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Reminiscing back on the day I finally stood up for Eugene de Kock!
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| The book that started it all. |
For some reason, I started thinking about Eugene
de Kock today. I used to belong to a Facebook page/group called Free Eugene de Kock, but for a long time there has been no
action on it. A few months back I tried to get someone to become an
administrator because FB has changed the group pages, but no one was willing to
take it on.
At the time, I was a little reluctant to do it myself for various reasons. The first reason is because those who voice a strong opinion that may have an emotional content is likely to get a strong and often ugly response. I have been the voice for those without a voice before, so have first hand experience of what can happen when you stand up for what you believe to be right, and just, and fair. The second reason that I did not take on the job of admin myself is because I am spending any extra energy I have on healing myself.
Then today my mind wandered to Eugene de Kock again, and I realized that if I want to see something done I cannot sit around waiting for someone else to do it, but have to have the courage of my convictions and get on with it. So I just did it! Thus, I find myself an administrator of the FB group, Free Eugene de Kock. I have spend a few hours working on getting the group up and running again.
I am not surprised that many people do not even remember his name, let alone what he did or where he is today. If something does not affect someone on a personal level, they tend to forget about it. What is concerning is that if we all turned our eyes away from the plight of others, if we all turned our backs on those who at one time fought for us, if we all forgot what others do for us, then the whole world will go to hell in a hand basket a lot quicker than it is now.
What would have happened if people forgot about Nelson Mandela when he was languishing in prison?Our country would be a vastly different place today.
Why then should Eugene de Kock be forgotten? What is the difference between Eugene de Kock and Nelson Mandela? They both fought for what they believed in. One was seen as a freedom fighter by some and by others a terrorist. The other was seen as a protector of society by some and by others as a racist murderer. They have both been in prison (Eugene is still there) because the government of the time did not like what they had done. What they had done was not politically expedient for those in power at the time.
I am not going to go into the details of Mandela’s or de Kock’s lives as much has already been written. I have not walked in either of their shoes so my writing is just my thoughts on the matter. Neither do I write with any claim to authority or even to any particular facts. The facts can be found through research or by talking to those who know them personally. It is my opinion that to make any intelligent decision, we need to weigh the facts and to use rational and deductive reasoning. After doing the above, I have decided to do whatever I can to help free Eugene de Kock. I suggest that everyone does his or her own research into the issue of Eugene de Kock and then if they feel so inclined, to please join the FB page and offer some advice on what can be done to speed the process of Eugene walking free.
Can any of us imagine what it must be like for Eugene to be behind bars? Given the set of circumstances under which he was imprisoned, how can anyone remain steadfast and sane after years of imprisonment. This is one of the things that I admire about Mandela … how he managed to keep his sanity and hold onto hope after all those years. But Mandela was kept in everyone’s minds by the constant media attention that he got. Eugene does not have an entire movement across the world behind him and praying for his release. Let us not forget him.
There are always two sides to a story … and there is always the middle road. I continually try to stay on the middle path without over-identifying with any one world view, with any one religion, with any one political system. I prefer to look at both sides, to imagine what it must be like to walk in another’s shoes. I am not saying that either Mandela or de Kock did right or wrong. It is compassion and the adage of “There, but for the grace of God, go I” that motivates me to do what I do.
I am passionate about writing. I am passionate about people. I am passionate about life. And now I am passionate about seeing Eugene de Kock free!
At the time, I was a little reluctant to do it myself for various reasons. The first reason is because those who voice a strong opinion that may have an emotional content is likely to get a strong and often ugly response. I have been the voice for those without a voice before, so have first hand experience of what can happen when you stand up for what you believe to be right, and just, and fair. The second reason that I did not take on the job of admin myself is because I am spending any extra energy I have on healing myself.
Then today my mind wandered to Eugene de Kock again, and I realized that if I want to see something done I cannot sit around waiting for someone else to do it, but have to have the courage of my convictions and get on with it. So I just did it! Thus, I find myself an administrator of the FB group, Free Eugene de Kock. I have spend a few hours working on getting the group up and running again.
I am not surprised that many people do not even remember his name, let alone what he did or where he is today. If something does not affect someone on a personal level, they tend to forget about it. What is concerning is that if we all turned our eyes away from the plight of others, if we all turned our backs on those who at one time fought for us, if we all forgot what others do for us, then the whole world will go to hell in a hand basket a lot quicker than it is now.
What would have happened if people forgot about Nelson Mandela when he was languishing in prison?Our country would be a vastly different place today.
Why then should Eugene de Kock be forgotten? What is the difference between Eugene de Kock and Nelson Mandela? They both fought for what they believed in. One was seen as a freedom fighter by some and by others a terrorist. The other was seen as a protector of society by some and by others as a racist murderer. They have both been in prison (Eugene is still there) because the government of the time did not like what they had done. What they had done was not politically expedient for those in power at the time.
I am not going to go into the details of Mandela’s or de Kock’s lives as much has already been written. I have not walked in either of their shoes so my writing is just my thoughts on the matter. Neither do I write with any claim to authority or even to any particular facts. The facts can be found through research or by talking to those who know them personally. It is my opinion that to make any intelligent decision, we need to weigh the facts and to use rational and deductive reasoning. After doing the above, I have decided to do whatever I can to help free Eugene de Kock. I suggest that everyone does his or her own research into the issue of Eugene de Kock and then if they feel so inclined, to please join the FB page and offer some advice on what can be done to speed the process of Eugene walking free.
Can any of us imagine what it must be like for Eugene to be behind bars? Given the set of circumstances under which he was imprisoned, how can anyone remain steadfast and sane after years of imprisonment. This is one of the things that I admire about Mandela … how he managed to keep his sanity and hold onto hope after all those years. But Mandela was kept in everyone’s minds by the constant media attention that he got. Eugene does not have an entire movement across the world behind him and praying for his release. Let us not forget him.
There are always two sides to a story … and there is always the middle road. I continually try to stay on the middle path without over-identifying with any one world view, with any one religion, with any one political system. I prefer to look at both sides, to imagine what it must be like to walk in another’s shoes. I am not saying that either Mandela or de Kock did right or wrong. It is compassion and the adage of “There, but for the grace of God, go I” that motivates me to do what I do.
I am passionate about writing. I am passionate about people. I am passionate about life. And now I am passionate about seeing Eugene de Kock free!
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