In 1215, the Magna Carta outlined the law of the land. In it, it was stated that “No Freeman shall be taken or imprisoned, or be disseised of his Freehold, or Liberties, or free Customs, or be outlawed, or exiled, or any other wise destroyed; nor will We not pass upon him, nor condemn him, but by lawful judgment of his Peers, or by the Law of the Land”.
500 years later, and after the American Revolution, legislators looked to the Magna Carta for inspiration and incorporated the concept of this basic protection and human right into the constitutions of Virginia, North Carolina, Delaware, Maryland, New York, South Carolina, Massachusetts and New Hampshire. In 1787, Congress wrote into the US Constitution that “No man shall be deprived of his liberty or property, but by the judgment of his peers, or the law of the land.”
Almost 800 years after the writing of the Magna Carta, a vast majority of the world leaders still don’t honor or respect this basic law of the land which protects the rights of its global citizens to their homes.
In my first 21 years living in South Africa, I called more than 10 different addresses “home”. Most of them were rental properties – because it wasn’t easy for a single mother raising three children to get a bank account – let alone a mortgage. The inequality for women, regardless of their circumstances was large, but as large as the gender gap was, the inequality based on race loomed even larger.
Living under the apartheid regime in South Africa, I was intimately familiar with the disparities in the places different “types” of people called home. If you were “non-white”, the size and location of your home were defined by the shade of the color of your skin and you lived well below the poverty line. If you were “white”, the odds were that you lived well above the poverty line in a home that was comfortable. Of course, not all white people lived in the lap of luxury, but the apartheid system gave white people an unfair advantage and an organized sense of superiority, which lead “whites” to the benefit of better housing, education, healthcare, security, lifespan expectancy and a deep psychological advantage. This rule of law of the land created a chasm in South African society.
How did we get to South Africa? My grandfather escaped Lithuania after witnessing the senseless murder of his three siblings and parents by the pogrom – a few years before the Holocaust. Most South African Jews came from Eastern Europe looking to escape persecution. The irony isn’t lost on me when I think about my ancestor’s escaping persecution to a country that didn’t respect the freedom and rights on all its citizens.
As a child, I was largely blind to the inequalities in my home country. It’s interesting how children adapt to their surroundings and concentrate mostly on what’s right in front of them. As I grew older though, I became more acutely aware of the disparities created by race and discrimination. And as a musician, I visited friends who lived in townships where their families shared one room among seven family members. It was always my sense that this rule of law was not the will of the people (of all races), but the determination of a few barbaric people who held the reins of power.
I am fortunate. Since living in the United States, I have called 14 different addresses “home”. From my first apartment in NY which was a 300SF six flight walk up which I shared with my friend Dave, to homes I couldn’t have dreamt about as a child. I had rights and protections in every one of these homes.
I can’t imagine what it would be like to be woken up in the middle of the night by the bombardment of bombs. Having to grab my family, abandon my possessions, and run for safety. Leaving everything behind. A lot of people I have met have lived through this type of nightmare and have told me their stories – and it usually comes down to the determination and will of a megalomaniac looking to impose his will on the masses with no regard to basic human rights.
Barbarians.
Side Bar:
For a great perspective on life in South Africa I highly recommend reading or listening to:
“Born A Crime” by Trevor Noah and
“Life and Times of Michael K” by J.M. Coetzee and his incredible book “Waiting for The Barbarians”.
My thoughts and prayers go out to the citizens of Ukraine.
Let’s do this.
-Shaun