“I’m English, spent the early part of my career on weekly, evening, Sunday and national newspapers in Britain. Then I became assistant London editor of the East and West African editions of Drum magazine, transferring to South Africa where I became executive editor of the magazine – which was aimed at Black readers – a couple of months before the June 1976 Soweto schoolkid riots (see more on my years at Drum at http://www.coldtype.net/photo.html). After that I became a consultant, working for the black alternative media as well as mainstream newspapers and magazines. I moved to Canada in 1990 to redesign the Globe and Mail newspaper in Toronto, transferred to the corporate office as head of design for North America and then became an independent consultant 12 years ago. I also spent five years as part time editor of Design, the magazine of the US-based Society for News Design.”

“Jools has kept me sane and out of prison for the past 40 years.”

“I still consult for newspaper clients in South Africa and am amazed how, despite the obvious signs of wealth in the cities; things haven’t really improved for the majority of the people. There have been positive changes, of course: Apartheid ended and everyone got the vote but, after taking power, the ANC quickly abandoned its socialist ideals and its leaders saw no problem in adapting to the ‘benefits’ of free market capitalism. The result is a small class of elite citizens – both black and white – who have to barricade themselves into homes surrounded by electrified fencing and patrolled by armed security guards while the masses still live in squalor.”

“I remember my trips to the United States in the 1980s when black leaders were demonstrating for the introduction of sanctions against South Africa. It seemed strange that so much energy was spent in decrying the lot of their oppressed brothers in South Africa while ignoring the inequality that was so obvious in their own country. Apartheid doesn’t have to be institutionalized to be effective – much of South Africa has learned that lesson since the ANC came to power. The fight for economic and social freedom for blacks in both countries still has to be won.”

“Healthcare in the US is a disgrace. Until something is done about a system that allows drug companies and other corporations to throw so much cash into the electoral system the majority of working class people will continue to be shafted. Change will only come when people open their eyes, see what’s happening, rise from the comfort of their sofas, take to the streets and do something about it.”

“The suffering of the Palestinians under the oppression of Israel and, by extension, the United States is as bad, if not worse, than that of black South Africans under the evils of apartheid. Why is it so too easy to forget the lessons of recent history – Israel, the United States and the world should be ashamed of what is happening in the West Bank and, more recently, in Gaza. Israel, perhaps more than any other nation, should know better . . .”

“The main reason we left South Africa was because my son Oliver was about to be drafted into the South African Defence Force, and there no way Jools and I would allow him to fight for apartheid. But I was also ready for change – we went to South Africa on a year-long contract in 1975 and stayed for 14 – I was a newspaper and magazine consultant at the time and had done everything I needed to do there; even my unpaid work with the alternative media was becoming stale, especially as the end of apartheid was on the horizon. At this time – late in 1989 – I was invited to Toronto to lead the Globe and Mail newspaper through a major redesign, so off we went. It was strange to find myself in a hotel room in Toronto watching Nelson Mandela’s release from jail – at that moment I thought I’d made a serious mistake, a feeling not helped by the fact that we’d moved from an African summer to winter in Canada . . .”

“I hope Harper won’t be in power long enough to take us too far down those paths. But I’m not sure the people of Canada will make the right choice at the next election, whenever it happens. It’s amazing how the promise of tax cuts and a bit of extra spending money so easily persuades voters to elect a government that does not represent their interests. And there’s no doubt that the propaganda machine will be focused on the previous Liberal government’s insanely corrupt handling of advertising contracts. There’s no excuse for corruption, but it probably won’t be pointed out that at least Jean Chrétien’s lot didn’t waste billions of dollars and hundreds of lives by signing on to Bush’s war in Iraq, which Harper likely would have done. Harper’s keenness to resupply the military and to commit Canada to the futile war in Afghanistan is sign enough of his belligerence – if he can be so dangerous running a minority government, I dread to imagine the havoc and misery he might wreak with a clear majority.”

“Simple. We shouldn’t be there. It’s time to return to our traditional peacekeeping role. Canada shouldn’t be fighting Bush’s wars. Nor should America.”

“Canada will always be linked with the United States due to the proximity of its main centres to the border, but that doesn’t mean the country has to become servile to whatever US interest is dominant at any particular time. Right now Canada is about to implement its own no-fly list on air travelers and seems likely to sign up for America’s idiotic and paranoid missile defense system. I dread to think where Bush and Harper will take us next.”

“We have to keep telling the truth, we have to continue the fight for social justice, and we have to spread the message to more and more people that global capitalism and corporate greed are not in the best interest of them, the nation or the world.”

For once I have little to add excepting my assertion that if we had a legion of Tony Sutton’s, our world would be a much better place. He truly is a “Northern Light.”

Many thanks to Tony for participating in the interview and for his substantial contributions to the cause of social justice.

Jason Miller is a wage slave of the American Empire who has freed himself intellectually and spiritually. He is Cyrano’s Journal Online’s associate editor (http://www.bestcyrano.org/) and publishes Thomas Paine’s Corner within Cyrano’s at http://www.bestcyrano.org/THOMASPAINE/. You can reach him at JMiller@bestcyrano.com

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