If this comes off as Venting 101 please pardon me. First thing I want to say is the Darfur situation is inexcusable. I do not think any political or social argument I make here will add value to the lives of the victims. But given that this is all I can do on this platform, here is my beef..........and may be 2 cents......
I think it is important to look at this whole Darfur genocide and everybody else's response including the players in the larger context in which these actions and reactions exist. The second thing is to really be honest about our expectations as well as our goals- I am not sure here whether to say our goals as a people, or just as socially conscious people even though all these do not mean that we all are on the same page.
The context in which all of this exists is one in which the powers that be and their agents want to control ideas, and everything that we have for money. So they will do anything, even if it means people get killed, as long as they can fatten their wallets.
While I do not endorse China 's position on Darfur I sometimes wonder whether there is some contradiction on our stance and expectations of China . On one hand there are people who are saying foreign governments be they European, Chinese, American should not interfere in internal affairs. If they buy oil they should just do that and get the F out. On the other there are those who say China should take a moral stand and starve Sudan of the oil money. Here in lies the problem because experience teaches us that morality is a commodity that can be bought or sold for convenience these days. We accuse China of benefiting from oil, but if you go to Sudan you will see that in Khartoum the big Kahunas making tons of money are US/European consulting companies and engineering companies racking in contracts to construct roads and other infrastructure that the World Bank and IMF is advising Sudan to build to increase their GDP. So the Europeans and US will shut up and let the money flow and make China take the heat---Aint that some shit? If you read the news you will get a glimpse of what the US is really worrying about- the Yuan and the trade imbalances. And the Sudanese are a pawn that can be used toward furthering imperial goals and as a negotiating stick and carrot to wield influence.
I am afraid that some American powers that be who are shouting about China this and China that are more concerned about making sure that China does not have business relations with Africa and thus undermine their global dominance. So they use well meaning people like you and me to condemn China instead of doing what needs to be done. Everyone knows that the US can tell Sudan tomorrow morning to stop the bullshit and the government will. But they will not! Why?
Then again we also know that China wants the oil to produce goods to sell to the US and as long as the US can make money, forget Darfur . The African Union has been trying to put forces out there but there is no money- why? I have no answer but I know that these questions speak to our lack of sovereignty and self determination as a people. Any independent people/ country must and should be in a position to feed, defend, clothe, shelter, medicate, and educate its people. But most African countries cannot. And the minute we start to look to others to do that for us, we know we are in a disaster…..Shit, the US cannot too.
Second thing is... Function Follows Form. The NBA is designed as a sports not as a political organization. Should we look to the NBA for the salvation of our people in Sudan ? If you think of this in the context of a global war, everyone knows that the US trains its marines and army before they send them to Iraq . We as a people are fighting this war against the powers that be. Should we look to untrained NBA players to be our soldiers in this war of liberation? Sudan is not just about Darfur , it highlights the struggle of our people for freedom. Matter of fact, the whole problem lies in that the resources in the north are being stolen and the war is a result of the shortage of what the Sudanese have in abundance and could share--- resources. But they will not because they are all slaves, both the government and people. People are killing each other to save masters who are waiting for their cheques to be cut. It makes me sick to the core.
Now, if you want to see how F'd this shit is, find out how China subsidizes the US by buying its treasury bonds and using the interest rate earned to pay US companies that are on the forefront of expanding China to put it into the 21st century. In the end the money comes back here tainted with blood from the genocide, malnutrition, e.t.c.
Someone said if Lebron and the Jordan and .....and......could get behind this all the kids would be inspired. My humble opinion is that all these guys would do is bring awareness. Awareness is not tantamount to action or change, but it is a first step if one wishes to go forth.
I have come to dislike the seasonal one issue, non strategic, pressure based media, look at me PR efforts that we see time and again. In this category of strategies you have embattled TV personalities who when they fall off or do something that reduces their ratings, they run to Africa to adopt a child. You have personalities who when the going gets tough they donate some money to some poor black children, adopt a child. While this is commendable, it does not constitute a strategy of a people crying out to be free. This strategy is seasonal, devoid of basics needed for any war- patience, commitment, vigilance.
All of that said, it is commendable that these players are trying to lobby China to do something. However, we always must be vigilant on what our goals are. Once the powers that be have pimped out the Sudanese government, watch, you will see when they start bringing them to public comic justice. It makes me sick, but as long as the war goes on, it means the Europeans have not yet milked the cow completely. When they do, you will know cause this bullshit will stop. But still my people will not be free. Instead this visible war may end and lay the seeds for another silent war in which millions will die a silent death of malnutrition and poverty while the country basks in the limelight of comic peace. It makes me sick.
