African in America

Hello world! � Back to the Congo

2009-05-07T09:58:00.000-07:00

Hello world! � Back to the Congo

I like the title of this post… it is quite appropriate. So yes, hello world. After several years abroad, I am going back to my native Congo. It has been 6 years since the last time I was there, and in fact, it is the first time in 20 years I am going to be there for this long (a few months, maybe more).

I have endured devastating trials and tribulations in the USA, as well as great moments that I will never forget, and great friendships that will last forever. Now, I am going back home, which is exciting, but also brings with it its own set of trials and challenges. I have grown to be - I must admit - quite a Westernized Liberal, during my time in the US, and I do not know how I will be able to navigate the weight and tediousness of some aspects of my own native culture… just the fact that this is an issue in my head is concerning to me. And then there is the ever present corruption, the constant power outages, the rarity of water at the faucet, the lack of basic services, and the poor transportation system (which is going to be the greatest challenge, after being so used to the MTA in New York). When you add to this the new restrictions on my movements that I am foretold, especially at night, for safety and distance reasons (we live in an outlying suburb), you can understand that I am a bit anxious and apprehensive… which is frustrating to me because I love my country, and I resent having to feel apprehensive to live in it.

But I have prepared myself as best I could, and I am looking forward to going back home, despite the challenges. I will try - as safely as possible - to document my time, the issues I faces, the cool things I encounter, the debates I am suggested, and how life simply is in Kinshasa, especially as I am trying to get employed for the time I am there. In many ways this will be an expat-blog… well, more like a non-expat expat blog. See, in Congo, I have all the assets of an expat:

US-educated
Multilingual
Worldly
World citizen
Computer and Internet litterate
Itunes-addicted
Feels your pain
Eager to save the world

all the inconvenients of an expat:

Mistrusted
Outsider
Feared
conned
disoriented
Foreign-thinking, sounding, and acting

and none of the expat advantages:

a shiny SUV with a shiny logo (UN, Red Cross, CARE, etc) that opens some doors by its mere presence; with a driver
an expat-level salary waaaaay beyond what 95% of the Congolese people could dream to make, that allows them to live like kings in Congo
a foreign passport guaranteeing them evacuation should things get too dicey
and, let us be completely honest, white skin (or at least a “non-African” ethnic look) which - in a country still reeling from the complexes and fears born out of colonialism - is still a mark of wealth and authority, given priority and precedence in many instances, even when junior in rank, station, education and knowledge. (To carricature, think of the educated Congolese man as a black A-student from the University of Idaho, and some expats as the C-student from Yale. Somehow the latter always has more chances to be President than the former…)

So those are the realities I am preparing to face. I will have to learn to be somewhat of a second-class citizen in my own country (actually, third-class, since the expats are already second to the rich Congolese elites), after fighting discrimintaion in the US… a brother can’t catch a break!! But I really shouldn’t complain. I will have a car, and I have a strong family to support me. So, I am better than the average Congolese citizen, who is about sixth or seventh-class… ;)

I digress. So this blog: My life, back in the Congo. I hope you come back and read some of the stuff I write, and that I can bring some insight on this beautiful yet suffering country that I love, through my own experiences there. I will also write and/or post things that just randomly interest me, regardless of whether it linked to the Congo (I think that is what bloggers do, no?) This new blog , at Wordpress, is is a continuation of this blog, African in America.

Happy reading!

Outrageous!!!!

2009-02-06T14:10:00.000-08:00

(from my other blog on Congo)

I have not been writing on The Salon for a while. That's because I have lost a bit of the grasp I had of the situation back home, in the Congo (DRC). Both the political power-players and the political game itself became blurry. There was a point when I could discern between constructive forces, and the destructive ones in a clearer fashion. Who pulls Kabila's strings? How to uncover the multiple layers of the mystery Kagame? What realistic and pragmatic alternatives exist on the field? Those are all things that I am trying to reacquaint myself with. But one thing I know: Laurent Nkunda may simply be a symptom of a larger problem, but he is definitely a parasite to be dealt with. That is why I was outraged when I saw this on Facebook:

A Fan-page for Nkunda? Are you serious? You have got to be kidding me!! A murderous warlord like him? I mean I wouldn't even tolerate a Fan-page for Kabila (because he is shady too), and he is the President!! I mean, this is not acceptable. I am all for freedom of expression, do not get me wrong, but this deserves some responses. I would appreciate suggestions.

What is appalling here is the proficiency and sophistication of Congo's foes in communication, media manipulation, and staying on message. They are always miles ahead of those of us standing for Congo, and we are always playing catch up. That needs to change. The narrative needs to change.

Mfumu Barack Hussein Obama

2009-01-20T03:05:00.000-08:00

(English translation coming below. This is in Lingala.)

Ndeko bwa bolingo, Mfumu Barack Hussein Obama,

Olóngí likokí ya kobengama mfumu. Olóngí likokí i yina kaka na esika oyo osili kolonga te, esika oyo ebéngámí na batu mususu, “Mokambi ya mokili ya bonsómí”. Te. Olóngí yango, na mayele nayo, mpe na motoki ya mosala, mpe na móto ya makási mpe bolingo oyo osili kopelisa okati ya mitema ya batu awa na Lisanga lya Amerika (USA), mpe o bikólo nionso ya Mabele bolingo na biso.

Eyébání sika oyo o mokili mobimba ete na kolónga esika oyo olóngí, obalúsí ezaleli ya mokili na biso na ndenge kaka batu minene ya lisapo babalúsá yango. Okoti na molóngó ya ba Mfumu Nelson Mandela, Mfumu Mahatma Gandhi, mpe Nganga-nzambe Mfumu Martin Luther King, Jr., oyo balakísá biso ndenge ya kokolisa mayele ya batu, mpe kolanda banzèlú ya malamu koleka, mpona komeka kotonga mokili moko ya sika, oyo etondí makokí, bonsómí, bokokani, bobángani, mpe bondeko. Okómí moto muindo ya liboso oyo akómí mokambi-ekolo Lisangá lya Amerika, ekolo oyo eyébání mpona lisapo na yango ya bohumbu na bosámbuisi bayindo. Obalusi nde lisapo mpe elili ya batu muindo, mpe ya batu nionso, o mokili mobimba.

Libosó ya mokolo ya maponi ya suka, oyo ememí yo na esika oyo okómí, nakomákí mpo nakobimisa o mokanda, manso oyo elóngi na yo elingákí kobimisa okati motema na ngai, lokola mutu, mpe lokola mutu muindo. Yango wana nakolekisa tangu na yo mingi te. Natómeli yo se longonya, na kombo ya bana nionso ya Afrika, mama-etáká ya bankoko na yo, mpe ya batu nionso ya mokili. Na séngí yo kaka ete obosana te makanisi kitoko oyo òmemelakí biso na bambúla míbalé oyo malekí, mpe bapási ya batu oyo batié elikia na bango o maboko nayo, mpe ya basáleli nayo.

Mpe, na kosúkisa, na sengí yo, na makasi na ngai nionso, na motema na ngai nionso, mpe na elikia na ngai nionso, óbósana ekólo mpe batu ya Congo bolingo na ngai te. Na esika oyo okómí, ozali na makasi ya kopusa bakambi Congo, mpe banguna na Congo o bikolo Rwanda na Uganda, mpo ete bamóna ete kimia esengeli ezónga, mpe ezónga sika oyo. Batu bakufi mpe mingi, na tina oyo átá babundi mapingá yango bayebi te. Ngonga esi ebétákí kala.

Ndeko Barack, bana ya Congo bazalí mpe bana ya batu, na kitoko, maséngi, mpe makokí moko lokola Malía na Sasha. Basi ya Congo bazalí mpe na kitoko, maséngi, makokí, bolingo mpe bobángi moko mpo na bibota na bango, lokola Mama Michelle. Mibáli ya Congo bazalí mpe na makokí, bolingo, mpe bobángi mpo na bibota na bango lokola yo moko, mfumu Barack. Naséngí yo ótálela biso likambo oyo, mpe ósálisa biso na kozongisa bondeko mpe kimia okati ekolo oyo Congo bolingo na ngai, oyo ekoki kosalisa mokili mobimba na ndenge mingi, soki tozóngísélí bana Congo elikiá.

Natóndí yo botondi, natómélí yo lisusu longonya, Nzambe apambola yo, mpe naséngí yo óbósana biso te.

Na bosóló,

Ali Malau Mamina
Mwana Congo, Mwana Afrika, Mwana Molongo

Translation:

Dear Brother, Your Excellency Barack Hussein Obama,

You have earned the right to be called Excellency. Not just because of the office you have now reached, an office called by some the “Leader of the free world”. No. You won this title with your intelligence, with the sweat of your work, and with the bright and shining fire and the love that you have ignited in the hearts of all people, here in the United States, and in every nation on our beloved earth.

It is now known around the world that this victory you have won, you have changed the essence of our world in the way that only the Greats are able to change it. You join the likes of our elders Nelson Mandela, Mahatma Gandhi, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., who showed us the path to enlighten the minds of people around us, and taught us to turn to our better angels, in trying to build a new world, where rights, freedom, equality, respect and fraternity abound. You have become the first Black President of the United States of America, a nation with a history of slavery and humiliation of Black people. Amazing!

On the day before your election, I took the time to put in writing all the feelings, emotions, and aspirations that your victory would mean to me as a man, and as a Black man. So I will not waste too much of your time this time around. I just want to express the pride and honor that I feel for you, in the name of all the people of Africa, the mother-continent of your ancestors, and of all of humanity. I ask you not to forget all the ideals and idealism you professed and instilled in us in the past two years, and the pain and suffering of many of those that put their faith and their hope in your hands, and in the hands of your team.

And finally, I ask you, with all my strength, with all my heart, with all my soul, and with all my hopes, not to forget the country and the people of my beloved Congo. In your new office, you have the power and the clout to intimate to the leaders of Congo, and to the enemies of Congo at the helm of the nations of Rwanda and Uganda, that peace needs to be restored, and restored now. Too many people have died in a war who reasons and interests are a mystery even to most of the militiamen and soldiers that fight it. It is more than time for peace. It was already time 5 years ago.

Brother Barack, see, the children of the Congo are also human children, with beauty, rights, needs, and aspirations, just like Malia and Sasha. The women of the Congo are also humans, with beauty, rights, needs, aspirations and care and concern for their families, just like Michelle. The menthe men of Congo are also humans, with rights, needs, aspirations and care and concern for their families, just like you, your Excellency. I beg of you to look into this problem for us, to help restore peace, love and good-neighborliness in my beloved Congo, a country that could be such a great, positive contribution to the world, if only we could restore hope and faith in the minds and hearts the Congolese people.

