Cape Town, May 17, How do we address inequity and is reconciliation really possible?

Before the program, I had found that reconciliation agreed with my personal philosophical view points. This blog will be about the personal because reconciliation can be applied to any facet of an individual’s life. Reconciliation as a process and not simply an outcome is aimed at building sustainable peace. Peace can be lack of violent conflict but there is also internal peace that can be included in a definition of peace.

Going into this program, I expected a really intense experience in terms of scheduled academic events and a cohesive group identity. We had several pre-departure orientation meetings. One meeting focused on conflict resolution within the group. In the past, I had serious conflicts in the dorms my freshman year of college that forced me to move. However, I did not expect much group conflict.

We finally got to our house in Cape Town last night, and for the most part, were randomly assigned rooms. I am in potentially the worst room. Descriptively, it is a double (one of 2 female doubles), smallest (perhaps smaller than most of the singles), and you need to walk through it to get to another bedroom. Also, it is close to the kitchen and bathrooms and therefore experiences high traffic and noise. I find myself in a situation of inequity not purposely imposed on me. On a larger scale, a child could be born in a school district with poor facilities/opportunities. This is a tragedy of circumstance and structural violence.

I believe it was a South African whom Matthew talked to on a plane that said if the apartheid was not as institutionalized would it still be in existence today. Many of the same inequities are here today. One example being a public health care system that whites opt out of for better private hospitals. There are economic realities that are destructive.

How do you address inequity? I was initially hopeful yet stressed about the group and the potential to experience reconciliation first hand. We had a group meeting tonight and I brought up the issue. Although the issue was discussed and a solution was found, I still feel that the discussion could have been better. I was asked 3 or so times if I was okay with the solution. Sure, I am but I am more disconcerted with the process.

Reconciliation seems to be more of a mindset than a tool to me (as of now in the course). Ideally, 10 Norlin Scholars could be mindful of each other as individuals and a group. Where does looking out for yourself and looking out for others oppose and what do you chose in that case? If I had a single room, would I not jump at giving it up even though I saw inequity in another’s situation? Rooms in a house for a period of less than 2 weeks does not seem like a huge front for reconciliation. Yet, it is a possible front. Why not practice? If reconciliation really is a mindset, then it touches all part of your human experience.