There is an interesting, and probably important, debate to be had about contradictions in the history of social and political change, but my under-nourishing contretemps with Moloto Mothapo is not it. The pity is, few are surprised.

Contrary to Mothapo's misapprehension in this regard, my text stands ably on its own, and, vide Barthes, I gladly leave it to say exactly what I meant it to say (which, if one felt it necessary to indulge in sectional scape-goatism, could be said among other things to be a damning reflection of the failure of avowed liberals, like me, to make more of a difference when it mattered). As I say, there is an interesting debate to be had, but not if the language we use is considered whimsically malleable.

Michael Morris

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