Olympic Watch Entry #1: We Need Educated, Culturally Aware Announcers

Ugandan Olympic contingency

Just because we have a few pastey-skinned, black reporters on CNN doesn't absolve the issue that members of the press, and in particular, the US are still ignorant, lack in diversity, and keep the cogs of institutionalized racism going.

Being a person who worked in the newsroom, I think one of the dumbest professions is journalism, because most "journalists" report facts and never take the time out to actually understand them. And in the case of growing technology, they do very little of acquiring facts at all.

Unfortunately, our media is darkened by idiots like Bob Costas who referenced Idi Amin in the opening ceremony as Uganda entered the London stadium for the Olympics. That's like referencing Hitler when Germany comes out or Stalin for Russia.

It even get's better. Costas said earlier about another African country, "If there was an award for country name that makes you smile, Djibouti would win the gold."

US Olympic news coverage needs an enema.

May the Best Puppet Win: Cocoa, Diamonds & the Ivory Coast Conflict

A very intelligent international lawyer told me last year that most of Africa's leaders needed to be hung, shot and burned at the stake for their political moves in the name of ill-gotten gain.

She said this in disgust and frustration after just visiting a West Africa country where grandmothers of poor areas took on the role of being human sewage systems by picking up the waste and trash of a community that lacked simple infrastructure that drained shit from the streets.

The underdevelopment of Africa and its subsequent conflicts have been detrimental to those who don't have guns, the civilians; women and girls who are sexually brutalized as they are left to fend for themselves when their husbands, uncles, fathers and sons leave to fight. And those youth who have been snatched from childhood and pulled into a life of drugs, alcohol, killing, and raping the same women and girls from even their own areas.

At the end of the day, those who profit from the war have not a single drop of blood on their well-tailored European suits.

Laurent Gbagbo

The reasons for African underdevelopment is complicated and long, but let me focus on the current malaise, corrupt leadership. African leadership caters to the highest bidder.

As in the case of Ivory Coast, a country that is the top supplier of cocoa to the Western World, it would beneficial to be the HNIC.

In many countries, free enterprise is dictated by how much the head of state pockets. If the head gets belly full than the business owner receives carte-blanche in all its trade and labor dealings.

When (former) President Laurent Gbagbo refuses to acknowledge his "defeat" in the recent Ivorian "democratic" election, it is not for the purpose of forwarding a country into progression; but simply carrying on with the fattening of his pockets and those of his family members and croonies.

As with internationally recognized new president, Alasanne Outtara, the ballot and the cocoa goes to the one who will share the profits. Currently being protected by

Alasanne Outtara

UN "peacekeeping" troops there are rumors that Gbagbo is planning to storm Outtara's hotel with youth rebel forces. Oh boy, I hope this is not a Liberia redux.

What happened to good old fashioned youth activities such as soccer and school? Shooting in the name of a Godiva and Belgian chocolate is not what they came to this world to do, is it?

And when much of the West steps in, it is not for the security of Africa and to ensure peaceful negotiations, but to further its control in the re-colonialization of the continent; hence AFRICOM, an American military-controlled operation that has set up headquarters throughout Africa to "assist" in conflict and others matters

Diamond Miner from the Ivory Coast

with diplomacy.


This is all to ensure that the diamonds from Liberia and other conflict areas are ushered through Ivory Coast, then taken to Burkino Faso, Mali or other places that are maintaining peace, so that these bloodied gems can receive their nice stamp of approval from DeBeers and them.

And as one Nigerian diplomat told me with unflinching conviction, only white men can resolve the issues in Africa, not Africans, and not blacks. Well, I guess my black ass and my comments don't count for shit these days, AFRICOM will solve the issues, under a gun and good old fashioned divide and conquer.

Ahhh, now I feel better, de white man done saved de day again, jus lik the movies. Yet these days, the white man is layered in pigmented skin, like Colin Powell, or packing of vagina, as in Hillary Clinton.



Conflict Diamonds

What are conflict diamonds? Conflict diamonds are diamonds that have been used to fund wars, rebellions and conflicts. These diamonds are usually from African nations that have been totally disrupted since colonialization and the removal of Africans as a result of enslavement in the Western Hemisphere.

The challenge and question by black folk around the world is that the diamond industry is controlled and operated by groups of people who funded the development of European countries and markets - - - so how in the hell do they determine as to whom and what is conflict. The diamond industry today was founded and funded on European forced domination!  But now these people become the moral compass for an industry that they created in African blood, sweat, labor and tears.


Anywho, the list below is from the fact sheet of the World Diamond Council. As you can see, most countries have conflict diamonds. So where do all these ample diamond supplies come from? Mars I hypothesize.

