Watching the World Cup from South Africa got me reminiscing about the good old days of Apartheid. It’s amazing to see how far South Africa has come in such a short time. When I was in high school, the divestment effort was in full swing, especially on college campuses. It’s probably the issue that first engaged me in politics. Yeah, those were good times. I remember when Congress passed the Comprehensive Anti-Apartheid Act of 1986 and Reagan vetoed it. That was awesome. Of course, we had our victory in the end when Congress overrode Reagan’s veto. Maggie Thatcher was no better, as David Cameron acknowledged in 2006.
David Cameron has distanced himself from one of Margaret Thatcher’s key foreign policies, saying that she was wrong to have called the ANC “terrorists” during the apartheid era.
The Conservative leader, who met Nelson Mandela in Johannesburg last week, said his party had made “mistakes” in the past by failing to introduce sanctions against apartheid in South Africa.
Lady Thatcher opposed international calls to introduce sanctions against the apartheid regime in South Africa and fought a bitter battle with campaigners in Britain. Writing in today’s Observer, Mr Cameron said that Mr Mandela was “one of the greatest men alive”. He said: “The mistakes my party made in the past with respect to relations with the ANC and sanctions on South Africa make it all the more important to listen now.”
And, if you think the Thatcherites have evolved, you’re mistaken…
His remarks were sharply criticised by Sir Bernard Ingham, Lady Thatcher’s former press secretary. He questioned Mr Cameron’s Tory credentials, remarking: “I wonder whether David Cameron is a Conservative.”
…because a Conservative would clearly support unfettered trade with the Apartheid regime…in retrospect or otherwise.
America’s relationship with Apartheid South Africa was always a bit weird. We had our own version of racial segregation (Jim Crow) until 1964 and we didn’t deal with voting until 1965 or housing until 1968. Yet, there we were in November 1962, letting Resolution 1761 pass through the UN Security Council.
That resolution set up the United Nations Special Committee against Apartheid, which we promptly demonized and ignored. The fact of the matter is that we were never that different from South Africa because of the conservative streak running through our polities.
The National Party government implemented, alongside apartheid, a programme of social conservatism. Pornography, gambling and other such vices were banned. Cinemas, shops selling alcohol and most other businesses were forbidden from operating on Sundays. Abortion, homosexuality and sex education were also restricted; abortion was legal only in cases of rape or if the mother’s life was threatened.
Sound familiar?
