On Time and this day 50 years ago September 6th of 1966 when a Great Man died

It was also on a Tuesday, about 10 am that morning when the news came over the radio.  I had turned 26 just one month before that fateful day and was still in the formative years of my political life; it was in any event too early for me having grown up in an apolitical home, to form an opinion of the event but it shocked South Africa in its boots.

Doctor Hendrik French Verwoerd Prime Minister was assassinated by a man of a deranged soul and mind and died in his seat in Parliament that morning.

South Africa was divided between those who mourned and those who rejoiced.

I had to make a choice, and looking back I think that I made the right choice to stay above the fray and remained aloof.

In the aftermath of all South Africa showed a good sign of the heart by declaring the killer, a lost soul with a demented mind, a ward of the State President and sent to life imprisonment where he died at quite a ripe age.

Why do I place this today?

I shall reply to that in another Post. It will have to suffice for the day that any student of history will have to consider where the World stood at that time.  It was a different World to today.

The entire World is at another road crossing than it was then.  In South Africa of today we are proud of what Hendrik Verwoerd stood for; those who differ with me on this point, in South Africa or outside, read up before you judge.

To be followed up.

Ike Jakson

In Americus GA saka Americoon

ikejakson@gmail.com

It just wasn’t the right Time, Little Marco

I am in a series of Posts on Time and thought hard and long whether I may not spoil it by this Post but it had to be said; this is not always the case with Time but I realized that there are times when you have to stick your neck out regardless of the consequences.

Americans of today generally fail the Test of Time because they live in a World of make believe of some past glory that comes from somewhere in the past that they have adopted as their own without even understanding the basics of Time.

Little Marco, oh let me call you Young Marco, you messed around in an adult World.  To come today, from a youngster like you and only a first generation American to boot, to get hammered for your presumptuousness you might have been forgiven, but then to state that “America is a special place; where you come from does not determine where you are going,” heck, young man that is your problem.  Step back Marco, let the people who have been there for twelve generations, proved themselves and paid their dues, yes, let them say that.

Marco, in Russia and China you would not have had a single chance.  Ok, now I can hear you say that you don’t like them.  You also did not like your Fatherland, Marco.

In Africa you would have been fish bait within one hour after announcing your intentions.  Now don’t come telling me that you don’t like Africa either; it’s an old Continent.  The leaders appointed by their forefathers are governing; the rest do as they are told.  It works, I tell you it does.

OK, the colonials introduced a Western form of Government, telling the people they need a Democracy and things almost got out of hand, but the leading families re-introduced the old systems and advised the people that they would  call it Democracy to keep the money flowing from America and to eat MacDonald hot fries.

Bide your time, Marco.  You’ve screwed up and may not get a second chance for a long time.  Pay your dues now and just don’t force things.  Face it Marco, you only got as far as you did, and were allowed to do so by the Party to take the Don out.  You failed, Marco and the DOP [that may be new to you; it’s now spelt with a D for Dead Old Party] will remember; it’s not a Party for brash youngsters in any event.  They only used you as much as they are using Cruz now.

But that’s his problem.  Don’t you go and tarnish your name now by throwing your lot in with Cruz.

Cheerio, sonny-boy; better luck next time.

Ike Jakson

In Americus GA saka Americoon

ikejakson@gmail.com

Ikepedia on Super Tuesdays with Super Duper Rubio et al

When is America ever to learn?  Will they ever learn?  How can they ever learn that politics are for men?

Putin is a Man, and so is President Xi Jinping of China to mention just two.

How can you guys ever become great again, to quote the Trump, when a failed GOP is using a snot-nosed young kid and still a first generation American baby to assassinate the character of a leading candidate?

You’ve lost it, Grand Old Party, or do you want to hand it to the Hildabeast to finally screw up good and solid the little bit that is still left of America the once Great Society?

If the joker Sharpton gets ready to emigrate, please oh please, I beg you please, don’t let him come down South of your borders.  We have too many of his ilk here already

Ike Jakson

In Americus GA saka Americoon

ikejakson@gmail.com

 

The irrelevant Iowa Debate

 

To Russia, China, Asia and all Sefrikens [and that gives you about all the parts of the World that count], there is nothing to add to the Headline, except maybe …

The Ttump won it by the proverbial 1000 miles.  Period.

History Part 2

My first Post in this series simply called HISTORY was always going to be Part One but I thought about it and dropped the Part One words from the Headline because I wasn’t sure when I was going to do the next one and how many there will be.

This is it now and I can say that I expect the series to go up to Part 6 or thereabouts.

This one is also like the first One different from what will follow in the Parts to come and I want to establish certain principles of history that is quite obviously unknown or not generally understood. Maybe they are only my opinions but I shall leave every reader deciding on his/her own conclusions.

The first point is that though it should not be so any opinion of recorded history largely depends on who wrote the book and/or who reads it. AND [kindly note the capitals] unfortunately it also depends on when it was written and when it is read.

In my own reading career I once read Memoirs of General Grivas on the Cyprus wars between Greeks and Turks. I couldn’t make up my mind who to support. When I read the book again 20 years later I still could not take sides between Grivas and Makarios and be honest with myself.

