The decade that was…

In comparison with the span of time, ten years really isn’t that long, however a lot can happen in that time. The last ten years have brought lots of significant changes to my life. I got a new job, moved twice to different cities, got divorced and remarried, had a son and met through blogging some amazing people from various parts of the Diaspora. Through it all I have come to appreciate and enjoy my life more and more.

On this, the last day of the decade, I will highlight year by year, a couple significant events which at least changed my world.

2000: The largest non-event that happened to begin the new decade: Y2K! We were told to expect the apocalypse when the clocks hit “0-0-0”. Computers would crash, planes and satellites would then fall from the sky, traffic lights would go haywire causing multiple accidents, we would be without electricity, heat and water. There was to be worldwide panic followed by widespread lootings and killings. We were encouraged to hoard food, water, batteries and get rid of our condoms… so we could immediately begin to repopulate the planet. I was assigned to a uniform detail and sat in a basement with a riot team ready to be deployed to protect life, property and restore order. I ended up playing Euchre ’til 6 in the morning, while my family and friends partied like it’s 1999!

2001: 9/11 happened and changed the world as we know it. It lead to a new assignment and a couple relocations for me. Selfishly, it also made it more of a hassle for me (and all of us I suspect) to travel by plane than increase my (our) confidence in the safety of air travel.

2002: I moved from Toronto to Windsor.
           U.S. and other allied forces invasion of Afghanistan begins on 01 March.   

2003: Tampa Bay Buccaneers whip the Oakland Raiders 48-12 in SuperBowl XXXVII on 26 January. The Raiders haven’t recovered since.  
           The U.S. and the so-called “Coalition of the Willing” invades Iraq on 20 March.

2004: The Madrid Spain, train bombings on 11 March.
            Re-election of George W. Bush.   

2005: London, England subway and bus terrorist bombings on 07 July.
           Hurricane Katrina hits New Orleans and the Gulf Coastal region causing death and mayhem.     

2006: On 31 January my father died.
           On Friday 05 May, my partner was murdered.
           On 28 July I got married.
           In October, I move to our nation’s capital, Ottawa.

2007: The birth of my son.
           The genesis of the AfroSpear.

2008: Election of 1st African-American president of the United States of America, Barack Obama.

2009: H1N1 global pan(ic)demic. 
           Death of Michael Jackson.
           Nigerian terrorist attempts to blow up plane, now justifying even more racial profiling of Black people travelling by air. I’m done travelling by plane for a while! 

2010: We made it! Happy New Decade!

Exonerating Eric Frimpong

In July I wrote this piece, To Kill a Mockingbird: The Eric Frimong Story, about a young Black man falsely convicted of raping a white woman. Investigative journalist Joel Engel did this extensive article, “Exonerating Eric Frimpong”, outling the details of the case and the compelling reasons for a new trial. On December 10th, Eric’s legal team completed arguments before the California Court of Appeals, seeking to overturn his wrongful conviction and order a new trial.    

Please read and repost his article on your blogs or websites. This blatant miscarriage of justice needs to be exposed and rectified. The sobering truth is that this could be any one of us in his situation.

Latest attempted terrorist attack was staged

Interesting report by journalist and author Webster Tarpley. Click on image of Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab for video.

Tiger Woods and The Problem of the “Great Black Example”‏ By Lisa Fritsch

Op-ed submission by Project 21

There’s an interesting wrinkle in the Tiger Woods scandal. There are some blacks who are angry that none of Tiger’s mistresses were black. For example, a recent New York Daily News headline declared “Tiger Alienates Black Community with White Lovers.”

It’s probably the least of his troubles, but it exposes a big problem in the black community. Whether he knows or cares, Tiger has been alienating the black community for some time because he was sought as a Great Black Example to foster racial approval and acceptance. The only problem was that Tiger rejected them.

Frankly, it’s about darn time for somebody to have the courage to live outside the box and boundaries of race.
 
Who can blame Tiger? After all, being the “Great Black Example” is no small task. That person must abide by certain codes of conduct and pass extensive loyalty tests that may override reason, individual choice and common sense.

There are three main rules, all of which Tiger Woods broke and thus “alienated” the black community.

