Monday, August 16, 2010
I actually do not know what to do
About my best friend
About myself
About my friends
About my future
About getting money
About my mum
About anything, really.
There is so much crap, and recently I've been kidding myself (most of the time) into thinking I've been happy, and that I'm happy with the way things are. But I am not. At all.
I wish my best friend was more reliable. I wish I had never shaved my head. I wish I my friends were more interested in hanging out with me. I wish I knew what I wanted to do with my life. I wish I was able to get a job. I wish I knew what I wanted to do with my life. I wish we weren't so low on cash. I wish he had never killed himself, for mum's sake. I wish everything was different.
Mum believes that the universe only gives you as much as you can handle. Seriously Universe, how much do you think I can fucking handle? Because I feel like you're taking everything out on me. I'm not that strong. Just leave me the fuck alone, and maybe I'll be ok.
About myself
About my friends
About my future
About getting money
About my mum
About anything, really.
There is so much crap, and recently I've been kidding myself (most of the time) into thinking I've been happy, and that I'm happy with the way things are. But I am not. At all.
I wish my best friend was more reliable. I wish I had never shaved my head. I wish I my friends were more interested in hanging out with me. I wish I knew what I wanted to do with my life. I wish I was able to get a job. I wish I knew what I wanted to do with my life. I wish we weren't so low on cash. I wish he had never killed himself, for mum's sake. I wish everything was different.
Mum believes that the universe only gives you as much as you can handle. Seriously Universe, how much do you think I can fucking handle? Because I feel like you're taking everything out on me. I'm not that strong. Just leave me the fuck alone, and maybe I'll be ok.
Thursday, August 12, 2010
A 1000 word essay I did on Apartheid in South Africa
The policy of apartheid was introduced in 1948 by Afrikaner Nationalists as a method to maintain their control of South Africa. Apartheid, an Afrikaans word, is translated into English as “apartness”[1]. The policy was cleverly disguised as a fair way for the people of South Africa to preserve their cultures[2]. In reality, however, it was just a way for the white people of South Africa to keep control over the Africans.
Before 1948, most of the laws and ideas that made up apartheid had already been introduced. The new political system put more force into regulating them, and the consequences of breaking these laws were more severe. It was “achieved and sustained only through force, creating human misery and deprivation and blighting the lives of millions”[3].
The leader of the Afrikaner Nationalist Party, James Barry Hertzog, was referred to as the “father of apartheid”. He believed that white people were superior to Africans, and that their supremacy could not afford to be challenged by giving Africans equal rights[4]. These rights included the right to vote, which left Africans with no political voice, and the right to fair work and wages[5]. Hertzog described apartheid as “a policy of good neighbourliness”[6].
The whites believed that they had to act as “guardians” for the Africans, that the black people of South Africa didn’t know what was best for them, and so needed to be pointed in the right direction by whites[7].
By the time apartheid was introduced as government policy in 1948, all the groundwork had been laid. The Africans had been oppressed for centuries, and now all the ideas that had kept them under white power became laws. To make matters worse, the Dutch Reformed Church backed apartheid, saying Afrikaaners were God’s chosen people, and so deserved to be treated as superior beings[8].
Over the next couple of years, the laws of apartheid were introduced. All throughout South Africa, areas were set aside for the different races. This meant “the separate and unequal division of all public facilities such as buses, beaches, swimming pools, post office counters, sports fields, cinemas, theatres, toilets, cafeterias, park benches. ‘Whites only/Blankes Alleen’ signs defined racial access or lack of access”[9].
Though Africans made up 70% of the population, only 13% of the land of South Africa was given to them for their homelands, or “Bantustans”[10]. In these Bantustans, Africans were promised separate government and independence from the whites. However, the homelands were used by whites to divide and conquer the Africans, who would not only be separated from the Afrikaaners, but also from each other[11].
