Whose God ?

On Friday Pakistan was hit by a cold blooded act of sectarian violence that left more than 200 dead when two mosques were attacked during the Jumuah prayer. It was by no means an isolated event in recent world history. Sectarian violence has become a common act for humanity who have evolved enough to punish religious differences by the death.

A far cry from the teachings of the Prophet (saw) and beyond sickening when one school of thought or the state thinks it can define who a Muslim is , decide who may say the Salaam - muslim greetng-, determine which muslim place of worship is to be called a masjid and patent the Kalima – islam’s tenet of faith-!

Artful ?

As usual the real point has taken a back-seat, both the debates relating to the facebook ‘draw the prophet Muhammad’ page and Zapiro’s cartoon that appeared in the latest addition of the Mail and Guardian pulled out all the usual debates about freedom of expression. However the issue is not really one of freedom of expression but rather one of religious intolerance that highlights both the worst in stereotyping Muslims and islamophobia.

For many Muslims it would be the same if, during the height of the crusades western Christianity was drawing similar racist depictions of the prophet. We would not see them as neutral and free spirited expressions of speech but rather as a conscious ideological and political tool being used in support of the continuing war efforts in the Muslim world.

As usual jibes against Islam and Muslims are not only allowed but totally acceptable, it is interesting how racism and intolerance in the ‘west’ are limited to not being inciteful against Judaism, homosexuality and sometimes blacks – usually only in the hope to camouflage the continuation of past inequalities -.

As Zizek wrote in his article -http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/11/opinion/11zizek.html-,‘China's State Administration of Religious Affairs announcing a law covering "the management measures for the reincarnation of living Buddhas in Tibetan Buddhism."‘

"Culture" has commonly become the name for all those things we practice without really taking seriously. And this is why we dismiss fundamentalist believers as "barbarians" with a "medieval mindset": they dare to take their beliefs seriously. Today, we seem to see the ultimate threat to culture as coming from those who live immediately in their culture, who lack the proper distance.

Hope Floating

If the moment that hope crashed made a sound, it would probably be like the sound of major aerial bombing over Baghdad by the Allied troops.

The sound that makes you certain that nothing can remain standing.

The Zapatista...

(Picture Source: Google)

Nothing To Lose

"We have nothing to lose, absolutely nothing..."
-- Zapatista National Liberation Army (EZLN)--
-- Declaration of the Lacandon Jungle, 1993--

There is nothing to lose,
. . . .absolutely nothing,
. . . . . . .everything is gone,
disappeared to some northern vault
. . . .guarded by greedy eyes
. . . . . . .that see no justice,
oppression
. . . .or the violence of deprivation,
there are no schools,
. . . .only classrooms of death
. . . . . . .where children learn how to die
from hunger
. . . .or some weak kneed germ,
there is no land,
. . . .only twisted rock
. . . . . . .squeezed beyond giving
and paper landscapes
. . . .of sterile promises,
there is no home,
. . . .only wood-slat masks
. . . . . . .to fool the wind,
who knows we've been raped
. . . .and lay vulnerable,
. . . . . . .legs open to the cold,
there is no work,
. . . .only free trade among the rich,
while our noses press against
. . . .corn stained windows
stuck tight
. . . .with dried blood of our Pueblo,
. . . . . . .our ancestors,
there is no justice,
. . . .court is closed,
the gavel smashes our heads,
. . . .our bones scream,
Basta - Basta - Basta,
. . . .they scream,
. . . . . . .we have nothing to lose.

By Phil Goldvarg 1995

Man Of The African Desert

Colonisation...

(Picture Source: google)

If you were the imperial power and my heart was the ethnic minority, would you follow the historical precedent ?

An Abomination indeed!

Lowkey is one of the most talented artists I have come across. Thank you, Lowkey for keeping it real,

Lowkey – Obama Nation (Official Lyrics)

[Intro]

This track is not an attack upon the American people,
It’s an attack upon the system within which they live.
Since 1945 the United States has attempted to overthrow more than 50 foreign governments,
In the process the US has caused the end of life for several million people,
And condemned many millions more to a life of agony and despair.

[Verse 1]

The strength of your dreaming prevents you from reason,
The American dream only makes sense if you’re sleeping,
It’s just a cruel fantasy; their politics took my voice away,
But their music gave it back to me,
The land where the lumpen are consumed by consumption,
Killing themselves to shovel down food in abundance,
I guess a rapper from Britain is a rare voice,
America is capitalism on steroids,
Natives kept in casinos and reservations,
Displaced slaves never given reparations,
Take everything from Native Americans,
And wonder why i call it the racist experiment,
Afraid of your melanin, the same as it’s ever been,
That aint gonna change with the race of the president,
I see imperialism under your skin tone,
You could call it Christopher Columbus syndrome.