First, where there is any racial ambiguity regarding the Great Black Example, the one-drop rule affirms their blackness. One must emphatically and unequivocally announce their blackness. Tiger Woods instead calls himself “Cablinasian” – a mixture of Caucasian, black, American Indian and Asian. But, because of his celebrity, this was overlooked. Whether Tiger accepted it or not, his Great Black Example status defined him as black.

Next, it’s best when the Great Black Example marries within the black enterprise. This is crucial when they are of mixed race because it solidifies their blackness. President Obama did this with flying colors in marrying Michelle, who is intelligent, attractive and unambiguous in her dark-skinned blackness. Ebonie Johnson Cooper, for example, told AP that, “Had Barack had a white wife, I would have thought twice about voting for him.” Woods caters to no constituency on the course, and his swing secures his trophies and endorsements – not his wife’s skin color. And Tiger’s wife is everything the alienated black community disapproves of: white, blindingly blond and married to the Great Black Example.

Similar abandonment issues affected other Great Black Examples such as Quincy Jones, Van Jones and O.J. Simpson. In Tiger’s case, however, his cheating revealed a certain amount of profiling and preference that supposedly disgraced black women. But is there anyone who really denies the beauty of Beyonce, Mary J. Blige, Tyra Banks, Lauryn Hill or our First Lady simply because Tiger Woods wasn’t unfaithful with a black woman?

Finally, the Great Black Example must have a hair-trigger willingness to decry any and all perceived racism. Tiger failed greatly here. When CBS broadcaster Kelly Tilghman said golfers challenging Tiger should “lynch him” to win, Tiger took the high road. Through his agent, Tiger said, “We know unequivocally that there was no ill intent in her comments.”  He further called Tilghman a respected friend. Such grace and dignity, eschewing conflict and finding strength in forgiveness, is not permitted. Conformity to victimhood is required.

Truth be told, all this proves the Great Black Example is extinct. An individual obligation to a group based solely on race or gender is inhumane. A person belongs to God and themselves. No group has a right to lay claim to someone else’s existence.

It is time for the black community to accept and rejoice in this, for this is true freedom. There is no alienated black community, and woe to the person who works to manufacture one. There is only the fruitful character of the individual, and therein our responsibility lies. There was a time for power through a collective force of identity, but that time is gone. The time now calls for living and thinking through the lens of character. Our only obligation to each other is to be ourselves.
 
At the risk of alienating blacks, Tiger Woods remained his own man.  More power to him and his “to thine own self be true” outlook.
 
Rejoice in God-given individuality! We owe to ourselves and others so that we don’t rise and fall according to mere examples of our race – but united within the human race.

Lisa Fritsch is a member of the national advisory council for the Project 21 black leadership network and a writer and radio talk show host in Austin, Texas.

“Western Sahara another shame-cum-thorn for AU‏” by Nkwazi N. Mhango

Mwl. Julius Nyerere, the founder of Tanzania once said: “Africa won’t be totally and truly independent until all African countries and Africans are free.” His vision of freedom was not confined within boundaries and flags but the whole mankind. He leapfrogged almost all thinkers as far as independence is concerned. To him freedom was a necessity for everything any human being anywhere aspired to do. In a nutshell, freedom is life and life without it is worse than death for it.

Another Kenyan doyen of freedom fighting Dedan Kimathi averred: “Better die standing than living kneeling.” All this aimed at highlating the essence and necessity of freedom.

Now we’re evidencing Morocco colonizing Western Sahara (as-Ṣaḥrā’ al-Gharbīyah) the same way Israel does to Palestine. Sadly though no African countries even African Union is squeezing Morocco to let Western Sahara become free! It is as if Western Sahara does not exist and if it does it is the region of Morocco! How silly this is?

This former Spanish colony was garrisoned by Morocco since 1960 when many African countries were achieving their independence. Apart from its rich phosphate deposits and fishing waters, Western Sahara has few natural resources and lacks sufficient rainfall for most agricultural activities. There are rumours that there may be rich off-shore oil and natural gas fields, but the debate persists as to whether these resources can be profitably exploited, and if this would be legally permitted due to the non-decolonized status of Western Sahara.

