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[Non-native animals cause rural problems, charity warns]

I can think of another non-native mammal species that is damaging the native species of the UK.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8602358.stm

Non-native animals cause rural problems, charity warns

A number of non-native mammal species are damaging the UK countryside by eating crops and threatening wildlife, a conservation charity has warned.

A report by the People's Trust for Endangered Species identified 14 problem species including rats, American mink and muntjac deer.

The trust said some of the creatures have been in the UK for so long, they are thought of as indigenous.

It said it was important to stop the extinction of native species.

Practical action

According to the report, two of the UK's fastest declining native species - the red squirrel and the water vole - which has declined by 90% - are under threat by mammals introduced by humans in the last two centuries.

American minks prey on water voles while grey squirrels, which were introduced to the UK in the 19th century carry the deadly squirrelpox virus and outcompete the native red squirrel when it comes to hunting for food and habitats.

The trust also warned the red-necked wallaby is capable of damaging capercaillie birds on Loch Lomond island, while muntjac deer congregating in high numbers are also accused of being a threat to wildlife.

According to the British Deer Society, muntjac were brought from China to a park in Bedfordshire in the early 20th century.

They spread across the country after they escaped, or were deliberately released, from the park.

Further invasions

People's Trust chief executive Jill Nelson said: "Our campaign to conserve Britain's native mammals is rooted in finding more about each animal's behaviour in response to the various threats they face and translating that knowledge into practical conservation action."

She said the way with how the UK dealt with the problem was a "vital component in preventing their extinction".

The trust said the species can have a negative impact on UK wildlife, landscape and agriculture. This range of problems include carrying disease, breeding with species to produce hybrids and altering the landscape and damaging crops.

The report also warned that global trade and a changing climate could lead to the invasion of more alien species.

Other species to have made the list include house mice and rabbits.

But the report, researched by professor David Macdonald and doctor Dawn Burnham from the University of Oxford Wildlife Conservation Research Unit acknowledged, that while rabbits are mainly seen as a pest, they can also have a positive conservation effect in particular areas where they graze.

[Race relations in South Africa are at an all time low.]

This is from the comments page:

Mr Terreblanche, who campaigned for a separate white homeland, came to prominence in the early 1980s. Race relations in South Africa are at an all time low. This sad event is just the icing in the cake to get things moving. There have been calls for open dialogue about race relations in this country, this is the time for South Africa to talk. This country has so many problems that are not being addressed properly because everybody uses the race card instead.
Siyabonga Ndlovu, Soweto

Although I personally did not support Eugene Terreblanche's view - I am concerned about the senseless killing of farmers, as well as the public hate-speech against white South Afrikaner which the ANC allows by supporting Julius Malema. White South Africans are not allowed to use their words for the native South Africans, but the derogatory term for the white South Africans is publicly allowed and accepted. What is President Zuma going to do about this? It seems as if the ANC government is now failing all South Africans, as the political instability seems to be on the increase.
Willie van der Merwe, Johannesburg

As a white single mum of one daughter I already had sleepless nights regarding my daughter's safety. Now after the murder of Mr Terreblanche I fear even more. Racial tension has been driven to the point of no return now. I can smell the fear.
Riesa, Cape Town

Eugene was an enemy but I also don't condone his death. One will argue this is just a conspiracy to discredit Julius Malema's racist song "Kill the boer, kill the farmer". But still I would like the leaderless ANC to refrain from this racist songs.
Itami Manganyi, Durban

The struggle songs that the ANC insist should be sung contain lyrics like "Kill the farmer, Kill the boer". They insist that the songs are just commemorative, but it's disturbing that the songs are sung with such gusto; especially in recent months where half a dozen farmers have been killed. The murder of a political figure may finally cause the government to realise that singing racist songs isn't conducive to South Africa's reconciliation.
Kerry, Johannesburg

This a horrible death, a gruesome manslaughter, a never to be repeated act of hatred amongst each other. I found it very difficult to understand this irresponsible conduct, we hope this will not result into another civil war and bloodbath between the whites and blacks of this country. Where is our humanity, good morals, brotherly love, regardless our race and colour?
Vincent, Germiston

I am a proud black South African. I am appalled at this type of violence! Under no circumstances is one justified to take a life!
Lerato, Johannesburg

Farmers are being killed weekly in this country, nobody wants or needs this but the government does nothing about Malema singing "kill the boer".
Vincent Barkas, Hoedspruit

The murder of Terreblanche comes at a particularly volatile time in South Africa. Terreblanche was mostly seen as an embarrassment by white Afrikaners, yet I expect great concern about the lawlessness which led to his death. South Africa is a country suffering from a lack of moral leadership and the perception is growing that crime pays, corruption is ignored. On grassroots level the relationships between black and white are respectful, yet the political leaders reflect mistrust and antagonism.
Annelize Slabbert, Randburg