[Chorus 2x]

Is it Obama’s nation? Or an abomination?
Is it Obama’s nation? Or an abomination?
Is it Obama’s nation? Or an abomination?

Doesn’t make any difference when they bomb your nation.

O! say can you see by the dawn’s early light,
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight’s last gleaming,
Whose broad stripes and bright stars through perilous fight,
O’er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming.

[Verse 2]

The world’s entertainer, the world’s devastator,
From Venezuela, to Mesopotamia,
Your cameras lie, cause they have to hide the savage crimes,
Committed on leaders that happen to try and nationalize,
Eating competitions? while the worlds been starving,
Beat up communism with the help of Bin Laden,
Where would your war of terror be without that man,
Every day you create more Nidal Hassan’s,
Kill a man from the military, you’re a weirdo,
But kill a wog from the Middle East you’re a hero,
Your country is causing screams that never reach your ear holes,
America inflicted a million Ground Zero’s,
Follow the dollar and swallow your humanity,
Soldier’s committing savagery you never even have to see,
Those mad at me, writing emails angrily,
I’m not anti-America, America is anti-me!

[Chorus 2x]

Is it Obama’s nation? Or an abomination?
Is it Obama’s nation? Or an abomination?
Is it Obama’s nation? Or an abomination?

Doesn’t make any difference when they bomb your nation.

And the rocket’s red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night, that our flag was still there,
O! say does that star spangled banner yet wave,
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

[Verse 3]

I don’t care if him and Cheney are long lost relations,
What matters more is the policies, I lost my patience,
Stop debating bringing race into the conversation,
Occupation and cooperation equals profit making,
It’s over; people wake up from the dream now,
Nobel peace prize, Jay Z on speed-dial,
It’s the substance within, not the colour of your skin,
Are you the puppeteer or the puppet on the string?,
So many believed it was instantly gonna’ change,
There was still Dennis Ross, Brzezinski and Robert Gates,
What happened to Chas freeman? (AIPAC),
What happened to Tristan Anderson?,
It’s a machine that keeps that man breathing,
I have the heart to say what all the other rappers aren’t,
Words like Iraq, Palestine, Afghanistan,
The wars on, and you morons were all wrong,
I call Obama a bomber cause those are your bombs.

Ke Nako - It Is Time!

With just a little more than a month to go before the FIFA World Cup, the excitement all around South Africa seems to be building up. The construction of the stadia is completed and people are in awe as they tour the architectural wonders, getting a sneak peek of where the football stars will be. Most people have adorned their sunshine-yellow football jerseys, the sounds of vuvuzelas are heard all around and colourful posters calling for Mzansi to unite can be seen almost everywhere!

But as we draw closer to the highly anticipated event, the stark reality that this world cup is not really our own, begins to dawn on us. High expectations of foreigners bringing in the dollars that will boost the economy are now deflated, as the numbers anticipated seem to have dwindled. Meanwhile everyone who has ever used any reference to the words WORLD, CUP or 2010 are being sued by the FIFA Mafia who are the real beneficiaries of this event.

If we thought that the world’s biggest sporting spectacular was going to make a difference to the lives of those living in the slums, then we were about 80% correct – a difference has been made – the unsightly Tin-Can-Town, more of a concentration camp than a temporary residence for the homeless – is where thousands of people have been herded into pens like cattle and are subjected to brutality and intimidation so that we have “clean” cities to show-off to the foreigners!

We’ve been duped!

Do you want to experience South African culture and cuisine? Not anywhere near the stadia you won’t! They’ve already rounded up the hawkers and road-side traders and moved them at least 2 kilometres away. So much for black economic empowerment!

Apparently FIFA still thinks the Apartheid Group Areas Act is cool. Not wanting to make da circle beeeger, they insist moving matches from the previously and currently disadvantaged areas of Newlands and Athlone in Cape Town to the affluent (read as WHITE) , Green Point Stadium. As for all you paraplegics – if you can’t run on the soccer field, why should there be a need for you to have access to the spectator stand? Sit at home or go and play basketball!

Already the sexploitation is visible – more and more prostitutes hanging around the waterfront in Cape Town and Mandela Square in Sandton. It is expected that forty thousand women from abroad will be playing the beautiful game on home turf! More importantly, let’s all stock up on condoms and even send a ministerial delegation to London to procure a billion more! What the Fuck? (Pardon the pun) – I always knew it was about boys and their toys playing with balls but seriously – are they coming for the World Cup Orgy?

Halala Africa Halala!