Grumbles, from Hell
Sir: Rhodes University, which, according to John Vaizey (June 12), "Must qualify for the title of the worst university in the English-speaking world," can withstand such assaults and even afford to turn the other cheek; its fine reputation in the international academic world needs no defence of mine.
But how we lesser mortals must envy Vaizey's ability of reaching such balanced judgments. After al, he did spend almost one whole day On our campus, including several hours of being wined and dined by the Deputy Principal.
Marcus Arkin Professor of Economics and Dean of Social Science, Rhodes University, Grahamstown.
Sir: There is something decidedly pompous and priggish about John Vaizey's "Grumbles about Hell," June 12, 1971.
It is not that South Africans, black and white, are not used to whistle-stop visits by academics which leave these overnight observers retching between waves of nausea but still with sufficient wind remaining to gasp out the causes of their malady to publications such as your own in the comparative safety of their liveable-in societies.
No1 What is particularly irritating on this occasion is the ingenuous smugness of the writer. There is of course much that many South Africans including myself will agree with under Mr Vaizey's exaggerated disgust. What prompts this letter is the simple arrogance of Mr Vaizey's belief that terrorism is the only course and presumably the only solution for any honest black or white in this country, his naive patter about " liberal " whites living on immoral earnings and his apparent inability to see himself as he appears to others, as " liberal " and hypocritical as those whom he finds so creepy.
He is at pains to stress his own trite dilemma in accepting an invitation to visit South Africa. Is this worthy of mention unless to set his readers' minds at rest that he drifts " with the currents of world opinion "? At any rate his curiosity having got the better of him (curiosity is always excusable in an academic, perhaps not in a voyeur), his contribution, and presumably he was invited to make a contribution of some kind, is to sink with relief into the comfortable aircraft provided by his "dull old airline" (perhaps a hijack might have enlivened the flight) which whisks him in hours to the security of his." good, decent society."
Here he is able without fear of penalty greater than a possible abrasive letter or two and a few tut-tuts from the surviving blimps, a now almost extinct breed much to everyone's relief, to earn pocket-money from his voyeurism and enrich his social chit-chat with idle boasts of secret police interest in his activities. How trendy.
In view of his waves of disgust it is difficult to believe that Mr Vaizey's stomach is strong enough for him to go to any lengths to support black supremacy. Certainly he may dabble fashionably from the safety of his decent society where words are a cheap commodity. I cannot help but be persuaded that Mr Vaizey's taste for drinks served by the swimming pool is undeveloped largely by the accident of his birthplace and that he too may, be destined by his own definition to grace that special place reserved for " liberals ' so dear to himself and John Newsom.
I regret that "contacts with people like you (John Vaizey)" do nothing to strengthen the resolve of those people in this country who hope to see a day when, by dint of hard work, patience and understanding without histrionics, blacks and whites may live together with equal opportunity to do their thing whatever it may be.
Jeremy Martin 237 Arkansas Avenue, Berario.
Berario, L South Africa.
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