Ruminating on Trayvon, racism, American imperialism - and a funny...

I'm with Field on this one:  Miami Heat, LeBron James, Dwyane Wade don hoodies for Trayvon Martin.  It immediately reminded me of two other athletes standing up for something on a much larger scale (IMHO, the comment thread on the Heat story shows that - like the reasons for all of these athletes making a statement - the more things change, the more they stay the same).

A meaningful development - ABC News Reports Trayvon Martin Dialed 911 Prior to Being Shot?  The caption on photo #64 at this link reads:  "Attorney Benjamin Crump holds cellphone records and a police report as he speaks with the media about his clients' son, 17-year-old Trayvon Martin. Crump says the teenager's cellphone records contradict the account of what happened between George Zimmerman and Martin in the moments before he was fatally shot by Zimmerman." (emphasis mine) The cellphone records could surely clear up a lot, No?

Over on one of Abagond's recent posts, "Grada Kilomba on racism in Europe" (if you've never checked out this blog, I so recommend you do) - commenter, Pan Africano left a link to a discussion on an Australian TV program entitled, "I'm not a Racist, But...".   Quite a peek into racism "Down Under" (makes me think about how the fear of us "Others," directly correlates to all of that occupying-cum-oppression by alabaster hands).

I saw this on RT awhile ago and added it to my "link hoard," mainly because, the endurance of my people never ceases to amaze me, and, because as a Black woman in America, I am constantly reminded of how seemingly completely, our umbilical cord to Africa was severed by the slave trade - unlike Christine, the mother in the video who, though assimilating into Russian culture, has proudly maintained her African culture through songs remembered, meals prepared and keeping her native language alive:



(I studied Russian a long time ago and, thoroughly enjoying the ability to be conversant in such a difficult language, I did very well.  I barely remember it now though.  It's true what the proverbial, "they" say - If you don't use it, you lose it!).

Speaking of Abagond - an astute tumbler update on Kony 2012:  KONY 2012’s funders: JP Morgan, Chase Bank and Exxon Mobil.

On a lighter note, this sure gave me a much-needed chuckle today - Police want bucks back from I-270 cash grab.  Really??  Come on now, what are the chances of that happening?!

Ugandan blogger's eloquent response to "Invisible Children Kony 2012"

"When the missionaries came to Africa, they had the Bible and we had the land.  They said, 'Let us pray.'  We closed our eyes.  When we opened them, we had the Bible and they had the land."

Jomo Kenyatta

Now I've never been to Uganda, and I won't sit here and tell you that I know any more about it than those Americans who have.  But I have been to Africa - a few times.  And based solely on what little I have learned, the absolute prescience of Jomo Kenyatta's quote (often attributed to Bishop Desmond TuTu), still holds true! - particularly in light of the "Invisible Children Kony 2012" video that has gone viral (I refuse to directly link to it, but you can watch it via the Alternet link in the next paragraph).

Why would I think that?  Because I personally know someone, whose parents sent her to the late, Jerry Falwell's,  Liberty University (home of alleged "Christian" aims) - and Bruce Wilson's, "Invisible Children Kony 2012" Leader Suggests It's About Jesus and Evangelizing" clearly bears the little I do know out.

"Earlier in the discussion, Jason Russell had stated his goal of "ending genocide" and capturing Joseph Kony, but that goal seemed framed within the larger project of evangelizing the nations."

Refreshing though, is Ugandan blogger, Rosebell Kagumire's response to the "Kony 2012" video (to which I will link here).  Please, try to listen with an open, non-missionary-influenced, uncolonized mind (I know it's hard, but I know you can do it!):



This beautiful, young sister knows way more about her country than I do, but more importantly - she also seems to know plenty enough about ours.  As I said in my previous post:  "We've got so much work to do family - in alliance with, or without, any-damned-body else!"



The US power grab in Africa By Pepe Escobar

Interesting update I:  "White House congratulates Kony video makers"

Interesting update IIa: 'Kony 2012' filmmaker detained in San Diego

Interesting update IIb:  Jason Russell THE NAKED MELTDOWN Caught on Tape (I suggest you watch this one on TMZ, cuz the one on Youtube carries a viewer discretion warning - and it should!)

Thoughtful update I:  The White Savior Industrial Complex

Ridiculous update I:  Kony 2012: Part II Released With Much Less Fanfare