I think it is important to look at this whole Darfur genocide and everybody else's response including the players in the larger context in which these actions and reactions exist. The second thing is to really be honest about our expectations as well as our goals- I am not sure here whether to say our goals as a people, or just as socially conscious people even though all these do not mean that we all are on the same page.
The context in which all of this exists is one in which the powers that be and their agents want to control ideas, and everything that we have for money. So they will do anything, even if it means people get killed, as long as they can fatten their wallets.
While I do not endorse China 's position on Darfur I sometimes wonder whether there is some contradiction on our stance and expectations of China . On one hand there are people who are saying foreign governments be they European, Chinese, American should not interfere in internal affairs. If they buy oil they should just do that and get the F out. On the other there are those who say China should take a moral stand and starve Sudan of the oil money. Here in lies the problem because experience teaches us that morality is a commodity that can be bought or sold for convenience these days. We accuse China of benefiting from oil, but if you go to Sudan you will see that in Khartoum the big Kahunas making tons of money are US/European consulting companies and engineering companies racking in contracts to construct roads and other infrastructure that the World Bank and IMF is advising Sudan to build to increase their GDP. So the Europeans and US will shut up and let the money flow and make China take the heat---Aint that some shit? If you read the news you will get a glimpse of what the US is really worrying about- the Yuan and the trade imbalances. And the Sudanese are a pawn that can be used toward furthering imperial goals and as a negotiating stick and carrot to wield influence.
I am afraid that some American powers that be who are shouting about China this and China that are more concerned about making sure that China does not have business relations with Africa and thus undermine their global dominance. So they use well meaning people like you and me to condemn China instead of doing what needs to be done. Everyone knows that the US can tell Sudan tomorrow morning to stop the bullshit and the government will. But they will not! Why?
Then again we also know that China wants the oil to produce goods to sell to the US and as long as the US can make money, forget Darfur . The African Union has been trying to put forces out there but there is no money- why? I have no answer but I know that these questions speak to our lack of sovereignty and self determination as a people. Any independent people/ country must and should be in a position to feed, defend, clothe, shelter, medicate, and educate its people. But most African countries cannot. And the minute we start to look to others to do that for us, we know we are in a disaster…..Shit, the US cannot too.
Second thing is... Function Follows Form. The NBA is designed as a sports not as a political organization. Should we look to the NBA for the salvation of our people in Sudan ? If you think of this in the context of a global war, everyone knows that the US trains its marines and army before they send them to Iraq . We as a people are fighting this war against the powers that be. Should we look to untrained NBA players to be our soldiers in this war of liberation? Sudan is not just about Darfur , it highlights the struggle of our people for freedom. Matter of fact, the whole problem lies in that the resources in the north are being stolen and the war is a result of the shortage of what the Sudanese have in abundance and could share--- resources. But they will not because they are all slaves, both the government and people. People are killing each other to save masters who are waiting for their cheques to be cut. It makes me sick to the core.
Now, if you want to see how F'd this shit is, find out how China subsidizes the US by buying its treasury bonds and using the interest rate earned to pay US companies that are on the forefront of expanding China to put it into the 21st century. In the end the money comes back here tainted with blood from the genocide, malnutrition, e.t.c.
Someone said if Lebron and the Jordan and .....and......could get behind this all the kids would be inspired. My humble opinion is that all these guys would do is bring awareness. Awareness is not tantamount to action or change, but it is a first step if one wishes to go forth.
I have come to dislike the seasonal one issue, non strategic, pressure based media, look at me PR efforts that we see time and again. In this category of strategies you have embattled TV personalities who when they fall off or do something that reduces their ratings, they run to Africa to adopt a child. You have personalities who when the going gets tough they donate some money to some poor black children, adopt a child. While this is commendable, it does not constitute a strategy of a people crying out to be free. This strategy is seasonal, devoid of basics needed for any war- patience, commitment, vigilance.
All of that said, it is commendable that these players are trying to lobby China to do something. However, we always must be vigilant on what our goals are. Once the powers that be have pimped out the Sudanese government, watch, you will see when they start bringing them to public comic justice. It makes me sick, but as long as the war goes on, it means the Europeans have not yet milked the cow completely. When they do, you will know cause this bullshit will stop. But still my people will not be free. Instead this visible war may end and lay the seeds for another silent war in which millions will die a silent death of malnutrition and poverty while the country basks in the limelight of comic peace. It makes me sick.
For More Interesting Perspective From An African Point Of View Please Visit The Following Website: http://africanviewpoint.blogspot.com/
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