Mass Murder in Zimbabwe, We Don't Care

1. We only care at a distance. If it means us sacrificing something, no, we want no part of it. Africa is being lost to America. The Motherland of the world is rich in resources and America is ignoring it. If America thought that the "National interest" was our being closely linked to Africa, yes, indeed, we would be there. Look at Iraq and its abundant supply of oil -- we're there! How stupid are Americans. Africa too is rich in resources and China is grabbing as much as possible of it and then selling it back to Americans. The Chinese politicians are so much worse than ours in that they REALLY don't care about Africans, only their resources and they're doing a better job of pitting one group against another. Americans just don't see how important that continent is to our survival, even though its filled with black people. What a shame.

Cocoa Delight at 1:23PM on Jun 25th 2008

2. The people of Zimbabwe are brave. They have risked, and in over 100 instances - sacrificed their very lives for the chance to vote - something we take for granted. They are being starved and brutalized by Robert Mugabe and his ZANU-PF thugs. Finally Obama condemned this yesterday. I hope Black America - whom call themselves "African - Americans" - finally make their collective voice heard. When they do, it will be the "shout" heard round the world...

big downer at 2:21PM on Jun 25th 2008

3. I know it seems like much of America doesn't care, but there ARE lots of people who do care. I just wrote a blog post yesterday about two films exposing the horrors of rape-in-conflict in Zimbabwe and the DRC (humaneconnectionblog.blogspot.com). I am fortunate to work for an organization that promotes comprehensive humane education, focusing on the interconnectedness of human rights, environmental preservation, animal protection and media and culture. All of our students care about these issues and are working to make positive steps and to educate others about the power of their choices. There are other organizations out there working to inspire and empower others and to help transform this world into one that is humane, just and sustainable.

We also have to realize that there are so many horrors occurring daily around the world, with so many people and animals suffering and dying, and so much of the world being destroyed, that people get fatigued. They start to tune it out, because they feel powerless to do something, especially when it's occurring in a geographic region that seems so far away to them. I'm certainly not excusing their lack of positive action. But I think it's important to understand that many people just don't know what to do. The more people we can educate and empower others to make humane choices for all, the more voices we have speaking out and the more hands we have to take positive action.

Please keep speaking out and helping others to do the same.

Marsha at 2:05PM on Jun 26th 2008

4. Dear Carmen--

You often have posts that that make me want to jump up and do something right now--and often I feel I don't have all of the facts or the right tools in front of me to know exactly what to do.

So, since my blog is growing to be about personal accountibility in fighting prejudice/racism, rather than asking you to do something I suppose I am offering to help by somehow working with you to make it easy for people to act quickly--e.g. here's the issue, here's a sample letter to personalize and send, and here's where to send it (e.g. with specific addresses in the case of the inflammatory media images), or, in the case of contacting government visit www.house.gov and enter your zip code for your Representative, and enter www.senate.gov to get your senators, etc.

You are phenomenal in researching, relaying, reporting, analyzing in a fair and thought provoking way really timely relevant issues (I'm convinced you don't sleep!) related to race. Could it be a 'click here tell your elected officials to take action on this issue' kind of mechanism?

Like Marsha says, often you don't know what to do that is effective. As a model, the Illinois Arts Alliance is incredibly effective at mobilizing and making it easy for arts leaders to advocate for the arts in Illinois; my sister has extensive letter writing campaigns on behalf of animals at Kinship Circle that make it easy for people around the globe to advocate for animals. I'd welcome an opportunity to talk to you more about a setting up a similar mechanism related to some of the issues you bring up at allaboutrace. What's that quote, Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequete. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure." I want to 'be the change I want to see in the world,but sometimes I'm not sure where to begin

Deanna

Deanna at 4:04PM on Jun 26th 2008

5. Nobody has hit on the real reason why Mugabe has been allowed by the rest of the African leaders to lay waste Zimbabwe: what has been happening in the Congo for the past 10 to 15 years.

The Congo has been systematically pillaged of its natural and mineral resources by nearly all of the rest of black Africa.

Quote: "Uganda and Rwanda, who support the rebels fighting the Congolese regime in Kinshasa, as well as allies of President Laurent-Desire Kabila - Angola, Namibia and Zimbabwe - have had no qualms about helping themselves to the riches in territories under their control.
...
Unconfirmed sources in Kinshasa say each allied country makes off with whatever valuable materials that exist in its sector. The Ugandans and Rwandans plunder gold, diamonds, coffee and wood, the Zimbabweans diamonds and copper, and the Angolans, oil.

