A statement made by a lady trying to explain the apparent fizzling of Hillary Clinton presidential campaign has me puzzled. She said, in effect, that Mrs. Clinton is doing poorly against a black Obama because gender bias is more perverse and stronger in Amerika than racism. I am assuming that this lady is black and her feelings on the issue might be intensified because she has experienced the double whammy of sexism and racism. Otherwise, how else could she have come to that conclusion?
There is no doubt there are people who will not vote for a woman no matter what. Similarly there are people who will never vote for a black wo/man. The numbers of these kinds of people, however, are dwindling with the on-going maturation of the American experiment. Increasingly it seems that, given the right circumstances, the message and the personality begin to carry more weight to the electorate than mere gender or race.
A woman cannot run away from womanhood just because she is aspiring to be the most powerful person of the temporal world. When Mrs. Clinton becomes strident and struts across the podium my balls shrink. When she says she is going to “fight” for me for health insurance I recoil viscerally. This is testosterone at work—it confuses my psyche. Amerika may have seen enough of that from the Texan cowboy.
Obama, on the other hand, talks of motivating people into the political process—even those who had never cared. He says he will talk to the “enemies” of Amerika. He talks of bringing people together to solve problems. These, as somebody puts it, are effeminate nature of cooperation and “let us sing kumbaya” towards a common goal. Amerika is responding, and has nothing to do with gender or race.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Monday, February 25, 2008
Obama, the Somali Elder
The Drudge Report ran this photo of Barack Obama in Somali garb from a 2006 trip to Africa. The Web site claims Hillary Clinton's campaign provided the photo to it.
It is getting ugly. This is typical Clintonian--desperate situations requires desparate measures--but will it work for the poor woman?
Lies in Uganda Politics--Is It the New Bogeyman?
In lest than 60 days into 2008 Uganda politicians have called each other liars than probably any group of politicians in the world. The Guinness Book of World Record needs to check this out!
Calling someone a liar probably amounts to being aggressively belligerent. At this rate we may soon see people coming to blows in Uganda.
Here is a sampling of some “lie” statements by our esteemed politicians.
1. “We should put up a team to counter the Lies that we in the NRM are fighting the kingdom of Buganda,” Kamoga said.
2 .In an earlier meeting with war veterans from Mpigi and Wakiso districts, Museveni revealed that the Government was considering setting up a radio station to counter ‘Lies, abuses and malicious opposition attacks’.
3. POLITICIANS have always been branded liars and not all they say is taken seriously by their constituents. During proceedings of a committee on social services, the chairman, James Kubeketerya, repeatedly warned the team from Makerere University against telling Lies. “Mr vice chancellor and your group, do not think of telling us Lies. Politicians never tell Lies and we hate them,” he said. “Hon chairman, you are right. Politicians are allergic to Lies, although they are part of our life,” Chris Baryomunsi (Kinkizi East) retaliated, causing the House to murmur.
4. Lies and trickery are what have enabled the leader of the Lord’s Resistance Army, Joseph Kony, survive in the bush for over 20 years, according to the Gulu resident district commissioner. Walter Ochora admitted before the higher education state minister, Gabriel Opio, that he had fallen victim to Kony’s Lies. “When we visited the LRA rebels in Garamba last year, Kony made me come back and tell Lies to the President. He is the kind of man who can make you deceive your boss,” Ochora told Opio, who was visiting him at his offices in Gulu over the weekend.
5. The President criticised people he referred to as abebitiibwa (honourables), for feeding the public on what he called Lies. He said they must must mobilise the people to overcome problems like poverty rather than peddling Lies.
6. Kamya urged the Government to create a peaceful political environment for other parties to carry out their activities. “We don’t want to see the Government interfering with our party activities because we are a duly registered political party. The NRM government should avoid past Lies of linking our mobilisation and recruitment drives to rebel groups.”
