Lost Innocence

My South African adventure was far more than a hunting trip or safari. It was like stepping back in time. I mentally took notice of many details of the people and their cultures on our trip. Even though Apartheid has been abolished in South Africa, segregation still exists within their society. This segregation is not the image of trying to maintain white ascendancy or separateness but that of the "blacks" and the "colored" segregating themselves from each other in practices, such as housing, etc. We got an education from our professional hunter that blacks were just that, a pure black race and colored's were a mixed race. The terms "blacks and colored" are used to describe each race in South Africa. I mentioned to Glen, our professional hunter, the term African American is used in our country and he asked why would they do that? I did not have an answer after all that I had witnessed in South Africa. We took a tour of the inner-city of Port Elizabeth, called the Real City Tour given by a black tour guide named Nelson. Yes, he was named Nelson after Nelson Mandella. Nelson took us to areas that could only be described as third world. These sites included: tin shacks made of old roofing material; children sitting in dirt; open markets with dead chickens laying on the ground for purchase; common water spigots for drinking water, bathing, bathroom, and laundry facilities placed periodically between the sheds; goats, chickens and dogs wandering between the sheds; new schools built by the state for the children; new houses being built to replace the tin sheds. Nelson, our tour guide, spoke with pride of the progress that has been made within his country to build new housing that consists of a concrete structure approximately 10' x 20' with an indoor toilet. All this housing is segregated by colored and blacks of their choosing, not the government. These houses are a vast improvement to the tin sheds and cardboard boxes currently used as housing. We were treated to dinner at one of their local pubs at the end of our tour. Although the meal was very meager, the hospitality was overwhelming. The pub owner asked us in very broken English where we were from and I was hesitant to respond out of fear because of all the media attention that somehow US citizens are hated worldwide. When I said we were from the United States, he stated emphatically that he loved George W. Bush. He said he loved Bush because our president freed the Iraqi people like Nelson Mandella had freed his people in South Africa. This feeling was echoed by our professional hunters who had also remarked that George Bush had saved the world from that madman, Saddam Hussein of Iraq. They remarked that they had seen the be-heading of the US citizen by terrorists on their TV sets and were outraged at the violence. These South Africans could not understand how our news media had sanitized our news and made the United States somehow seem evil in the eyes of the world when, in fact, the opposite is true. I will end by saying the innocence of the people of South Africa was truly refreshing and their humility was a virtue. This step back in time was a way to reflect on the United States and ask how we have lost our way and will be every regain that innocence again.

Segregated Learning?

Our two newspapers have reported that Westside Elementary will be conducting same sex classroom education next year. Please pinch me and tell me I have been dreaming because they cannot actually be considering a segregated learning environment for our children, again. I say again because I lived through that experience in the 1960's during my school experience. Yes, I'm old (older, oldest, whatever) to have gone to school in the 1960's but this was the era of the Civil Rights movement which guaranteed equal rights to everyone, from minorities to women, of all genders. I went to Dixie Hollins High School in Pinellas County which was a industrial arts school, similar to that of our Nature Coast High School. I had to fight to get into classes reserved only for the male students like Industrial Electronics, Drafting and Shop class. I remember vividly asking my guidance counselor why they were trying to push me into classes, like sewing and cosmetology, when my interest clearly was in the electrical field. My poor guidance counselor looked flabbergasted when I cited the 1964 Civil Rights Act when explaining my position on the subject matter reserved for males only. I requested to be placed in the Industrial Arts program, reserved for male students only, and I am proud to say that I was the first female student to enter, and complete, the Industrial Electronics program at Dixie Hollins High School in 1969. Incidentally, these class requirements included higher math like Algebra II and Geometry. These math classes were thought to be above the female learning experience at the time which had been explained with a left-hand, right-hand brain theory, by some survey of experts. I'm proud to say I graduated on the Dean's list to shoot a hole in the theory that women could not learn in a mixed, male environment. Our school board members should reconsider this segregated learning experience being proposed at Westside Elementary. Teaching, by segregation, in my opinion, is a step back in time that we do not need to take in Hernando County.

Walking the Fence

In this morning's edition of the Hernando Today, the following quote appeared in the article titled, Hickory Hill goes to state for review: Commissioners said it made sense to send the project off to DCA because that agency’s input will give them and the public a better grasp on the complexity of the issues. Their vote, they said, was not an endorsement either way of how they will ultimately vote in the future. Since this was a 3-2 vote, with Commissioners Schenck, Stabbins and Robinson voting in the affirmative, maybe they can answer this question for the public. Wasn't it your job, as our elected officials, to determine if this application warranted a major change in our comprehensive plan and not just simply pass it off to the state Department of Community Affairs? The commissioners stated it was not an endorsement either way of how they will ultimately vote in the future on this project. Do they not understand the process? If DCA gives its stamp of approval for this major comprehensive plan change then it will be virtually impossible to deny any requests for re-zonings for this Hickory Hill project since this PDD will become a permanent part of our comprehensive plan. It appears that Commissioners Schenck, Stabbins and Robinson wanted their cake, and to be able to eat it too, by appearing to walk the fence on this issue.

South Africa Adventure

Jet lag and exhaustion from my South Africa safari was only a minor inconvenience in the large scope of my adventure. What a marvelous vacation! The landscape and the beauty of South Africa was almost equal to the hospitality of the warm, friendly people who reside there. The breathtaking beauty of South Africa is somewhat reminiscent of that of northern Arizona. The mountain ranges and valleys were dotted with large, flowering aloe plants, nestled between the cactus. Watching the wildlife was a sight to behold. One afternoon while hunting, I watched hundreds of majestic animals like zebra, kudo, springbok and wildebeast roam in a valley as the wind blew a brisk breeze. Although the temperature was hovering around 30 degrees Fahrenheit in the late afternoon, the sights were so overwhelming beautiful I was oblivious to the cold. I met so many wonderful people in this rustic country area near Craddock, South Africa, from the lodge proprietors, Penny and Peter, to our professional hunter, Glen Elliott. I was humbled to be in the presence of these most warm and friendly people. I will write more in the days to come on my experiences in South Africa but today I would like to focus on my hunt. As a first time hunter, my challenges were great by first overcoming my apprehension of the first kill, to the complete accuracy of my shot to be a humane hunter. I have four trophies in all which include a Red Hartebeest, a Springbok, a Blesbok and a Mountain Reedbuck. Without going into detail on each animal, I would like to comment on the Mountain Reedbuck. It was a clean, one shot take down, through the heart at 250 yards. My husband, Tony and our professional hunter, Glen were so excited they slapped me on the back in unison and nearly knocked me off the jump seat of the Land Rover. I will end with the saying of one of the professional hunters named Sokkie which was, its my story and I can tell it anyway I want to...So that's my story and I'm sticking to it!