Thank you, Excellency, I am proud of you, I wish you success, may God bless you, and please do not forget us.

Sincerely,

Ali Malau Mamina
Congolese citizen, Son of Africa, Citizen of the World

It's starting...

2008-12-15T03:36:00.000-08:00

So, during the Presidential campaign, like many Black people out there, I was scared to the bone by the prospect of an Obama assassination attempt. Now he has won, and I am still scared. And I was on the lookout for the crazies when I found this story (through DRUDGE), and I can't help but to feel like I won't rest easy for the next 4 years:

In Utah, the Parowan Prophet predicts disaster will prevent Obama from taking office - Los Angeles Times

"I think that you should hear what my opinion about the Obama election is: that he will not be the next president. I said on my home page in August that if he lost to expect to see the 'riots' that 2 Peter 2:13 tells us about. He didn't lose. But the story is not finished yet. I still think they may begin the riots before Christmas 2008, as I said."

The crazies are out in force, and we are going to have to learn to live with them, and and watch-out for them... Another testimony to the fact that although America has come a long way, it still has a long way to go.

Some related videos...

2008-11-05T01:28:00.000-08:00

Obama WON!!!!!!!!!

2008-11-05T00:23:00.000-08:00

(Picture from the Huffington Post)

I will write more about this in the days ahead, but for now, here are two videos, looking back at this historic - and worldwide - camapign and election:

A retrospective from MSNBC:

From Politico:

From CNN:

From the American News Project:

And the Obama victory speech from MSNBC:

I am sure it will sink in soon, but it hasn't yet. Change has come to America, and to the world.

On the eve of History...

2008-11-03T18:41:00.000-08:00

I know, I know, many Americans, even some of those who look like epidermally, will say that I have absolutely nothing to say about the US 2008 elections, and on some level they are right. I am, after all, not a citizen of this country. But I have lived here for over 8 years now, and that should count for something, shouldn’t it? And the United States having the position it has in the world, the contentious History it has, and more importantly, the ethnic and demographic make-up that we all know, make an American election something to behold for the entire world.

Even more so this year. Even more so because of a young Senator from Illinois with a funny name – by American standards, with a father from the motherland, a mother from the winter-lands, and a family tree spanning continents – who dared to challenge the status-quo, and challenge the USA to live-up to the fullness of its noble and laudable proclaimed ideals: equality, freedom, and justice for ALL.

As I sat with my friends Jake, Remi and Jill, watching Barack Obama accepting the nomination of his party to run for the presidency of the USA, I couldn’t help but to shed a tear or two. Of joy, of course, but a joy that came as a healing balm for a series of pains. See, most of my fairer-skinned (I mean White) friends understand much of the Historic nature of Obama’s candidacy. What many do not get, it seems to me, is how profound the possibility of a President Obama touches my very being – and the very being of intellectual Black people around the world, Liberal or Conservative.

See, I was born at an American-missionary-run hospital in Kimpese, a laid-back town of Kongo-central province, DRCongo, Africa, to two loving parents, a loving family of 6 siblings, and in relative privilege (at least the last two thirds of my life) within my own society. I was never the stereotypical poor village-kid from Africa, although my parents were, and they are extremely proud of their rural roots. I was raised to recognize, acknowledge and respect the cultural background of the people I met, but never to hold it against them, when forming my opinion of them. I was taught to treat people as individuals first, not as mere representatives of a particular group (race, gender, ethnic group, religion, orientation, etc), and I try to do that in my daily life.

Yet, despite my international upbringing, despite all that my parents have painstakingly done to ensure that I experience a world where I am judged for the content of my character, the very high level of melanin in my skin is constantly – sometimes more directly than others – thrown back in my face like an indictment of my very soul, like a shameful disease that I should somehow be shameful and atone for, as long as I live.

Racism – whether overt, indirect, or internalized - is not simply about hatred, see. For the victims of racism, it is about the erosion of the foundations of our dignity. You know:

when you are tailed and followed around the store at Dillards’ here in the United States,
or when people switch sidewalks as you walk towards them,
or when you are presumed dumber and less knowledgeable,
or when you are repeatedly singled-out as a potential criminal through profiling,
or when you enter a convenience store, and the White, or Arab, or South- Asian teller cannot help but to look towards his gun-rack to make sure the gun is easily accessible,
or when people in Berlin, Germany refuse to believe that you are an American citizen,
or when you are refused entrance into a plush restaurant in Harare, Zimbabwe,
or when taxis refuse to stop for you in Casablanca, Morocco, or right here in New York City,
or when you are seen as slave-material in Mauritania,
or when you are called a monkey, a gorilla, or a savage in Chennai, India, or in Shanghai, China,
or when you are vilified verbally and/or abused physically in front of your own children,
or when, in my 99.9% Black Congo, you are barred access to a hotel by a security guard, who simply cannot conceive that a fellow high-melanined person could have any business in the 5-star hotel he guards, simply because that person is wearing flip-flops, jeans and a t-shirt, instead of the Western business attire which even Westerners don’t wear in Africa most of the time, because it makes no sense with the climate there,

when all this - and other things - occur to you simply because of your DNA, something you had absolutely no hand in, tell me it does not affect your dignity, and your self-esteem. Tell me it does not start to raise unholy questions in one’s mind, which are extremely hindering to daily life.

Keeping strong, and staying proud of our Black roots, and learning to find and value the power, the dignity and the rich History of our African ancestry, and doing all that while staying civil to all others, and not holding the prejudices of some against all others, is a daily struggle for me, and I dare say for most Black people. We all have different ways to cope with it (blissful and willful ignorance, or outright anger, or intellectual research and response, or active struggle, or depression, or suicide, etc), but it is a constant struggle, all over the world.

And that, among many things (the fact that I have progressive convictions would be one of them), is why I shed a tear for Barack Obama’s nomination. Obama, a proudly self-identified Black man is poised to become arguably the most powerful person on the planet. And mind you, he is not just any Black man. No, he is an intelligent, knowledgeable, scholarly, charismatic, articulate, shrewd, methodical, worldly, Harvard Law man, who has masterfully and legitimately made his case for the presidency, to a people whose racial majority considered him and his "kind" subhuman only a century or so ago... I mean, wow!!! I mean Woooooooooow!!!!!

Barack Obama’s candidacy has dealt – and will continue to deal – so many mighty blows to harmful stereotypes about Black people the world over, that all of us Blacks, Whites, Hispanics, Asians, will end-up benefiting from it. Because aside from being “Black”, Barack is also Bi-racial. He not only embodies in him the pride of Blackness, but also the wonders that this world can produce when we all work together. And that is a lesson the entire world needs.

But, let us be clear. The “change we need”, the “change we can believe in”, is not just his DNA, and his worldwide family tree. It is definitely partly that, yes. But it is also, and maybe more importantly, the fact that attached to this wonderful biography, comes a philosophy that seeks to attempt to put into practice in the United States, and around the world, the principles that made his existence possible; the fullness of the noble ideals that those people in Philadelphia 200 years ago claimed to believe in, and put on paper: freedom, equality and justice for ALL.

I support Barack Obama because he is socially progressive, and economically common-sensical. I expect from Barack Obama a greater capacity for understanding cultural and regional nuances in Foreign policy. I admire Barack Obama, and Michelle Obama, because they had the temerity and the courage - and my friend Hillary M. added the "audacity of hope" - not to let society’s low expectations for their "kind", hinder their own high ambitions. I am proud of Barack Obama because, win or lose, he has ALREADY proven to the world, that I am neither more nor less able, neither more nor less intelligent, neither more nor less competent, neither more nor less human than others, because of my skin-color. And for that, I will be forever grateful to him. I was always proud to be who I am, despite the tribulations. But he made me that much prouder.

And so we are now, November 3rd, 2008, one day before a potential dramatic and everlasting change in the History of this country, and the History of the world. People, do you realize this? I mean, do you realize this? Don’t get me wrong, it’s not yet in the bag. Obama can still lose this election. As he says himself, “never underestimate the ability of Democrats to screw this up”. But people, we are that close!!! I am young, and I honestly never thought I would see the day in my lifetime where this is even this close!! Please call your friends who are citizens and tell them to go vote for this man. This country needs to do better. The world can do better. We can all work harder, work smarter, and do better.

YES WE CAN!!

Anti-black racism still alive, and as insiduous as ever

2008-05-22T12:37:00.000-07:00

It just struck me today (well that is not exactly true, I have thought this for years, but just roll with it): the problem is not just difference, the problem is - LITERALLY - "blackness"... Well, no, that is not exactly right either. Maybe more accurately, it's hair type... I don't know. Well, a combination of both. Let me explain.

I was reading the following - and very interesting - article on the Huffington Post today, about:

Who Is Bobby Jindal? The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly

"...But in an interesting development, the same quarters that have raised doubts about freshman Sen. Barack Obama's national security bona fides seem relatively unconcerned about Jindal's potential place on a ticket headed by a 71-year-old whose heath has been the subject of focus by the media..."

And it got me thinking: There really hasn't been as much of an issue with Bobby Jindal being a potential VP for John McCain, even though he is darker, and of Indian-descent (and I mean from India) - and that is just GREAT!!! And the VP is a heart-beat away from the Presidency (something that is made even more critical with John McCain's old age). Yet, we saw a great deal of resistance in Appalachia towards the similarly hued Barack Obama, specifically because he identifies as a Black man. That, and the whole foreign-sounding name, but I contend that if his name was Bill O'bummer, the situation would still be the same.

And this has to do with many realities. Part of the reason skin color is the problem, is the long history of denigration of people with darker skin by people with lighter skin, in many places in the world; particularly the long history of vilification, demonization, and/or animalization of melanin-endowed Africans (and Aborigines) by melanin-deprived Europeans.

With the European conquest of the world, and the control of world media by the West, the prejudices of Europe came to create, regenerate and/or reinforce the prejudices and complexes across the planet (including in Africa itself, but that is another, long and complicated story), thus generating our current situation, in which, consciously or subliminally, the world has been forced to internalize the tall White European male, and the skinny white blonde female model, as somewhat of an ideal to aspire to.

As a result, and for other related reasons, such as the rise in social status and safety that comes with "White-washing" in this West-dominated world:

some Africans (and people of African-descent) bleach their skin, relax their hair and wear weaves,
some "mongoloid" (for lack of another term in my head, if you know one enlighten me) Asians mess with their eyelids,
some light-skinned Black people tried to "pass",
some Asians, Arabs and light skinned people of African descent carry parasols to stay as light-skinned as they can,
thick black women are under-appreciated,
a lighter skin is considered a mark of greater beauty and status than a dark skin in many places around the world,
some Jews (as well as some Latinos of European-like pigmentation) worked hard to be integrated in the domain of "Whiteness" in the US, with varying degrees of success, etc, etc.