7. THE presidential adviser on political affairs, Moses Byaruhanga, has asked Kayunga residents to ignore ‘Lies spread by Mengo officials on the Land Amendment Bill’.
8. Every time you read someone referring to ‘power hungry’ or ‘greedy’ in respect of their political opponents, take out the salt shaker before you swallow. In most cases people who make these assertions either do not have an intellectually sound argument to make or are incapable of making one. They can only engage in insolence, Lies, exaggeration and obfuscation.-- Robert Kabushenga
9. “Mable has spoken very well. She is not going with the Lies of Mengo. She does not think about herself only but also other people,” Museveni commented. He blasted the Buganda Kingdom government for alleging that the bill was a Government plot to grab their land. “Ettaka ligenda, ettaka ligenda, blah, blah! Nobody can make me panic with Lies. Where is the land going? Those with issues should take them to Parliament before the committee, it will sort them out,” he said.
10. Deputy secretary to the treasury, Keith Muhakanizi, is a good Christian. At least he knows that lying is a sin, unlike some of his staff members. Last week he amused the committee on the public accounts committee when he told the MPs that he is born-again and therefore does not tell Lies. “I believe in transparency and that is why I differ almost all the time with my staff,” he said. Well, we hope he teaches them that principle.
11. In December 2007, Kadaga directed the parliamentary committee on rules, privileges and discipline to investigate Kamba for what she termed as false, malicious and deliberate Lies he allegedly uttered against her during the NRM caucus meeting at Statistics House.
12. A month or so ago, centre stage was held in Mengo media hands. Not any more. They were peddling Lies either out of ignorance of what the Bill held, or from their own agenda. But their tone was venomous. Government swung into action, led by a stern Presidential statement. The Bill has been gazetted and widely explained. It has been debated, as it should be, using facts.—John Nagenda
13. “I know failure brings disappointment but this should not drive one to tell Lies. If you are a politician, you should learn to lose honourably,” Mallinga advised. The minister observed that their intensive one-on-one campaign approach enabled the NRM beat FDC.
14. “Many people are interested in my position. They are peddling Lies that I am incompetent and should step down. For the two years I have been in office, I have achieved great success for the party,” UPC President Miria Obote, vowing not to leave her seat as party president.
15. However, the NRM denied the allegations. “Those are Lies. I do not know why they say we engage in malpractices when the NRM wins,” said Dorothy Hyuha, the NRM party deputy secretary general.
16. No amount of Lies from Mengo should be allowed to disguise this fact, nor indeed that it was the same Movement that gave back over 350 square miles (a quarter of a million acres) to the Kabaka of Buganda. (Whisper this not: that it returned the Kabakaship itself!).—John Nagenda
17. AMURU-The UPDF MP, Maj. Gen. Julius Oketta, has appealed to Acholi leaders to promote peace, unity and reconciliation for the development of the area. According to Oketta, leaders should focus on issues that affect the people other than telling Lies that might cause hatred. He was speaking during a mass at Pabbo Catholic Parish on Sunday. “Leadership is not an issue of personality but providing direction, a sense of future and good attitude.”
Calling someone a liar probably amounts to being aggressively belligerent. At this rate we may soon see people coming to blows in Uganda.
Here is a sampling of some “lie” statements by our esteemed politicians.
1. “We should put up a team to counter the Lies that we in the NRM are fighting the kingdom of Buganda,” Kamoga said.
2 .In an earlier meeting with war veterans from Mpigi and Wakiso districts, Museveni revealed that the Government was considering setting up a radio station to counter ‘Lies, abuses and malicious opposition attacks’.
3. POLITICIANS have always been branded liars and not all they say is taken seriously by their constituents. During proceedings of a committee on social services, the chairman, James Kubeketerya, repeatedly warned the team from Makerere University against telling Lies. “Mr vice chancellor and your group, do not think of telling us Lies. Politicians never tell Lies and we hate them,” he said. “Hon chairman, you are right. Politicians are allergic to Lies, although they are part of our life,” Chris Baryomunsi (Kinkizi East) retaliated, causing the House to murmur.
