SAM KNEPPRATH | STAFF REPORTER

No matter how advanced we may feel we are, the fact of the matter is that we are only as civilized as our most barbaric and close-minded citizens. Things like the occurrences at Mizzou and Ferguson have plagued our society in showing that racial tension is, unfortunately, alive and well.

Last Wednesday night inside the Christian Theological Seminary’s Shelton Auditorium, guest speaker Dr. Allan Boesak showed that these feelings of discrimination are anything but new.

Born in South Africa in 1946, Dr. Boesak is a renowned world leader in the struggle for human rights who helped lead anti-apartheid efforts in South Africa.

The apartheid was a system of racial segregation in South Africa that was enforced by the the South African government from the late 40s to the early 90s. With this came forced evacuation, racial discrimination, gender discrimination among many other harsh actions.

While these events were certainly heart shattering and holds up to the name of “The Holocaust of South Africa,” the evening with Dr. Boesak wasn’t entirely spent on grieving over this worldly tragedy.

The whole discussion of the night was a true showing of Dr. Boesak’s philosophy for that he did not focus on the bad, rather, he instead focused on how to make things right and not doom civilization to the atrocities of the past.

Speaking towards a utopic future, Dr. Boesak stated that “The dreams of yourself must become meshed with the dreams of our people.” It is with this quotation that Dr. Boesak truly inspired the audience to push forth from the metaphorical shackles of pain they’ve had in the past and break free into a new world of harmonious justice.