Comments on: Somalia: Hidden Catastrophe, Hidden Agenda

By: bobbio

bobbio — Sat, 17 May 2008 02:28:16 +0000

Always remember-we are governed by sociopaths-really-look up the definition.This includes our so called elected representatives,but more importantly,the banksters and captains of industry they work for.

By: denk

denk — Fri, 16 May 2008 17:24:33 +0000

dan e **Is it possible that the abundance of “don’t give a fuck” attitudes re events in these African locales has sthg to do with the abundance of white “progressive” (sic) ** yanks and brits do have their hearts in the right place, see how they stand up to the ccp and the burmese generals !!

By: Annie

Annie — Fri, 16 May 2008 00:01:07 +0000

I think that most of the folks who read DV have a pretty good understanding of what’s going on in the world, particularly with regard to rich white Americans and Europeans (and now Russians and Chinese) and their actions on the continent of Africa and elsewhere. I agree with D.R. in that sometimes the problems around the world (at the hands of the wealthy and even ourselves) seem quite overwhelming. The rape of Congo for coltan and diamonds is appalling. The rest of Africa is being stripped of it’s resources and it’s mind boggling that it continues to be the status quo. The bombing written about in this article occured within a few blocks of the only hospital in the area!!! So we all know what’s going on, but no one ever has a suggestion for what to do about it! Help me out!!! What should I/WE do about it?!? I’m tired of knowing about the evil, I want to change, what do I do??? I don’t want people in the world to suffer at the hands of people from my own country. I don’t want people around the world to suffer from MY OWN actions. What should I do???

By: dan e

dan e — Thu, 15 May 2008 18:48:17 +0000

Is it possible that the abundance of “don’t give a fuck” attitudes re events in these African locales has sthg to do with the abundance of white “progressive” (sic) commentaters here on DV? How does a site that itself is relatively sensitive & aware re “racial matters” manage to attract so many commenters who don’t have a clue, whose coats have yet to be pulled to the main facts about “America”?

Excuse me, think I feel a draft…

By: dan e

dan e — Thu, 15 May 2008 18:33:29 +0000

Well I freely admit to being an asshole, plus often a dummy or/and a senile crackpot — but at least I’m not as big an asshole as this Crass Criss character;)

Who may not be as stupid as he sounds: could be CC is a fairly clever propaganda operative for some reactionary outfit, like CUFI maybe?

By: D.R. Munro

D.R. Munro — Thu, 15 May 2008 18:02:38 +0000

Maybe all I need is a break from the daily bombardment. I wasn’t in the best state of mind when I wrote my comment earlier, and today I think I am seeing things a bit more clearly. That said, perhaps I will take the summer and just enjoy life for a bit – and when the fall rolls around I will be recharged and ready to go again.

By: Annie

Annie — Thu, 15 May 2008 15:19:02 +0000

Dear D. R.,
As Mary said, please don’t give up.
Your apathy/complacency/tiredness is understandable.
The world (especially the African continet) is in big trouble, and the trouble comes at the hands of greedy foreigners who will stop at nothing to feed their greed. But…in a room with no light, even the light of a single match is illuminating. Evil may be strong but good is stronger.

By: mary

mary — Thu, 15 May 2008 10:58:13 +0000

D.R. Munro – Some understanding of how you are feeling is being expressed on the medialens message board right now. You are not alone but please don’t give up caring and speaking out.

My brother, a retired surgeon, who set up a charity called Dove and Dolphin to help the people of Gaza, especially the children, and who will return there next week for his ninth visit, wrote back to me this morning (below). I had told him about someone I’d met who showed no concern for other people in distress and said to me ‘Thank goodness we live in England’ after I’d been telling her one or two facts about the situation there.
——————————————————————————–
Yes Mary. There are millions like her who would feel freedom if they knew more and could embrace other people. I keep saying that upset families here would learn a lot sitting in a little yard in ‘Palestine’ being with a Palestinian family. The grace of young children. The 9 yr old boy carrying his toddler sister on his hip and giving her a tender kiss. Many homes do not induce love and tenderness, and much teaching is for ignorance really. You never here the f…. politicians speak of inspiration, but instead they refer to measures. Father Manuel knows how to inspire and to instil joy. The woman you were speaking to has little joy. Her island is not England but her self. There are plenty who are in islands of the mind and that is how the elite wants them to remain – until the war cry goes up. But things are a-changing in spite of the western media and our illusory democracy. On Monday, at Exeter University there were at least 250 students plus older people to think about al nakba. Atzmon’s report is accurate.

http://palestinethinktank.com/2008/05/13/time-is-running-out-for-israel-atzmons-report-of-the-nakba-commemoration-event/

The mother and child is winning. And a boat is on the way from Cyprus to Gaza I hear.

For truth, reason and justice David
—————————————————————————————-
PS Father Manuel is a Catholic priest in Gaza, imprisoned there by the siege, but who speaks up for the people. David met him on his last visit.

By: D.R. Munro

D.R. Munro — Wed, 14 May 2008 20:58:02 +0000

Unfortunately, my resolve is wavering far too much recently. I can honestly say that the cynicism and bitterness toward almost all things that I have developed while being involved in “leftist” movements has taken its toll on me.

I can say with one-hundred percent honesty that I no longer give a damn. I couldn’t give a fuck anymore what is happening to people in Somalia, or anywhere else. This world has been on the same trajectory since the start of time, and nothing can hope to derail. Not ten anarchists, not a million civilians – no one, nothing. Might as well get used to be being bent over the table . . . you’d be amazed what you can get used to.

I’m too tired to care. Keep up the fight if you want, boys, but this just isn’t worth it to me anymore.

By: sk

sk — Wed, 14 May 2008 18:26:17 +0000

James Loewen's Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong--a new edition of which has just come out--quotes a school textbook trying to explain reasons for US involvement in that country's Civil War: "War broke out" in Vietnam. They might as well have been talking about a natural event that occurred in 1958 whose onset could have had any link with human agency. btw, main point of the surprisingly "candid" Chatham House report on Somalia can be read here.

By: Chris Crass

Chris Crass — Wed, 14 May 2008 18:06:16 +0000

Also in the vein of not giving a fuck is that there’s always a handy excuse. Even if the excuse is plainly a lie people convince themselves of its truth so they won’t have to care. Gordon Brown and George Bush are certainly assholes, but so is everyone else.

By: hp

hp — Wed, 14 May 2008 17:02:19 +0000

I don’t think Somalia or Mozambique or Ethiopia or Bolivia or Nicaragua or Sudan or Congo or Iraq or Iran are hidden so much as hardly anyone gives a fuck. And it’s not hard to figure out why.
It really is hard to ‘blame’ people, whip them.
This world and its evil are overwhelming, and by an unconscious act self preservation, that which can’t be ‘blamed’ on people, they turn it off.