4. Lies and trickery are what have enabled the leader of the Lord’s Resistance Army, Joseph Kony, survive in the bush for over 20 years, according to the Gulu resident district commissioner. Walter Ochora admitted before the higher education state minister, Gabriel Opio, that he had fallen victim to Kony’s Lies. “When we visited the LRA rebels in Garamba last year, Kony made me come back and tell Lies to the President. He is the kind of man who can make you deceive your boss,” Ochora told Opio, who was visiting him at his offices in Gulu over the weekend.
5. The President criticised people he referred to as abebitiibwa (honourables), for feeding the public on what he called Lies. He said they must must mobilise the people to overcome problems like poverty rather than peddling Lies.
6. Kamya urged the Government to create a peaceful political environment for other parties to carry out their activities. “We don’t want to see the Government interfering with our party activities because we are a duly registered political party. The NRM government should avoid past Lies of linking our mobilisation and recruitment drives to rebel groups.”
7. THE presidential adviser on political affairs, Moses Byaruhanga, has asked Kayunga residents to ignore ‘Lies spread by Mengo officials on the Land Amendment Bill’.
8. Every time you read someone referring to ‘power hungry’ or ‘greedy’ in respect of their political opponents, take out the salt shaker before you swallow. In most cases people who make these assertions either do not have an intellectually sound argument to make or are incapable of making one. They can only engage in insolence, Lies, exaggeration and obfuscation.-- Robert Kabushenga
9. “Mable has spoken very well. She is not going with the Lies of Mengo. She does not think about herself only but also other people,” Museveni commented. He blasted the Buganda Kingdom government for alleging that the bill was a Government plot to grab their land. “Ettaka ligenda, ettaka ligenda, blah, blah! Nobody can make me panic with Lies. Where is the land going? Those with issues should take them to Parliament before the committee, it will sort them out,” he said.
10. Deputy secretary to the treasury, Keith Muhakanizi, is a good Christian. At least he knows that lying is a sin, unlike some of his staff members. Last week he amused the committee on the public accounts committee when he told the MPs that he is born-again and therefore does not tell Lies. “I believe in transparency and that is why I differ almost all the time with my staff,” he said. Well, we hope he teaches them that principle.
11. In December 2007, Kadaga directed the parliamentary committee on rules, privileges and discipline to investigate Kamba for what she termed as false, malicious and deliberate Lies he allegedly uttered against her during the NRM caucus meeting at Statistics House.
12. A month or so ago, centre stage was held in Mengo media hands. Not any more. They were peddling Lies either out of ignorance of what the Bill held, or from their own agenda. But their tone was venomous. Government swung into action, led by a stern Presidential statement. The Bill has been gazetted and widely explained. It has been debated, as it should be, using facts.—John Nagenda
13. “I know failure brings disappointment but this should not drive one to tell Lies. If you are a politician, you should learn to lose honourably,” Mallinga advised. The minister observed that their intensive one-on-one campaign approach enabled the NRM beat FDC.
14. “Many people are interested in my position. They are peddling Lies that I am incompetent and should step down. For the two years I have been in office, I have achieved great success for the party,” UPC President Miria Obote, vowing not to leave her seat as party president.
15. However, the NRM denied the allegations. “Those are Lies. I do not know why they say we engage in malpractices when the NRM wins,” said Dorothy Hyuha, the NRM party deputy secretary general.
16. No amount of Lies from Mengo should be allowed to disguise this fact, nor indeed that it was the same Movement that gave back over 350 square miles (a quarter of a million acres) to the Kabaka of Buganda. (Whisper this not: that it returned the Kabakaship itself!).—John Nagenda
17. AMURU-The UPDF MP, Maj. Gen. Julius Oketta, has appealed to Acholi leaders to promote peace, unity and reconciliation for the development of the area. According to Oketta, leaders should focus on issues that affect the people other than telling Lies that might cause hatred. He was speaking during a mass at Pabbo Catholic Parish on Sunday. “Leadership is not an issue of personality but providing direction, a sense of future and good attitude.”