But I digress. All this is to say that the racial issue is still real, and more internalized and insidious than we give it credit. And it has raised its head in the US campaign for President in a special way, and I am tired of people trying to dismiss it, instead of dealing with it. As a dark-skinned, Black man, I am not, nor do I feel, inferior to any person who happens to be born in an area in which his/her ancestors developed less melanin. Yet there seems to be a number of people out there who think I am, without ever even meeting me, simply on account of my African-descent. That is simply outrageous, and I keep on wondering why this is not addressed more vocally, more passionately, and with more seriousness... by White people who claim not to be racist.

And that is when I start wondering: what makes me different from White people, Asians, Melanesians, etc? I am so used to focusing on all the things we have in common (that is my way to survive the daily small denigrations, like being followed around Dillard's), that I don't often ask myself that question. What is it that, besides History, makes it so that people of African descent seem to be more vilified and denigrated - and by more sections of humanity - than any other group in the world? Why is it that it seems like so many humans seem to feel they have more in common with every other section of humanity than they have with Black people? I mean there has to be a reason!

I thought it was skin-color at first. I mean it seems like the most obvious one. But then again there are Indians who are as dark as I am, even darker; and although they may be less-considered in their country because of their skin, it is still not the same kind of abhorrence. What did I ever do to the world to be considered inferior, evil, lazy, useless, demonic, corrupt, or cursed, by default, simply for being born with a higher level of pigmentation, under the radiant sun of the motherland? Why should Obama be so vilified today, not for the evil of his actions, but for the origins of his Y chromosome? Aren't we human too? What was it that bothered some White people so much about us, that they would consider any other race before they would consider Black people?

I couldn't find an answer, so I decided to have fun with this, and came to the conclusion that it has to be the hair. It is the one fundamental difference between Black people and the rest of the world. So different in fact, that Don Imus used it as a racial epithet ("nappy headed h@#$") with the consequences that we know. Our hair creates a very different experience of life. Just ask any Black woman you know. Or even better, asked any mixed woman, with a white mother, who had no idea what to do with her hair because she inherited so-called "bad-hair".

I will always remember a White female friend of mine who asked to touch my hair, and compared it to carpet hair (if she wasn't a woman, I am not sure I would have been so gracious in my response to her). I mean it is quite distinctive. Most people, even the straight-haired Japanese ladies, can go to any hair-salon in the US, France, Australia, South Africa, and even Congo, and they are relatively sure to have their hair treated properly. But for a Black woman, it's a whole different ballgame She has to find a specific hair-salon, with people (generally Black people) who specialize in Black people hair. The same is true for men. I mean the fact that we often cannot share a seat at a barbershop must be the reason why we are vilified, right? right?

Help me out here!!

New York, Congo, Family, Chubo

2008-01-20T17:57:00.001-08:00

There are short moments in life that one would enjoy freezing in time, and living them over and over again, at least for a little while. Yesterday's celebration of my aunt Therese's 60th birthday was one of those moments for me. We had family and friends gathered in Long Island (that's a suburb of New York, for those out there who don't know), at my cousin's house, and there were people from at least 10 countries, on five continents (Africa, Asia, Europe, North and South America), and it was simply the kind of free-flowing celebrations that reminds one of the importance of family, friends, caring for one another, and keeping the flame of conviviality burning at all times. My aunt was ecstatic at all the guests we managed to gather, and all in all these were good times.

Another of these moments occurred today. Today, I got to meet a wonderful friend of mine... that I had never met! Well, I mean, not in person, since we met online, in this wonderful world of blogs. Kim used to live in Congo - my country - and maintained a blog on his life working in Congo with the UN, and later on with other organizations. Since I was also maintaining my own blog on Congo, we kind of met each other, and kept in touch, and finally got to meet, in New York City, at an impressive little restaurant in East Village (South-East Manhattan) called Chubo, which I discovered today (and where I will go again!!!). Not only did I get to meet Kim, but I also met a group of other wonderful people who worked in Congo around the same time as Kim, some of which I had already heard of through Kim, and some of which - like Lionel - also maintain their own blogs. I was quite nervous, because I wanted to make a good impression on all of them, and so, as it happens to me in those cases, I over-compensated... by talking too much! But it turned out okay, and it did so because this was a group of nice, kind, like-minded people, from different horizons, who happened to have the Congo in common. I am quite grateful to Kim for giving me the opportunity to meet this great group of people.

It is funny how this world works sometimes. I mean Kim turned out to be exactly how I imagined he would be ( EXACTLY!!: tall, thin, funny, smart, mundele :) ), and I really wish things had worked out a little better so that we would have had some more time to hang out, talk about Congo, solve all the world's problems in one day, etc... but oh well. That will be for next time, right? No, what I am more upset about is that in a meeting of at least 3 bloggers, including one who is a professional photographer, we did not even begin to think to take any picture - not one - of this unique gathering of monumental importance (okay, I am exagerating, but it was important to me!). I mean what are the chances? Between Lionel, Kim and myself, someone should have thought of that!!! That just means we have to do this again.

But this gathering shows me the power of an open mind, an open heart... and New York City! The number of people one can end-up meeting in new York is phenomenal. With little effort, one can interact with a multi-racial, multi-ethnic, multi-national, multi-faith group of people. And when one is simply open enough to tap into the people they meet, by design or by chance, the connections and affinities that you will discover with one another will simply blow your mind!! I guess that is why the Spanish-language radio MEGA 97.9 calls New York - quite ostentatiously, I might add - El centro del mundo (The center of the world).

Starsky & Hutch, Sarkozy & Bush?

2007-12-30T14:56:00.000-08:00

(written in October 2007)

There has been much talk around the MSM and the blogs, especially the francophone ones, about the new relationship between France and the United States, since the election of President Nicolas Sarkozy in France. Only last weekend, here in the US, several talk shows and Sunday forums continued to comment on this new affinity between the leaders of the two countries. From Bill Maher, to the France 2 journal (on PBS), to Chris Matthews on his show, to Wolf Blitzer on Late Edition – his guest was “French doctor” and French foreign minister Bernard Kouchner – all marveled and/or sneered at the apparent 180 turn of France, and the – really unfortunate – apparent similarities between the policy and ideology positions between the two. I will therefore not spend too much time going over this again (some may argue I already have).

I must however note that there is one particular policy-setting method, long-mastered in the US, which Sarkozy seems to have borrowed, and implemented dexterously from Bush: I call it “bill packing”. Sarkozy is trying to overhaul the immigration policies of the mighty French Republic, land of welcome… well not so much anymore. In fact Sarkozy has been adamant it seems, to rethink the whole concept of immigration in France. We’ll talk about the oddness of his policy another time. But on this particular legislation, Sarkozy has proposed a total package, making it extremely hard, even for those opposed to him, to object to the law altogether. He has packed the bill with elements that pander to his far-right/center-right base – like the requirement of DNA testing to prove the paternity of the children that accompany immigrants, while also attempting to pander the immigrant rights groups, by including a measure to – this is a first in the history of France – create statistics on the ethnic/racial diversity of France. I was watching a program called “Arret sur Info” (“Pause on the News”), on 3A TeleSud, the French/African channel dedicated to Africa and the French-Caribbean, and the topic was this new legislation; the activists opposing DNA testing – like the representative of CRAN – were contrived in their remarks, because they had to be extremely careful to only reject those specific amendments, while the person defending the bill – Christophe Nana, a Frenchman of Cameroonian origin – had the easier task of simply pointing out all the positives, and the irrefutable leaps forward, that are ALSO included in the bill. Add to bill packing a majority in Parliament, the appointment of the two or three first ethnic minority cabinet members, and you have a recipe for near absolute rule by an arrogant and self-important man, who seems adamant to transform France into the US-redux. This man’s fascination with the US reminds me that the French have never really gotten over their Napoleon “grandeur” complex, and that Sarkozy is simply the latest form of that.

Do not get me wrong: Ségolène Royal would not have been much better. She is also self-important. The difference, however, is that she supports other issues, that include a reduction in the powers of the all powerful French “King-President” – which, one might argue, is not such a bad thing. But Royal would have imposed her vision in much the same way as Sarkozy, should she have had the same majority in Parliament. It seems to be the new attitude in this generation of political elites in France: I am right, I know that I am right, you’re wrong, we’ll do it my way, and if I can help it, I won’t give you any viable avenue to even attempt to prove me wrong, before I do it my way. Napoleon tried that, and we know what happened to him. Bush is still feeling the effects of that. I don’t know why Sarkozy would want to follow such dismal beacons…

I wonder…

I have a dream...

2007-12-12T14:38:00.000-08:00

I am no perfect man. Far from it. I was born a Congolese man, in Congo, in relative privilege, and I did not always take full advantage of the opportunities that were offered to me, and that others in my country did not have. And when I did take advantage of them, I did not always capitalize on them as much as should have. Now, I see my country crying of hunger, disease, and poverty, while sitting on a gold mine, and I feel a responsibility to help change that. Because I have a dream.

I was raised by parents – and particularly a mother – who understood the soundness, and the benefits of raising a human being with complementary identities, a citizen of the world. I am first and foremost Congolese, and African. But I am also strongly, and proudly a world citizen.

I have had the privilege to visit, live in, study, work and travel throughout Africa, Europe and North America, and to meet, associate, interact and form long-lasting ties and friendships with people of all races, all colors, all genders, of various beliefs, from all the corners of the world. What I learned is that we are more similar than we sometimes want to believe. We are all humans, with similar needs and wants, and we are more resourceful and innovative than we sometimes appear to be. And so, I had a dream.

Having a dream is now quite cliché, I recognize that. But my personal heroes, including Martin Luther King Jr., Mahatma Gandhi, Yeshua Ben Yusef, Patrice Lumumba, Dikembe Mutombo, Nelson Mandela, Oprah Winfrey, Jimmy Carter, and my own Mother, are people who overcame unbelievable odds to rise above others, and still struggled to bring forth meaningful and long lasting change in people’s lives, because they believed in the principle of fairness, equality and justice for all. So yes, I have a dream.

I dream of the day when Congolese people will shed the complexes born out of years of humiliation under colonialism. I dream of the day when we will be as proud of our nkokos’ mud-huts, as we are of the skyscrapers we want to build. I dream of the day when Congolese people will be as proud of their colorful attires, their raffia outfits, and their loincloths, as they are of their western business suits. I dream of the day when Congolese men learn to respect Congolese women. I dream of the day when we can abandon our clannic and tribal rivalries, and start thinking in terms of cultural promotion, and community development. I dream of the day when Africans will have access to the fullness of what is known of their proud, long, and rich history. I dream of the day when Congolese and other African people will be aware of, appreciate and internalize their rightful place as equals among the nations of this planet.

