Marimba Ani on Obama

The European conquest of the mind of most of the people of Africa and Asia is their greatest achievement. Beneath this deadly onslaught lies a stultifying intellectual mystification that prevents Europe's political victims from thinking in a manner that would lead to authentic self determination. Intelectual decolonization is a prerequisite for the creation of successful political decolonization. We can proudly say that one of our people represents the most repressive, destructive, inhumane, anti-afrikan nation ever to have existed. Will we go down in "his" story as having finally capitulated and become satisfied with the evil that is represented in contemporary globalization, privatization and intulectual capitalism? Have we aborted our movement for freedom, liberation and soverignty? Or have we merely redefined that objective in "american" individualistic, "whats in it for me" terms? Have we "won"? Or have we simply taken the easier road, finding it more comfortable to be colonialized than to fight for Liberation? Are we excited about the possibility of being closer to the power than we have ever been. Even though that power rests on the exploitation, even murder, of Afrikans and other non-Europeans throughout the world? Have we even dared to ask ourselves what kind of person would want to be president of the United States of America?

- Marimba Ani

Dr. Hajo Meyer - "The Misuse of the Holocaust for Political Purposes"

Free Palestine

In Defence of Smaller Nations... Western White Nations

The World vowed never again, after the horriffic events of WWII. However yesterday the nations of the world turned their back on that very promise, allowing the Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine to continue, cause sometimes the truth is just to financially damaging.

The United States, Australia, The Netherlands, Italy, Canada, New Zealand, Germany, Poland and Israel amoung others boycotted a United Nations conference on Racism, in South Africa. The basis of their boycott, was that Zionism was a topic that was to be addressed. I personally am completely for this Conference.

Navi Pallay, a UN Human Rights Chief, say she is disappointed at the boycott. The Pope spoke out in favour of the conference, saying it was an opportunity to fight discrimination and intolerance.

"A handful of states have permitted one or two issues to dominate their approach to this issue, allowing them to outweigh the concerns of numerous groups of people that suffer racism and similar forms of intolerance to a pernicious and life-damaging degree on a daily basis all across the world..." - Navi Pallay

"We ask for firm and consistent action, at national and international level, to prevent and eliminate any form of discrimination and of intolerance," - Pope Benidict XVI

Many of the Western Nations that did not boycott the conference, including France, Spain and Britain, walked out once the Iranian President, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad began to speak. These Nations chose to walk out on the many in the world suffering under Racial oppression. They walked out on the Palestinian people, the Tibetian People, the Burmese people and the Sri Lankan People. I have no shame in saying I agreed with alot of what Ahmadinejad said. The following, are quotes from the speech, that I agreed with.

"Peace be upon them all who are the harbingers of monotheism, fraternity, love, human dignity and justice...Over the last centuries, humanity has gone through tremendous suffering and pain. In the middle ages, thinkers and scientists were sentenced to death. It was then followed by a period of slavery and slave trade, when innocent people in millions were captivated and separated from their families and loved ones, to be taken to Europe and America under worse conditions; the dark period that also experienced occupations, lootings, and massacres of innocent people... It did not take long that the coercive powers imposed two wars in Europe which also plagued a part of Asia and Africa. Those horrific wars claimed about 100 million lives and left behind massive devastation. Had lessons been learned from the occupations, horrors, and crimes of those wars, there would have been a ray of hope for the future...The victorious powers [of the world wars] call themselves the conquerors of the world, while ignoring or down-treading the rights of other nations by the imposition of oppressive laws and international arrangements... Following World War Two, they resorted to making an entire nation homeless on the pretext of Jewish suffering. They sent migrants from Europe, the United States and other parts of the world in order to establish a totally racist government in the occupied Palestine. In compensation for the dire consequences of racism in Europe, they helped bring to power the most cruel and repressive, racist regime in Palestine... It is all the more regrettable that a number of Western governments and the United States have committed themselves to defending those racist perpetrators of genocide, whilst the awakened consciences and free-minded people of the world condemn aggression, brutality and the bombardment of civilians of Gaza... the word Zionism personifies racism, that falsely resorts to religion and abuses religious sentiments to hide hatred... It should be recognised that boycotting such a session is a true indication of supporting the blatant example of racism." - Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

The nations of the world, too afraid to lose out financially, walked out on the truth and chose to ignore the suffering of small nations. "In defence of small nations" seems to mean nothing when that small nation is both eastern and Arab. The fact that many chose to Boycott the conference, just because Ahmadinejad was addressing, shows racism against small Arab Nations.