Western Sahara ‘s economy is centred on nomadic herding, fishing, and phosphate mining. Most food for the urban population is imported. All trade and other economic activities are bridled by the Moroccan government. The government has encouraged citizens to relocate to the territory by giving subsidies and price controls on basic goods. These heavy subsidies have created a state-dominated economy in the Moroccan controlled parts of Western Sahara, with the Moroccan government as the single biggest employer. 

In other words Morocco is doing exactly the same as the Jewish nation has been doing for Palestine, where it subsides and supports new settlements that cost poor Palestinians to live without a place to call home.

The recent episode proving how AU is but a let down involves a Human Rights Campaigner, Aminatou Haidar who, by the way of hunger strike, has returned home after suffering a lot of denial as she was returning from New York to receive a civil courage prize.

Haidar billed as ‘Gandhi of Sahara’, is renowned for her resistance without violence. Her theme-cum-sin is just to remind the Moroccan authorities to do the right thing… to stop occupying Western Sahara. As she completed a month long tour of US, Moroccan authorities were pushed to the limits so as to act by denying her entrance after she arrived at the airport, as her passprt and identity card were thereof confiscated. Her sin, once again, was to state her home as Western Sahara instead of Moroccan Sahara. She was extradited to Lanzarote in the Canary Islands where she started hunger strike. In November, after her case attracted international condemnation, Moroccan authorities offered to release her if she would publicly acknowledge Morocco ’s “sovereignty” over Western Sahara. She refused to do so. Since then she has maintained her hunger strike as her health was deteriorating, the authorities later bowed and granted her the right to return home back.

Staying put and upholding her right to return to Western Sahara, Haidar even rejected obtaining refugee status in Spain without travel documents. She was therefore effectively confined to Lanzarote.

Sadly though, Haidar is recognized by international community excluding Africa. Women and Human Rights groups in Africa have nary agitated for her plight. Recent information has it that her accounts were broken by the authorities and she is branded an evil person colluding with enemies to sabotage Morocco. Amnesty International has already sternly reprimanded Morocco and advised it to allow Haidar to return to her home, something that was later complied with after it was regarded as a just-plain-wrong advice.

Haidar became physically weak. Her health was at particular risk because she suffers from anaemia and a stomach ulcer. She refused to take her regular ulcer medication, as part of her hunger strike. She was hospitalized thanks to the escalation of the deterioration of her body. But again, neither Moroccan authorities nor African Human Rights groups saw this as a danger and a denial of human paramount right-life. What annoys is the truth that even countries that ratified the ban on capital punishment were but onlookers!

What Moroccan authorities did is tantamount to a death sentence to this true Human Rights activist. Death for her is better than life, if her freedom is not granted. Just like Dedan Kimathi, she thought it was better die standing than living on knees. The treatment she received was just to relieve and calm the pain as she continued her hunger strike. This was said by her lawyer Ines Miranda who was recently quoted by Reuters news agency.

It is very sad that Africa is crowing of having Nelson Mandela-the doyen of liberation in South Africa. But the same did not paying any damn to the plight of Haidar whose health was deteriorating day by day! Why should African countries wait to enjoy the pride of having heroes like Mandela once they’re through, but the same betray them during making? We still bitterly remember many African countries, headed by former Malawian Dictator Hastings Kamuzu Banda, who used to conduce with the apartheid regime in South Africa as they looked at Mandela as a terrorist.

One would think this grave mistake was enough of a lesson not to repeat the same. To prove my point, ask yourself how many Africans know Haider, even bothered to rise their voices for Western Sahara?  But ask them about Palestinians liberation fighters, they know most of them… if not all!

Spanish artists and film stars, including an Oscar-winning director, made a video promoting her cause that became popular on YouTube. British artists and intellectuals appealed to Prime Minister Gordon Brown to help. Amnesty International joined the urgent appeal to keep Haidar alive. The Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights sent staff to be with her in the Canaries, and conducted an interview with her, also widely circulated. A growing number of legislators in Europe and the United States have been issuing statements supporting Haidar.

Even in East Africa, some of the doyens Human Rights Fighters are forgotten simply because they’re not in politics. Ask Kenyans where this magazine is published of Dr. Willy Mutunga, Prof. Makau Mutua and others, that are not in politics. They’re not known even highly regarded compared to politicians.