I dream of that day, in Congo and in Africa, when the value of a smile and an attentive ear, will be valued higher than a frown and the back of a hand, in educating our children, and in daily life. I dream of the day when Congolese people celebrate and appreciate knowledge, science and freedom, as much as they venerate customs, religion and traditions. I dream of the day when we will marvel at the technological achievements of the West with admiration, but not with shameful envy. I dream of the day when all young Congolese people will embrace modernity out of a rational sense of practicality, instead of a deep seeded, and long-taught sense of inferiority and inadequacy. I dream of the day when we will stop to simply mimic the West, and instead encourage those in the West that are willing and respectful enough, to work with us to nurture, promote, celebrate and reward ingenuity and innovation from our own sons and daughters.

I dream of the day when all black Africans will inwardly AND outwardly see white people, not as an indomitable superior force, source of “Civilization”, but instead, as equal partners, as equal members within this race we call “humans”, that spawned many “Civilizations” of which theirs just happened to be the most... "actively" (understatement of the year) proselytizing. I dream of the day when people of European descent will see me and my fellow Africans as "brothers and sisters" to work and compete with, instead of black sheep to eliminate, or pawns to manipulate. I dream of the day when the Western languages we inherited from colonialism will cease to be barriers for African Unity at the grassroots level. I dream of the day when speaking English, French, Portuguese, or now Chinese, will be seen not as a symbol of inherent social superiority, but as wonderful tools for development, and international communication.

I dream of the day when all Africans, the Congolese included, will be given the tools and the ever so needed information to be true, involved and active members of this global village we are creating. I dream of the day when the average Congolese person will have the luxury, the resources, and the time to be involved with, and care about such important, yet ultimately secondary, issues as global warming, embryonic stem-cell research, nuclear physics, sexual rights and animal cruelty.

I dream of the day when Congolese and other African leaders will seek our respect, our trust, our pleasure and our votes, and not our fear, our submission, our misery and our death. I dream of the day when African leaders, the Congolese ones included, will seek the long-term glory of history, statesmanship, respect and admiration, instead of the short-term thrill of material wealth, unlimited power, unavoidable paranoia, and muted vilification.

I dream, yes, I dream of that day when young Congolese people will travel to the West in search of alternative opportunities, and not out of desperation. I dream of that day when I can go from Kinshasa to Lubumbashi, Kananga, Kisangani, Matadi, Goma or Gemena, Nairobi or Lusaka, Harare or Johannesburg, in a sedan, on a paved road. I dream of that day when Kinshasa the bin, will once again be Kinshasa the beautiful. I dream of that day when Congolese people will be returned at their rightful place as full members, and maybe even leaders of the African community.

I dream of that day when Congolese and other African people will truly feel like they have a legitimate stake in what happens in their country, their continent, and on our planet. I dream of that day, when every child born in Congo will be given a pen instead of an AK. I dream of the day when every child - every child - born in Congo will have three square meals a day, a decent education, a conscious loving family, hygienic health facilities, drinkable water and electricity, a sense of purpose, and at the very least a fighting chance to become a proud, valued and productive member of the global village.

It is a wonderful dream, and it is one that I believe we can at least partly achieve. We are admittedly far from that dream, but I will sure do my part to realize it... or die trying! Who is with me?

The death of fatherhood?

2007-12-10T15:39:00.000-08:00

I have read - well, let me honest, read half of - a book that not only made me uncomfortable, but genuinely scared. The book is Louise Sloan's Knock Yourself Up: No Man? No Problem, which is basically a guide for women to "make babies on their own". Now, people who know me will tell you that you would rarely find more liberal than me, among Africans, especially on women and GLBTQ rights. But even I have been taken aback by this apparent manifesto for the... sidelining of men in the procreation process. I felt quite bigoted to think this after reading Ms Sloan's book, and I felt quite tangled-up. And then - Eureka - I found an article in the Guardian that echoed precisely what I felt. To give people a chance to read the book and decide for themselves, I will not say more about the book; however, I wanted to leave you with a quote from the article that expresses my thoughts most accurately:

Much has been written lately about the commodification of love, and the way consumer culture has inflated our expectations of relationships to an unmanageable degree. We are encouraged to consider partners as wish-list fulfillers and, when they fail to do so, as disposable. The modern premium on autonomy and self-determination does not sit easily with the loosening (rather than lowering) of expectations, the toleration of uncertainty and compromise necessary for sustaining intimacy and providing a platform for parenthood.

But it would concern me greatly if our contemporary trouble with relationships led some women, straight or gay, to excise men from the parenting picture entirely. At the heart of this seems to be a clash between adherence to the norm and choice. In the past, traditional notions of what a family ought to comprise have wrongly prevented many from becoming the loving parents they longed to be. This is not an argument against gay and lesbian parenthood. And a single woman who believes she is emotionally and financially secure enough to raise a child alone ought to have options. But nowadays the ideology of choice is proving just as problematic as that of normativeness in the realm of the family and it is necessary, not retrograde, to interrogate that.

New endeavour for the Congo

2007-07-28T01:33:00.001-07:00

I have indeed been derelict in my blogging duties recently. I have actually been working on a project that is close to my heart, and with which I will need support. I am working on ways to strengthen the whole venture, and for ways to improve on the initial idea. The basic idea is that of a hybrid, national and community service corporation/non-profit, that would be inspired from a new, and adapted combination of elements of the PeaceCorps, Americorps, ProWorld, and other such service and community oriented development initiatives.

Please visit the site we created for it at the following address:

The CongoStar Group (http://www.congostar.org)

Let me know what you think. Your ideas, suggestions, critiques, etc, are more than welcome. Let me remind you that the website is still partly under construction, so be gentle. And the organization itself is at its beginning stages, but I believe we have GREAT potential. If you want to join the adventure, let me know. And do donate some funds if you can, so we can put the show on the road.I am going to get back in the blogging spirit soon.
Until then, I am still wondering...

It's been a while...

2007-06-25T23:42:00.000-07:00

The African in America that I am has been away from the blogosphere for a while. To cut a long story short, the realities of immigration in America have decided to nip me in the butt recently. Moreover, fate has decided to render me computer-less, due to a stuid mothervoard problem. As a result, I am reduced to public computers, and all the caveats that come with it. But I will try my best to restart my blogging adventure, as much as I can, and we'll then see.

I am still wondering...

On the (occasionally) bitter reality

2006-10-01T09:25:00.000-07:00

I was a bit down yesterday, and I crossed path with these 3 wonderful female friends of mine, who were also a bit down and frustrated, but for other (very valid) reasons, and that just made it worse. And although I felt better later on, the state of mind I was in meant that I could not help but to constantly rehash in my head, the words I wrote in this piece - Bitter Reality Check - for the Earlham Word, 3 years ago. I wrote out of anger and dissilusionment... and bitterness. Bitterness at some people's attitudes, and particularly their - some of my... friends' - attitude towards me. With the way some have been acting now, I am compelled to share it with you again.

Bitter Reality Check
It hurts when you finally realize
That for part of your life you've been living a lie
That ugly call to reality
That painful flashback to sanity
When in a few instants of clarity

The true nature of humans is revealed
And the images that repetitiveness and habit
Had settled as truth in your mind
Suddenly fade away

It hurts when you finally realize
The vanity of the people that share your life
The perfidy of their attitudes,
The muffled annoyance when they must listen to you

When in a few instants of clarity
The depth of their duplicity is finally revealed
And you realize that what you mistook for friendship, love,
Was simply pity and mockery for your sorry ass
Humans are funny that way

It hurts when you finally realize
That "irrelevant personal attributes" (so they say)
Such as looks, weight, money, "coolness"...even skin color
Viciously become primary issues of judgment

When in a few instants of clarity
You realize that you are simply tolerated
Like a necessary evil that might be useful in the future
Like the ugly duck that one keeps around out of pity
Eureka! For you, they will never go out of their way

It hurts even more when you realize
The efforts that, for their care and attention, you candidly made
Psychologically, physically, emotionally
And the soft abuse that, for their love and affection, you quietly endured

When in a few instants of clarity
You realize in their true spoiled nature
The only efforts they made were to fake sincerity
The only feelings they had for you were disgust, pity, mockery... hate?
They had ulterior motives all the way

When in a few instants of clarity
You realize that you have been a fooled fool...
A useful pawn whose presence, a necessary burden
Provided entertainment, a friendly domestic laughing stock
"He is such a loser, but he's funny in a way!"

When in a few instants of clarity
You realize the people you went out of your way
To show love, affection, friendship, care, and extend your help
Will not move a finger for your sorry ass
Or... maybe on your deathbed... and even then

When in a flash of clarity, you sadly realize that
Almost every happy memory you have with them
Almost every true moment of friendship and care
Almost everything good you share with them

You had to take the initiative, or
You desperately imposed your presence, or
You offered something they could not do without, or...
In short, it was all you, man!

Then you realize how much of a fool you have been
How much of a pawn you have been
How well people and their world have played you
How many illusions you have lived surrounded by
How many hints of reality you let pass you by

And slowly, but surely
In a slow motion chain reaction
Doubts, worries, perpetual paranoia
Begin to fill your heart, mind and soul

And slowly, but surely
The evils of this world shine on you
And you finally understand, in pain
That the world you tried to build around you
Was nothing but candid illusions...

And slowly, but surely, in your mind
Life loses all taste; love loses all meaning
Friendship is but a myth, ideals but utopias
And then: Bam! Bam! Bam!

In deafening bitterness, In horrifying honesty
A voice hammers these words:
"Welcome to reality!"And it hurts... but it's relieving
Ah, the sad beauty of truth

Can Africans get along (with each other that is)?

2006-09-25T17:43:00.000-07:00

My beloved mother, God bless her, raised me as a World citizen. Regardless of whether she always abided by this herself, she made a point of inculcating in me the fact that all humans were created equal in rights, duties and worth, and that differences between humans were to be treated as a common wealth, because the exploration of those differences was what would ultimately bond us together. Hence I grew up with people I called uncle and aunt and cousin (very close-friends of my parents, and their children), who were black, white, brown, yellow, green, blue... you get the picture. So it really never occured to me until... about High-school that there was such a big problem with race.