“The Africans would lose their existing rights in white areas in return for a promise of self-government in the reserves”[12]. Because Africans were supposedly given an independent government system, they had to no say in the white government who controlled the whole of South Africa. This meant that the natives had no political voice, and no way of voting out the Nationalists.[13]
The capital of South Africa, Cape Town, was a little less strict when it came to enforcing the laws of apartheid. For instance, blacks and whites were allowed to ride the same bus, but the African’s were always seated at the back.[14]
“Wherever white encountered black, white was boss and black was servant. Indeed, whites were conditioned to regard apartheid society as normal, its critics communists or communist-sympathisers.”[15]
The idea was for the Africans and the Afrikaaners to develop separately, and so keep their cultures pure. However, a lack of government funding left Africans well behind whites in every aspect. Schools were just run-down sheds, and African children were only taught necessities. They were being trained for the unpleasant, physical jobs that whites didn’t want to do. Many believed that because Africans were never going to get a chance to use special knowledge, they shouldn’t be taught anything other than the basics.[16]
After 1948, more laws separating the races were introduced. A year after apartheid became government policy, the Prohibition of Mixed Marriage Act made marriage between people of different races illegal. A year later, it was also a crime to have sexual relations with a person of another race. Also in 1950, people were classified in racial groups, based entirely on physical appearance.[17]
All African males were forced to carry passbooks which identified who they were, where they were allowed to work, and even where they were allowed to die. The use of pass books meant the government was able to control the movement of Africans. If an African male failed to provide a passbook outside of his homeland, the result was imprisonment. Over ten million Africans were arrested for breaking pass laws.
Unless they could prove that they had either lived in the area since birth, worked for the same employer for more than ten years, lived there lawfully for fifteen years, or had been contracted to do a specific job, African’s were not allowed to spend more than 72 hours in a “white zone”. [18]The whites managed to keep the Africans dependent on them by making sure they relied on the economic power that the Afrikaaners had. The separate development meant that Africans had to focus on survival rather than challenging white power.[19]
In 1994, apartheid was overthrown by the African National Congress, led by Nelson Mandela.[20]
Whites used many tactics to maintain their control of South Africa, all of which came under the government policy of apartheid. They arrested, killed, and separated families just to keep themselves in power. Apartheid was alive for 46 years, and finally ended in 1994.
[1] DECV Unit 2 History: Power and People, page 1.3
[2] DECV Unit 2 History: Power and People, page 1.27
[3] Eminent Persons Group Report (http://www.anc.org.za/ancdocs/history/commonwealth/eminent.html)
[4] E. Pascoe, South Africa, Troubled Land, Franklin Watts New York 1992 (1987) p 60
[5] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Barry_Munnik_Hertzog
[6] Famous Assassinations, The History Channel (Foxtel), screened 18/11/08
[7] G. Cronje quoted in A. Sparks, The Mind of South Africa.
[8] DECV Unit 2 History: Power and People, page 4.8
[9] B. Gillian, The Struggle for Freedom, p.10
[10] Apartheid in South Africa, United Nations report, UNESCO Courier 1965
[11] DECV Unit 2 History: Power and People, page 4.22
[12] In Anatomy of Apartheid, United Nations, p.3
[13] DECV Unit 2 History: Power and People, page 5.8
[14] DECV Unit 2 History: Power and People, page 4.18
[15] L. Thompson, A History of South Africa, p.200-201
[16] DECV Unit 2 History: Power and People, page 4.19-20, 5.15-16
[17] DECV Unit 2 History: Power and People, page 4.13
[18] DECV Unit 2 History: Power and People, page 4.17-18
[19] DECV Unit 2 History: Power and People, page 5.13
[20] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apartheid
Before 1948, most of the laws and ideas that made up apartheid had already been introduced. The new political system put more force into regulating them, and the consequences of breaking these laws were more severe. It was “achieved and sustained only through force, creating human misery and deprivation and blighting the lives of millions”[3].
The leader of the Afrikaner Nationalist Party, James Barry Hertzog, was referred to as the “father of apartheid”. He believed that white people were superior to Africans, and that their supremacy could not afford to be challenged by giving Africans equal rights[4]. These rights included the right to vote, which left Africans with no political voice, and the right to fair work and wages[5]. Hertzog described apartheid as “a policy of good neighbourliness”[6].
The whites believed that they had to act as “guardians” for the Africans, that the black people of South Africa didn’t know what was best for them, and so needed to be pointed in the right direction by whites[7].
By the time apartheid was introduced as government policy in 1948, all the groundwork had been laid. The Africans had been oppressed for centuries, and now all the ideas that had kept them under white power became laws. To make matters worse, the Dutch Reformed Church backed apartheid, saying Afrikaaners were God’s chosen people, and so deserved to be treated as superior beings[8].
