Suzy and I ran into this in the Bo-Kaap section of Cape Town. The road we are standing on (a bridge) has nice, 3 story houses where big families can live..and right out of their window they can see this. Dillapitated, broken 'aluminum' houses with crumbling walls, zero yards, etc. Alas, this is not what this picture is really about. See the garbage piled in the back. A man we met named Nevil, who works in the house behind me as I took this shot, lives down there. He has no house, but is employed as a general worker in a nice one. And any time they want to they can stand on their balcony and look down at him in his garbage.
Not to give you the wrong idea however...we met the family who lives there as well as Nevil of course. The family was nice to us, and we had a great talk with them. (once they determined that we were not American. "We hate Americans!") This picture is LIFE.
3 comments:
I'm not exactly sure what to say in regards to this, but I wanted to let you know that I'm here looking at what you post and reading what you have to say.
ok, maybe I do have something to say... It would be very Americanish for me to say that he should move, live somewhere else, or that it's his fault that he lives in poverty... but I have realized that poverty can't be helped sometimes. I believe it's our responsibility, as citizens of the world to extend our hand to those who are in need. Those who are born into this life style, and have no exit. Not to those who live on the streets and choose to be homeless.
To be honest, if I weren't an American I would probably hate Americans also. From what I've seen Americans say in the media lately, is horrible. And it's sad that people around the world think every American is like this, when it's not the case.
Plus the fact that this picture was NOT taken in America so an American has no idea the social conditions that led him there nor the steps he can take to get out of it. Which is WHY an American sounds like a pompass ass (which is being nice) when they offer their opinion on it at ALL, because their suggestions only apply TO Americans.
I think I made that clear. haha. Thanks for responding Lisa! It made me feel like someone read all that! ;)
It obviously is not the case..I too am a...yes...American...
And so is my bud Samir and many others who don't just "take it" and many Canadians "take it" as well as people all over the world. It's just in the US it seems to be more of them then other places at times.. (well that is overly simplistic but still)
Post a Comment