To the Editor:
The ideas presented [in a letter to the editor in the Dec. 5–11 issue] about Chinese investment in Africa by Peter C. Thurman of Port Orchard are so dogmatic.
First of all, his letter holds forth from the vantage point of two illusions: If whites had never colonized invaded, raped, enslaved, and abused Africa, it would be paradise — and the idea that if Blacks were given jobs, fair schools, if the [government] kept crack out of the neighborhoods, American cities would be paradises.
The history of Africa includes many ravages that were, by no means, the result of white ravages. There are no meaningful white powers in Rwanda, for example, where a genocide took place. White impact on Africa may have contributed to the example, but you can’t just go around blaming white people every time a Black man does something terrible to another Black man.
Mr. Thurman then says that Asia was saved by Gandhi, Mao, Aquino, and Ho. Surely he can’t mean that!
Surely he cannot mean that Gandhi equates with Mao [Zedong]
One does not need to believe in God to hold to the U.N. Declaration of Human Rights, that each and every person by birthright has a place, rights, and destiny. … Someone has to invest in Africa and help with problems of corruption, gangsterism, mis-education, conflicting tribalisms, bigotry, and xenophobia.
The answer to the problem of Africa is education and appropriate investment. If [Mr. Thurman] has an insight into the problems of Chinese investment in New Guinea, I think [he] should share it with us. But the myths and illusions about the figureheads [he] loves because they hate white people say more about [him] than the situation [he] responded to.
— Mac Crary, Seattle
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