Mrs.Lucysnow
Valued Senior Member
Four white students forced black staff members to eat stew into which they had urinated and badgered the staffers to eat until they vomited the dirty food. They then had the audacity to video the event and post it on the internet. It caused an uproar but what is more disturbing than the incident itself is the action of the first black vice chancellor of the university who decided to reinstate the four students to the university instead of expelling them.
He called it 'a gesture of reconciliation'.
How far do we take forgiveness?
First black south africans had to forgive those who had committed crimes against them in Tutu's 'truth and reconciliation', a situation where murderers only had to tell their crimes and say they were sorry and walk away scott free. Perhaps with such a historic move it is not surprising that the chancellor would forgive these students for such an outrageous act. A nasty precedence if you ask me.
I think black south africans are being asked to forgive at the expense of their dignity. What say you? Is it ethical to forgive under any circumstance? Where does forgiveness end and justice begin?
Personally I find the following comments of the chancellor very disturbing:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/newsid_8325000/8325443.stm
Commentary:
http://www.csmonitor.com/2009/1026/p06s07-woaf.html
He called it 'a gesture of reconciliation'.
How far do we take forgiveness?
First black south africans had to forgive those who had committed crimes against them in Tutu's 'truth and reconciliation', a situation where murderers only had to tell their crimes and say they were sorry and walk away scott free. Perhaps with such a historic move it is not surprising that the chancellor would forgive these students for such an outrageous act. A nasty precedence if you ask me.
I think black south africans are being asked to forgive at the expense of their dignity. What say you? Is it ethical to forgive under any circumstance? Where does forgiveness end and justice begin?
Personally I find the following comments of the chancellor very disturbing:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/newsid_8325000/8325443.stm
Commentary:
http://www.csmonitor.com/2009/1026/p06s07-woaf.html
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