Comments on: The blunting of the blood

By: angryafrican

angryafrican — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 18:24:28 +0000

@MsMsBurning – Welcome! I tink there are more of us than we think. It’s just not popular to say it in public! Reagan’s chickens have hatched and they are home to roost…

By: MsMsBurning

MsMsBurning — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 18:15:20 +0000

And I thought I was the only one who remembered the 80′s this way! Reagan was NOT a hero and many of his policies have contributed to our current problems.

By: angryafrican

angryafrican — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 14:54:58 +0000

@QuakerDave – Very wise words. Thank you. I don’t have to forget. Just forgive. They know not what they do…

@myth art – Thanks for that. Like you say. Hitler will be proud. He was evil in our face. They were/are evil with a smaile on their faces.

@Champagne Heathen – Right! we easily go for the guy/girl who looks evil. But evil comes with many masks.

By: angryafrican

angryafrican — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 12:56:11 +0000

@mosilager – I agree. People are in it for themselves. I don’t agree with that, but I know that is how it works. I just hate it when they try and smile at me and tell me they care for me. They don’t. If they really did they would have done something to stop the craziness and not come in pay of Savimbi and gang. And I have high hopes for Zambia. I don’t like saying any group of people are in a certain way, but Zambians are the friendliest people I have ever met. Love Soweto in Lusaka! (And the Green Frog – you go there?)

@Dr. Ethiopia – I agree. We can’t rewrite history if we didn’t know what would happen back then. But we can judge them on their actions of yesterday. When they pay off Savimbi… Then they sucked in my eyes.

By: Champagne Heathen

Champagne Heathen — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 07:43:12 +0000

Thanks for that AA!
Wish I could read all the comments, but can’t, so I might be repeating.

My quick unclear thought to this is maybe we need to eventually forgive our leaders, because we know that they did rule over our political lives for a significant period of our lives – we are linked to them and their way of thinking, even if we did fight hard against certain aspects of their beliefs of how to rule.

Plus. It takes quite a mental leap to moved from the guy in the pretty office to 100000s dying at his hands. The damn western leaders smile far too much, while the “other” dictators always have serious grumpy profile pictures…

By: myth art

myth art — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 02:19:24 +0000

Reagan – and by extension, Thatcher, and until recently – and obviously too late, Mbeki, today, in the 21st century – are the perpetrators, by dint of ignoring it completely, of one of history’s great holocausts – AIDS – through their homophobia, and in Mbeki’s case, god alone knows exactly what. As a gay man I seethe every time these names are mentioned and like you will never never forgive or forget. The legion, the multitudes of gay men and women who have suffered and died – not from AIDS – from intolerance and hatred through the history of “civilization”, is horrendous and monstrous enough without this latest most disgusting manifestation of criminality – indeed Hitler would have been proud of it! These Great Leaders are also why Africans are dieing today like flies. And, as you rightly say, these horrors of humanity – and I mean these men and this woman, and by extension the multitude that supported them and do so even today, now, still – are remembered for the “good” they did?!
Thanks for your anger.
Thanks for your uncompromising truth.
Thank you.

By: QuakerDave

QuakerDave — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 21:48:54 +0000

I agree with you, for the most part, and this is a wonderful, powerful post.

But NO one should have to die suffering from dementia. I watched my beloved grandfather die this way, not knowing us, or where he was, or who he was.

I’m sorry to disagree, but no one deserves that. I know I sure do not want that fate to befall me.

No, I agree that sometimes, there are some things and some folks that we cannot forgive. My faith teaches forgiveness even to those who have committed murder, which is why we oppose the death penalty.

But forgiveness does not mean absolution. There’s still that part about having to take responsibility for one’s actions and paying the consequences of those actions.

Criminals like these need to be held accountable.

By: Dr. Ethiopia

Dr. Ethiopia — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 17:53:02 +0000

Supporting any group that might turn around and haunt you some decades later, doesn’t make you a supporter of a terrorist group. One can certainly act on good intentions. Any rebel or fanaticaal group, would be armed by somebody from somewhere.

This is the race for inarming those that aren’t, and in the process enriching one’s nation or self.

But as for the reprecussions, that might arise in the future, that’s the last thing anybody is worried about.

Nice post pal.

By: mosilager

mosilager — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 14:47:21 +0000

Forgot to add – Zambia – I grew up there – studied outside – now back studying hiv. Zambia is still poor because of socialistic policies that prevented the most talented people from expressing themselves. Things are changing now. The environment is conducive for talented people to make the most of themselves now (in the big cities). I think there will be a huge change in about 10-20 years when the kids who grew up in the 90s get into powerful positions. There’s been a huge shift of attitudes since I left in the early 90s – people want to work hard because if they do they will get the rewards.

By: mosilager

mosilager — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 14:39:37 +0000

I agree with you that the hype surrounding the leaders of the USA, UK, Germany etc does not match up to the reality. The USA and UK have a global media presence and their view of themselves and the world are the views that get out there.

That being said, I’m not sure that I would have done any better than these leaders were I in their shoes. I’d probably have done all I could to make sure that I or my party gets elected, and my country stays safe. The companies who supported my campaign and got me up there would get some benefits. Otherwise they would not support me or my party the next time around.

Every country is in it for themselves. If we as Africans and Asians don’t think for ourselves then we will be slaves again to people who do think for themselves. The only way is to make a change in the education system such that individual thinking is encouraged. Maybe then the next big world beating invention will come out of one of the poor countries.

Good post. Kinda reminds me of one of my posts – although mine doesn’t have the passion that yours does – (http://ranjitwarrier.blogspot.com/2006/02/will-real-superpower-please-stand-up.html).