See Mugabe’s fooled people into thinking he’s a champion for Africa, hardly. In fact he makes us look bad and confirms white people’s beliefs that we can’t and shouldn’t rule ourselves in Southern Africa. Of course the media is biased and does not do a fair job, but that has nothing to do with the things he’s doing to his own people. The only difference between him and the other thugs and killers is that he bothers to pretend like he’s for Africans, but he’s just out for himself like everyone else
Re: Who Said Apartheid Ended? published in the Black Star News online, July 27, 2005 and a 2002 article titled ‘Mugabe is Still the Better Devil,’ both by Peter Otika Okema. It’s not about white people. See Mugabe’s fooled people into thinking he’s a champion for Africa, hardly. In fact he makes us look bad and confirms white people’s beliefs that we can’t and shouldn’t rule ourselves in Southern Africa. Of course the media is biased and does not do a fair job, but that has nothing to do with the things he’s doing to his own people.
The only difference between him and the other thugs and killers is that he bothers to pretend like he’s for Africans, but he’s just out for himself like everyone else. Come on! Please don’t tell me you think Mugabe is a victim of any kind, least of all western media! He has more than failings. I could care less about whites in Southern Africa; the real victims are the people in Zimbabwe who aren’t getting any of that land back. Do you really think Mugabe’s any different than any other African leader? I can say the same thing about Uganda’s Yoweri Museveni; he’s done some good things, dealt with AIDS, brought a little bit of prosperity to Uganda.
Stood the test of time? It’s time for him to go. This supposed land redistribution, who’s getting the land back? Landless people or Mugabe’s cronies? They are having so many problems over there: food shortages, they’re not too far off from being Niger, and it’s been like this for the last few years, and it’s not just because of drought or bad harvests. And this supposed operation clear out the trash, or whatever it’s called, in the urban areas. He’s not cleaning up trash, he’s clearing regular people out of their pathetic houses, like there aren’t homeless people already, and do you know how many people who’ve been thrown out? For no good reason.
Otika’s article seems to be focusing more on what Mugabe represents than what he actually does in Zimbabwe. It’s nice that he was there when the Brits decided to leave, but why is he still there? Is that land really being redistributed? If it is why is agricultural production going down? I don’t disagree that western countries are ignorant and arbitrary in who they decide is doing a good job and who isn’t. I mean a few years ago the U.S. was doing business with the supposed terrorist Saddam Hussein. They’re out to take what they still can from Africa but so is Mugabe.
The government-controlled media in Zimbabwe is just as suspect as you believe western media interests to be. You also know that those roofs he supposedly provided he is now taking away. Does a good leader do that? Even Bush doesn’t take someone’s house away if they vote for someone else. You’re argument is similar one could use to defend Castro in Cuba. Castro sticks his tongue out at the U.S. because he refuses to be subjugated by them, so that makes him a ‘hero.’ He supposedly ended the cycle of American puppets on the island yes, but what has done since then?
Not a great deal to help people. And he’s in love with himself and going senile, like his friend in Zimbabwe. They just want to be kings. Remember Thurgood Marshall said a Black snake is still a snake –or something like that– about Clarence Thomas. In other words I find little difference between western devils and African ones.
I love people who can stand up to western powers, and I do like that at the very least, Castro pisses the U.S. off. All the petty policies Washington enacts does not faze him one bit. That doesn’t mean what he’s doing is right. And the same goes for Mugabe. Let’s forget about Britain and the U.S. for a second. Is he doing his people right? Is there free press or free speech? Are there fair elections with all parties given a fair shot?
Everyone has agendas, even opposition parties. That’s how Mugabe gets support from other foolish dictators, by making himself look like he’s doing a lot—and fighting the big bad white man to boot. You can’t believe everything the west says, but I damn sure don’t believe what Mugabe says either. In other words I would take him off his pedestal. I don’t mind the criticisms of the west because they’re all true, but the guy to the say the least is not doing a good job. And I worry that his hype as a great African leader blinds people to the truth, especially the few African-Americans who know about him and his supposed land redistribution, because you know they of all people want to believe in an African leader who’s doing right by his people.
The writer is a first year Law Student at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Black Star News Editor’s Note: With reference to points such as “confirms white people’s beliefs that we can’t and shouldn’t rule ourselves in Southern Africa…â€? it’s obvious that this writer cares too much about what whites think of Africans—liberated Africans don’t give a damn what whites think about us. Without excusing any of Africa’s bloody tyrants, let’s never forget that Europeans have had their share, including one Mr. Hitler, a bonafide European who will not be matched soon. With respect to “cronies,â€? let’s not forget that George W. Bush’s cronies, including VP Dick Chaney are looting Iraq’s oil resources in the name of ‘war against terrorism.’ With respect to “free speechâ€? and “free pressâ€? let’s not forget about The New York Times reporter, Judith Miller, serving time for a story she didn’t even write. The key is to always keep things in perspective. The Black Star welcomes all reasonable opinions.
