History is an unfeeling patron: He has left marks upon our country that no amount of flag-waving, happy-singing, and holding-hands-while-the sun-sets can erase. We are not ready for reconciliation; we need truth: an acknowledgment of our divisions, and an understanding of their origins and ongoing causes.
This is, if we must assign a genre, a sci-fi action movie. But that is entirely misleading. It is an action movie unlike anything you’ve ever experienced…
Reitz’s is a portrayal not only of the Boer War, but a drama of the Afrikaner nation, and a display of the birthing pains of South Africa. It encapsulates the good, the bad, and the downright ugly – of war, and of man.
This creative writing piece is a sort of response to my article “Hope, the Beloved Country – Why I’m Still Optimistic About South Africa”, presenting the irrational, emotional side of the argument. It acknowledges the naivety of my article, and the fact that hope is a two-sided coin. Warning: Vulgar language is used.
The case for hope: why it’s the most logical choice, and how it can save South Africa from the crippling pessimism we find ourselves in.