The Ecphorizer

Controversy (South Africa) II

Issue #58 (September 1986)


Letters about April's article "Boeru, Britu, and the Press"

Dear Mr Towner:

I didn't know the response to your South Africa piece would be so light, or I would have written sooner. I would like to add my voice to that of Reza Hakimzadeh in protesting your article. You write about the terrible evil of apartheid from the standpoint of an American tourist, therefore you write without credibility. I should like to hear your views after you have lived in a black African township and raised your children under a regime like Botha's. Until then, I think I shall continue to listen to men and women like Bishop Tutu and Winnie Mandela — people who live under the veil of bigotry and hatred every day of their lives.

Rita Laws
Harrah, OK

Towner replies: I agree with your reasoning, but arrive at a different conclusion. Until Tutu and Mandela have lived and raised children under a black tribal government, I cannot accept at face value their pleas that we help them institute one in place of the present white government.

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Dear Mr Towner:

I respectfully ask Reza Hakimzadeh to re-read his last two sentences ["You must simply gain information from all sides in order to write a truly non-biased article. Perhaps in this way we can truly decide right from wrong."]. And then sit down and think about them.

I do not approve of apartheid, but I cannot approve of advocating something worse than apartheid. But what frosts my behind is this: of those advocating a change of conditions that will result in black tribes against black tribes, not one will show the slightest tinge of guilt about the resultant slaughter.

If those advocating change promise to speak out when the time comes, I will have great respect for them. But I doubt if it will come to pass. Many spoke out for the Iranians under the Shah. Very few speak out for the Iranians under the far worse Khomeini regime. So it was with Rhodesia/Zimbabwe, is now with Ortega/Nicaragua, and will be with South Africa. Damn sad.

A final question. Did the Boeru and Britu tribes engage in slave trade to the extent the black tribes engaged in slave trade?

Roy Shaw
Santa Rosa, CA


Professional crank GEORGE TOWNER continues to dodge brickbats for his opinions about South Africa.


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