Pages tagged "Apartheid"

I received more reaction to my posting, The Iconification of Nelson Mandela and American Racism, than for any other of the 257 postings that I had done in almost seven years. Some of the responses were supportive, some critical, and some “yes, but.” Below is my original newsletter article, followed by a sampling of the responses.

The ability to see and write clearly, the justice of an open mind, the opportunity to observe people and events during a complex period in a conflicted country: all these qualities Henriette Groot brings to her recently published journal, which recounts her experiences in South Africa in 1986 – Zebras for Table Mountain. Groot is a member of Central Coast Meeting in San Louis Obispo, CA (PYM). She and her husband took a round-the-world sailing voyage at a critical time in history. This journal reflects Groot’s curiosity as the couple approached South Africa in September 1985, her interest in people of all classes and races, her knowledge of the Apartheid struggle, and her desire “to be with South African Quakers.”