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Johannes A. Smit
and advocate the dignity and equality of all in terms of the notion of the
Fundamental Human Rights of all who partake in the ‘human family’. Not
only in terms of the conditional statements but especially in terms of the
conclusion of this ‘Preamble’, the racist apartheid ideology would not only
dismally fail but also open the door wide for the rightful attacks by its
detractors. It did not have the objective of the achieving of freedom, justice
and peace for all of the human family and therefore did not assume that the
upholding of fundamental human rights in terms of the ‘inherent dignity’,
and ‘equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family’ would
be needed to achieve this goal. Failing this, it was in addition in conflict with
each of the other six conditionals. But, as stated, it ultimately opened the
door for activists like Brutus. It was especially in terms of the conclusion that
they could assert the human dignity of all as ‘common standard of
achievement for all peoples and all nations’. They could further propagate
the requirement that ‘every individual and every organ of society[!]’ should
conscientiously adhere to the Declaration, but especially ‘strive by
teaching[!] and education[!] to promote respect for these rights and
freedoms’. Moreover, they could propagate these rights ‘by progressive
measures, national and international, to secure their universal and effective
recognition and observance’. Whereas apartheid did not recognise universal
human rights, and whereas it progressively sought to curb such rights and
obligations, Brutus, among others, would go in the opposite direction.
• Firstly, he would organize and found non-racial sports organizations
and through his activism strive to have them rather than those of the
apartheid state, internationally recognized, especially the IOC;
• Secondly, Brutus would throughout his career promote nonracialism,
and ceaselessly propagate the recognition of the common
humanity of all, not only in terms of the sports codes of his time, but
also the progressive and enlightened bodies of the literary
establishment.
• Thirdly, he would promote these values by teaching and education –
starting in his home town – through his critical writing as well as his
poetry – for which he received banning orders in 1963 – in the face
of racist apartheid teachings, values and education.
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