The Outcry Against Statues is Nothing but Crying Wolf

Rhodes Statue at UCT

Photo by David Ritchie - Cape Argus

The reason for the wanting to remove the statue is essentially so vague that the whole issue has become multifaceted and it cannot be answered by a simple yes or no.

What does this statement by Nkwanyana of the Dept of Higher Education and Training actually mean? when he says “A university must be a representative of a new society, a changed society. It can’t represent the historical past.”

The new and changed society will mean very different things to the different groups in South Africa and how far in either direction should these meanings be extended. South Africa's past (in recorded history) was by in large created and written by colonialists/white/racists/apartheid protagonists. By the same logic the history of every white or coloured person in this country should be deemed racist and colonialist and what? Destroyed or shoved in a museum?

Photo by Schalk van Zuydam/AP The Guardian

Every white family that arrived in South Africa pre-1994 is part of that historic past that is being found so offensive. It cannot be removed as it is an intrinsic part of this country. Every institution in the country from academic, financial, religious, medical,  legal, military, media, cultural, as well as parliament itself all represent this historical past in some way and the majority of them were formed by 'racist colonialist whites'. So where is this line going to be drawn? Is the university going to be asked to remove the Rhodes Scholarships, give the land back, remove the names of all previous white chancellors?

Anyway how does a statue represent the University? 

The whole idea of a university as well as this debate are western constructs introduced at some time in that same history.

This small handful of revolutionaries like those who cry "racist!" any time a white student does something silly is crying wolf, while deep-seated racism and hatred runs unchallenged throughout the country.

There are many many white people who believe they were also victims of apartheid, growing up, blinkered in a system we thought unjust and did not choose, were too young to do anything about, or too afraid of the security police to step out of line.

I am offended by their offence!