This week, while at a game reserve, my family and I were treated to some of the classic South African tunes from the 1990s -- a time of hope and miracles, when popular culture reflected the great enthusiasm for the country's changes.
One song, by Vicky Sampson, "My African Dream," remains beautiful and haunting. Curiously, the man who wrote it, Alan Lazar, now lives in L.A., like me. I don't know much about him, but that seemed rather ironic to me.
The present wave of blackouts, DA political legend Helen Zille recently noted, has shown South Africa that the ANC is a failure. She added that South Africa could now, perhaps, move toward true multiparty democracy and rescue itself.
I do wonder if that wonderfully romantic political time, and all of its art, were something of a burden. They enabled the ruling party to behave corruptly and to dismiss criticism. A more "normal" country would not have tolerated it.
I think it is good that South Africa feels more "normal." With the benefit of distance, I am no longer judging it through an apartheid lens, where race and remedies for the past seem to be the most important priorities for the place.
Romance is a luxury you can enjoy when you have the basics covered, and when you are prosperous. South Africans neglected the basis for their prosperity. It has lost a tremendous amount of capital, both financial and human.
But perhaps it still has the social capital to recover. It needs a common identity -- something that can substitute for the volk that united Afrikaners behind a common nation-building purpose. Perhaps the nostalgia can be put to good use.
Today's episode is devoted to the second anniversary of the October 7 terror attacks. It was produced before the announcement of a ceasefire deal, yet remains current & relevant.
Please listen, and #bringthemhome.
SiriusXM Patriot 125, 7-10 p.m. ET (4-7 PT)
This week's portion is a beautiful poem, containing the Covenant between God and the people of Israel. But given the breaking news that Hamas may actually have agreed to release all of the Israeli hostages, I will devote my remarks to that.
One hopes it is true; if so, it makes this week's additional reading, from II Samuel 22, even more relevant: David's song of praise to the Lord for delivering him from the hand of his enemies.
"18 He rescued me from my powerful enemy,
from my foes, who were too strong for me.
19 They confronted me in the day of my disaster,
but the Lord was my support."
So much to focus on this week -- and much breaking news. A peace deal in the Middle East, perhaps? Eric Adams dropping out of the mayor's race? And a looming shutdown as Democrats push their demands beyond absurdity.
Special guests:
- Bradley Jaye - Breitbart News congressional correspondent, on the shutdown
- John Carney - Breitbart News financial editor, on the upcoming jobs report
- Jerome Hudson - Breitbart News entertainment editor, on the Kimmel fallout
- Frances Martel - Breitbart News foreign editor, on the UN and Gaza talks
- Matisyahu - award-winning reggae artist, on his new album, "Ancient Child"
Tune in: 7-10 p.m. ET, 4-7 p.m. PT
Call: 866-957-2874