Saturday, February 23, 2008
How to create an Angry American
The Big Lie that resulted in the deaths of thousands of Iraqis. Even if Sadam himself was the WMD he never murdered as many of his own people.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
The Bradley Effect in American Politics
Much as Obama has supposedly caught the imagination of the American young, some of us are taking it cum grano salis. This young population generally doesn’t vote in the general election. More importantly, what the white population says in poll surveys is often different from what they do in the voting boots.
Historically polls showed high-profile elections depicting black candidates doing very well in the polls before elections or at exit polls—Bradley for the governorship of California, Wilder for the Virginia governorship, Dinkins for New York city mayor, or Harold Washington for Chicago, to name a few, are cases in point. Bradley and Dinkins lost despite pre-election poll predictions of double-digit percentage wins. Wilder and Washington won by narrower margins than polls showed.
This phenomenon has variously been called the Bradley or Wilder Effect. The explanation for this effect seems to be that whites avoid sounding racists to the poll takers—they lie—when their minds are really in support of their white brethren.
In my high school days I witnessed a similar occurrence at school elections. The South-North divide is not a new phenomenon in Uganda. While some exceptional Northerners we now see in high-profile positions bucked the divide, many failed in their bids. The trick was to stack the candidates from the various tribes in the North with raucous show of support. At the end the Northern votes were split, and the Southern candidate sailed through.
There is probably a lesson in this for our ambitious Acoli politicians as they seek the highest office in the land.
Historically polls showed high-profile elections depicting black candidates doing very well in the polls before elections or at exit polls—Bradley for the governorship of California, Wilder for the Virginia governorship, Dinkins for New York city mayor, or Harold Washington for Chicago, to name a few, are cases in point. Bradley and Dinkins lost despite pre-election poll predictions of double-digit percentage wins. Wilder and Washington won by narrower margins than polls showed.
This phenomenon has variously been called the Bradley or Wilder Effect. The explanation for this effect seems to be that whites avoid sounding racists to the poll takers—they lie—when their minds are really in support of their white brethren.
In my high school days I witnessed a similar occurrence at school elections. The South-North divide is not a new phenomenon in Uganda. While some exceptional Northerners we now see in high-profile positions bucked the divide, many failed in their bids. The trick was to stack the candidates from the various tribes in the North with raucous show of support. At the end the Northern votes were split, and the Southern candidate sailed through.
There is probably a lesson in this for our ambitious Acoli politicians as they seek the highest office in the land.
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Our Advocacy for Acoli Chiefs and Elders Ends
Not long ago we passionately promoted the efficacy of the institutions of Acoli Chiefs and Elders. We discussed vigorously with anybody that chose to engage us. We even opened up a discussion forum on the matter. (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SupportAcoliChiefsandElders/)
We still believe:
1. In the moderating and mediating role of the institutions of Acoli chiefs and elders
2. That the institutions of Acoli chiefs and elders as the custodians of Acoli traditions and culture
3. That Acoli people should support these institutions in word, deed and materially
We have seen the Paramount Chief pull off impressive gatherings, both in Juba and Gulu.
Thanks to the largesse of a generous foreign government. Even the misnomer that the Diaspora sponsored the latest Gulu event is welcome since some used their begging ingenuity to good effect.
It was heartening to hear Lucima, who for long has been at the forefront of anti-Chiefdom, suggest lately that Rwot Acana play a role.
I thought I was dreaming when I heard that the local leaders called on Rwot Acana to co-ordinate the Amuru land fiasco.
Just the other day Chairman Mao listed Ker Kal Kwaro (KKK) as one of the recipients of the EU largesse for capacity building.
