It’s all about gender, Stupid!!

(Warning…this post is rated R for bad language)

If I have to read another article that claims that the West is a big factor in modern Africa’s problems I am going to bust a vein. Seriously, still beating that drum ?? My second favourite aggravation is the claim that the West just does not understand Africa. WTF?? As far as I can tell, no one understands me either (sob) but that does not seem to get me a lot of financial assistance from evil donors or food aid from the diabolical NGOs. I muddle along just like the rest of humanity-alone in an existential way and misunderstood. When meditating on how some African countries cannot seem to let go of the past, the first thing that comes to my mind is a line from that fabulous movie Shaun of the Dead, “Sort your fucking life out, mate!“…which Shaun begins to do…until the Zombies show up!!

Here are my humble answers to all the whiners who do not understand that the West doesn’t exist and neither does Africa. You will remain globally misunderstood until you understand that. Only people exist and on that level what you must understand is that until woman are treated with respect and equality, it is not possible to have peace and prosperity.

Africa is upset at how it is portrayed in the Western media: No one believes journalists, so why get bothered by them. They get PAID to write things that will get printed. They do not get paid to print the truth. The ‘things’ that they write are a far cry from the truth. It is more like a hi-light reel-selective and taken out of context. But the media, just like politics, is here to stay, so use them to your advantage and stop whinging about the BBC. They are entertainment-understand that and set yourself free. Start paying attention to how women are portrayed in British media and get some perspective, mate.

The only Westerners who work in Africa have guilt about being white and privileged: If I were to guess, that might be the biggest generalisation possible in the Universe. How can anyone know why someone does something? How presumptuous? Maybe if you take a walk in the person’s shoes you might understand them. Until then, you are just ignorant. People are motivated by things seen and unseen. Cynicism about those motivations is an easy road to take. You don’t need to hope that people have good intentions, just watch what they do and understand them individually. Everyone reveals themselves eventually. Cynics have no cojones.

No one in America cares about the international arena: Dude, there are 300 million Americans. Who exactly doesn’t care and about what specifically? AND when was the last time YOU were in North America and who did you talk to? It is expensive to get to Africa and most Americans are not that rich. The average American takes a big road trip in the summer and visits the National Parks or they save in order to get good seats at the ball park during baseball season. American media is provincial….HELLO?!!!...have you seen the evening news in London, Abuja, Paris or Kampala? Everyone is provincial, that is why these generalisations don’t help increase understanding. There is plenty to learn from the internet. Set up a site, allow everyone access and start educating the people.

The UN Security Council is a puppet for powerful countries: Uncle Bob and Ahmadinejad do have a point here. I hate to say it but I feel squirrelly about the powerful countries imposing these restrictions on smaller ones. I don’t want to die because two power-hungry men cannot control their urge to feel significant and end up blowing up the planet. However, I would like more explanation about the criteria for getting in to the country club of decision makers. I simply think that right now, whoever has the biggest stick has the power. This brings me to gender.

Endemic rape, control of women through the ruse of religion, sexual violence, genital mutilation and the lack of education for women and children: this happens everywhere on the planet.

So when people complain that the West is oppressing them ,I scoff. Dude, try being a woman. Try being a woman and African. Try being a girl baby and Chinese. It is all about power imbalances. The feminists were right-bless their braless, same-sex souls. But how far have we come really? Talk about domination, invasion and control-Man, try being a woman.

Gender inequality is an age old problem, older than imperialism, white farm invasions, the global financial crisis and black empowerment movements,. Start looking at how your society, media, and government treats women and let’s have a real, meaningful conversation.

Let’s talk about adequate pre-natal care and solving the Aids, malaria, and polio crisis so we can stop their disparate impact on women. Let’s talk about rape as a form of political intimidation and oppression. Let's talk about the children of acts of rape. Let’s talk about the education of woman and children which is vital to an escape from our narrow, provincial perspectives.

Until you sort THAT out, mate, I don’t have time for your historical, whinging, nonsense. I have a son to raise and he is already a better man than you.

www.pambazuka.org

http://www.blackcommentator.com/128/128_haiti_rape.html.

www.aids-freeworld.org/content/view/246/189/

www.worlded.org/WEIInternet/gwe/index.cfm

www.un.org/ecosocdev/geninfo/afrec/.../183women_aids.htm