What I knew however, were the problems between Africans, and differnt ethnic groups in Congo. And that was also interesting because my mother, God bless her, also inculcated me with a love and loyalty to Congo as a whole, and a very strong sense of panafricanism. Yet, I could always - and can - sense was/is some of the disdain by Congolese people, for the West Africans, which were nicknamed "waras" (in refernce tothe fact that many of them are Muslim, using the term "Wal'lahi" to say "I swear to God"). I could sense the issues between the Hutus and the Tutsi (and we saw where that ended). I have seen the clivages between French-Speaking and English-Speaking Africans, between light-skinned/mixed Africans and darker ones, between Igbos and Yorubas, Balubakats and other Katangans, Mbutis abd bantus, Muslims and Christians (and animists) in Nigeria, Ivory Coast; And later on, yes, between White and Black Africans. One often wonders whether these multiple - often VERY artificially created - will ever allow Africans to prosper harmoniously. For someone with my Panafricanism, it is often really... depressing!!!

But then, you have those moments that just re-energize me, and give me more hope for the motherland. 5 years ago, while I was a sophomore student at Earlham College, I initiated - at the request of the elder Africans on campus - the "Pan African Society at Earlham" (PASE), to unite the very few Africans, Afro-Carribeans, potentially African-Americans, and friends of Africa from other continents, on campus. PASE started-off great, with a lot of optimism, and bright ideals. But in the following years, those petty, artificial divisions - as well as some interpersonal misunderstandings - made the group go to the deep end. I was worried that after I graduated, the group would simply... disappear. Well it did NOT!! In fact, they kept going, with the organization of "Africa Fest" (Earlham's African Festival) last year, despite the straining tensions that internal disagreements were creating.

And this year, the young PASE members have outdone themselves, with a nearly flawless Africa Fest, with great advertising, and a cohesive, communal and harmonious organization that would shame even the African Union. I was impressed to see the joy and the smiles on the faces of all these students, from Zimbabwe, Kenya, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Lesotho, Swaziland, Sudan, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Liberia, Haiti, Jamaica, Fiji and the United States (and Congo, with me), all working together without unnecessary complaints, and annoying noises, and useless bickering... all working - even those that were not of African descent - for the motherland to be represented with dignity and quality - at least to the best of their ability. This are the small initiatives that give me hope in the future. If these students represent what the future of Africa and the world will be made of, I have hope. The synergy they displayed was a delight to watch, and observe, and participate in, and it was resounding rejection of all the apocalyptic views of Africa and its prospects.

The current PASE members and all their friends lead me to state boldly: Africans can - and WILL - get along, when given the chance. There are forces intent on us never getting that chance. Let them be warned: Their final hour is not far! Let those that have ears...

Bayete PASE!! Longonya na Afrika!!

My new love: America Ferrera

2006-08-17T11:06:00.000-07:00

I am sure, those of you in the US and Canada, have seen all the previews for the new ABC show, Ugly Betty, based on the Colombian telenovela Yo Soy Betty la Fea. The young lady playing the title role is America Ferrera, the Honduran-American (well USAmerican, of Honduran immigrant parents), 22-year-old actress who has got to be one of my favorite actresses right now. I loved her in her debut role, as the leading character in HBO's Real Women have curves, not only because she is gorgeous, but also and more importantly for the quality of her acting. And I am not alone in saying this: She won a Sundance Film Festival award for her performance, and other awards too.

Moreover, her beauty is not the conventional, fashion-magazine type: she is a thicker, Latina woman. Yet, she is simply stunning, both in her shapes, her face, and those thin, almond-shaped eyes that are positively endearing, and charming, and simply ... beautiful! A true beauty, in the likes of Queen Latifah, Raven Simone, Jennifer Lopez, Selena and other women who are not afraid of reflecting their beauty through... their curves (imagine that!), and who are more than willing to grace us with their talents.

See where I come from, in Congo, men (and, I am sure, the very closeted Lesbian women), appreciate women of all shapes and sizes. Beauty is not - strike that, was not, until the Western magazine started flooding the markets - limited to any particular model, established by the media. People have the lattitude to decide for themselves what/who they consider, with some general consensus in the end, but no overbearing pressure to conform. Except with skin color, particularly since the 80's. There was/is a nasty movement of skin-bleaching, in response to this age-old Euro-born complex, associating lighter-skin with beautiful. And this is the ultimate irony, because nowadays, White people often would kil (figuratively) for a tan. Go figure... But nevertheless, if one should examine the general consensus on beauty back home, one would find thick women, thin women, big and small breasted women, dark and light-skined, etc. And America, in my humble opinion, has nothing to envy from the Halle Berry, Victoria Beckam, Penelope Cruz, and other beautiful, skinny celebrities.

America is a rising star, and I particularly admire her professional flair: it is quite a courageousstep to accept the role of a so-called "ugly woman", in the acting business, because to some degree, that sticks to you, like any controversial/disfigurment role. The title role in Monster definitely stuck to my fellow African Charlize Theron's image, Felicity Huffman will definitely be remembered for her trangedered role in TransAmerica, and I personally cannot dissociate Jack Nicholson and his character as the Joker, in Batman. So it is somewhat of a calculated risk, for America to take on a role that quite likely will stick with her for the rest of her life. And I say calculated, because the added exposure, including the association with such celebrities as the beautiful Vanessa Williams, and Salma Hayek, can only be good for her career. But even more to my point here, it takes a woman with a lot of confidence in herself, to be willing to take on the persona of what society sees as "ugly". And that is the quality I admire from this woman. She is determined to succeed, and she is ready to hold her own, and she is just beautiful!

Hell, I am just going to say it: I want to marry America Ferrera!

Ugly Betty premieres on September 28th, 2006, on ABC (US) and Ciitv (Canada).

My take on race

2006-07-16T11:53:00.000-07:00

So, I am going to say something that may lose me some friends in my own black community: I do not hate White people. And black people around me - mostly African-American, but Africans too - cannot help themselves but to say and do everything to make me feel guilty about it.

Do not get me wrong, I am not one to let them get away with bigotry. I will be the first to tell them off, when they are acting in total contempt of me, or fellow black and brown people, because of some misguided sense of superiority that they feel on account of their race. But I do not systematically assume that every white person that I meet, is out to get me. I am not naive about it: There are quite a few that ARE out to get me/us. But the truth of the matter is - IMHO - that we simply cannot coexist on this planet, if we do not at some point take a few leaps of faith - on both sides.

If there is something I have had the sad privilege of learning, is that human beings, regardless of race, have the same potential for evil and mischief. I have been screwed over by White, Brown, and Black people, for different reasons. If it was not racism, it was tribe, or ethnic group, language spoken, weight, plain ol' greed, or all the above together. Now, racism is still very much a problem, and many White people are either in denial, and some even embrace and strive in their racism, and all the shame in the World is on them, IMHO. That said, I have also been treated very well by Black, Brown, and yes, White people. Am I expected to reject all the individuals that have afforded me and other people of my color/race/origin/continent every ounce of decency and respect, simply because they are White? How does that make me any better than them? And if I do get upset, and get testy with them, are they expected to rollover and play dead, because they have to feel guilty?

I mean seriously! I resent being made to feel guilty for embracing those White people that are not in denial, or are trying to get out of their denial. I am tired of having to defend some of my White friends, from a blanket rejection by my family members, and black friends, because of the color of their skin. There are enough bigoted and racist White people, governments, and institutions in this World, for us to oppose, and try to bring down. There are lots of pretty ignorant White people that need educating. There are lots of White people out there that deserve our resentment. But we do not live in a vacuum. We cannot take the attitude that EVERY SINGLE WHITE PERSON is out to get us. Not only is it untrue, but it is very counter-productive. It diverts our efforts and our focus, and simply leaves us weaker in our fight, IMHO.

From a comment in my previous post, I discovered two blogs, by two black sisters: Black Looks, and Diary of a Mad Kenyan Woman. These ladies deserve a lot respect, for taking the time to air their frustrations, opinions, analyses and solutions on matter regarding black people worldwide, and I have lots of praises for them. That said, I quite strongly differ from (my perception of) some of their premises. They seem pretty angry and - justifiably - angry at this world of ours. Who can blame them? Not me. But where I disagree, is that they seem - and I would welcome a correction of this - to have lost any hope in a World where at least the majority of people can live in relative harmony. And that brings out a belligerent state of alert, which is not conducive to any resolution. I say people will be people. People, white or otherwise, will always be greedy, and if they so wish, they will always find some reason to hate. I advocate the stance that has us Black people, recognize our common humanity with other races, branch out to them in dignity, and call out into shame and destitution those - and only those - that try to deny our equality.

What does this entail? It entails not systematically seeing racism everywhere, in order to be able to focus on its root causes. It entails being vigilant, and standing ready to denounce bigotry and exploitation wherever we find it, and have the necessary elements to prove our allegations. It entails calling out ignorance not only among White people, but also among our own people. It also entails recognizing ignorance for what it is: blatant lack of knowledge, no more, no less. It entails being willing to share of ourselves, with those that share themselves with us. It entails being open to people of other races, in as far as they are open to us. It entails recognizing the potential for good in our fellow (Black, Brown, White) man, before pondering their potential for evil. It entails recognizing injustice everywhere, as much as we recognize it when it affects us. It entails being proud of who we are, where we come from, and getting rid of some of the complexes that both colonialism and slavery have fostered in us. It entails fostering in our people, not only a greater knowledge of our own History, and our own cultures and languages, but also those of the people that live around us, and share this planet of ours. Finally, and this is the most difficult, it entails being able to - sometimes - recognize goodwill for what it is: genuine goodwill.

You know where I am going with this, right? We do not live in a vacuum, and we never will. Until we develop interstellar travel, we are stuck on this blue ball of ours. There are countless of White (and other) people that couldn't care less what happens to the poor and destitute on this planet of their own races, let alone those n other races. When someone - to atone their guilt, to feel better, or genuinely - decides to address those plights, I see that as a positive development.

The government of the nation of Namibia have clearly overdone it, when they seemed to have bowed down to the Brangelina couple. Clearly. But the claims that my fellow Africans have made that they "surrendered their foreign policy to Hollywood"... come on now! We know what world we live in. We can try to change the world, and I do my part, but until that changes, every country's leaders are often interested in one thing: the bottom line. Brangelina was a publicity opportunity for Namibia, and they took it. It has nothing to do with Namibia's lack of pride, IMHO, but more to do with the lack of interest in positive stories about Africa, in the rest of the World. Those of our governments that do not happen to have a war going on, try to find their place in the Global arena, and it is not easy. Do I condone the particular event, maybe not. But for a Hollywood star, Namibia could have done much worse. I may question her tendency to adopt-children-on-demand, but I cannot question Angelina's motives, because one of my family members, who happens to work in the UN, and who normally has nothing but contempt for the punctual do-gooders, says she is very different, because she is sincerely committed. Why should I then reject her contribution? Because she is Rich and White? Somebody please explain that to me.