As it is, the institutions of chiefs and elders are taking root. We are not presumptuous that we helped influence anything. But we are proud that, from the beginning, we were on the right side of history. Now we will retire the AcoliChiefsandElders forum, and will turn our efforts in our private businesses to help catapult Acoli into the 21st Century.
Long Live Acoli. Long Live Rwot Acana, his Chiefs and Elders. Long Live Acoli People. The future is bright and full of promises
We still believe:
1. In the moderating and mediating role of the institutions of Acoli chiefs and elders
2. That the institutions of Acoli chiefs and elders as the custodians of Acoli traditions and culture
3. That Acoli people should support these institutions in word, deed and materially
We have seen the Paramount Chief pull off impressive gatherings, both in Juba and Gulu.
Thanks to the largesse of a generous foreign government. Even the misnomer that the Diaspora sponsored the latest Gulu event is welcome since some used their begging ingenuity to good effect.
It was heartening to hear Lucima, who for long has been at the forefront of anti-Chiefdom, suggest lately that Rwot Acana play a role.
I thought I was dreaming when I heard that the local leaders called on Rwot Acana to co-ordinate the Amuru land fiasco.
Just the other day Chairman Mao listed Ker Kal Kwaro (KKK) as one of the recipients of the EU largesse for capacity building.
As it is, the institutions of chiefs and elders are taking root. We are not presumptuous that we helped influence anything. But we are proud that, from the beginning, we were on the right side of history. Now we will retire the AcoliChiefsandElders forum, and will turn our efforts in our private businesses to help catapult Acoli into the 21st Century.
Long Live Acoli. Long Live Rwot Acana, his Chiefs and Elders. Long Live Acoli People. The future is bright and full of promises
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Bill Screwed Hillary Again!
Based on their (Americans') puritian Christian marital fidelity, Bill has been straying the marital bed since Arkansas. With us Africans, this is child's play--unless, of course, if the noveau westernized African women insist--and they do so passionately these days.
Bad bad bad boy even used his cigar to survey Luwensky's clit. Now Bill reared his ugly win-at-any-cost, and blew it for Hillary. Blacks and educated whites saw the calculated, Machiavellian racial baiting attack on Barack Obama for what it was. Thanks to him, Obama has found his wings, and Hillary is floundering. The man screwed you again, Hillary!
Bad bad bad boy even used his cigar to survey Luwensky's clit. Now Bill reared his ugly win-at-any-cost, and blew it for Hillary. Blacks and educated whites saw the calculated, Machiavellian racial baiting attack on Barack Obama for what it was. Thanks to him, Obama has found his wings, and Hillary is floundering. The man screwed you again, Hillary!
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Camden Market Fire
I have good memories of strolling this market place with a Labermon in the 90s. I hanged on to a belt I bought there until I forgot it in the post 911 airport check-out frenzy. I still hold on to a T-Shirt I bought bearing the picture of Malcolm X with a rifle and the famous phrase, "By any means necessary."
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080210/ap_on_re_eu/britain_fire
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080210/ap_on_re_eu/britain_fire
Saturday, February 9, 2008
What's in a Hand, Including the Index Finger?
If you want a good pick-up line, try being a palm reader—even for a day. Just look at the hands of the object of your amorous interest. Casually ask her: “May I take a look at your hand?—it is fascinating!”
Of course, you are working on her natural self-conceit and need for praise. If you are bold, you would take her hand and go on to scrutinizing it—turning it this way and that way.
“Interesting,” you say.
“Are you an artist, by any chance—poet, writer—or may be some latent undiscovered talent?” you ask.
Now it is up to you to take it to greater heights. If you don’t fumble, you are sure to score—just as surely as the sun sets in the west.
I have seen many fingers in my days—plumb ones, fat thick ones, long ones, small anemic ones, wrinkled ones, male looking ones, crooked ones, course ones—you name it.
