Message from a South African-re the recent American troubles.

WARNING-GRAPHIC IMAGES OF HORROR AND DEATH

Hi everyone,i really should be taking a walk out in nature,but i keep having this nagging feeling,that i just share a thought.
This morning early,as i was fixing school lunches for my kids-i had in my mind,the Boston marathon bomb,the fertilizer plant explosion,the shooting at MIT,Sandy Hook-and naturally,9/11..next thing,my son comes from behind,and bangs his coffeemug down on the counter(well,not banging it down with force,but just a bit too loudly).

Thing is- i jumped,and gave a total girly-shriek from being so startled-because of where my thoughts were just then.And i'm out in the relatively peaceful Bush,in Africa.

And it brought back memories,of the troubles in my own country,in the 80's-when the ANC would detonate bombs in public.Like the Church Street atrocity in Pretoria,the bombing of Magoo's Bar in Durban,etc.I was a teenager in the 80's,like my youngest daughter is now.These were the images we had to live with,as young people,and the horrible grief of hearing news of young lives snuffed,fighting to keep our country from invasion by the Russians,and Russian-backed Cubans.At school.we were shown what limpet-mines and other explosive devices looked like,and to immediately report it to the nearest adult,should we ever come across one of these instruments of death and destruction.I remember as a young adult of 18,walking through the Golden Acre shopping Centre,in Cape Town-and getting the heebie-jeebies every time i walked past a rubbish bin,parked cars on the street,etc-it was not an easy time-plus i had a much beloved(by my whole family) boyfriend fighting in the Border War.Difficult,stressfull times.

So to me it would seem,if all the events of this past week continues-it would seem like a campaign of terror-to instill fear and a general nervousness,even outright fear of leaving one's house,fear for your children and loved ones,stress,an ongoing anxiety-and a waiting for the big heavy "other shoe" to drop.

What i would advise at his time-clear heads,be careful,but do not be too terrified to live your life.I am worried about the thread someone has on here-about a DHS insider saying that it "would be going hot soon".I pray that this was just one horrible week,and that the explosion at the fertilizer plant was just an industrial accident.

It would almost seem like things Are "going hot"-but please,never let fear spoil your enjoyment,the quality of your life-never support calls for martial law,in case things get worse instead of better.If you cower fearfully,just in case of this happening,that happening,you may as well be dead.Be sensible,but in case this is a campaign of terror starting-in order to usher in martial law-remember that your own home can be as effective a prison as a federal one.That is how most people in my country live now-barricaded behind security doors,burglar bars,electrified fences,vicious dogs-and with private security companies making a mint,of course.

Even if not for the purpose of declaring martial law-FEAR IS A BOOMING BUSINESS-as well proved in my country.The hubby and i talked about it just the other night-if something divine/miraculous had to happen-and crime levels in my country would drop to practically non-existent-that would be a disaster,a catastrophe for thousands upon thousands of people too-because off a sudden mass unemployment if the private security companies were suddenly to become superfluous.

The reason i made this thread is because at the moment,there are so many threads on the happenings of this past week-quite frankly i did'nt even know in which one to share this message.My heartfelt sympathy,this i mean,because i know what is like,to have the threat of violent death by bombing/shooting hanging over us,all South Africans of my age remember this.I wish you all to be safe,and to have a chance to live your life without fear.

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reply to post by Raxoxane

So to me it would seem,if all the events of this past week continues-it would seem like a campaign of terror-to instill fear and a general nervousness,even outright fear of leaving one's house,fear for your children and loved ones,stress,an ongoing anxiety-and a waiting for the big heavy "other shoe" to drop.

What i would advise at his time-clear heads,be careful,but do not be too terrified to live your life.I am worried about the thread someone has on here-about a DHS insider saying that it "would be going hot soon".I pray that this was just one horrible week,and that the explosion at the fertilizer plant was just an industrial accident.

I too am thinking all of these events happening so close together is not a coincidence. It feels like there is something behind it all tying it together. There were also little known events in southern CA where a transformer station was sabotaged and optic cables were cut shortly after Boston.

I hope you are right and this is all just coincidental. Thank you for the nice message.

Great thread Roxy. S&F. This isn't talked about enough and given enough attention because it ultimately affects us all some way some how.
Yes, live your life without fear. I was raised to believe that if you feared death then you aren't ready for the lord to take you. I am ready, I don't want to go, but I am ready.

Btw, You can u2u me the pics, I'm curious.

Roxoxane, well written post. Your struggles have indeed shown me personally, and I am sure, the world in general, that things can change when good people don't stand by and let evil triumph. Coffee and a walk through the wild places! Sounds stellar. Hope you have a great day, and your caution that we should let cooler heads prevail is indeed wise. Have a great day!

We have two things going for us as humans, while PTSD makes something of a lie of this, we tend to forget the fear aspect of horror with a bit of time passage. Second and more important, we have an indomitable spirit. Americans are a resilient, stubborn people.

