Today in History - Sep 26 - Reagan Vetoes the Anti-Apartheid Act

September 26 is the anniversary of the day Reagan Vetoes the Anti-Apartheid Act in 1985. Apartheid was a system of segregation in South Africa that was roughly equivalent to the US' Jim Crow Laws. The Jim Crow laws were ultimately repealed due to massive protests by the black community.

In the wake of this, a black politician by the name of Ron Dellums attempted to take the struggle outside of the US' borders, and free the people of South Africa, who suffered under the same conditions as the black people of the US. He introduced the first draft of the bill in 1972.

Of course, this didn't go over very well with the white politicians. The US was very friendly with South Africa, and it really didn't help matters that the man leading the resistance to apartheid was Nelson Mandela. Not only was he black, but the US (rightfully) believed him to be a communist. Racism will always be tolerated or encouraged in the US, but communism will never be. As a result, the US had a vested interest in propping up South Africa.

It took 13 years, but Dellums finally got the bill to sanction South Africa to pass through congress in 1985 due to increased public visibility and outcry. Reagan vetoed it immediately. Mostly because of anti-communist sentiments; he didn't really care about apartheid.

In the end, congress overruled his veto, and the sanctions went into place. Reagan's regime didn't enforce the sanctions. In 1989, they made motions that they were actually going to enforce the sanctions. The Soviet Union broke up shortly after. Having no need to prop up South Africa anymore, they actually followed through on their word. With the loss of their biggest supporter, the South African regime collapsed shortly after. Once again proving how much the US regime cares about human rights.