The fingers have the owners’ histories written all over them—life of hardships or relative comfort, or the nature of one’s labor. Beneath the fingers are meridian of nerve strands to various organs. No wonder you sweat in your palm in anticipation of a job interview or at the prospect of meeting that seemingly unattainable damsel. In a deal in which I lost a bundle I could feel the hand of my swindler shaking. If I knew then what I know now, I would have pulled out of the deal by virtue of that handshake.
The fingers are useful tools and, like all tools, they may be used for good or evil.
“I have it at my finger tips” seems to suggest connections to the brain. And so some acupressure adherents swear on the healing or soothing effects on touches at certain points of the hand and fingers.
Friendship and love often involves holding hands. And what a sight of beauty it is to see people walking hand-in-hand!
A handshake is a form of greeting or peace overture. Making a deal with a handshake is form of trust. Handshake is also made at the conclusion of a negotiation or as an indication of goodwill. A case in point—the recent handshakes between Oginga and Kibaki raised hopes for Kenyans and whoever else cared.
There are: Thumbs Up, High Fives, Fist Pump, V-Sign, etc—all positive use of fingers.
In disapproval we slap or hit with our hand. In an argument Black American women raise their palms in your face to indicate they had enough you. Americans will give y
ou the middle finger in road rage. We Acoli point at a person with the index finger in warning the other person of dire consequences. And speaking of pointing the index finger at someone, was our Acoli MP gesture a warning or emphasizing a point?
The pointing of an index finger in a heated and emotional commotion outside of a hall at Columbia University where the President of Iran was speaking depicts anger.
Americans usually consider it rude to point the index finger at people as you speak to them—even in emphasis. Thus politicians, like Clinton (of Lewinsky’s infamy) have adopted the Kennedy style to emphasize points. It is now dubbed the Clinton Thumb. Basically, it is a kind of fist with the thumb overlayed on top.
The index finger has many other uses too. The other day I saw a young girl probe her nose with it to pry some caked body emission. For those who know, the index finger can aid one’s member in taking a partner into the stratospheres of ecstatic pleasure. Or in dry seasons some people can take the joys of the gods into their own hands!
Of course, you are working on her natural self-conceit and need for praise. If you are bold, you would take her hand and go on to scrutinizing it—turning it this way and that way.
“Interesting,” you say.
“Are you an artist, by any chance—poet, writer—or may be some latent undiscovered talent?” you ask.
Now it is up to you to take it to greater heights. If you don’t fumble, you are sure to score—just as surely as the sun sets in the west.
I have seen many fingers in my days—plumb ones, fat thick ones, long ones, small anemic ones, wrinkled ones, male looking ones, crooked ones, course ones—you name it.
The fingers have the owners’ histories written all over them—life of hardships or relative comfort, or the nature of one’s labor. Beneath the fingers are meridian of nerve strands to various organs. No wonder you sweat in your palm in anticipation of a job interview or at the prospect of meeting that seemingly unattainable damsel. In a deal in which I lost a bundle I could feel the hand of my swindler shaking. If I knew then what I know now, I would have pulled out of the deal by virtue of that handshake.
The fingers are useful tools and, like all tools, they may be used for good or evil.
“I have it at my finger tips” seems to suggest connections to the brain. And so some acupressure adherents swear on the healing or soothing effects on touches at certain points of the hand and fingers.
Friendship and love often involves holding hands. And what a sight of beauty it is to see people walking hand-in-hand!
A handshake is a form of greeting or peace overture. Making a deal with a handshake is form of trust. Handshake is also made at the conclusion of a negotiation or as an indication of goodwill. A case in point—the recent handshakes between Oginga and Kibaki raised hopes for Kenyans and whoever else cared.
There are: Thumbs Up, High Fives, Fist Pump, V-Sign, etc—all positive use of fingers.
In disapproval we slap or hit with our hand. In an argument Black American women raise their palms in your face to indicate they had enough you. Americans will give y
ou the middle finger in road rage. We Acoli point at a person with the index finger in warning the other person of dire consequences. And speaking of pointing the index finger at someone, was our Acoli MP gesture a warning or emphasizing a point?