Going back to Western Sahara, besides being shame-cum-challenge to AU, if it keeps mum, the whole meaning of the independence of Africa will become meaningless as per Nyerere. Once again, by sitting on this, AU’s proved to be nothing but a let down. It’s time that Morocco be forced to release Western Sahara the same way Boer South Africa did.

It is upon Human Rights organizations in Africa, to sound the trumpet to see to it justice is done to Western Saharan people. It is time for freedom now for Western Sahara. It is time for freedom for Aminatou Haidar. Had she died,  Moroccan authorities would be held responsible. And on this line, Human Rights campaigners must agitate for the banning of Morocco from International community, shall it keep its ears sealed or AU keep on gerrymandering about such legit issue of freedom for Western Sahara.

Nkwazi Mhango is a Tanzanian living in Canada. He writes regularly for “The African Executive” and also has a blog entitled “Free Thinking Unabii”. He is a regular contributor to AfroSpear.

Cuban Vacation

One thing that has been a constant blessing in my life is the opportunity to travel regularly to different parts of the world. Visiting and interacting with people in different countries or even in different parts of the country where I live, has allowed me a variety of invaluable experiences that has literally opened my eyes to other perspectives, as well as sharpened my intellect.

My wife has always wanted to visit Cuba, especially before Fidel dies. A couple weeks ago we took the trip with our son. We had an excellent time! It was nice to be able to relax and recharge with some fun, sun and rum, after a taxing year. We stayed at an all inclusive resort, but also took a trip to the local town, as well as a day trip to Havana. The food was excellent and plentiful (no hot sauce anywhere though). The only disappointment was that they had no mint for Mojitos! But we managed. Here are some of my impressions of the island:

1. The revolution is still alive, but not doing so well.

2. The people are genuinely friendly. We didn’t get harassed on the beach or by overly aggressive vendors in the markets to buy their trinkets.

3. Although there was obvious poverty, there wasn’t that sense of desperate energy among the people. There were very few beggars, mostly in Havana, but a lot less than in other countries of the Caribbean which I have visited. We had a couple experiences involving corrupt officials asking for a “gift”, but these were minor incidents.  

4. We didn’t see many police officers at all, however we felt totally safe and at ease being off the resort and exploring the local town and Havana with our 2 year old son.

5. Speaking of Havana… it’s an interesting city. It has a very historic feel to it, especially since the buildings are colonial and most of the cars are from the ’50s.    

6. The people didn’t appear “repressed” to us. I mention this because while we were there, we were watching CNN and they reported that an American citizen involved with USAID was arrested for handing out cellphones and laptops to locals (see here). The reporter stated that this was an example of the “repression” the Cuban people were under from the Castro regime. My wife looked at each other and started to laugh and shake our heads. Can you say: “american propaganda!”

7. What does have a noticable negative impact on the people and the economy is the continuing U.S. economic, financial and trade blockade. There is trade with other countries in Europe, Latin America, Asia (particularly China) and of-course Canada, but U.S. laws such as ships which come to Cuba cannot enter a U.S. port for 6 months, has resulted in an unfortunate increase in the cost of goods entering the country. 

8. The people are proud of the fact that they have universal education (including university) and health care. There are also many students on scholarships from various countries studying in Cuban universities and technical institutes, as well as Cuban professionals, particularly doctors and engineers, who have been sent by the government to work in many developing countries. 

9. There is a substantial investment by the government into art and culture. They are also passionate about baseball, which is their national sport.

10. Although there have recently been media reports of racism against Afro-Cubans (see here), we didn’t observe any obvious disparity between them and those of Spanish descent… in fact there is a lot of inter-mixing. Granted we were there only for a week, primarily on a resort, and it didn’t seem appropriate to ask the Black staff if they felt they were being discriminated against in their own country. However I will mention that it was very noticable to my wife and I that the White tourists were catered to more than we were. At times we felt invisible as the staff (both White and Black) would serve the White tourists around us until we were forced to get their attention.

11. Raul is respected. Fidel is revered. Che is worshipped. We were told that in schools, at the end of singing the national anthem, students shout: “We will be like Che!” His image and books are everywhere.

12. We returned with rum and cigars!

Christmas Riddymz

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year