A piece of heaven in a world of hell

As I was watching this documentary on Liberia, I though to myself: “here we go again, white people showing the worst of Africa, disease, death, crime, corruption, prostitution, cannibalism, civil war, dirt, filth, despair, hopelessness etc.” I almost turned it off but as I continued watching, it took a turn to to highlight that throughout this hell of an existence, there was repentence, redemption, forgiveness and hope. The devils among us, the agents of death and despair, are indeed human beings… and with God, these same human beings can be transformed into something different… possibly even angels…

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A Thought on Abortion

“America needs no words from me to see how your decision in Roe v. Wade has deformed a great nation. The so-called right to abortion has pitted mothers against their children and women against men. It has sown violence and discord at the heart of the most intimate human relationships. It has aggravated the derogation of the father’s role in an increasingly fatherless society. It has portrayed the greatest of gifts …a child… as a competitor, an intrusion, and an inconvenience. It has nominally accorded mothers unfettered dominion over the independent lives of their physically dependent sons and daughters.” Mother Teresa

“Africa needs to sign a new social contract‏” by Nkwazi Mhango

Jean Russeau wrote in Social Contract, “Man is born free and everywhere he is in chains.” To free himself, Russeau suggests that man must gain security and a measure of freedom from action, in exchange for surrender of rights and property to the general will. This is not the language of compliance or cowardice but of rebellion. This means, if you want me to pay my tax as my obligation, you must meet my rights as your obligation. As a leader, you are nothing if you cannot deliver. Your right to spend my tax corresponds with your duty to fulfill your duties.

It is no exaggeration to assert that Africa, politically, socially and economically is in the 14th century. Many African countries are sitting on the vast resources which are abused by a cabal of people in power. While this is happening, the big population is dying in abject destitution.

When philosophers Thomas Donaldson and Thomas W. Dunfee coined a phrase, “Intergrated Social Contract Theory” (ISCT), they stated categorically that every right an individual enjoys also has corresponding duty. In business they call this sharing risk and reward. The upshot of this is: whenever there is a risk, change, calamity or needs, the corporate as a big entity benefitting more from the business must help employees- who also benefit from the business but at a less magnitude comparably- in this period of transition.

Running a country is like running a corporation. This is the rationale we are going to use in this argument. The difference though is that when somebody is employed by the corporation, does so because for having some qualities or qualifications the corporation needs to use to make profit and sustain it. When it comes to be a citizen in the corporate known as a state, the citizen qualifies by the right of birth or application for those who apply for citizenship of other countries.

When it comes to men and women manning Africa, they enjoy rights of spending poor taxpayers’ money as they deem fit without the corresponding duty of delivering service. The corporate-government is duty bound to deliver so as to enjoy the right of being a government. Failure to do this, the said government is in power illegally. Hither is whether the situation in African countries worsens more than even under colonialism in 1960s. If anything, African needs a jumping-off point from the 14th century style of management next to Caesars’, to the 21st century of responsible presidents or managers of the corporation known as state. It is high time for Africa to have responsible and accountable leadership championed by our academics.

We need advocates of new social contract who can decisively interpret and champion ISCT. This is possible only and only when our academics will stand and take on dirty regimes instead of joining them to plunder the hoi polloi as it currently is in many countries. It is no longer shocking to see African ignorant rulers using academics in their governments to destroy their country, as it once happened in the Gambia where President Yahya Jammeh used the minister of health, who is a doctor professionally, to claim he had discovered cure for HIV/AIDS. Under new social contract this wouldn’t be possible given that president would be accountable and responsible for whatever he does or says. But under current king-like presidency, Jammeh was able to get away with it. Is this the way academics are supposed to use their knowledge?

“Unless we learn to live together as brothers (and sisters), we will die together like fools.” Desmond Tutu quoting Martin Luther King Jr in No Future without Forgiveness. Indeed, our rulers are prone and proud of being referred to as Excellencies, loved ones and other fake homilies. Actually, they are the opposite of this and they know this too well so as to surround themselves with guards and terror. They live in the heaven amidst the hell of miseries of their people. Who is wrong hither between them and the citizens who are in bed with such abnoxious and notorious vices?

Gandhi once remarked, “How can men feel themselves honoured by the humiliation of their fellow-beings?” In the same book by Louis Fischer: Gandhi: His Life and the Message to the World, seems to have the answer. He wrote, “Some men loom larger by lifting up others and some by kicking and humiliating others.” If anything, this is the real situation between Africa and developed world. How can for instance, DRC produce tonnes and tonnes of mineral and Nigeria oil alongside with tonnes and tonnes of poor people? West countries, despite having fewer resources, were able to attain their development, among others, thanks to signing and ratifying a new social contract that empowers people and their governments. It’s through accountability of everybody that made western countries be ahead of us for everything.