Over the next couple of years, the laws of apartheid were introduced. All throughout South Africa, areas were set aside for the different races. This meant “the separate and unequal division of all public facilities such as buses, beaches, swimming pools, post office counters, sports fields, cinemas, theatres, toilets, cafeterias, park benches. ‘Whites only/Blankes Alleen’ signs defined racial access or lack of access”[9].
Though Africans made up 70% of the population, only 13% of the land of South Africa was given to them for their homelands, or “Bantustans”[10]. In these Bantustans, Africans were promised separate government and independence from the whites. However, the homelands were used by whites to divide and conquer the Africans, who would not only be separated from the Afrikaaners, but also from each other[11].
“The Africans would lose their existing rights in white areas in return for a promise of self-government in the reserves”[12]. Because Africans were supposedly given an independent government system, they had to no say in the white government who controlled the whole of South Africa. This meant that the natives had no political voice, and no way of voting out the Nationalists.[13]
The capital of South Africa, Cape Town, was a little less strict when it came to enforcing the laws of apartheid. For instance, blacks and whites were allowed to ride the same bus, but the African’s were always seated at the back.[14]
“Wherever white encountered black, white was boss and black was servant. Indeed, whites were conditioned to regard apartheid society as normal, its critics communists or communist-sympathisers.”[15]
The idea was for the Africans and the Afrikaaners to develop separately, and so keep their cultures pure. However, a lack of government funding left Africans well behind whites in every aspect. Schools were just run-down sheds, and African children were only taught necessities. They were being trained for the unpleasant, physical jobs that whites didn’t want to do. Many believed that because Africans were never going to get a chance to use special knowledge, they shouldn’t be taught anything other than the basics.[16]
After 1948, more laws separating the races were introduced. A year after apartheid became government policy, the Prohibition of Mixed Marriage Act made marriage between people of different races illegal. A year later, it was also a crime to have sexual relations with a person of another race. Also in 1950, people were classified in racial groups, based entirely on physical appearance.[17]
All African males were forced to carry passbooks which identified who they were, where they were allowed to work, and even where they were allowed to die. The use of pass books meant the government was able to control the movement of Africans. If an African male failed to provide a passbook outside of his homeland, the result was imprisonment. Over ten million Africans were arrested for breaking pass laws.
Unless they could prove that they had either lived in the area since birth, worked for the same employer for more than ten years, lived there lawfully for fifteen years, or had been contracted to do a specific job, African’s were not allowed to spend more than 72 hours in a “white zone”. [18]The whites managed to keep the Africans dependent on them by making sure they relied on the economic power that the Afrikaaners had. The separate development meant that Africans had to focus on survival rather than challenging white power.[19]
In 1994, apartheid was overthrown by the African National Congress, led by Nelson Mandela.[20]
Whites used many tactics to maintain their control of South Africa, all of which came under the government policy of apartheid. They arrested, killed, and separated families just to keep themselves in power. Apartheid was alive for 46 years, and finally ended in 1994.
[1] DECV Unit 2 History: Power and People, page 1.3
[2] DECV Unit 2 History: Power and People, page 1.27
[3] Eminent Persons Group Report (http://www.anc.org.za/ancdocs/history/commonwealth/eminent.html)
[4] E. Pascoe, South Africa, Troubled Land, Franklin Watts New York 1992 (1987) p 60
[5] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Barry_Munnik_Hertzog
[6] Famous Assassinations, The History Channel (Foxtel), screened 18/11/08
[7] G. Cronje quoted in A. Sparks, The Mind of South Africa.
[8] DECV Unit 2 History: Power and People, page 4.8
[9] B. Gillian, The Struggle for Freedom, p.10
[10] Apartheid in South Africa, United Nations report, UNESCO Courier 1965
[11] DECV Unit 2 History: Power and People, page 4.22
[12] In Anatomy of Apartheid, United Nations, p.3
[13] DECV Unit 2 History: Power and People, page 5.8
[14] DECV Unit 2 History: Power and People, page 4.18
[15] L. Thompson, A History of South Africa, p.200-201
[16] DECV Unit 2 History: Power and People, page 4.19-20, 5.15-16
[17] DECV Unit 2 History: Power and People, page 4.13
[18] DECV Unit 2 History: Power and People, page 4.17-18
[19] DECV Unit 2 History: Power and People, page 5.13
[20] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apartheid
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Well, I was only out for an hour. Got a bit done though, and now know what I'm looking for, and what we're aiming for. I'm not going back into the city to see my lovelies - it still hurts too much. Instead, I'm going to spend the next half hour playing guitar, seeing if I can get any songs together.
