Original_To:  BITNET%"HISTORY@RUTVM1.BITNET"
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.history
Date:         Mon, 27 Jul 1992 10:41:00 EST
From:         RATH@BRANDEIS.BITNET
Subject:      RE: Fidel Castro on Racism

I ought to have changed the subject heading, but do not know how to...
anyway, Lynn said:
>>------------------original message--------------------------<<
        :
        :stuff re Castro deleted
        :
I don't mean to go on and on about this; it's only one factor in the complex
politics of Hispanic countries, but it _is_ a significant one. North Americans
are very sensitive to the issue of racism in their own countries, but
relatively ignorant of the nuances of racism in other countries. That might be
why so many people are willing to believe that the Zulus in South Africa only
attack members of the ANC at the behest of the White government. The ANC is a
Bantu organization, and the Bantus hate the Zulus, who once held them as
slaves. The Zulu believe that things will not go well for them under an
ANC-dominated government, and every now and then, when the ANC appears to be
closer to exercising real power, some of them go off and kill Bantus. But
that's another story, isn't it?

Lynn
>>------------------end original message----------------------<<

        This information, as I have read it in the popular press,
concerning the the "hate" of "Bantus" for Zulus troubled me enough to
look into the matter beyond what I could glean from the NY Times.
Holders of the theory that the "Bantus" and Zulus simply hate each other
and are but waiting for the opportunity to slit each others collective
throats but for the restraint being exercised by the "powers that be" are
invariably people with interests in the current system.
        Bantu peoples are not a monolith to anyone but the
white press.  The Bantu cultural zone contains a number of people
and related languages covering an area larger than the US, including
several nations and both Atlasntic and Pacific littorals.  The Bantus referred
to in the press are the Xhosa, and they comprise the majority of
the membership to ANC.  They also comprise the majority of the population.
Ther population ratios are roughly reflected in ANC membership.
The "Zulu opposition" is headed by a former member of the ANC, Buthelizi
(sp?) who is of Zulu descent. He  governs a small region of the
state using dictatorial powers and coercion to maintain the membership
rolls of the Inkatha Freedom Party.  For example, if you wanted to
pursue your own profession on any level from pre-school through
university, you would have to register as a member of the IFP
in order to teach in Buthelizi's territory.  Using such means,
The apartheid government can claim that 7% of the non-white population
are IFP supporters, a paltry sum even under the terrors of coercion.
Why would Buthelizi do such a thing?  He is on the South African government
payroll, and has become a very rich man.  In return for his service of
providing the SA gov with a reason to stay on as a "stabilizing force"
he makes a lot of money.  He is between a rock and a hard place, however,
because actual popular support seems to be immensely behind the ANC,
which is quite pluralist in its membership because of its common goal.
        This is not to say that there is no ethnic tension between non-white
Africans in SA, But those controlling the SA press have quite successfully
managed to to manufacture a reason to stay in power a while longer. Perhaps
Eastern Europe would be the place to look for the future of tribal warfare,
I mean ethnic violence;]  To talk of Bantus and Zulus just waiting for
opportunities to off each other is about as accurate, and offensive
as talking about the gypsies and the Jews just waiting for the opportunity
to slit everyone else's throats...
        These concepts of absolute ethnicity, or race are all constructed,
and the tell more about their constructors than they do about the peoples
they are intended to describe.  That <race and ethnic purity or authenticity
are natural formatives of a person's character and interests is pure
rhetoric>--that is not
to say ineffectual rhetoric--probably washed over the pale faces of a whole
 football stadium of Cuba's more educated and cultured sorts in a sweeping
flash of cognition a few decades ago.
        (steps down from soapbox blushing as only a person of pallor can,
         hoping he has not offended too terribly much)
Best,
Rich Rath
Dept. of History
Brandeis University
rath@binah.cc.brandeis.edu
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