Boers? or Klansmen? Is there a difference?

The attached video displays BBC documentary maker Louis Theroux interviewing Eugene Terre’ Blanche a South African “Boer” leader.  Terre’Blanche describes what it means to be a “boer” essentially stating that a Boer is a white South African patriot. This interview brings up two international elements of white supremacy and white nationalism: white blood is superior, and multi-cultural societies should not exist, rather we should be segregated.  Groups across the globe are steadfast in these beliefs and both are regular components of white nationalist rhetoric.

In the interview Terre’Blanche and Louis go back and forth numerous times debating the necessary racial qualities for Boer people.  Louis repeatedly asks Terre’Blanche if a non white person who displays all necessary boer characteristics could become a boer, after heated exchange Terre’Blanche concedes that in order do be a boer one must be of European descent.  This notion by Terre’Blanche gives continued prudence to the idea that white blood and white people in general across the globe are superior to all other races.

Terre’Blanche begins the interview by detailing a segregated society within South African borders, claiming that these lands were intended for Boers and now they have been taken from them, this being despite the fact that white people were actually not in the continent of Africa first. But I digress, what does all this mean? Why is it important?  This interview and the perspectives expressed in it really show the transnational relationship that white nationalist ideals have with one another.  No matter where you go the same issues are brought up, certain names may be different such as “boers” or “klansmen” but the key rhetoric remains the same.  I view this information to be of extreme importance because it should change the scale in which we look at white nationalism.  

Prior to enrolling in CES 444 I thought that issues of white supremacy and white hate were singluar to the United States, I obviously knew that other countries had and still have problems with race relations but for some reason I always viewed the U.S. as the main perpetrators.  

This is proving to be completely untrue.

Notions of white supremacy resonate all across the globe, white supremacy is not a cultural problem singular to certain misconstrued cultures with a history of poor race relation.  Rather white supremacy is a human problem in which fears and insecurities are rationalized by blaming the racial “other” in society.  White supremacy exists on a global scale, it is collective effort by many humans indigenous to no specific land or culture.  

White Supremacy transcends borders.