In the early sixties I read Glimpses of World History by Jawaharlal Nehru and was impressed. Thirty years later I was even more impressed by the great Man when I read the book again. I put him above Gandhi on the World scales of measurement of greatness. The strange anomaly in our country is that many people remember Gandhi [some despise him and some adore him; personally I don’t see him as any great figure in History] but very few ever read anything on Nehru.

My third and last example on the point should suffice.

Having been an adult life long supporter of a multi racial but united South Africa [classified as an extreme Liberal which I was not, though I was a Paton admirer and Fan] I could hardly wait to buy my personal copy of Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela.

I tried to read the book; put it aside several times and tried again and again but something didn’t gel; it became obvious that it was not Mandela’s own writing though it was enthusiastically promoted as the words of the “Great Icon.” I put the book aside for a number of years and re-read it after his attack on America with the warning about Gadaffi that “your enemies are not our enemies,” and after he had informed his successor, a wimp of a man called Thabo Mbeki, to give the prisoners the vote in M’Beki’s election to the Presidency in 1999. That time I managed to get through it with a feeling of despair for our country growing in my mind. The book was nothing more than a personal song of praise to an enormous ego in a large vacuum of utter emptiness.

I have learned to read all history as the opinion of one person. This is therefore, the way you can and should, read this. It is an opinion and I would like to hear from you before I go onto a very important Part Three about parallels and repetition of history.

You may read this Post in the meantime:

http://thefederalist.com/2015/07/20/europe-is-partying-like-its-1939/

 Ike Jakson

In Americus GA saka Americoon

ikejakson@gmail.com

 

Africa 21 years ago Today Part One

It was Tuesday April 27^th when the clock struck 12 at midnight that the entire Africa was Free at Last; the legitimate black owners of the entire continent were freed and every baby born after midnight that night entered the World as a free person; it is estimated that approximately 1 360 free young ones were born all around the country in the 24 fours that followed; in the first 100 days about 136 000 of them, giving us about half a million new free people by the end of one year after freedom.

At 07:00 AM the next morning the polls opened for all colors and by that night the freedom fires were lit all over the country.

They partied for weeks and the World partied with them. I did too because I had supported the move towards Freedom for all our people for my entire adult life up to that point; that morning I had made my cross on the ballot paper to become a free man too.  It was a time of joy for most.

In Part Two and the others to follow on that we will take a look at Freedom today and how it altered lives of millions in the past 21 years and beyond.

PS: Late off the press but to complete the picture with a visual presentation of the truth, see:

 http://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2015-04-27-jerm-happy-freedom-day-south-africa/?utm_source=Daily+Maverick+Mailer&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=First+Thing+with+John+stupart%3A+Tuesday%2C+2+September+2014&utm_term=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailymaverick.co.za%2Farticle%2F2015-04-27-jerm-happy-freedom-day-south-africa%2F

 ikejakson@gmail.com

 

Today 363 years ago

It was April 6^th 1652, about 150 years after the first settlers set foot on American soil.

See, and read the closing lines:

https://ikejakson.wordpress.com/2015/04/06/van-riebeeck-day-april-6th-2015/

It was also 124 years before American Independence Day. New Amsterdam became New York on Sept 8^th 1664, barely 8 years later. Holland Michigan was settled in 1847 and introduced Calvinism and the Dutch way of life that still exists in America today.

Martin van Buren was elected in 1836 to become the 8^th President of America. He had also served as the 10^th Secretary of State under President Andrew Jackson.

In between chasing skirt and same sex marriages Bill Clinton finally saw and smiled on the removal of White Government in South Africa in 1994.

What awaits America in Africa today but Rejection? We have no fears of China and Russia; we never had. They somehow assist in keeping things from falling apart at the seams in South Africa today. America has lost its lure. How sad?

 ikejakson@gmail.com

South Africa Today March 22nd of 2015

Read it all in this link; it refers to similar events in other countries and the USA as well.

 http://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2015-03-23-of-statues-and-history-or-how-do-you-deal-with-a-problem-like-cecil-rhodes/?utm_source=Daily+Maverick+Mailer&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=First+Thing+with+John+stupart%3A+Tuesday%2C+2+September+2014&utm_term=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailymaverick.co.za%2Farticle%2F2015-03-23-of-statues-and-history-or-how-do-you-deal-with-a-problem-like-cecil-rhodes%2F

 Is what South Africa has become what you want to be next? Is that what you want, Mister Cameron? Do you want that for America, Former President Carter? You are also in it, Billary? Will that make you happy? After all, Bill, you got a scholarship from this man once; don’t you think you should step in and defend his honor?