Diamond Producing Countries & Conflict Diamonds
Angola Conflict Diamonds
Botswana
Central African Republic Conflict Diamonds
Democratic Republic of Congo Conflict Diamonds
Ivory Coast Conflict Diamonds
Liberia Conflict Diamonds
Namibia
Republic of Congo Conflict Diamonds
Sierra Leone Conflict Diamonds
South Africa
Tanzania

We got the bible, now they got our land: The African land grab continues

On my way to rural Yoruba land in 2001, I stood as the only black person in the line designated for foreigners. Everyone else was a white male, and the line had about 300 people. My jaw dropped because when I told people in the US, even Nigerians, where I was going, they looked at me as if I just smoked crack. Some declared that no one visited Nigeria and asked me why the hell did I want to go.

Though they were not satisfied with my answer, and frankly I didn't care, I challenged them on the first part of their declaration about people not travelling to the most populous African nation. People did come to Nigeria, and I found out while there, the people that came were mostly foreigners with plots (and in cahoots with some Nigerians) to pilfer the natural resources of an already neglected country. Sounds familiar my Caribbean and South American people.

The blood that runs thick in Nigeria is oil. It oozes through the Delta Region that has been in turmoil since multinational companies like Shell, Chevron, British Petroleum, and Mobile swooped in and took control of the oil reserves after the Nigerian oil boom that ended in the late 60s, early 70s.

Now, reports show that the next land grab is farmland in Africa. How ironic is that. A place that has been depicted by Western media as a continent of skinny, big-bellied, bulging eyed, dirty and naked babies running around with flies contentedly dancing at their mouths, is selling farmland!

Now of course there are people still scratching their heads in bewilderment when they find out that there are contemporary cities and 21st century things like the Internet in Africa, let alone there is any interest for people to buy land they thought was sterile.

What many don't know is the thriving plantation system in Africa that continues as a result of colonialism in the 17th century. The neo-colonialism is covered up by bullshit missionaries and fake fair trade claims.

As people lather themselves with the new emolient of shea butter or eat Godiva chocolates they don't know that these products are harvested in an inequitable trade agreement with Western powers.

When I was in Africa, I had a great contact working in a pan-African organization called NEPAD or the New Partnership for Africa's Development. This institution was designed to promote better trade between Africa and major trading partners in US, Europe, and some Asian countries. She told me that most of the goals were not accomplished because of the political BS, the sexism, the intra-black conflict, and the tribalism.

From what I was told, greedy people in key places would let their grandmothers pick up the shit in villages and towns with no sewage systems, for a couple of bucks to prevent development so foreign investors in collaboration with local leeches could profit on the misery and disempowerment of Africans. As result, countries are giving up prime property that leads to natives building cities they will never occupy. Hmm, kind of like, gentrification.

It is also very interesting that the world was blasting Mugabe of Zimbabwe, but many did not know that Zimbabwe supplies most of Africa with produce. How coincidental is that? It is not. Now am I agreeing with Mugabe. I never care for anyone who engages in abuses of power, but I cannot demonize him any further than leaders of the West who justify invasions and bombs, or look the other way at Sudanese atrocities to maintain certain advantages.

You know there is a saying in Africa that Dead Prez often says, "First, we had the land and they had the bible, now we have the bible and they have the land." That is so very true.

thanks Ayankha for the lead

PS. Just a fact, over half of ALL products made in the WORLD have something from AFRICA in it.

Obama's Long Empty List to Africa

Obama, you witty young man you. I gotta give it to you for all that you have accomplished, though, I totally disagree and am frankly disappointed with your speech in Ghana that addressed the African continent's nations.

Today, I will not applaud you for being one of the few US presidents to make the mighty trek to Africa. As a son of Africa, or as you said, as having "the blood of Africa" within you, this is non-negotiable. Just like other Americans who are of Irish, British or Polish descent make the journey to their home countries if and when they have the means, as the American president, you should be an example and do the same.

I will not agree with you just because you are a black man. As you have so proficiently pointed out and provided well-noted and well-needed constructive criticism to African-Americans, I will dialogue with you as a US citizen who has deep interests in Africa and must critique the empty banter of your long-winded speech. So no, I will not pull my race card today, I will be using my Democracy card that says I am in a country where ideas are civilly discussed. Hah!

Your speech, I must say, was generally patronizing at best, and superficial at worst. As you cast the age-old reprimand of "don't blame the white folk for your problems" among people who have been governing themselves before colonialism dissected their antiquated governments, I was scratching my head at the "ho" pass you pulled. It was like you were saying, "Now, now you bitter African people, let me school you on global diplomacy. The rip in your ass does not need to addressed in today's post-colonial era."