His death won't affect the country at all. The circumstances surrounding his death have nothing to do with the recent utterances made by the ANC youth league, irresponsible as they may be. He had become a nonentity on the political front. The danger is 'analysts' who want to use the killing as a barometer of black and white relations and sentiments, and their influence on a sceptical white population and those who can't see the bigger picture.
Tawanda Musarurwa, Johannesburg

Any murder is a tragedy. The irony is that a primary crazy fueller of racial hatred, a monster with no morals, could by his murder do even more harm and create hate as he did in his tragic and wasted lifetime.
David, Sedgefield

This news comes at an extremely fragile time in South Africa. Whilst our high profile political figures continue to sing songs about 'shoot the boers' it will undoubtedly lead to increased anger in relation to Terreblanche's death. He spoke for a few, and although many white individuals recognise him as an extremist and racist, that will do little to speak for the tide of events that will rock and will continue to rock the front pages of newspapers in the coming weeks. South Africa is urgently in need of the spirit of reconciliation we enjoyed so much following the 1994 elections... We seem to have run out!
Ryan, Grahamstown

I can't believe the level of hatred in our beautiful country. Why can't we just live our lives in peace for heaven's sake? Just grow up!
Joan Pearce, Cape Town

I believe Jacob Zuma and ANC have not been responsible enough in reprimanding the Youth League president for all his provocative utterances and actions that is bringing about racial tension.
Raymond, Johannesburg

The situation is similar to the slaying of black communist leader, Chris Hani, in 1993. South Africa managed to come through that (with the help of Mandela). It remains to be seen how South Africans will react now, 20 years later, only 60 days before the World Cup.
Jonathan Winter, Durban

I don't think the passing away of Mr Terreblanche will make any difference. South Africa never healed as far as racism is concerned, you may notice this in business and job opportunities. Terreblanche had also become less popular.
Thanda, Krugersdorp

[U.S. Schools More Segregated Now Than Four Decades Ago]

http://racerelations.about.com/b/2010/02/22/u-s-schools-more-segregated-now-than-four-decades-ago.htm

U.S. Schools More Segregated Now Than Four Decades Ago

In 1954 the landmark Supreme Court decision Brown v. Board of Education mandated desegregation of public schools. So, why are 21st century public schools more racially segregated than the schools of the late 1960s? In an article called "The New Racial Segregation at Public Schools," Teaching Tolerance writer Tim Lockette tries to answer this question.

In the piece, Lockette interviews Gary Orfield, director of the Civil Rights Project at UCLA. According to Orfield, growing numbers of black, Latino and Asian American students attend "intensely segregated" schools, or those where students of color make up more than 90 percent of the student body. School segregation, of course, is directly linked to residential segregation. For example, one-third of black students attend school in places where the black population is more than 90 percent. Class ties in as well, with one-third of all black and Latino students attending schools where more than 75 percent of students receive free or reduced lunch. In contrast, only 4% of white children do.

The trend not only plays out in regions one might expect--such as the South--but in the racially divided Midwest. A drastic reduction in the number of students being bused as well as the rise of charter schools all contribute to school segregation. To boot, the U.S. Supreme Court didn't help matters when in 2007 it determined that school districts can't consider racial diversity as a factor in assigning students to schools. Lastly, the fact that minority children make up more of America's students today than they did four decades ago also factors into the re-segregation of public schools.

In the mid-1960s, 80% of American students were white, Lockette reports. But now children of color make up nearly 40% of U.S. students. "While the student body as a whole has grown more much more diverse, many majority-white schools have seen only a slight bump in their minority enrollment," Lockette writes.

And lest one think that school segregation only affects "those people," research indicates that the fact that students in segregated schools are far less likely to graduate or attend college has far-reaching consequences for the entire nation. Civil Rights Project scholar Erica Frankenberg puts it this way: "If we don't start educating black and Latino students better than we are doing now, we are going to see an intergenerational decline in the percentage of high school graduates in the adult population for the first time ever."

Additionally, both Frankenberg and Orfield argue that evidence indicates that integration could help eliminate the oft-discussed "achievement gap" between white students and students of color. That's because this gap was lowest during the late 1980s and early 1990s. What was unique about this period? It was the point in time when schools were most integrated.

Like he said:

"It's on my property... I'm proud of it and no one's going to make me take it down."

Well said, Rev. Maritz.  Although Odinism doesn't hold a light to Creativity, at least it's a step in the right direction.