MATHABANE

MATHABANE.COM

KNOWLEDGE IS POWER

FAVORITE SITES

A few words about why I chose these sites as my favorite. I'm a great believer in the First Amendment. Having lived for eighteeen years under apartheid tyranny, where people were persecuted, jailed and even killed for thinking for themselves, and for openly expressing what they thought, I have remained a lover of the freedom of expression and of the dissemination of information. My experiences under apartheid opppression have taught me that knowledge is indeed power, and that it is the one thing tyrants and dictators fear the most. That's why the internet is such a powerful force for liberty. It can literally cross national boundaries and empower people in ways that are truly revolutionary.

These sites are intended to help spread that revolution by providing students with access to information from all over the world. That way they can think for themselves and make up their own minds. The ability to do so is the power one needs to change one's circumstances and the world. Those who can't think for themselves always end up doing what others decide is best for them. We all have the responsibility to shape our lives as we see fit. But we can't do so effectively if we don't possess the knowledge of what life is about.

When I was living in a South African ghetto, one thing I fought hard against was apartheid's efforts to determine my station in life and my future by enslaving my mind. I knew I could only break such chains by gaining access to the endless universe of knowledge. That's why I worked hard at teaching myself how to read. I remember reading voraciously. I read everything I could lay my hands on -- including scraps of newspapers, billboards, and cans of food. Even though I didn't have ready access to books and newspaper, I made every effort to stay informed about the world around me. It was largely because of this that I was able to discover opportunities where none seemed to exist. And when I finally escaped to America in 1978, I was astonished and exhilarated to find that I could stay informed without fear of being punished, imprisoned or killed.

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