I have a girl friend who developed a neuro immune condition after she was physically abused by her fiancée abt 20 yrs ago leaving her with broken limbs that healed soon enough but the mental and disease condition continued with great pain. She has travelled the world searching for suitable medication and treatment. She phoned me from London last week and asked me to write a 3 page essay as a social scientist on the conditions in SA that she needed to support an application for asylum in the UK. She is currently penniless (her wealthy father has disowned her). Her argument is that she is a white, atheist, disabled female who has been raped, abused, thrown out of digs by lesbians 'coz she’s bisexual etc etc. I thought about this but eventually declined for ethical reasons as I don’t believe the problem lies in the country. I would be putting my reputation (for what it’s worth) on the line if I come out stating that white, bisexual, atheist women are harassed, abused etc etc in the country, as a rule. Given also the asylum scandal in Canada of a South African citizen abt discrimination against white males I baulked at her request.
Here is her reply:
Hi Brian, I understand. However, perhaps your people are not disabled, and single. And this aspect, being disabled, single and bisexual, are the discriminating factors. And perhaps your folk are protected also by the fact they have family. I don't. Not in that fashion. My point was in asking ypu to write an essay on the emergence of tribalism in SA, so that if you don't belong, actively to a particular group, you are at risk. Triply so if you can no longer work. The iss ue of being atheist would not matter were I not a Vulnerable Person. Were I able to work,and not bisexual,perhaps my world would be different. I am incredibly discrete Re my bisexuality,and yet have still being the victim of violence.threats and corrective rape. In truth, I understand why you cannot bring yourself to write up this apsect of SA culture. It's ugly, and most Sa would prefer to keep the reality of it under wraps. And because your folk ahvent experienced these things, dear Brian, does not mean they do not happen. And regularlydusabled whites who cannot support themselves are treated with disgust. Or worse, as if what we are, or the stye we are in, can contaminate people. It's ok, dear Brian. Thanks you for giving it some thought. I'm sorry for me, because in refusing me, you deny the reality of what happens to people like me, black or white. That these things happened within a white socioeconomic reality is bad enough. How much worse will they be if they force me to return to Sa and I must live in a marginal community. You know what will happen. Unfortunately my Neuro -immune condition precludes my living in a smaller safer village,because firstly, I've been denied the meds I need, on the basis of being white and rich, and not having the right diseases, I.e. herpes, aids, diabetes 2, etc. And secondly, monitoring me was neglected, because no one knew what to do about me. So they just fed me morphine.
Was my response justified?