Watching the news. Fuck, there is so much shit going on in the world, it makes me so angry. People over here and complaining about slow trains when people over in China have lost their entire families in mud slides. Get some fucking perspective, you pricks !
Watching the news. Fuck, there is so much shit going on in the world, it makes me so angry. People over here and complaining about slow trains when people over in China have lost their entire families in mud slides. Get some fucking perspective, you pricks !
Well...
I have a few minutes before I have to get ready *stab*. I've only been up for half an hour! Oh well, it'll be better then pretending to do homework for three hours, then going into the city and standing around awkwardly while all my other friends engage in their "couple-y" stuff.
Wow, this is a pointless waste of post space ...
My friend's having a 21st in two and a half weeks. It's a dress-up party, with no theme.
Who's going as a pirate? Oh yeah, moi !! :P
Wow, this is a pointless waste of post space ...
My friend's having a 21st in two and a half weeks. It's a dress-up party, with no theme.
Who's going as a pirate? Oh yeah, moi !! :P
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Bollocks
It was raining so much today. Non-stop until after two. When you've previously made plans that largely rely on having your mohawk up, rain doesn't go down so well with you. I said I'd meet everyone at about 1. Instead, I turned up at 4.15. And got to hang out with them for half an hour before heading off. I did pick up on a new favourite quote though:
"Support anarchy by taking part in consumerism."
Then I went to the local acting agency where I'm helping them with their new production, being an apprentice for the costume design department. I'm going into the head's studio tomorrow to get ideas together, before going to TAFE to do my Applied Fashion Design course. I love how girly this paragraph has made me sound. Trust me readers - I'm far from it. I chose to do Applied Fashion Design at TAFE so I won't have to rely on buying clothes. There's nothing out there I'm interested in - I might as well make my own. DIY or DIE ! :P
"Support anarchy by taking part in consumerism."
Then I went to the local acting agency where I'm helping them with their new production, being an apprentice for the costume design department. I'm going into the head's studio tomorrow to get ideas together, before going to TAFE to do my Applied Fashion Design course. I love how girly this paragraph has made me sound. Trust me readers - I'm far from it. I chose to do Applied Fashion Design at TAFE so I won't have to rely on buying clothes. There's nothing out there I'm interested in - I might as well make my own. DIY or DIE ! :P
Rather then moan ...
I'm going to make a list of things I want. These are all material things, by the way, which are a lot easier to come by then some of the other stuff I want out of life. Scientists say (*scoff) that thinking about things you want, and looking at them, can raise your mood. I'm going to try it, seeing as I'm in the right mood.
Long Gloves
Barcode Shoelaces
Bondage Belt
Striped Pants
Plain Black Belt
Bondage Jacket
Half-half Tartan Jeans
Striped Tights
Bondage Bracelet
Leather Bracelet
.jpg)
Broken Bones Accessories
Chaos UK Accessories
Dead Kennedys Jumper
Gallows Accessories
God Save the Queen Bondage Shirt
Gothic Dinner Jacket
Johnny Rotten Shirt
Lace Guantlet
Leather Jacket
Leftover Crack Shirt
"I Love Lamp" Sign
Padlock Bracelet
Dinner Jacket
Purple Tartan Jeans
Ripped Shirt
Sex Pistols Poster
Studded Belts
System of a Down Patch
Tartan Studded Belt
Tartan Tie
Tartan Tights
Tartan Vest
Tattoo on my Wrist
White Braces
Well, there you go. It didn't exactly lift my mood. I'm just as ... moodless as I was before. Oh well. It's nice to keep a record of things I want. If I could come across all these things in one go, I would probably be the happiest person in the world.
Long Gloves
Barcode Shoelaces
Bondage Belt
Striped Pants
Plain Black Belt
Bondage Jacket
Half-half Tartan Jeans
Striped Tights
Bondage Bracelet
Leather Bracelet
.jpg)
Broken Bones Accessories
Chaos UK Accessories
Dead Kennedys Jumper
Gallows Accessories
God Save the Queen Bondage Shirt
Gothic Dinner Jacket
Johnny Rotten Shirt
Lace Guantlet
Leather Jacket
Leftover Crack Shirt
"I Love Lamp" Sign
Padlock Bracelet
Dinner Jacket
Purple Tartan Jeans
Ripped Shirt
Sex Pistols Poster
Studded Belts
System of a Down Patch
Tartan Studded Belt
Tartan Tie
Tartan Tights
Tartan Vest
Tattoo on my Wrist
White Braces
Well, there you go. It didn't exactly lift my mood. I'm just as ... moodless as I was before. Oh well. It's nice to keep a record of things I want. If I could come across all these things in one go, I would probably be the happiest person in the world.
