In his portrayal of the Other, Silverstone described relationships of great complexity between members of a community and those who do not belong with them. Ongoing developments in media technology and globalization have played a major role in changing the way the Other is perceived. An interesting example of such interactions is the ongoing socio-political transformation of South Africa.
During South Africa’s apartheid regime, the society was split into two distinct racial groups, most easily described as the “blacks” and the “whites”. The white minority ruled the country, while the native black population suffered under heavy oppression. During this time, the local media formed an abominable image of any black opposition, branding attempts of protest as terrorism. The documentary entitled “Long Night’s Journey into Day” covers the consequences of one such attempted protest, and the role of mass media in fuelling the conflict between local racial groups. An undercover policeman was planted in a group of anxious black youths living in the town of Guguletu. The youths disliked the government, but were unwilling to act. The policeman worked to push the young men towards action. Once the group decided to raid the local police headquarters, they were ambushed by the police and slaughtered in front of a school bus. Weapons were planted on the dead bodies to justify the police counterattack. The resulting media coverage called the group “terrorists” and portrayed the incident as an example of order and justice being restored by police in a troubled town (“Long Night’s Journey into Day”).
The above example illustrates how mass media can isolate the Other despite its proximity. In South Africa, white people and black people lived right next to each other. Yet with the help of mass media and public images, the two communities were separated and lost care and responsibility for each other (as described by Silverstone). The power and importance of mass media is further illustrated in the documentary when another attempt at restoring justice went awry. Robert McBride was targeted by mass media after killing three white women in an arson attempt to destroy a popular hangout of racist police. Instead of drawing attention to the injustices happening in the country, McBride’s actions were explained by mass media as violent unjustified attacks against the white population, making the oppressor-race scared and angry. During the trials that followed, a victim’s sister showed complete ignorance towards the political state of her country. She said that she was not aware that people were oppressed in her country. At the same time, her response to the arsonist’s apologies was that of pure anger.
In a state such as this, the media is truly amoral (as argued by Silverstone). It is used only as a tool to control the people and promote a certain selection of ideals. In the aftermath of the end of apartheid, this tool may be seen as taking on wholly different roles. Although several cases from the documentary “Long Night’s Journey into Day” were referred to above, it was not mentioned that the film itself is dedicated to describing four cases reviewed by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of South Africa. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (or TRC) was founded for the purpose of encouraging reconciliation between the former oppressors and the formerly-oppressed. The commission operates by recording public testimonies of people who violated human rights during apartheid. All testimonies are recorded on camera, and some are aired on radio and television. For example, the public confessions of Amy Biehl’s killers were aired on the radio twice in a single day (“Long Night’s Journey into Day”). The TRC is known for advocating restorative, rather than retributive, justice. This means that instead of punishing criminals, the commission requires them to sincerely describe their crimes in great detail. If the TRC finds a wrongdoer’s confession sincere, they are granted amnesty and are not punished for what they have done, no matter how horrific the act. A key justification for such an unusual system of justice is the possibility of bringing truth about the country’s past into the light (as described by Archbishop Desmond Tutu in the documentary). Hence while still being amoral, the media is now used to inform (rather than misinform) the people about what really happened.
It is therefore clear that in the present political situation in South Africa, reconciliation between people through public truth-telling is favoured over a conventional corrective system of justice. Reconciliation may be seen as partial elimination of the presence of the Other in South African society. By identifying with each other’s grief, people may restore feelings of mutual care and responsibility. Both sides have suffered during apartheid, and by sharing this experience they may come to maintain relative peace. As mass media was once the tool of separation and promotion of the concept of the Other, it now serves to inform the people, ensure reconciliation and diminish the significance of racial “otherness”.
Documentary homepage: http://www.irisfilms.org/longnight/index.htm