I believe that we black people, need to find better targets for our anger and resentment. We need to hold the White/Western/Wealthy establishment fully accountable for their centuries' old oppression of us, but also give them the necessary room to redeem themselves. And for those of us that are Africans, we also need to start hold our own leadership accountable. We need to fight our own discriminating urges, and we need to regain our pride.

I am black because I am a human who happens to be from the motherland, and happens to have a certain level of melanin. I am Kongo and Lulua, two great nations of Central Africa, now included in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. I am African, and I am human. I am not black because I am not White. I am not black in contrast to White people. I am not black as opposed to being White. My blackness is not defined by a contrast to their Whiteness. I am simply Black, JUST AS others are White, or Brown, or otherwise. I am proud to be from the Motherland, and my level of melanin changes NOTHING in the common humanity I share with other humans. I act, and bear myself like a human, equal to all others, that happens to have dark skin. We must internalize that sense of human dignity, and TAKE our rightful place as equal members of the human family.

It all starts with us.

What is black?

2006-07-13T13:14:00.000-07:00

So, yesterday, I was talking with this African-American friend of mine, and I just had an epiphany: Apparently, I am not black! This came as quite a shock to me, as I have been looking at the mirror for 23 years, and I have always seen a black man looking back at me. But apparently I am not black, because I am not US-American. In other words, only US-Americans of African descent are black; the rest of us are just Africans, or West Indians, Carribeans, or Latin Americans, but we are not Black! Wow, man. I have been fooled for so long! But then how come I am darker than most of them? hum... interesting...

More seriously, the debate is a really stupid one, and quite senseless, when we know that we are all in fact different shades of brown. People of African descent here in the US need to recover their pride in their African heritage. And those of us that are Africans need to make an effort to understand and associate more... politely with our brethren on this side of the pond.

Then, we can work on duking it out with our pink... I meant white fellow humans :).

The most random sound...

2006-03-28T13:15:00.000-08:00

Have you ever noticed that the even in a well insulated house, when there is total quite inside, you can always here 2 outside sounds: Police cars when they pass by, and the sound of kids playing basketball on tarred driveways. It is rather interesting don't you think? I mean such a little thing resounds so strongly that it really carries through! I know, I know, I notice the craziest stuff.

Anyway, today I am taking a new step in making myself healthier (and hopefully lighter). I am going to start on a program called Zumba. It is a fitness program, that is based on latin/carribean dances - and anyone who knows me, knows that I love doing those dances. So hopefully, since it is something I actually like, I will be able to stick to it! Wait and See!

US bus cleaner retires aged 100

2006-03-24T13:39:00.000-08:00

Talk about a man of integrity and ethics... and very good genes!!

BBC NEWS | Americas | US bus cleaner retires aged 100: "A Los Angeles man who worked cleaning buses for the Metropolitan Transport Authority for 76 years has finally called it quits on his 100th birthday.

Arthur Winston was only absent for one day during his working life - when his wife died in 1988.

In 1996, Mr Winston was honoured by former US President Bill Clinton as 'Employee of the Century'."

Mischevious in Indiana

2006-03-09T04:35:00.000-08:00

Last year, I - yes ebony black me - went into a video store/tanning salon here in Indiana, and with the straightest face, asked for a tan. Can you imagine how quick the lady there blushed in confusion, hahaha!!!!

As she saw that I seemed very serious and determined, she actually agreed to give me a tan!!!!!!!!! Can you believe that!?! I promptly refused, of course, prompting the biggest sigh of relief I ever heard...

I mean I guess I can get the whole sun-tanning thing. In fact many people actually do look more attractive with a reasonnable tan, especially those that are very pale. But direct exposure to concentrated UV's? Does that sound healthy to you?

I wonder...

My beloved country

2006-02-07T05:52:00.000-08:00

My beloved country will never cease to surprise me. As much as we have some of the brightest minds of the continent (and also some of the most scheming minds), we also have the not so bright. I mean who, in teir right mind, would let the above happen????

Apparently, I am a Democrat

2005-12-28T15:42:00.000-08:00

Democrat - You believe that there should be a free
market which is reigned in by a modest state
beaurocracy. You think that capitalism has
some good things, but that those it helps
should be obliged to help out their fellow man
a little. Your historical role model is
Franklin Rosevelt.

Which political stereotype are you?
brought to you by Quizilla

Happy Hol... Merry Christmas!!

2005-12-25T23:03:00.000-08:00

Considering that all my life I have said Merry Christmas, The Salon and I want to wish you all a Merry Christmas, and a very Happy New Year. May all your wishes come true (at least the wise ones), and may you have a fruitful 2006!!!

For the hardcore "PC" people among you: Merry Christmahannakwanzakah!

2005-12-22T21:59:00.000-08:00

This is just silly, but I am in a very silly mood right now. Here is my computer generated Japanese name:

My Japanese Name Is...

Shinichi Kato

What's" your Japanese Name?

Where have I been in the world?

2005-12-20T20:42:00.000-08:00

This is really cool. Here are all the countries I have visited. Hoping to make the list much longer befor I die!!: Congo-Kinshasa (of course) - USA (obviously - France - Senegal - South Africa - etc...

create your own visited country map
or check our Venice travel guide

Greyhound has issues!!!!!

2005-12-07T06:19:00.000-08:00

I have to throw a fit at the quasi-monopoly US bus transporter, Greyhound. Just after I have bought my ticket to go to New York, from Richmond, Indiana, they decided unilaterally, to close the station in Richmond!!!! What's wrong with these people?? It is already not the easiest thing to do, travel in the United States on the roads, especially from the Midwest And now, they are removing a much needed last stop in Indiana before entering Ohio. Consequence, a whole bunch of people now have to find a ride to take them one hour away, to take their bus either in Indianapolis, or Dayton, OH. Someone please create a competitor to Greyhound!!!!!!!!!!! The hound is less than friendly!!!

Peace and Love?

2005-10-14T00:41:00.000-07:00

Well, I am just recently done with a Peace and Justice conference that I, and my two colleagues Erin and Camilo put together for the Plowshares Peace Collaborative of our three Alma maters (Earlham, Goshen and Manchester Colleges). We had about 300 people!!! And all intelligent and thoughtful people that really considered the possibility of there being hope for a world where the ideals of peace and love rule!!! Is it really possible? I mean should we continue to have some hope? Is there a redeeming value in us crazy humans?? Well these people surely felt so, and they gave me a much needed boost in my own hope bank. Most of these people were ready to take on the challenge to think outside the militaristico-capitalist-thinktank box, to try to practically analyze, criticize, and bring solutions to the problems of our time, without shooting bullets, hording oil, proselytizing or destroying entire cultures and peoples. Are humans ready for that? Are humans built like that?

I don't know, but even my skeptic self has a pretty good feeling after this conference. I am far from being a pacifist. But if war can be avoided, why entertain its omnipresence? Why not work genuinely at reducing the number of wars and ennemies, instead of using them as a tool of foreing policy making? I wonder...

But regardless, the confernce kicked some major... oh hell I'll say it. It kicked some major ass!!!! I am quite proud, and I still cannot believe we put it together. A true learning experience in management, in planning and organization, but also in common sense and reality: with enough money, and the right people, (and for believers, some divine grace... whatever God it is from for you) you can do whatever you want. So back in Congo, and the rest of Africa, when we go back in the coming years, just wait: We'll move mountains!

And life starts!

2005-06-14T17:40:00.000-07:00

It is rather interesting to see through the beginings of a project that you care about deeply... This new gig of mine will definitely be fun.

In the mean time, I haven't had the chance (or the time) to write in my political/news blog, but I am working on organizaing my time around that. I should be receiving my laptop tomorrow (inchallah), and hopefully I will be able to balance that, with having a life... I wonder...

Pictures soon!

They shall beat their swords into Plowshares...

2005-06-09T00:08:00.000-07:00

Today is the first day of the best days of my life... in the short term anyway. I have been away from blogging because I had to spend a bit of time organizing my immediate future. Though I am still working on a lot of that, it is definitely true that part of it has been solved by this position that I have been offered a bit out of the blue, and that I started working on today. I am one of three students/recent grads from three Liberal Arts Colleges in Indiana, that are in charge of organizing the Plowshares Student Peace Conference, which will be held at Goshen College (the other 2 schools are Manchester College, and Earlham College, my alma mater). And we have received today the wonderful news that we have finalized the booking of our keynote speaker : Paul Rusesabagina (you know the guy that Don Cheadle plays in Hotel Rwanda). It is going to be an awesome conference, and I am definitely looking forward to it. And this new gig is much more fulfilling than my previous position at the AFL-CIO. I am now feeling much more invigorated to face the world.

The joint Grant/Organization that I work for, is called the Plowshares Project, it's awesome (with the expectable quirks), and I will let you visit their website, to understand what it is. There is also this page on the actual conference. Please check them out. My two alter-egos are awesome so far, and I see no reason for that to change. They are Erin Williams (Goshen College, Canadian) and Camilo Velasquez (Manchester College, Nicaraguan), and I am really enjoying my first days with them.

Other than that, I am back in force, and there are so many things I want to address. Check my blogs around, and you will see.

A bit of Congolese Pride!!!

2005-04-06T23:55:00.000-07:00

Thank God for friends

2005-03-23T19:06:00.000-08:00

Well, I am carrying on life in the United States, with all the struggle that being a low-level participant in corporate America implies. This is a beautiful country for many things... except if you are black, with a Muslim name. I have about the craziest combination that can be imagined in the current environment.

In any case, to get me off my increasing depresion, and my sense of helplessness, and hopelessness, and despair, my very good friends from Earlham College came to pay me a visit last Saturday, and it was simply AWESOME! We all went to eat at this Ethipian restaurant, here in Columbus, called the "Blue Nile", and had the best meal I have had in a very long time. It was quite nice to have such an international group of people, and people were looking at us in surprise. There was Behar from Kosovo, Atiq from Afghanistan, Evelyn from Costa Rica, Tanyel from Cyprus/Australia, Joni from the US, and me from the Congo. I mean every continent!! That was an awesome time. We had ice cream after that, listen to salsa music, and had long discussions about life. They could not stay overnight, otherwise I would have taken them to a night-club to party the night out.

But more seriously, they reminded me that there were people who cared for me, and who were willing to come and cheer me up, and have a good time together, and that is simply priceless. I love you guys!!

I am an uncle... again!

2005-03-16T23:12:00.000-08:00

My dear mother, God bless her, has just left a voicemail on my phone to let me know that my brother Guy and his wife have just gotten a little baby girl !!! Hurray !!! I don't know her name yet, but I am working on that. She's my 18th nephew/niece... I have a prolific family, as you can see. I am ecstatic!

Humor: Why God created Eve

2005-03-10T12:02:00.000-08:00

Why God Created Eve
- God worried that Adam would always be lost in the garden because men hate to ask for directions.

