A Rhodes Scholar Conundrum

Composed and posted on February 3, 2016

Perhaps the moral fiber of the current Rhodes Scholars does not measure up to Gandhi.  The young Australian may have a few more lessons to learn.  As for Clinton, I thought that was part of the purpose of the Clinton Foundation.  But who knows?   

As for Rhodes' legacy, I suspect that it will continue and that there will be many African students who will partake of the endowment with little feelings of guilt or compromise.  However, it is unlikely that he will ever again be viewed as a "great man", especially by those who suffered from Rhodes' abuses and likewise, it may be too much to expect an African American student to call Wilson a visionary when during his tenure so many African Americans were economically hurt and the Ku Klux Klan reached such prominence.  There are images that come forth from that time that should make a person cringe, especially an African American. And expecting a student to calmly listen to discussions of the visions of Wilson without a full discussion of the consequences of Wilson's racism may be a bit much. 

It is a conundrum.

Sometimes it is nice to be old.

Peace,

Everett "Skip" Jenkins

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Any outrages over Rhodes' nefarious legacy continue to ring hollow in the absence of offers to cease or refund receipt of scholarship money. The funds could of course be recycled to the advantage of black or Afrikaaner students who are descended from those who suffered from Rhodes' abuses - but I have yet to see any such true expressions of regret made public in the media.

This could.be an opportunity for Bill Clinton to take a leadership role in returning some of Rhodes' ill-gotten gains to his victims and their descendants.

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The historical legacy of Cecil Rhodes is also a problematic one. It is noteworthy that a man who once had a country named for him (Rhodesia) is now viewed with such historical disdain.  As for those who find themselves applying for and accepting the scholarship money that Rhodes' "enterprises" made possible, well, as "serendipity" would have it, a Rhodes Scholar from Australia today had this to say.  

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/feb/02/rhodes-scholars-can-you-justify-taking-the-money-of-the-godfather-of-apartheid

Interesting coincidence, heh?

Peace,

Everett "Skip" Jenkins