Plus, I am not hating or bashing you, because I want you to win. Please know that. You see, if you win, we all win...I hope. Oh shit, I almost forgot that hope stuff went out the door the first hundred days when you experienced the difficulty of getting a red-neck Republican WASP to agree with you that both of you pee from the same hole.

For real though, I just want you to know that I do understand the complicated tax (pun is intended) of being a public servant. The key word is "servant" and I just want to make sure you are serving the people.

But as they say, the show must go on, so I am giving you some pointers for the next script that you should seriously study and address in earnest, because as you said, "Together, we can partner on behalf of our planet and prosperity..." So I am replacing your long, empty list with a short one that has substance. Now I must note, this is just a portion of what I need you to say, so please sharpen up your skills and please do not break a leg, your swagger is the shit.

EcoSoulIntellectual's List for President B.H.Obama.

1. Inequitable and grossly disempowering trade agreements between United States & Europe and Africa.
2. The lack of ownership of natural resources by Africans and African companies, especially farms, gold, diamonds, and other precious metals.
3. Corrupt African leadership that is bought and paid for by Western governments.
4. The large ownership of African businesses by foreign investment firms that exploit local labor.
5. The gross exploitation of multi-national non-profits such as WHO and American Red Cross that provide inferior services and goods to Africa, but make billions of dollars from grants and other funding sources.
6. The implementation of AFRICOM, the military initiative that is supposed to provide "diplomatic" support to conflicts in Africa, but has not dealt with decades-long conflicts in Sudan, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Nigeria and other places.
7. The large sex tourism trade that services mostly white American and European males.
8. The sexual exploitation of disenfranchised and poor African immigrants in Europe's porn industry that has created a porn genre called "African Porn" where men and women are paid to copulate with animals and endure excrutiating pain by engaging in high-risk sexual acts.
9. The non-GMO food and the funky ass seeds that sterilze land and can only yield one season of crops that are shoved down the throats of local farmers.
10. The protection of women and children against civil wars that are funded with Israeli, Chinese, American, and European resources.
11. Better immigration policies for all of Africa and not just select countries where America strips places like Ghana and Nigeria of doctors, lawyers, and other professionals that have caused a brain drain in promising nations.
12. Serious disruption of oil companies that have contributed to the internal disorder in Nigeria; and has created an petro-elite that shits on the "have-nots".
13. The dismantling of modern-day plantations that harvest cocoa, coffee, palm oil and other natural resources that the workers are not allowed to sell or make profit from to supplement their lower-than-living-wages earnings.
14. One more thing, exposing and eradicating the blackwater-style tactics funded by Barrick Gold Corp, a Canada-based corporation with George H. Bush as senior advisor, that funds military invasions in Zaire for gold-grabbing operations.

Okay Barry, oops, I mean Barack, you're in Africa now, this is just the beginning, but I'll be back. Blong on, kns

Goddess Files: The Original Juk

Here I am on a Sunday morning re-activating my Goddess by taking a fat burning belly dance class. It was good because I sweated my tail off, but I needed some more funk.

So I switched to some Soukous Dancing videos. Soukous is a music and dance from the Congo that is a mixture of African traditional music, with some Cuban & Haitian, and South American Rhythms. It is an upbeat tempo that was named after dances of peoples in the Congo, as well as some indigenous nations in Tanzania and Kenya. The dance centers around hip movement and is an excellent dance for women who suffer from fibroids, endometriocis, back problems, and issues with getting pregnant. The 15-minute songs that invoke you to move your hips in intricate circular rhythms works the center or core of your body. This is an excellent supplementary to Bellydancing and burns fat faster, especially around the mid-section.

I came across these videos and though I liked them I thought is was very interesting how lighter-skinned African women are featured in the videos. Not hating on the sisters, but for every light-skinned sister, there are thousands of brown-skinned hues. This disporportionate represenation is a rapidly growing trend in African videos and film, and there is an element of Black Hollywood-ism of the light, bright BS that reverberates throughout movies in the US that have definitely played a part in how contemporary global black media produces their material. Also, the European aesthetic that is repeatedly played in mainstream and celebrated by bourgeois and elite Africans, has also ripped black female self-esteem up in some areas. Just look at the First Lady of Cameroon, Chantal Biya, who looks like a Drag Queen version of Beyonce.
As well, some of these videos had me saying, "hmm-hmm-hmm" because I thought I just stepped into the African-hood version of a Luke show. Though I know that we as black women are so goddamned sexually repressed and oppressed that we do not have a healthy space to explore and express our sexuality, the videos were interesting. However, I ain't hating, I winin' and grindin' on the other side participating. Just something to look at.