Africa cannot forge ahead with the current mediocrity whereby academcs are used abusedly without even resisting. Instead of being in bed with irresponsible rulers for the sake of personal gains, our academics should enlight the hoi polloi so that they can take on their irresponsible rulers. This must be the war between hoity toity and hoi polloi spearheaded by academics. It does not make sense to see our rulers abuse our tax and donor monies while academics scrumble to join politics so as to share the loot. Is there any rationale of dining and wining rulers using taxpayer’s money while they don’t deliver any service to them? How can they spend our hardearned taxes on travelling abroad and recruiting private armies while we are dying wantonly? This is the question our academics need to ask and give the answer, instead of being in bed with those who arrest the future of our continent and her innocent people.

For African to move forward there shall be the force to sign a new social contract that holds our ruler accountable and responsible for whatever they say and do. We can draw a lesson from academics such as Martin Luther, Conrad Grebel, Bathsar Hubmaier, Thomas Muetzer, Ulrich Zwingli and others who gave the Roman Church hard time so as to change the world despite being young guys. We need to start asking our rulers: what have they done for us as agreed in elections or constitutions. What have they done so as to deserve staying in power they wantonly abuse? We need to start enjoying the fruits of our freedom that turned out to be enjoyed by rulers and their henchmen. Academics must pull Africa from the 14th Century to 21st Century by advocvating the signing of a new social contract making our rulers accountable.

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.

Happy Valentine’s Day

The Day My Heart Broke

Rest in Peace My Beautiful Diva!

“Certain Signs of Societal Decline” ‏By Deneen Borelli

Op-ed submission by Project 21

There were reports of babies out in the cold for hours in Houston. In Indianapolis, two dozen police officers used pepper spray to control an unruly crowd that pried shopping center doors off their hinges.

These were just a few of the scenes caught on video across America as people tried to get their hands on a pair of sneakers.

These instances point to a moral breakdown of our society, especially among young people with misguided priorities who are not held accountable for their actions. Morals have seemingly taken a back seat to things that are thought to be worth more than respect.

“These shoes have always had a place of value in black life,” said one young black male in response to the frenzy surrounding the release of the limited edition Air Jordan XI Concord sneakers by Nike.

Named after the legendary basketball player Michael Jordan, these prized kicks retail for over $200 a pair. Demand is so high that some pairs of these sneakers were sold on the black market for over $500. And getting them was considered worth the risk of freezing or getting arrested.

The sneaker riot, which was caught on video, is deplorable. The looting of mall kiosks, robbing of shoppers, forced entry into stores and trampling of shoppers are disturbing to watch.

How did America get here?

Young adults imitate what they see, and what they see is bad behavior being glorified, on reality television, in movies, in music videos, in video games and on the Internet. These mediums are rife with demeaning language and behavior, violence and examples of blatant disrespect towards others, yet some of the rawest and craziest acts on video are not derided for their incivility but lauded for how many “thumbs up” they get on YouTube.

Misbehavior is so prevalent that, in some households, it seems to be accepted as normal behavior.

The Occupy Wall Street movement provides another example of contemporary bad behavior. While claiming to support a middle class that, allegedly, can’t win playing by the rules, youthful Occupiers are nonetheless preoccupied with the forgiveness of their own school loans (often for useless degrees) and credit card debt and seem more interested in growing big government than helping anyone succeed. The entire Occupy movement seems like yet another instance of the take-what-you-want decline of society.

What’s worse is that Occupy efforts receive support and sympathy from President Barack Obama, Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and other prominent leftist leaders and celebrities. Their support for the Occupiers sends a message that it’s fine to be disruptive and not expect to be held accountable. Just last week, in fact, former Obama administration official Van Jones proclaimed that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was “the original Occupier” and warned that 2012 would be a “turbulent” year.

In the wake of the sneaker riots, several ministers and activists in Houston held a press conference to blame others for the action of the mob. They called for Nike and Michael Jordan to “do something,” giving those who actually caused the chaos a pass.

There is no excuse for this behavior. Individuals should be held accountable for their actions. Nike and Michael Jordan did nothing wrong and are not accountable for the misbehavior of others.

Why are black leaders largely mute about this bad behavior? Where were the voices of black leaders standing up against the “flash mobs” in 2011? Why isn’t the White House decrying its former colleague for publicly preparing for what he refers to, and one must assume, is hoping to help instigate, a “turbulent” year?

Actions have consequences. To continue on this destructive path will result in a bleak future that for many will include violent acts, incarceration and even early death. Our country is in vital need of a morality surge in which parents, grandparents, church members and lawmakers all play a role.

There are thousands of misguided youths who desperately need love, guidance and discipline on a consistent basis. This would help put them on a path towards personal responsibility and success.

A New Visions Commentary paper by The National Center for Public Policy Research. Deneen Borelli is a fellow for the Project 21 black leadership network.