MARK MATHABANE: Taking The Measure of American Racism

South African-born MARK MATHA BANE, author of Kaffir Boy in America, compares two forms of apartheid -- here and there

Q.

"Do you think human beings are inherently racist?"

A.

Having lived in South Africa and the U.S., I think that racism will always exist. For one reason or another, there will always be people who are driven by fear, who deny the humanity of others. In South Africa, the problem is not so much the white people as it is apartheid. Apartheid has codified racism as a means to preserve its own power.

Q.

Is it the same in both countries?

A.

When I came to the U.S. in 1978, I believed that America had long since resolved its racial...

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