Ahmadinejad had the courage to stand up and say, what the general people of the west said, and have been saying, since Operation Cast Lead and even before. However the Governments of the western world are too afraid to make such statements, cause they are afraid of being called anti semitic. Being pro Palestinian and anti Zionist is not the same as being anti semetic, as many Jews throughout the world will agree. It is not Jewish to remove Arabs from their land and replace them in their homes with foreign settlers. It is not Jewish to Build a wall through Palestinain territory, housing them all in, and stopping their travel with illegal checkpoints and putting them under military occupation. It is not anti semetic to support Palestinian rights.

At least some of the nations leaders returned after Ahmadinejad's speech, however, the Czechs refused to return as a result. His presence there was too much, for this White Western nation, and they refused to share the rest of the day with him. The response of many of the worlds nations should be addressed. The Czech Foriegn Ministry, and current President of the EU, refused to return and said;

"We cannot allow, through our presence, the legitimisation of absolutely unacceptable anti-Israeli attacks. The Czech delegation will not return to the conference at all, as a consequence to Ahmadinejad's speech." - Czech Foriegn Ministry

To this I say, why can you not allow your presence to legitimise the "attacks". Infact I believe that your presence should and Must legitimise these "verbal attacks". Your walking out Legitimised 1,300 dead, 400 of whom where Children and women, and 86% were confirmed to be civilians. It legitimises the recent confessions that innocent civilians were shot intentionally. That the homes of Civilians where vandalised and their faith insulted by crude sexual diagrams. It legitimises the tshirts worn by Israeli soldiers that showed Arab women in the crosshairs. Your walking out legitimised Phosphuros attacks on Schools, Hospitals, mosques and homes. Your walking out legitimised Racism.

To David Miliband, the British Foriegn secretary, after claiming "President Ahmadinejad's remarks... were offensive, inflammatory and utterly unacceptable", I say this. Yes they where offensive, cause sometimes the truth hurts, and you are offended because you refuse to stand up and be held to account, and to stand for what you know is true and right.

As for Jonas Gahr Stoere, Norwegian Foreign Minister, you were completely naive when you claimed "Norway will not accept that the odd-man-out hijacks the collective efforts of the many". Odd Man Out?? Tell that to the thousands of civilians who took to the streets across Europe, America and the rest of the world. Tell that to the thousands of people, that you and your collective Nation leaders chose to Ignore. Tell that to the Jews For Justice, Anarchists against the Wall, the Anti War Movement and the Ireland Palestinian Solidarity Campaign. Just because you chose to ignore the calls for justice from the civilians across the world, does not mean they do not exsist, and this man is no odd man out.

Ban Ki Moon has disappointed me before and makes no exception here. "I deplore the use of this platform by the Iranian president to accuse, divide and even incite. This is the opposite of what this conference seeks to achieve." This conference seeked to achieve what then exactly? Was it not to fight Racism?? So if a Racist regime gets shaken in the process is this not part of what you set out to do. Or is it now Racist to disagree with Racists??

Furthermore, not only do I agree with the statement during the conference, but the attempt to justify himself afterwards.

"The main issue of the conference was racism. Are they supporting racism?... So why shouldn't they participate in a conference which is aimed at discussing and eleminating racism. The second point is, that the United Nations should be Civil Manifestation of Democracy and freedom of expression. Everybody should enjoy the right to freely express his or her own opinions. In turn we should not be intolerant to listening." - Ahamdinejad

The United Nations may as well join the League of Nations in the grave as it died of a lack of exercise, and the United Nations seems fit to follow.