I hope parents talk with their children and help them cope, as we live in a different world today no question. As you point out, your own as well as many other countries have had to deal with uncertainty and death being in your face on a daily basis, and people have managed to continue on, adapt and survive with hope amazingly intact. I hope we here in America will follow that example. I will anyway.

reply to post by Iamschist

Hey there,Iamschist,yes South Africans are like that too,very indomitable.You know,it just occurred to me while writing the thread-though we had creeped-out feelings in public places often-it never once even occured to us then-to rather stay home.We still went everywhere we Wanted to,in addition to where we had to.I was thinking,actually for the very first time today considering that i could've found a l'il job in the suburb where i lived-but its really in all the years since,the 1st time it ever Did occur to me.I loved the Mother City(a prime target,obviously,and where the St.James church massacre was committed).Still,no nervousness+hideous images we grew up with,even for a minute deterred us.I know many Americans have a lot of good oldfashioned guts too.I pray for the safety of all members,and your loved ones.Best wishes,Rax.

reply to post by Raxoxane


I understand your thoughts.

The thing is, the American media is now like a salivating dog wanting to jump on every story that has some kind of tragedy. The media can't wait for the next bombing or shooting to happen and they jump all over anything that happens no matter how trivial or unrelated it might be.

I believe that none of the events are related. I think the media is sensationalizing everything now and what really are random acts seem to have a pattern because the media jumps all over it.

The Boston Marathon is a tragedy. MIT is a robbery The Fertilizer plant is just a random event....and so on.

Some things really are just what they seem.

reply to post by Cancerwarrior

Hi Cancerwarrior-it has been a bit over the top,has'nt it? It makes one wonder-i mean you get your industrial accidents,and angry/deranged individuals-still things seems to be going to the hot place in a handbasket this week.I truly hope these incidents don't carry on,or escalate-people are under enough stress as it is.I know in my country,acts of terror, along with the Border War,the Apartheid struggle+ensuing "freedom" which brought a tidal wave of crime+daily murder to all race groups-has left my country with a culture of violence which endures to the present day.I somedays wonder if we will ever know law+order again.That's what makes a South African wonder-the ANC leaders told their followers to make the country ungovernable-and those chickens are still roosting.My honest opinion is-only a pretty draconian government could restore law+order at this point-and no one really wants That,either.Best wishes,Rax.

reply to post by kimish

Hi kim,i'll send you the pics when im by a pc again-the kids have taken over for now:-) I'm going to Have to start learning to link!!! I hope the mods don't think i'm a ghoul,just i wanted to illustrate what we had to live with.I'm going to try linking later again,though.Yes,i saw firsthand how fearfulness can affect a person-my mother.It turned her completely neurotic-to the point where not much in life seemed enjoyable for her,every single little blade of grass housed a poisonous spider,every shopping cart the germs of some unspeakable affliction,every trip in the car the possibility of a grotesque accident,etc,etc-not much point to life then,is there? So ironic,by the time the bombings and the war started,she had such a supermarket of fears to dine on,the actual atrocities+reports of war losses did'nt seem to have much of an effect anymore-she was just so used to worrying+being afraid,she seemed inured to the real +present horrors.Have a good weekend kim.

reply to post by Raxoxane
Thank you for posting your story for us Raxoxane! I've read snippets of it here and there, but if ever a time came for you to put it out for all to see it is now. After 9/11 the American people allowed our government to take much freedom from us all in the name of safety. I'm sure after this tragedy in Boston politicians will be calling for more of our liberties to be removed all in the name of keeping us "safe". We need to be reminded that no matter what we must not allow fear to overcome our common sense. It is better to walk with caution and with eyes wide open than to allow anyone to suppress our liberty to gain a false sense of security. Once freedom is taken it is rarely if ever given back!

reply to post by CarbonBase

Thank you CarbonBase,you have a great day too,and weekend.I wish the media will sort the wheat from the chaff,but that's a vain hope,at the moment at least-i think after Boston,everything violent that's more than a regular barfight,is going to be hyped-and made to seem like this is a rollercoaster of danger outside your doors.I guess in my own country,where we read of the most hideous murders almost daily-we have become inured in a way.Its gone from high-alert danger in the 80's,to a slow plague-but really the killing has never stopped here.

I think situational awareness was really drilled into my generation very well-and because of the neverending +very high crime levels,our children are taught that too,from a young age-though they are fearless enough,i feel sorry for the freedoms we had,that they had lost though.
Because now those freedoms often cost kids' lives-and i'm not nearly talking black-on-white racial hate-crimes here.So so often we hear or read of black or colored children-just having gone to the shop nearby to fetch something for their mom-never to be seen again.
In my youth,kids could go anywhere alone-i often caught the train into Cape Town,or just walked into town by myself,we walked home late at night from the movies,us young girls-these days all these things would propably get a child raped or killed in my country.Its difficult for a parent,to instruct your children to have the right balance,between being alert and becoming neurotic.We have a very unique situation,in that we have one of the highest crime rates in the world,since 1994.So kids can still hang out at the mall without their parents-but instead of being able to cycle/dawdle there and back for instance,parents have to drop them off and pick them up.

