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PASTOR GENERAL'S REPORT, NOVEMBER 18, 1983
them even proclaimed "I am a feminist"--dutifully paraded before the
ladies, promising to consider having a woman Vice-Presidential running mate
on his ticket.
Women need, said Ms. Mandel, to unite across ideological lines to support
women candidates. The obvious inference of such block-vote mentality is
that gender and women's concerns (equal pay, governmental supported child
care, etc.) are more important than broader affairs of state. And with
regard to the latter, women, said Ms. Mandel, are "more peace-loving,
compassionate." This approach, apparently, is better to have when dealing
with issues such as East-West balance of power, arms control and worldwide
terrorism.
In sum, Mr. Reagan may have his hands full in 1984, should he run. Defin
itely his party is in for trouble in 1986 and during the presidential
campaign of 1988. The gender and ethnic gaps are widening. Mr. Reagan
hoped to partially close the latter by approving legislation calling for a
national holiday for slain civil rights leader Martin Luther King. But
this action gained him no visible support within the black community,
rather only prevented further losses which would have occurred should he
have vetoed the bill. We need to keep Isaiah 3:12 and Deuteronomy 28:43 in
mind.
As one woman activist reported in a paper she gave in Chicago: "Women must
doubly constitute themselves politically...as challengers to the estab
lished male-dominated sociopolitical order."
South Africa's Historic Vote: A Background
On November 2, white voters in South Africa approved by a surprisingly wide
margin--66% or 2-to-1--a new constitution that extends political rights to
two other racial groups, the Coloreds ("Coloureds" in Commonwealth country
spelling) and Indians. This was an event not understood or appreciated for
its full import around the world. Reported NEWSWEEK in its November 14
issue:
The campaign was bitter and divisive and most South Africans con
sidered the race too close to call.
But when the votes were
counted last week, the country's white minority had overwhelm
ingly approved a new Constitution that will give Coloreds and
Indians a nominal voice in the government--but continue to ex
clude the black majority from sharing power. The 2-to-1 yes vote
was a decisive victory for Prime Minister Pieter Botha, who is
now expected to use the mandate to press cautiously for more
liberalizing measures.
"South Africa has made an appointment
with the future," he said.
"We wi11 take further steps for
evolutionary reform."
The Constitution had been strongly opposed by members of the
Afrikaner far right, who believed it would give nonwhites too
much power, and by antiapartheid liberals, who insisted that it
did not grant the Coloreds, Indians and blacks nearly enough.
The landslide victory is expected to weaken the influence of both
groups, especially the far right, whose political clout had pre
viously forced Botha to temper even the most modest gestures of
reform....