- God knew that Adam would one day need someone to hand him the TV remote.

- God knew that Adam would never buy a new fig leaf when his seat wore out and would therefore need Eve to get one for him.

- God knew that Adam would never make a doctor's appointment for himself.

- God knew that Adam would never remember which night was garbage night.

- God knew that if the world was to be populated, men would never be able to handle childbearing.

- As "Keeper of the Garden," Adam would never remember where he put his tools. 3. The scripture account of creation indicates Adam needed someone to blame his troubles on when God caught him hiding in the garden.

- As the Bible says, "It is not good for man to be alone!"

Aside from the insiduous homophobic undertones that the Liberal in me just had to pick up on, this was over all - in my oh, so humble opinion, a funny joke, from Joke-of-the-Day. Especially when you have seen couples here in the Midwest!

Historias de un emigrante en Nigeria: Hombre blanco

2005-03-09T03:38:00.000-08:00

Historias de un emigrante en Nigeria: Hombre blanco

Muy interesante...

My Nerd score

2005-03-07T16:16:00.000-08:00

I couldn't believe that I was that nerdy. I need to denerdify myself. Any suggestions?

I just love the USA !

2005-03-05T03:08:00.000-08:00

the daily grind: Girls sued for delivering cookies OR I'll get you my pretties!! And your little cookies too!!

What won't we see in this country! Sometimes, it seems like things are even crazier here than back home... Maybe not, but they are getting there!

I am still alive... and still confused

2005-03-02T14:41:00.000-08:00

Today, I realized that I haven't been keeping up with my personal blogging!!! Well, I have been kept quite busy with the news, on my other blog. This stuff is time consuming, you know? Anyway. So what's new in "White-man country" (USA)?

Well, nothing much. I gues that might be why I haven't blogged in a while. There is really not much to say. I am still trying to fight the goo fight. It's much harder to do, when you are also looking for a better job. By the way, if you know someone who needs a world-savy multilingual politics/international relations graduate, please let me know, okay?

What else? Oh, unfortunately, yesterdya, my housemate's father died. It was a rather sad affair. But in many ways, he must be better off, as he had Parkinson's, and had deteriorated quite a bit. R.I.P

Coporate America still blows. And when I am looking at the homefront, back in Africa, it's not looking any better. Scandals after scandals; if it's not sexual abuse, it'd corruption, or nepotism, or embesslements, or (something new) xenophobia. When is it going to stop? It's sometimes so frustrating. And the Africans here are not helping : They are soooooo closed minded sometimes, it drivs me crazy. I mean, I am definitely a bit out there, compared to most Africans. My level of open-ness might be a bit over-bearing for their ultra-conseravtive thinking, but come on!! All I am fighing for is a little bit of Justice, compassion, and tolerance for differences. Is that so much to ask?

These days, my pet peeve is inter-racial/inter-relegious marriage. If the two people want to get married, and they are willing to go through the grief that society will put on them, and it's what makes them happy, no on has presented to me a valid argument as to why they should not marry. Call me crazy !

Okay, I appologize for airing my frustration in such a stream of consciousness fashion. You should go check out my other blog. I will try to be more careful to keep this one up. I mean, living as an African expat in the US, it's worth writing about, right?...

Disparus en Irak - MIA in Iraq

2005-02-24T01:27:00.000-08:00

Soutenez Florence Aubenas et Hussein Hanoun Al-Saadi, Journaliste et traducteur de Liberation disparus en Irak.
Support Florence Aubenas and Hussein Hanoun Al-Saadi, Journalist and translator for Liberation, who dispeared in Iraq.

Please let someone know if you have information.
Priere informer quelqu'un si vous avez une quelconque information.

Dumb Laws of the United States

2005-02-24T01:06:00.000-08:00

A bit of fun never hurts anyone. Here are the crazy laws still on the books in the United States.

From Artificial Blog:
Dumb Laws of the United States

All Bloggers Unite!

2005-02-22T09:57:00.000-08:00

Study: Unlikely lobsters feel pain in boiling water - Feb 15, 2005

2005-02-16T17:15:00.000-08:00

CNN.com - Study: Unlikely lobsters�feel pain in boiling water - Feb 15, 2005

"Anyone who knows me remotely well, knows that I make it a point to be as cosmopolitan as it is humanly possible. But sometimes, in my time here in the US, there are things that just makes me laugh... in desperate agony. This is one of them. With all the drama and pain that goes on, in the planet - and in Africa and the Middle East in paricular, most of it a result (intended or not) of US and Western policies, the article above was on of THE MOST EMAILED articles on CNN!!!! Now, don't get me wrong, I feel for the animal world (though it does not stop me from eating them). But aren't people's priorities in the very very very wrong places? Maybe it's just me, but I believe a genocide in Darfur, the Tsunami, the War in Comgo, or the death of Rafiq Hariri are a bit more important... Call me crazy!"

To My Republican Friends

2005-02-12T02:37:00.000-08:00

Some Republicans have complained that Democrats are being sore losers, by calling them ignorant for their conservative beliefs. Our republican friends claim that we lost because we were out of touch with America's mainstream, and that our so called refusal to embrace God, and we couldn't stomach the loss, so we turn our anger gratuitously on them, launching a savage attack on their right to strongly hold their beliefs. Though I could definitely make an argument for Republicans being "sore winners" some times, all in all, I agree: ideally, we should not call people ignorant because of their beliefs - religious or otherwise, and I genuinely and sincerely try not to.

That said, as a black person, when people mistreat me in a restaurant because of my race, when I am refused the entrance of country clubs because of my race, when I can't date the woman I love because of my race, and an old white conservative tells me there is no more racism, that it's all in my mind, that I am just looking for ways to defame the country that his forefathers built, I call that ignorant (in the literal sense : people don't know what they are talking about). Plus we can argue exactly whose forefathers actually put in the sweat in building the country.

When, within the USA, the life of an American citizen becomes less valuable to the eyes of his own country's government because of his/her ancestry, and they are denied/restricted some of their constitutionally granted civil-rights (including the right to own guns, by the way!!!) - i.e:Arab Americans, African Americans, Latinos - I call that institutional bigotry.

When there are gay people beaten to death on the street because of their sexual orientation, in the name of so-called conservative principles of decency and Christianity, and they are not granted equal rights by the STATE, on the basis of the unilateral beliefs of one RELIGION, to me that is institutionalized religious bigotry. Unfortunately, it is the kind of things that - it seems to me, I may be wrong - the Republican party tends to support.

When the President of the United States cares LESS about the life of the VERY born people in Darfur, Somalia, Congo, Chiapas, etc than he cares about the "lives" of foetuses, I call that arrogant and reckless endangerment. This is the country that said ALL MEN - not all American men, but all men - ARE CREATED EQUAL! Liberals tend to understand that better, in my opinion. Republicans - it seems to me, I may be wrong - tend to make the call that an American life is more valuable to the World than other lives, because it belongs to some "shining city on a hill"...

The Republican party built itself on the principles of hard-work, and I respect that aspect of it very much, because hard-work is a value I also hold dear. But although not all Republicans are gun-totting bigotted racist WASPs, it is the pandering to the extreme right - and its corrolaries of racism and theocratic tendencies - that we have seen recently that concerns me. I know some people compared Bush to Hitler before, and it was excessive. Nevertheless, for those of us in the darker shades of the skin-color spectrum, we can't help but seeing that the ultra-conservatives power-houses tend to be white old men who do not always think of us as equals... and the current turn right seems awfully and dreadfully familiar... and that's what I fear.

See contrary to popular beliefs and myths, I am not a Liberal because I want Staline to take over the World, or "Communism to triumph". I am a Liberal - and by Liberal I just mean "on the left side of the political spectrum" - because I believe in tolerance, and in equality of rights regardless of races, genders, consensual adult lifestyles, religions or abilty. I am a Liberal because I believe in equal opportunity for all people, and the state's responsibility to guarantee it. I am a Liberal because I believe that those of us that could not fulfill the promises of opportunity should not be left to rot and die. I am a Liberal because I believe that a more equitable society will only come to fruition when justice and equity are taught to children as a higher values than dominance and survival of the fittest. I am a Liberal because I believe - that's the African in me - that the society as a whole is ultimately responsible for its members, and humanity is at its strongest when working, living, and growing as a social compact. I am a Liberal because I believe we need to ensure that this planet lasts for many generations to come. Finally I am Liberal because I believe that Freedom and Democracy are the aspirations of all people. I am a Liberal because I believe that though we have differences in opinions, our common humanity should and does matter more than everything else.

What can Africa learn from America

2005-02-11T03:18:00.000-08:00

Club Afrika Blog : Lessons for African Governments

Above is an opinion piece by Jerry Okungu, on Club Afrika blog, reflecting on the lessons African government can draw from the rcent nomination process for Cabinet members here in the United States. It was a very insightful article, and my comment to it was follows:

I do not know how much I agree with what you said about Condi Rice, but I will definitely give you that there is a higher level of transparency, decorum, and a sense of purpose in he US government. Just how transparent they are might be in question sometimes, but it is definitely more open and principled than in DRCongo, or Rwanda, or CAR, or Cameroon. For having had the chance to attend Government meetings in my country (DRC), I know that the decorum shown after the fact (Press Conferences) are generally highly fictional, as they do not match what actually goes on indoors.

And that is problematic in an environment supposedly in charge of running the country. The levels of carelessness, self-absorption and egoticism in many of our leadership circles is quite appaling. So we do need to learn a sense of purpose in government.

But I take this chance to say that we must not make the mistake the US made of removing civics fron the education system. Because as much as there is decorum at the top, as much the general US population - outside of wartime - could care less about those values of purpose, decorum, and stately work, because the disconnect betwen Washington DC and the people is almost "taught" at school!!! We cannot, in Africa, afford that mistake. Being still in the formative stages of our countries, we must ensure that the next generations (my own, and the ones after mine) have a sense of duty, honor, and country. And I sharply disagree with the militaristic types who want to say that this can only be achieved by conscription: that just shows a lack of imagination.

So we the people have to learn duty, a more formal respect of country, continent and World. Our governments have to learn transparency, purpose, decorum, and the meaning of the word "civil SERVANT" - because right now what they often act like seems to be a bit more like "civil SERGEANT"! Finally, the US people can learn from us our oh! so African ability to overcome strife without losing our basic pinciples and values of charity, social networking, family.

