Ryan Ngo
Block B College Writing
19 August 2019
“Empathy is not simply a matter of trying to imagine what others are going through, but having the will to muster enough courage to do something about it…” This is a quote from the famous essay – “The Moral Obligation of Living in a Democratic Society”.- This quote resonated with me a lot in terms of my experiences as an AP World student during my sophomore year. Among all topics of this history class, I found the reading about the Anti-Apartheid movement in South Africa very interesting. The end of apartheid had a lot to do with this quote. I daresay without the empathy of democratic nations, this evil system would never end till this day.
The struggle against segregation had existed since its beginnings in 1948. The African National Congress peacefully resisted the oppression imposed upon them. Starting in 1952 members of the African National Congress burned their pass books – a symbol of the stigma labelled towards black people in that country- They organized many non-violent rallies in their townships throughout the 1950s. Yet no matter how strife-free these movements may have seemed, they were largely ignored by the government. Beginning in the 1960s many ANC activists, most notably Nelson Mendela, were either arrested or executed. Policemen opened fire at protestors in Sharpeville, killing 67 and injuring 180. As I read to here, a flame of anger burned in my soul. How can you ruthlessly kill unarmed protestors that didn’t harm you at the first place? Thankfully, the United Nations had enough empathy to stop the violence. Through economic sanctions imposed in the 70s and 80s, the UN was able to pressure South
Africa to dismantle this system and release activists. The first nationwide multi-race election was conducted in 1994, with Nelson Mandela elected as the first African president. Though Nelson Mandela was often credited for ending the apartheid system, I personally think it was the compassion of the United Nations that placed an end to it. Had there not been spirits of sympathy stirring up the hearts of the global community, the South Africans may just as well have continued to live under the hellish conditions of racial segregation.
As a part of the United Nations, we have a divine mission to battle injustice around the world. We are to uphold the gospel of freedom and human rights throughout the four corners of the Earth. We are to fight human rights violators, with the sword of justice and the spear of the people. In a way, empathy is also based upon hope. And with enough determination, we are sure that we can end the reign of all unjust regimes with power coming from economic sanctions and international criticism. And we are sure that one day we will free all the oppressed with spirits of kindness and righteousness burning in our hearts. This is the divine calling for all people living in free nations . And are you willing to take part in this arduous fight?
To get a better overview of my writing skills, it is highly suggested that you read my rough drafts+ peer edit+ Planning doc…Attached is the document that shows my rough draft, peer edit and planning for essay. Feel free to click and read it.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1VFSNNfKaqip1Kga-H–K3VIxOGWfX__LDRBTTVlppDk/edit?usp=sharing
Ryan Ngo's college writing blog 