this post was submitted on 20 Oct 2023
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[–] [email protected] 112 points 10 months ago (92 children)

King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima were leaving the Slave Lodge building in central Cape Town when a small group of protesters representing South Africa’s First Nations groups -- the earliest inhabitants of the region around Cape Town -- surrounded the royal couple and shouted slogans about Dutch colonizers stealing land from their ancestors.

They were literally there to pay a visit to a museum about the atrocities of previous Dutch inhabitants in the land. I don't know what harassing them was supposed to accomplish.

[–] [email protected] 64 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (2 children)

First, protest’s don’t necessarily need to accomplish anything, people are allowed to be angry.

Second, the black white wealth inequality in South Africa is still insane and the Dutch are partially responsible for that. Plus you can’t really buy groceries from awareness or excuses.

Third, as a Dutch guy I don’t really mind them being uncomfortable for a bit once in a while, keeps them grounded.

[–] [email protected] 15 points 10 months ago (2 children)

First, protest’s don’t necessarily need to accomplish anything, people are allowed to be angry.

Obviously, people are allowed to be angry. The question is whether the anger is productive.

Third, as a Dutch guy I don’t really mind them being uncomfortable for a bit once in a while, keeps them grounded.

Sure, but shouldn't the protest have been, I don't know, elsewhere than the visit to the museum? It's a very "No good deed goes unpunished" - it's a small act, sure, but surely making the museum visit the locus for the discomfort is just discouraging high-profile figures from acknowledging these sins?

[–] [email protected] 13 points 10 months ago (2 children)

Why?

They made some tokenisation effort to look like they gave a shit, why should that be rewarded?

“Oh we understand you’re still suffering and that we are partially responsible but we went inside that nice air conditioned building and had a guided tour for us after they closed the place down to every other visitor just for us. So like it’s really mean that you’re still angry at us right now”

[–] [email protected] 5 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Man, if your poinit of view is that you want to discourage high-profile people from visiting these museums because their blood is impure or whatever, I don't know what to tell you, other than that all that'll result in is less exposure to these places and these sins.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 10 months ago (3 children)

My point is them visiting a museum means jack fucking shit.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 10 months ago (1 children)

It is not, it keeps the knowledge of the past happenings alive in general population. It doesn't matter if it's part of the court responsibles or marketing or whatever you call it. Media and people will talk about the visit, people will learn there is museum and why. Just like we are now chatting about it.

Thus change that history won't repeat itself get higher.

[–] [email protected] -1 points 10 months ago

I guess this is where we're supposed to agree that the status quo is working. Is that the angle?

As long as we don't take NEW advantage of the situation, the current advantage is fine?

[–] [email protected] 2 points 10 months ago

Nothing they do will ever mean anything, because nothing can redeem the past.

[–] [email protected] -4 points 10 months ago

Adamantly agree. It's token bullshit unless they do something real as a result.

Will wait for that headline.and anger need not always be productive. Sometimes most to all avenues for productive discourse are shut down.

But anger remains a legitimate and reasonable response.

So... I agree with basically everything you're saying here and I believe you've stated it clearly and well.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

I think OP's point was not disregard idea that humans should reflect upon mistakes of the past. There was no reward for that unless you meant protesters being rewarded by verbally hurting someone who actually pays respect to the cause.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 10 months ago

Okay, but it is a really good time, to protest this topic.

Imagine the protestors showing up when they visit a chocolate factory. Everyone would be wondering, why they chose the chocolate factory of all places to protest slavery.

Better would be protests everywhere they go.

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