Thank you for your insight.
Ali Mamina
The Salon of News and Thought

The Salon of News and Thought: Frontpagemag.com: Indiana "Peace Studies"

2005-02-09T13:55:00.000-08:00

Here is something I wrote in my other blog that I wanted to share here too:

The Salon of News and Thought: Frontpagemag.com: Indiana "Peace Studies"

Africa, sweet Africa

2005-01-24T11:09:00.000-08:00

This is what happens when I am given time to rehash all the experiences of prejudice I have experienced in the US, and of sheer ignorance. What's worse, is that people bathe comfortably in the bliss it allows them to have... It's sad.

My audio review of "Hotel Rwanda

2005-01-22T11:40:00.000-08:00

Then Go See HOTEL RWANDA!!!!!
Peace!

Rain in the Midwest

2005-01-12T04:04:00.000-08:00

It has been raining non-stop on Columbus, OHIO for two days now. Some of the floods are quite impressive. For a second, I thought I was back in Kinshasa (my hometown, in the D.R. of Congo). Anyway, we are trying to get used to it again. THe weathr should be cool tomorrow (60 F)

I am learning to hate corporate America all over again. The amount of back-door office politics could shame the British House of Commons into oblivion! In any case, I am looking forward to this weekend like no other before!! For the first time in a long time, I think I am actually deprssed. I miss home, and I am tired of Americans asking me stupid questions about the movie Congo.

Speaking of movie, everybody should go see Hotel Rwanda, and rent Lumumba. They will teach you a lot about th Great Lakes Region in Africa, and maybe you will understand the news better, when it comes from there.
Cheers!

Reflecting on the 2004 Tsunami

2005-01-08T06:11:00.000-08:00

By Ali M. Mamina"I am alone in this world now, except for my father..." -Shihan, 7 years old(SRI LANKA)

It would be hard for anyone who lives in the West, and who watches Cable, to say that one has not been exposed to the utter devastation that was the result of the oceanic earthquake, off the island of Sumatra (Indonesia), and the resulting Tsunami. MSNBC, NWI, BBC, ITN, CNN, have been providing us ad nauseam, with images and accounts of the pain, the grief, the loss, generated by the disaster and its magnitude. Particularly CNN International's reporters are giving around the clock and compassionate reporting of the situation in the countries affected. At the time I am writting, the Tsunami disaster is claiming close to 156,000 deaths, and millions of devastated survivors, orphans, robbed of family members, robbed in many ways of their lives, and their livelihoods; this, in a portion of our blue planet that spans an entire Ocean, from Western Indonesia (Asia), to Somalia and Tanzania (Africa).

Yet, through it all, report after report, I could not help but notice the resolve and the will to live, displayed by the survivors in Asian countries - as we have had little reporting on the African countries hit. Despite displays of grief, and pain, and confused helplessness, the survivors in Sri Lanka, Indonesia, India, Thailand and othe places hit, display an ardent will to carry on... that is all they have left to do. These are people who often did not have much in the way of earthly possesions to begin with, but still they seem to hold a distant hope that life will regain its rightful place, amid the permeating and overwhelming sense of fateful death.

Of all the reports shown during the live coverage, and the special reports, and the likes, one story cannot seem to leave my head. It is not the most desperate account of loss, but it seems to correctly show the general state of aimless chaos that resulted from this catastrophe. It is the story of a little 7 year old boy from Sri Lanka, named Shihan (Jan. 5). Shihan was on a train with his mother and 2 sisters when the waves hit the coast, and smashed the train off the track. The little boy, fearing imminent death, clung for his life on the luggage railings in the train, and survived... his mother and siblings did not. Shihan was eventually saved, and reunited with his father. But it is not merely the story that was poignant. Hearing this little mild-mannered boy, with his sharp voice, recounting candidly, sadly, but confidently his ordeal was even more painful. The courage this boy displays really mirrors the magnitude of what hit him. >"I am alone in this world now," he says finally, "except for my father...". Seeing the eyes of this little, one cannot help but wonder about nature's cruelty. What did this boy do to deserve such sudden loss and pain, in such hard circumstances, at such a young age?

Selective Charity in the West?

Tails like Shihan's, and worse, are now everywhere, and on every channel. Though they hit specific countries, the killer waves of the angry ocean affected people all over the world. In all places, in Europe, Anerica, Asia, even in poor countries in Africa and South America, people of all walks of life are pledging their support in however benign way they can afford. This surge of generosity can arguably be attributed to the courageous work that reporters of CNN and all the majors international news network, who took it upon themselves, despite the toll it had on their own psyche, to be there from the get go, to create awareness of the sheer devastation that we were about to discover; their work should be recognised.

But some might also argue - and rightly so - that the generosity of the World, especially the West, is at least aided by the fact that the affected areas were tourist spots, filled with Westerners: Sweden, for instance, claims close to 3,500 missing people, and hundreds of deaths. One might recall that th initial response of Western countries to the disaster was described as stingy by Ian Egeland of the United Nations, and it is only after several internal and external pressure, that the United States dramatically incrased its financial participation in the relief effort. Victims of other catastrophic events around the World, though sympathetic to the survivors, do wonder where all this money, and all this good will, was, when they needed help in Somalia, Sudan, Darfur, Rwanda, Congo, and other places that account for close to 50,000,000 of "non-natural" deaths in the past 10 years only (with 1,000,000 in 3 months, in the Rwandan genocide of 1994). What is it that makes the richer countries' people dip deeper in their pockets, for humanity's sake? Must there be White people among the victims? Or maybe it's just a matter of media coverage? One can only venture a guess.

Yes, in this case, many Westerners died, and it must have been a factor. But we can also remember the great support drives for hunger relief in Ethiopia. Western help seems to have to do with the sheer magnitude, and the cause of the disaster. When it is a natural catastrophe - droughts, earthquakes, tsunamis - they tend to get a little more riled up for the cause. As for magnitude, the contrast between life before and after the tsunami is mind-bogglingg. Satelite images of the areas affected tell the story of entire communities wiped out from the face of the earth. People are already refering to a "Tsunami generation" of children. Even veteran UN Secretary General Kofi Annan could not reconcile himself with the painful reality of what he saw.

Common Humanity

Trying to understand why people respond differently in different - though similar - situations of pain, has been, and will probably always be a great challenge to the greatest minds. But if ever a good should come from such destruction as the one resulting from the Sumatra quake, maybe it is that people on the planet can advance further toward an acknowledgement of our common humanity. As my friend Kathleen, who has been following the developments in Asia with me, noted yesterday, many of the Western relief workers were able to see their own children, in the eyes of those children they came to help, despite the different skin color, features, wealth levels, education, religion, and language.

It is sad that it takes such catastrophes for people all over the world to recognize that there is th same level of humanity in all people that respond to the description of homo-sapiens - and incidentally, that means women too! That there are still White people who see black people as inferior boggles mind. That there are still Arabs who refer to Black people as A'bid (slave), and treat them as such, seems simply ludicrous! That the lightness or darkness of one's skin, regardless of where one comes from - Africa, Asia, Latin America, Europe, etc - could be determinant of whether one achieves his/her goals does not seem believeable in a 21st century where most of humanity - as a whole! - is faced with tremendously more important challenges such as disease, lack of education, hunger, and poverty.

It is hard for me to see the organizaing forces of this World - whether one calls them God, or Nature - playing games with humanity. But maybe these catastrophes are nature's angry and sadistic way to remind us that there is only one race: human! We cannot live in a time vacuum, because we are the product of our history; it is therefore normal that some injustices of the past, and the misconceptions that caused them, continue to affect our daily lives today, in 2005. However, it is my hope that humanity learns from its instinctual supportive response to disasters like this one, that the life of an Iraqi, a Palestinian, a Rwandan, a Congolese, a Philipino, an Indonesian, or a Sri Lankan, is every bit as valuable as that of a Frenchman, a Briton, a German, an Israeli, or an American. Just look at the eyes of the kids receiving the aid in the disaster areas; they are not seeing White people, or Black people, or South Asian people: they are simply seeing human beings extending to them the helping hand of love, and care.

My most sincere condolences to all those who lost their loved ones in this tragedy. I come from a region in the World where loss is our daily bread... Grieve in peace, and then embrace life, as your loved ones would want you to. May they rest in peace.

What is love?

2005-01-05T02:21:00.000-08:00

I had a very interesting discussion today with my aunt Melanie, and we discussed the differences between the conception of love back home, and here in the USA.

It is very interesting to see how many young people back home emulate the stars on popular American shows in their pursuits, but then when it is actually time to be in the relationship, they revert to the very un-romantic attitudes of our traditions; especially young men.

Don't get me wrong, there are some of us who do believe in the whole romance spiel, and I happen to be one of them. But in male Congolese company, it is an aspect of me that I'd rather keep to myself, for fear of being labelled "Westerner", "White", or simply "Softy"!!! It's a little bit like the locker-room-jock kind of situation and "macho" attitude, but to the tenfold. It is not uncommon to hear comments like "Love is an excuse for wimps who can't get women... and for White people of course".

I was feeling hopelessly lost and desperate in the discussion (as I am myself a believer in romance), when I realized something: It's not that romantic love does not exist back home; it's just that the cultural system has not allowed it to flourish as much (Just like the church did in the West up to a century ago). It has become a non-issue for lack of interest, but it does not mean people stop feeling it: they just don't talk about it, because frankly they don't know how to, and they don't really care, as long as they get what they want.

Not that I have anything against having sex, but I do appreciate and cherish the idea of having a partner that not only shares her body with me, but also what we refer to as her "heart" (because we know that, technically, it's just a muscle, right?).., but seriously, why is it so hard for people to embrace their feelings, as well as their urges? Is one less of a man because he is weak-kneed when asking someone to marry them, or because one cries when he is heartbroken? Personally, I don't think so.

But then I had a second epiphany: I was mostly thinking about Men! In fact, women are a bit more in tune with their feelings back home too; in fact they are almost required to be, by the education they receive. So the notion of romantic love with chemistry, and butterflies, and longing, and the whole package, is easier to sell to them.

So then I came to the conclusion that my being an 'aspiring romantic' was not totally against my society and culture... My globally-oriented education simply gives me a few more tools to express it.

I feel a lot better now!!! I am not totally Westernized !!! That is really good news (no offense to the West, I do love you guys!).
Cheers!!

A little poem of mine

2004-12-19T03:05:00.000-08:00

In my college years (not so long ago), I was once overcome by a feeling of total bitterness, due to the actions of some of my many acquaintances, and this bitterness resulted in a poem, in the open-ed section of the College Newspaper. I wanted to share it here with you, because I feel it is so true!

The title is Bitter Reality Check. (click on the link)

Enjoy!

Crazy day!!!

2004-10-03T01:19:00.000-07:00

I am going to have a journal, for the first time in my life !!!! This is cool !!! Okay, it's 4 in the morning, I need to go to bed!!! I will se you one of these days, my journal!!
Sleep tight and everything!!