According to the Diamond Office, a division of the Belgian customs bureau which exclusively oversees the import and export of diamonds, Uganda, Rwanda and Zimbabwe have become exporters of diamond, although not one mine exists on their own soil.

Statistics for last July published by the Diamond Office show that Zimbabwe exported 19 000 carats worth of diamonds, Rwanda 1 500, and Uganda 11 000.

The government in Kinshasa says the Ugandans and Rwandans seized 185 216 carats worth of diamonds and 447 kilogrammes of gold during the first eight months of the war."

If Mugabe goes down he will sing like a birdie, and that the other African leaders do NOT want.

The plunder from the gang-rape of Congo's resources is propping up the economies of all the aforementioned countries. Understandably, they do not want it to stop.

Google for the link http://www.namibian.com.na/Netstories/Econ10-99/natural.html and open the _Cached_ content, for the main link has been removed.

DWMF at 3:59AM on Jun 27th 2008

6. We care. We just can't do anything about it. Americans are stretched thin and African American's are stretched even more. The problems of the day are unfortunately on our own soil. We should be more angry at the Government that has ignored the genocide, disease and famine in Africa for decades. The US has been so poorly run by the 'all for me' Republicans that this country is now in chaos. Some of our cities are just as bad, just as poor and just as disenfranchised as the poorest of countries. We can't even rebuild New Orleans, what in the world do you expect us to do for Africa? We care alright and to care and not be able to do anything about it is the worst feeling.

angel at 7:40PM on Jun 29th 2008

7. Imagine for a moment if Mugabe were white. What would your reaction be then. Mugabe was cheered when he brutalized whites, stole their farms and gave the land to his cronies. Only now that he is killing other blacks is their even a hint of outrage.

Until blacks feel the same anger without regard to the race of the villain or victim, this will continue.

buydow at 10:59PM on Jun 29th 2008

8. Dont nobody give a f*ck bout black people not even black people sh*t i bet if they had hella oil in africa they would give a sh*t

Squeek at 6:12AM on Jun 30th 2008

9. Rwanda, Darfur and Zimbabwe. How long will we sit and watch our brothers and sisters be maimed, raped, murdered for freedom?

This election is a sham. The United States claims to have the most powerful military in the world - they could send in mercenaries/a covert operation to take Mugabe to another country and install Tzvangirai with the UN monitoring the election process. There are many of Mugabe's henchmen who need to be removed as well.

Write to your elected officials and demand that congress pass a resolution condemning the violence and authorizing military action.

Annette at 7:04AM on Jun 30th 2008

10. Yes,I care. However, since when has the USA cared about anyone being killed, tortured, or raped when they are African, especially black!

John at 7:10AM on Jun 30th 2008

11. I am so very tired of the United States getting in everybody's business so let it be. We don't need another war,those people have been killing each other for centuries. I feel no connection to Africa or to Africians,yes my great-great grandfather was an africian so what my great great grandmother was cherokee and I could care less. It's all about survival for me and my family now and I don't see how my being concerned about africa and their problems will help me. Besides they, africians are the ones that sold my ancestors to the white man. No I don't care what happens over there as long as it doesn't affect me and it's not.

MsDarkalicious at 9:17AM on Jun 30th 2008

12. mugabe is no saint. what political leader is? however, if the US and the UN (code for European powers) takes over Zimbabwe, they will continue to rob the land of it's natural resources and kill off the zimbabweans who favor mugabe's political party. mugabe doesn't want this to happen so he's taking out the opposition first (whites and blacks alike). it's called war. it's not pretty. and yes, people die. same thing any other country's leader would do - including the US...

nyahstar at 9:43AM on Jun 30th 2008

13. those fools have been killing each other way before they started the slave trade so let them continue just like the rag heads!!!

k vaughn at 9:46AM on Jun 30th 2008

14. those fools have been killing each other way before they started the slave trade just like the rag heads and U.S. soldier are dying for what.

k vaughn at 9:52AM on Jun 30th 2008

15. Let's run it back to what Kanye West said:"Bush does not care about black people." Now if Zimbabwe had something he wanted, he would send troops over there to help fight and make anew. But if Bush and the U.S. government do not care about black on black crime and murders in our own nation, then what makes one think they give a damn about those in Zimbabwe. I mean really. Take a look at our own country. What is happening in Zimbabwe is a disgrace, so please don't take it that I don't care. But little whispers in large crowds are rarely heard. In other words, those of us who truly care don't have the power to make a change.

kymnh at 9:59AM on Jun 30th 2008