The Old South African Flag - Offensive And Upsetting
Filed Under (Random Note) by Nic on 30-04-2007
Tagged Under : Afrikaans, Boere
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Disclaimer: I am about to rant, a lot, and my opinions might piss some people off, unfortunately when it comes to this topic, I don’t care.
I went to the Portuguese festival in Johannesburg this weekend, Lusito Land. At this festival there were many different types of people, Greeks, Portuguese, Italian, English amongst many others. Two of these people were wearing t-shirts that offended me to no end; the old South African Flag proudly displayed on their moronic and ignorant backs. The old South African flag does not represent the Afrikaans people who are thinking, progressive and good people. In my humblest of opinions this flag represents the dregs of society, the people who believe in oppression, ignorance and racism. I cannot believe that anyone would still have the guts to wear this outdated insult on their body that once represented so much hatred and pain.
You, sirs, are fools and the only reason that I didn’t say something to you is because you were about 25kg’s heavier than me. Nonetheless I understand what it is that these people were trying to get across but unfortunately I think that they were doing it in the wrong way. The flag below represents all that liberal and free thinking South Africans (not to mention the world) fought against and thrive to undermine everyday here in the New South Africa.
Take that flag and stick it where you think it best belongs… and I’m not talking about your wall.
I don’t fully agree with your feelings towards that flag but I agree that these two are plonkers for wearing it. The De La Rey version confuses me; surely if any flag can be associated with Boere and General De La Rey, it would be the vierkleur of the old Boer republic. The guy on the right may think he is showing his pride in the flag but in my opinion he , and whoever made the shirt, are actually insulting the flag by rendering it in horribly incorrect colours. One might say that there is a colour cast to the photo, were it not for the fact that the colours of the flag on the other shirt are rendered more or less correctly. The one on the right is pathetic, with the orange bar looking more like greenish-yellow.
is the de la rey reference is to the popular song that the deep afrikaans are adopting as a sort of ethnic anthem?
Many of the Portuguese immigrants were brought over and sheltered by the Nat government so that they could have more white votes in the 70’s and 80s. There were whole areas in the east of Jo’burg where nobody spoke a word of Afikaans and hardly a word of English and they were fiery Nats. Word was that the government would send them back to Madeira or wherever if they didn’t vote for them. I know this because I had a friend who was very involved in the PFP - forerunner to the DA and he canvassed those areas. So if their are old flags at a Lusito - fest I’m not surprised.
Man that is an ugly flag …
SR: Yes I believe it is.
Karen: Thanks, that is actually really interesting, I had no Idea!
Paul: Agreed, 100%, bloody ugly flag!
I actually had a really interesting encounter in London last year. I came home to my shared house (mainly other saffas) and found the old flag stuck to the wall. It took a few minutes before I could actually compose my feelings about this, but basically I felt sick. That flag represents everything negative about South Africa, especially narrow-mindedness. I ended up talking to those who put the flag up, and rapidly they saw my point and removed it. I never want to see it again, anywhere.
However, the incorporation of General De La Ray’s name on that shirt is far worse. One of the greatest leaders of one of the struggles for freedom South Africa has gone through (Second Boer War, if ya don’t know) was dead for 14 years before that horrible flag was first used.
If De La Ray were alive today, the one wearing the British flag on a shirt with his name on it would be shot first. And that stupid stupid person thinks he’s making a cultural statement. The only one I see is the pure lack of interest in historical fact, which tells me that the idiots don’t even know what they are saying.
Thanks for the interesting post.
have a little respect fool.ONS VIR JOU SUID_AFRIKA
Joe. Shuttup. Absolutely no respect for that flag or for you if you have an affinity for that flag.