The pointing of an index finger in a heated and emotional commotion outside of a hall at Columbia University where the President of Iran was speaking depicts anger.
Americans usually consider it rude to point the index finger at people as you speak to them—even in emphasis. Thus politicians, like Clinton (of Lewinsky’s infamy) have adopted the Kennedy style to emphasize points. It is now dubbed the Clinton Thumb. Basically, it is a kind of fist with the thumb overlayed on top.
The index finger has many other uses too. The other day I saw a young girl probe her nose with it to pry some caked body emission. For those who know, the index finger can aid one’s member in taking a partner into the stratospheres of ecstatic pleasure. Or in dry seasons some people can take the joys of the gods into their own hands!
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Tribe Matters
Betty Kamya, an FDC MP opens up the debate on tribe by questioning the allegiance of Museveni to Uganda peoples due to his alleged foreign birth. She sees the unrests now prevailing in Kenya as having a poignant similarity to what might happen to Uganda as Mr. Muesveni’s ethnic group dominates in all areas of commerce, government and the military.
So, what is up with this tribe thing? In the US the use of the word “tribe” often connotes a derogatory tone to describe a people who are less “advanced” in relation to the western notion of social, economic and political development. This is even when the behaviors of Americans portray what are often characterized as tribal.
When you rout for your home team, you are tribal
When you vote for white presidents only, you are tribal
When you go to exclusive white churches, you are tribal
When you live in lily white neighborhoods, you are tribal
When you go to white schools by design, you are tribal
When you employ only whites in your business, you are tribal
When you frown on your daughter marrying outside your whiteness, you are tribal
Until we all become saints in this world, tribal affiliations and feelings will continue to matter in our affairs. If we have power, we will continue to be partial to the interests of our tribe. The question is: how can this anecdotal innate tribal bias be contained so that it doesn’t go overboard to the detriment of society that houses the various tribes?
Realistically, the first step is for the economy to be expanded such that it overwhelms the basic needs of all. Secondly, there should be continued emphasis on the entrenchment of democratic principles. Sooner or later we will see the quirks of the different tribes as adding to the tapestry and beauty of our lives rather than something that takes away from us and diminishes us.
So, what is up with this tribe thing? In the US the use of the word “tribe” often connotes a derogatory tone to describe a people who are less “advanced” in relation to the western notion of social, economic and political development. This is even when the behaviors of Americans portray what are often characterized as tribal.
When you rout for your home team, you are tribal
When you vote for white presidents only, you are tribal
When you go to exclusive white churches, you are tribal
When you live in lily white neighborhoods, you are tribal
When you go to white schools by design, you are tribal
When you employ only whites in your business, you are tribal
When you frown on your daughter marrying outside your whiteness, you are tribal
Until we all become saints in this world, tribal affiliations and feelings will continue to matter in our affairs. If we have power, we will continue to be partial to the interests of our tribe. The question is: how can this anecdotal innate tribal bias be contained so that it doesn’t go overboard to the detriment of society that houses the various tribes?
Realistically, the first step is for the economy to be expanded such that it overwhelms the basic needs of all. Secondly, there should be continued emphasis on the entrenchment of democratic principles. Sooner or later we will see the quirks of the different tribes as adding to the tapestry and beauty of our lives rather than something that takes away from us and diminishes us.
Saturday, February 2, 2008
Dr Nico - Ambience Kiri Kiri
Classic Congolaise--soft and mellow and speaks of Congolese music at its best in the sixties when my friends dreamed of running away to Kinshasha. Dr. Nico was at the fore front. Onama, a Defence Minister in Uganda, had a bus fleet named KiriKiri because this Congolese music was often played in the bus
Mbilia Bel-
Mbilia Bel is a lady among a field of the Congolese genre of music dominated by men. Congolese women have often played only dancing roles. Mbilia Bel broke through the Congo-Forest shield with her honey sweet voice
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