This article is written in response to another article here at Blogcritics by Dean Stephens first published on Jan. 17, 2011, entitled “The ICC Must Double Down on the Bemba Trial.” The reason for this and my purpose herein is to expand upon a rather important issue Mr. Stephens has raised and one I maintain which has been much too often neglected or simply overlooked by the American and also the world press as well.
Moreover, I will allow you, dear readers, to determine for yourselves whether I am reasonably justified in this decision of mine; or as in the words of one of the editors here at Blogcritics, whether I am guilty of intellectual and philosophic “showofffery” and in my own words, of “showboating.”
First off, as evidenced by the trial of Jean-Pierre Bemba, I must sadly say that Africa is awash in the residue of its own history—and it is not at all a pretty picture. Rather it unfortunately and sadly is an ugly and sordid tableau of genocide and rivers of blood, political repression and malevolent dictators, and of a dismal record of backwards and primitive economic development which produces, by far, more bone-crushing, deadly poverty than it does life-saving and beneficial prosperity. And yet ironically this occurs in one of the richest continents in natural resources on the face of this planet of ours.
I must ask why? Why is Africa such an economic basket case; and why is it the victim of so many bloodthirsty, brutal and murderous dictators and governments; and why does no one seem to give a damn?
First off, in anticipation of the de rigueur typical, commie-lib/simp, pinko-lefty, commie Marxist usual suspects, both white and black, both here and also in Western Europe: It is just too damn convenient to say that it is totally and completely the fault of a long litany of historical sins—solely and precisely because of slavery and imperialism and colonialism and of course, because of white racism ad nauseam. In a word, it’s jut too damn easy to blame it all on “whitey.”
However I must regrettably admit and concede that there is a sliver, mind you, a rather thin and tenuous reed of a sliver of truth in this regard. But I maintain this typical and usual, politically correct, commie-lib/simp, pinko-lefty, commie Marxist, intellectual masturbation and refried-shit-for-brains belies the actual history of Africa. One in which slavery was a norm for literally millennia long before one single white set one single foot onto sub-Saharan Africa.
Article comments
1 - Alan Kurtz
Thanks for writing this article, which makes salient points without degenerating into racism. Among those points is that "the only war criminal is he who loses the war." As Orwell put it, "History is written by the winners." Recounting an African proverb, Nigerian writer Chinua Achebe expressed the same thought more colorfully: "Until the lions have their own historians, the history of the hunt will always glorify the hunter."
But this attitude is problematical when institutionalized in organizations of dubious legitimacy such as the International Criminal Court. Regarding Mr. Bemba, you write, "we must take vengeance and 'fry' this heinous, genocidal murderer." That may be the punishment he deserves, but the mechanism here is troubling.
For one thing, to recollect the old joke about the Lone Ranger and Tonto imperiled by Indians, "What do you mean we, pale face?" You certainly cannot mean Americans, for the USA is not a member of the ICC. So technically we have no dog in this hunt.
Moreover, as you yourself write, "the ICC is regrettably a cruel joke and an utter travesty." Why do you therefore recognize its jurisdiction over Mr. Bemba? Or anyone else, for that matter.
2 - Irvin F Cohen
Dear comrade EEAN Kurtz,
Thanks for your kind comments and again you contribute many"points well taken."
I agree, we have no say at ICC and I say thank God, the whole thing should be abolished. But somehow I have a sneaking suspicion that the usual commie-lib/simp, pinko-lefty, EEAN, suspects might be somehow funding this worthless organization in some sleazy, devious and underhanded manner - but then again I am certifiably paranoid, etc..
What I meant to say or rather my meaning was both metaphoric and generic - genocidalists deserve extreme, capital punishment whether it's in the former Yugoslavia or in Cambodia or the Sudan or China or Rwanda ad infinitum. As you can see, when it comes to the crime against humanity of genocide, I am definitively a hardcore, old Corps, hardliner! Or as we were so very fond and wont of saying in the Marine Corps, we were "badass, romping, stomping, kickass, lean, mean killing machines."
And might I add today as a certifiable geezer and old fart, I have become a MMM (a Mean Misanthropic Motherfucker) too.