clayton’s flat / recording studio
Looking towards the Chapel – 2007
Scott and Blane in the Sanctuary – 2007:
The Refectory – 2007:
Blane and Linda van Pletzen outside Crawford House in 2007:
The swimming pool in 2007:
Debbie Wright and Shane Botha: October 1976.
Do you have photographs and memories to share?
Where are you”old boys”? Where are the “survivors”? What are your stories?
Please send your scanned photographs and stories to bvpr@mac.com for inclusion in this site.
Brian Gannon — 2007 — at his home in Cape Town
This week (January 2008) I had the wonderful opportunity to visit Canon Eric Richardson who was brought on a short holiday to Cape Town by his daughter Debbie who was visiting South Africa from New Zealand. Eric recently turned 95 years old, so it was a pleasant surprise to find him looking and sounding the same as ever. We communicate by e-mail, but I haven’t been to Johannesburg for more then thirty years so I hadn’t seen him for all that time.
All who knew him will be pleased to hear that he is living very much in the present tense! We talked about our families, books we were reading, politics … the usual conversation topics. Then we discussed some issues around the church in the modern context and he was both animated and up-to-date in his views.
It was a great visit. We “go back a long way” and next year it will be fifty years since he invited me to work with him at St George’s Home.
Warm greetings to all St George’s people who visit this this blog.
Kommentaar