Shouts lost in translation, field guides to other racists and how we might just get what we need “Oh no!” he realised, “The number plates!”. His family name was on the plates and it was Rhodes. He was on his way to UCT and naturally he turned back. (No urban legend. He told me himself.) Words in South Africa are highly charged, and old faithfuls like “racism” and “violence” would be high voltage enough if we all had the same meanings for these words. But we don’t. For some South Africans, “violence” need no longer involve physical force, and physically harming someone is no longer 21 Dec
“Oh no!” he realised, “The number plates!”. His family name was on the plates and it was Rhodes. He was on his way to UCT and naturally he turned back. (No urban legend. He told me himself.) Words in South Africa are highly charged, and old faithfuls like “racism” and “violence” would be high voltage enough if we all had the same meanings for these words. But we don’t. For some South Africans, “violence” need no longer involve physical force, and physically harming someone is no longer