But at least they Do still go out,travel,enjoy their lives.
Blessings and well-wishes to you and yours,Rax.

reply to post by wdkirk

Hi wdkirk-i agree,if i in South Africa am getting the idea that things are "going hot" there by you-i can just imagine how much more unnerving it must be for so many Americans-especially the ones who will never come on sites like this-to get a chance to think a bit deeper,to definitely get a truer perspective.That's one of the reasons i felt to write this thread-in my mind as i was buttering and cheesing sarmies for the kids's lunches-it was Boston>Texas>NIT>9/11...son puts coffeemug down with a bit of a bang-i get such a startle,that i jump! In Africa.

Look,i'm not saying there's no shady business going on where your government/Any government is concerned-but definitely,the media is going all-out to make sure people are jumpy now,that's for sure! In my country,you have to read the papers,usually the Afrikaans language papers+blogs,and a certain magazine,watch the Afrikaans news,to get a better insight into just how many people are murdered each day-and even they cannot get what the police won't release into the public domain either.Here,they are desperately trying to downplay all the crime and violence,all the murders.
Best wishes,enjoy the weekend.

reply to post by littled16

Heyyy littled16,nice to catch up with you,i hope you're well.


You know what the ironic thing is? ALL South Africans of every race,were safer Then,at a time of revolution and war-than now,in the New South Africa.Every person of every race with the merest atom of integrity,will tell you that is the truth.Conversely,i'm less nervous Now,that the threat to my very life and limb is actually Higher than at said time of war and revolution-go figure.But even then,it was'nt even considered to not do what you felt like,and go where you wanted.

Well here's hoping things calm down,and that the media will make clear when things are just random-one can but hope.I'm just glad there are sites such as this one,where one can get perspective.
Have a very enjoyable weekend

reply to post by Raxoxane


Gosh well written Rox you all went through a horrible time back, then we where the same here and even though its still not 100% over its just nice to get that wee bit of peace and quite. s/f

reply to post by ballymoney50

Hi Bally:-)! Yes it was stressfull-but at least with us too,the bombings are way in the past.Also good that no other country is trying to invade us now.Well,it would'nt take much more than Dad's Army to do so these days,add Victor Meldrew+it'd be a cakewalk-the irony:-D
I felt so badly for the Irish troubles also, horrible times.Still we made sure we had plenty of good times,amidst all the tension and concerns.It was certainly an interesting time to grow up in-we made the best of it that we could though. Tty later:-)

Well said

Don't panic*

*Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy

reply to post by harryhaller

Thanks Harry:-) i really should buckle down to Reading that Book,im so ashamed to admit,i never got around to that one-and i think around here thats pretty much like everyone knowing that you did,as a matter of fact give your firstborn to Rumpelstiltskin,along with a can of formula:-DD

reply to post by Raxoxane

Hi, Raxoxane,
Great thread! S/F
Sorry I'm late to the party - I was out of town over the weekend and didn't get online at all (whew! needed that break!)

But yes indeed, Don't Panic, stay calm above all.

One of the most established methods of tyrannical takeover is to keep the public so exhausted, nervous, and uncertain - so shaky and suspicious - that they'll accept just about ANYTHING that restores calm, law and order. It's a classic Machiavellian scheme that leaders and dictators have used forever to disrupt equilibrium, cause fear and division, perpetuate the feeling by hawking tragedies and warnings of danger...

people who are tired and confused and demoralized by such activity in society become hopeless, DESPERATE for a leader to calm things down. And THAT is how rights get taken away.

We must remain vigilant, calm, and observant - and look at all different angles, in order to stay sane enough to move forward without succumbing to tyrannical "peace."

~wild

reply to post by wildtimes

Hey there wildtimes,thanks for your reply-yes it is an insidious thing sometimes,it actually makes me a bit sad-to think how it has affected the lives of citizens in my own beloved country.I am a fiercely patriotic person myself-which is why i don't hesitate to criticise my own country's government.

What first alerted me to how accumulatively things can get under one's skin,was for me-in a purely South African context,and speaking only for myself as a mother-when i caught myself confessing in a thread on this site:
That maybe my country's only salvation-for us the people-would be hostile,or at the very least an amicable administrative takeover by a country like,say,China,for instance.(Not that it would happen,our nations are in BRICS together,it was just an example)

If you wish to see how a fiercely patriotic person can come to this conclusion,to even entertain it for a minute,i invite you to google:genocide south african farmers/crime levels..or there's Shane's Blog,written by a fiercely patriotic South African,who may come over as somewhat racist,for someone who is new to the realities of life in this magnificent,but crippled country.He is not a racist,nor is he pessimistic-he is a realist,though he is to me(being by nature a very diplomatic person,except when dealing with those who don't mind hurting the feelings of others,who may be too timid to speak back for themselves)sometimes a tad too blunt(for example the SAA/Engen blog,my family and i love phutu+sheba too,and we're as white as the driven snow,at least from my hubby's side,only reason we don't often eat it anymore is because MonSatan has weaseled it's fetid loathsome stinking way into our maize industry)
Bless you,Rax.