First SAAF Black Female Chopper Pilot

That's my point. Seeing everything from a race/colour perspective destroys the ability to appreciate achievements for exactly what they are. This woman might be the best chopper pilot the SAAF has ever had - but we'll never know because the whole situation has race issues painted all over it.

That is the sad thing for me. Because so many people get undeserved positions, those who do achieve deservingly are overlooked or have a question mark hanging over their achievements, and there's no way to remove any doubts.
 
Negative stereotypes about black people in general cause me to celebrate when the media acknowledges positive accomplishments. Believe it or not...stories like these are necessry to inspire the young ones. The images they see on the news are so overwhelmingly negative.

I don't like it when I see individuals hired into prominent postitions because...daddy or mommy knows the CEO/Director/some in the position of hiring or the person was a "good friend of a friend". Life is not always fair and sometimes people are given unfair advantages that they haven't effectively earned.

I do see how racism can increase with affirmtive action and resentment ultimately follows. There is the ongoing argument that in the past they were denied access and this should be viewed as a way to even out the playing field. It is a very bitter pill to swallow. Merit should rule.

In the interim....I will continue to celebrate the reporting in the media of positive accomplishments . They are rare and at the end of the day...they are moral boosters which inspire our youth. Please don't hold it against me.
 
princess44, I have to agree with everything in your last post. Inspiring the young ones is a valid argument and good reason. I guess it becomes a double edged sword. One the one hand you inspire young people, but on the other hand you teach them to see life from a colour/race perspective.

One morning I saw three kids riding their bicycles down the stree where I lived. I was driving to Blairgowrie Spar, and as I was standing in the till queue closest to the door, they arrived parked and locked their bicycles, all the while chatting away merrily. They must have been no older than about seven or so. One black girl, one indian girl, one white girl. They were so blisfully unaware of, and unconcerned with their skin colour, it gave me a really warm fuzzy feeling. I thought that their children's generation will be the first truly non-racial generation in South Africa.

But I think as they grow older they'll learn to see life and expect things to work in ways that are governed by race and gender. Because that is what their their parents and grandparents do on a daily basis.

Sad, really.
 
koffiejunkie said:
princess44, I have to agree with everything in your last post. Inspiring the young ones is a valid argument and good reason. I guess it becomes a double edged sword. One the one hand you inspire young people, but on the other hand you teach them to see life from a colour/race perspective.

One morning I saw three kids riding their bicycles down the stree where I lived. I was driving to Blairgowrie Spar, and as I was standing in the till queue closest to the door, they arrived parked and locked their bicycles, all the while chatting away merrily. They must have been no older than about seven or so. One black girl, one indian girl, one white girl. They were so blisfully unaware of, and unconcerned with their skin colour, it gave me a really warm fuzzy feeling. I thought that their children's generation will be the first truly non-racial generation in South Africa.

But I think as they grow older they'll learn to see life and expect things to work in ways that are governed by race and gender. Because that is what their their parents and grandparents do on a daily basis.

Sad, really.
Click to expand...

Sadly a situation like that cannot fully prevail in our country because some kids still grow up in squalor conditions in the squatter camps totally isolated from the mainstream...All they see is how dreadfully poor their parents are and they start to wonder why. As they grow older they learn the truth about the past and only then they can start to make sense of it all.
 
Bageloo said:
Sadly a situation like that cannot fully prevail in our country because some kids still grow up in squalor conditions in the squatter camps totally isolated from the mainstream...All they see is how dreadfully poor their parents are and they start to wonder why. As they grow older they learn the truth about the past and only then they can start to make sense of it all.
Click to expand...

Bangaloo, you are right. But it is precisely because people blame the past and expect something in return (thanks, in no small way, to goverment's empty promises), that they're still living in the squatter camps.
 
Koffiejunkie.....

I was touched by your story about the three kids.

This past February we had an event which honoured our Black Veterans who served in WWII and Korea. There were about 50 kids under ten in the audience. All the veterans in attendance had led exemplary lives after the war and were never in trouble with the law. They credited the discipline they received in the army as preparing them for civilian life. Each child was given a book listing some of their accomplishents.

Reports from the parents were that the kids were so proud, they showed the books to their non-black classmates and said..."See we were there too". The thirst for knowlege from the other culutres prompted them to read more and their confidence levels soared.

Cream ultimately rises to the top. If you truly are deserving of a position, you will continue to do good work well after the customary probation period and have the ability to sustain it. Respect will ultimately follow regardless of race.

Take care
 
princess44, I wish governemnt could understand that. Their obsession with how things look on the surface is ultimately doing long term damage to the psyche of young south africans.
 
Agreed. A solid foundation is required in order to succeed long term.
We must look past the veneer. What resides underneath could very well be rotten wood.

It takes courage to admit that certain practices are in need of revison or rehaul. When everything is rosy..it is easy to perform well. How individuals react in times of difficulty and crisis will reveal true competence.

The sad thing is if you wait too long it may be too late.
Ultimately I would like to see hard work and detemination be rewarded appropriately. The future depends on it.
 
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