Cry the beloved countries

So international condemnation of Mugabe’s latest bit of nationbuilding – violently destroying thousands of homes – is, of course, motivated by racism.

Shabir Schaik’s conviction on charges of corruption was, of course, also racially motivated. As was the pressure for Jacob Zuma to resign; as was the loud gasp of disbelief that issued forth when the idea was mooted that Zuma might be our next president. (There’s an interesting shift from race to class in this argument, but at root it’s the same: real Africans pitted against coconuts.)

We all remember, too, that the whole Aids myth was concocted by racists; a lie based on the deeper untruth that Africans are promiscuous.

It must be nice to have such a simple answer for everything. Now, if only it had any practical value in actually solving the problem...