Poem: It’s a White Boy Thing

Stellenbosch University was in the news recently for another racist incident. A white student was caught urinating on the belongings of a black student. The white student, Theuns du Toit has since been suspended and is currently taking part in a disciplinary process. Daniel den Hollander, a clinical psychologist has penned this poem about the incident. 

OPINION

Reflecting on the news of a student woken up at four am
The intruder standing over his study notes, his laptop
Urinating over it.

First year agricultural student
Dedicating his time and career to the dream of feeding his nation
Studying feverishly for his upcoming exams
Active listening in large lecture halls
Painstakingly tracking and revising his notes
Making sure he understands, making sure he remembers
The pride and dignity of one day being independent and self-sufficient
These notes, the product of time, sweat, and tears
Urinated on
The ultimate humiliation
It’s a White Boy Thing

Reporting it to the prims
“They didn’t take the matter seriously”, he reflects
“We will deal with it in the morning”
Anger courageously turned into frustration
Frustration constructively turned to action
SASCO intervened and the matter turns to the House Father
Suppression unsuccessful, the nation shows its anger

In the face of an intruder drunk on conditioned superiority
The wisdom to create a record, rather than violence
That brought light to a brooding denial of a problem
A problem with a history

A history of men conditioned through hazing and psychological conditioning
Through compulsory army conscription
To defend against a Swart Gevaar
An unethical brotherhood
Men, who now sit with trauma memories of murder from their own hands
Rectified by villianising the conditioned enemy
Superiority from a dictator abusing Psychology
Conditioned to believe themselves a superior race
Now, like American History X,
It lingers underneath in a bedrock of dinner conversations
Old Boys clubs.
You won’t understand
It’s a White Boy Thing.

Obsessed with your own superiority like an addict high on tik
Disconnects you from that which makes you human
Opening up a pussing wound of suppressed prejudice rot
A smell so foul to the senses, it overpowers the stench of urine

A young man stands bravely.
He will not walk the road set before him of inferiority.
He will not be escorted away through the indignity of a transfer.
He has exams pending, this will not distract him.

One day, I will be eating vegetables from the plantations under his supervision
One day, I will be braaing meat from his farms
Drink wine from his vineyards.
It’s a Human Dignity thing.

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Stellenbosch University answers to Parliament about racism allegations

Daniel den Hollander is a clinical psychologist who has worked in specialised mental healthcare, both in the public and private sectors. He is an activist for mental health care in South Africa. He is passionate about cultivating and promoting empowerment and change: may it be in the therapy room, on radio, at governmental stakeholder meetings, or at conferences. 

The views expressed are those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of The Daily Vox.?