 I can feel the bile rising in my throat.

 ikejakson@gmail.com

 

The World should read this

Yes, from Davos to Washington DC, “all the power brokers” and others who think they know Africa. It should be compulsory reading for foreign diplomats and universities. All in Liberal Politics or Leaders in Religion should shut up, read this and pass an exam on it before they open their mouths on Africa.

http://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2015-02-04-history-distorted-forgiving-and-airbrushing-apartheids-protagonists/

Then this:

http://www.dailymaverick.co.za/section/south-africa/article/2015-02-25-letter-to-editor-response-from-the-ifp-to-ranjeni-munusamy/

As additional reading, don’t miss this:

http://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2015-02-25-a-ringside-seat-to-history-lord-renwick-extremely-close-incredibly-influential/

To complete the course, read:

https://ikejakson.wordpress.com/2015/01/27/the-case-of-the-disbanded-nelson-mandela-jury/

 If you understand this, Hillary, you may consider 2016; if you don’t understand it, as I expect will be the case, go home, stay there and learn to bake cookies.

 ikejakson@gmail.com

 

Mandela’s Church Street Bomb

Guerrilla warfare, as fought by the Boers one century ago, is recognized internationally as the honourable defence by disciplined fighters against a superior, armed enemy. The Boers attacked classical military targets, even though outnumbered most of the time by overwhelming numbers. The so-called ‘freedom fighters’ of Southern Africa, however, be they Frelimo, Zanu, Swapo or the ANC/Communist Mkonto e Sizwe (MK), very seldom attacked anything resembling a military target, – on the contrary, they specialized in the callous bombing of Wimpy Bars, the cowardly laying of landmines on farm roads, the barbarian ‘necklacing’ of defenceless township dwellers, and even the brutal torture of their own dissident comrades. What makes these atrocities more despicable is that some of the organizations actually signed the Geneva Protocols, which explicitly forbid this kind of terror and cruel intimidation. Serious students who wish to get an unbiased and balanced picture of the kind of terrorist ‘war’ fought by terrorist organisations like the ANC/SACP, the PAC and others should read the book The Other Side of the Story by Herman Stadtler, Sigma Press, ISBN 0-620-21100-8.
The Church Street bombing was a car bomb attack on 20 May 1983 by Umkhonto we Sizwe, the military wing of the African National Congress, in the South African capital Pretoria. The bombing killed 19 and wounded more than 200, and was one of the largest attacks engaged in by the ANC during its armed struggle against apartheid. The attack consisted of a car bomb set off outside the Nedbank Square building on Church Street at 4:30pm on a Friday. The target was South African Air Force (SAAF) headquarters, but as the bomb was set to go off at the height of rush hour, those killed and wounded included civilians. The bomb went off ten minutes earlier than planned, killing two ANC operatives in the vehicle, Freddie Shangwe and Ezekial Maseko. At least 20 ambulances took the dead and wounded to hospital.

1983: Car bomb in South Africa kills 16
BBC: On This Day
20 May 1983

At least 16 people have been killed and more than 130 people injured in a car bomb explosion in South Africa’s capital city, Pretoria.
The explosion happened outside the Nedbank Square building on Church Street at about 1630 hours – the height of the city’s rush hour.
More than 20 ambulances attended the scene and took the dead and injured to three hospitals in and around Pretoria.
Police sealed off the surrounding area with a barbed-wire fence as emergency personnel sifted through the rubble looking for bodies.
Bomb disposal experts were called to the scene to search for a possible second bomb.
The outlawed anti-apartheid group the African National Congress has been blamed for the attack.

A huge pall of smoke rose hundreds of feet into the air as debris and bodies were strewn around the scene of the explosion.
It is understood the bomb had been placed in a blue Alfa Romeo car outside the multi-storey building, which houses the South African air force headquarters.
It exploded at the height of the city’s rush-hour as hundreds of people were leaving work for the weekend.
Glass and metal were catapulted into the air as shop-fronts and windows were blown out.
Many passers-by had limbs amputated by the flying debris. Others bled to death.
South Africa’s Minister for Law and Order, Louis le Grange, who visited the scene immediately, blamed the attack on the ANC.
He said: “I have no doubt who is responsible for this despicable attack.”
He said the explosion was the “biggest and ugliest” terrorist incident since anti-government violence began in South Africa 20 years ago.
He added: “Most of the victims were civilians, but some were air force personnel in uniform, black and white. Quite a number of those killed were black.
The ANC is committed to overthrowing the minority white government.

Oliver Tambo, who is the organisation’s acting president while its senior figure, Nelson Mandela, is in prison, said the Nedbank Square building was a legitimate target, although he did not admit carrying out the attack.
General Mike Gedenhuys, Police Commissioner, said: “Many of the victims are so badly mutilated they have not yet been identified.”
General Magnus Malan, South African’s defence minister, described the explosion as a “cowardly, criminal deed in the Communist war being raged against South Africa”.
He said more than 40,000 civilians had died as a result of terrorism in the past five years in Africa and 83,000 armed men had died.
South Africa has nearly five million whites, 21 million blacks, nearly one million Indians and about 2.5 million people of mixed race.
The government’s apartheid system denies citizenship rights to black people except in 10 remote homelands.
The ANC has warned it intends to step up its campaign to bring an end to white minority rule.
» » » » [BBC] [Bomb Photos: Kerkstraatbom]