I do not claim to know enough about Iran to fully support Ahmadinejad's rule, but I agree with what he said at Durban II, and I think the nations that Boycotted the Racism conference in Durban, are the ones that need to do the Soul Searching. They need to step back and take alook at themselves.

The United States is a Nation that is built on Slaughter and Slavery. A nation of people, that when they arrived on the shores, attempted to genocide, to rid the land of its indigenous people. A nation that while writing "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness...", enslaved the African people based purely on skin colour. Are still a nation that spend more on War and weaponry than Education, and provide more aid to Israel than they do to the rest of the world combined. Now they Boycott a Racism conference, cause they don't like one of the sub-issues.

The British Empire, built off the spoils of poorer nations, when they plundered and pilaged and colonised Africa, India, Asia and America. A nation that has ravaged the history of Ireland with Bloodshed, opression and left it a divided nation amoung a divided people.

Let us take a look at this world we live in. Ravaged with Inequality, Opression, Occupation and Poverty. United Nations?? Our Nations are far from United. Very Very Far.

God Bless
Peace

"My Fellow Citizens"

So Due to illness my Blog has fallen silent for a few days. I've also decided all aspects of this blog that where about my social life will no longer be part of the writing, as it is fairly pointless and serves only to deter people. For now on, it shall be a place for me to voice and share my social and political views. I have a lot to say.

The inauguration of the 44th American President, Barack Hussein Obama, the First President of African American decent, took place on Tuesday.

This is a big event, not just for America, but globally. Due to the Financial Crisis worldwide, he will be scrutinised by everyone. In Iraq, and Afghanistan the current Wars demand attention. In Cuba, The Torture Chambers of Guantanamo Bay are crying out for attention. In Palestine the people fearfully wait to see if Obama will continue to support Israeli War Crimes. In Pakistan and Iran the people wait to hear will there be calls to war.

I don’t feel any President has come to office, with so many doubtful broken Souls, looking towards them for hope and peace.

Two million hopeful Americans crowed downtown Washington DC on Tuesday, to witness this Historical event. How I wanted to be among them. When asked, however, where I was when this took place I will say "I was at home, sharing a meal with my family". Not to bad an answer I reckon. His speech had no memorable moments such as "The only thing we have to fear, is fear itself", as stated by Franklin D. Roosevelt. However some reporters called it the greatest Political speech they had ever heard. Well here is my review.

Less than Five minutes had elapsed and I heard more of the same we've been hearing for nearly 8 years. "Our nation is at war, against a far reaching network of Violence and Hatred". This is the same language that has created fear, terrorism, war and death, since the Bush Administration conceived the idea to invade Iraq, to finish his fathers work. However shortly after this, through talk of hope and equality my mind seemed to settle. Despite the reference of a Vietnam battle site as a proud American moment, I stayed confident; Confident for America.

However around the half way mark I became unsettled again, as he spoke of "facing down Fascism and communism" in the past. Although he spoke of his intentions to leave Iraq, I did not settle down much, especially upon hearing him say "We will not apologise for our way of life". He went on to discuss how America will not support "inducing terror and slaughtering innocents", and yet to date has still not condemned Israeli action in Gaza, but in fact only today defended it.

Addressing "The Muslim world", was a mistake as he almost seemed to be painting all the Arab and Muslim nations at terrorists. I assume this was not his intention, and that he had probably pent a while trying to work out the words to use here. However he did go on and accuse some of wanting to "sow conflict [and] blame their society’s ills on the west". As a sign of hope, he spoke of unclenching fists and extending hands and seeking "a new way forward, based on mutual respect". He went on to speak of helping the poor nations and suggested they could no longer consume the world’s resources. A pleasant change; he didn't once use the word Terrorist, which has be an overused buzzword, a tool of terrorism, by the Bush Administration.

Within 24 Hours of Office he requested the suspending of Guantanamo Trials, and has ordered it be closed in a year. He has began work on the removal of Troops from Iraq.

I'm not 100% sure how I feel, but its a little better than knowing Bush is running the worlds most powerful seat.

God Bless
Peace