OH. GOD.
I'm having one of those cliche moments.
You know, the one where you meet a guy, and you really like him, from the get-go. You have a feeling he likes you to, and so you're (secretly) happy when he breaks up with his girlfriend. Then you hear he's going to be hanging out with you and your friends on the weekend, which makes you even happier. By the time the weekend rolls around, you're well happy. Then he meets your friend, and suddenly you're not treated like a queen anymore. You're treated like... just another girl. And they hit it off. And now you have to pretend to be happy for the two of them when you see them together, when they're going to be acting all ... "couple-y"
*Sigh
Yeah, I'm having one of those moments.
You know, the one where you meet a guy, and you really like him, from the get-go. You have a feeling he likes you to, and so you're (secretly) happy when he breaks up with his girlfriend. Then you hear he's going to be hanging out with you and your friends on the weekend, which makes you even happier. By the time the weekend rolls around, you're well happy. Then he meets your friend, and suddenly you're not treated like a queen anymore. You're treated like... just another girl. And they hit it off. And now you have to pretend to be happy for the two of them when you see them together, when they're going to be acting all ... "couple-y"
*Sigh
Yeah, I'm having one of those moments.
Nothing
Nothing. At all. That is my life right now ! I'm not being emo here, I'm just saying. Nothing is taking up the majority of my time. It's getting well boring, having nothing to do. I'm sick of doing school work. The stuff I'm doing isn't half as bad was what I was doing at my old school, but still - it's not something I wake up in the morning, excited to do.
I have no male interests to keep me on my toes. I feel slightly out of place with my friends. My best friend isn't the most reliable person on the planet. And I'm still worried about mum. Oh, the joy of being a teenager.
I have no male interests to keep me on my toes. I feel slightly out of place with my friends. My best friend isn't the most reliable person on the planet. And I'm still worried about mum. Oh, the joy of being a teenager.
Monday, August 9, 2010
Politics in Australia
Fuck 'em. That's all I have to say. Except for the following:
We have the two major parties: Liberal and Labour. Labour labels itself as centre-left, and Liberal is right-wing. I don't know how Labour can justify its position - there are NO differences between what they stand for, and what the Liberals stand for. Australia calls itself a democracy, and a fair and open-minded country ... but we don't even have a bloody left-wing party ! So, according to politicians over here, we're all either conservative, or closet-conservatives !!!
There's actually a advertisement airing now, by the Liberal party against Labour, that says "With the old Julia Gillard*, the boats keep coming. With the new Gillard, the boats kept coming. Same old Gillard, same old Labour."
Has anyone informed Tony Abbott* that there are actually human beings on those boats ?! That they're not just empty boats sent over here for shits and giggles?! That the people on these boats have got actual problems, like no home, food or money ?!
I wish our political parties would grow up and realise not everything is rainbows and butterflies for some, and even less for others .
*Labour's candidate - our current PM
**Liberal's candidate
We have the two major parties: Liberal and Labour. Labour labels itself as centre-left, and Liberal is right-wing. I don't know how Labour can justify its position - there are NO differences between what they stand for, and what the Liberals stand for. Australia calls itself a democracy, and a fair and open-minded country ... but we don't even have a bloody left-wing party ! So, according to politicians over here, we're all either conservative, or closet-conservatives !!!
There's actually a advertisement airing now, by the Liberal party against Labour, that says "With the old Julia Gillard*, the boats keep coming. With the new Gillard, the boats kept coming. Same old Gillard, same old Labour."
Has anyone informed Tony Abbott* that there are actually human beings on those boats ?! That they're not just empty boats sent over here for shits and giggles?! That the people on these boats have got actual problems, like no home, food or money ?!
I wish our political parties would grow up and realise not everything is rainbows and butterflies for some, and even less for others .
*Labour's candidate - our current PM
**Liberal's candidate
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)