Submitted by Charles Cadogan
President Barack Obama
January 2, 2009, history was made in the good old “U.S.A”; an African American was sworn in as President. But even before Barack H. Obama became President, he made it clear that if he became president change was not his doing….but it would take each and every one of us in America to create the change we so badly need.
But many people are playing the colour card towards change for African Americans. Change can only come through all of us seeing each other as a person, and not a colour. Respect is first due to self, and many African Americans don’t exercise enough.
We as African Americans need to care more for self and give even more respect to our women and children. How is it possible to love your mother, but disrespect other women? This is something that has to be worked out, and fast. President Obama wants all men to be real men toward their children and women.
I do remember as a young man growing up African Americans took real pride in everything. I remember how men stayed smart from head to toe. Everything had to be just right. I always told myself that I’ll do the same….be presentable at all times. And I have lived up to it, and taught my children to do the same. I have seen many young men today walking around showing their drawers. But this was unheard of when I was growing up. I’ve seen young men looking for jobs not even properly dressed. Then quite a few of them don’t even know how to fill out a job application. This is so very sad to see them going through life this way. Not finishing school and an education, makes getting a real job very difficult. Then to make it even sadder more sad to see so many young girls from age 12 having babies that they are unable to take care of. The funny part of it they mothers or grandmothers raise the child…but before long they go out and have more babies. This is so truly sad seeing so many children being brought into this world and many of them aren’t even loved. President Obama can never change this…only we alone can make the difference that will, and can create change. We all have to be responsible for each other, stop fighting and killing without any good reason, or reasons. Learn how to resolve our differences in a civilize manner.
Know that selling dope to other people’s children isn’t a good thing to do. You are making money through other people’s miseries. You are causing children to go hungry, and some not having a roof over they heads. While many sit around and blame the so call white man, saying he’s the one to blame for bringing the drugs into the country…but we all can make the choice not to accept his offer on the drugs. You call yourself living the good life. Plenty of money, and all what money can buy from the pain and suffering of others. This way of life has to change. Let President Obama be a role model that with an education and setting high standards for yourself…nothing is really out of reach.
Stop expecting others to do for you, that you’re able to do for self; stop feeling sorry for yourself and start walking with your head held high. Show pride in who you are, and what you’re able to do. Keep working at bettering yourself. Accept responsibility for your actions for a change
President Obama is only another man that God has placed into the position that he’s in for all of us to learn from as human-beings. God does all things in his own time. And when, or if, we ever understand this…all things become better.
President Obama is a guide for all to follow in knowing that all things are truly possible. But to accomplish or to achieve we have to gain an education, and work hard at whatever we want.
We as human-beings have to come together as one “nation”, without any colours and disrespect for each others feelings. African Americans even have to do more for and towards one another. “Ask not of me, or from me, what you yourself are not doing”. The time is now to stop finger pointing, and start providing each other with the things needed to better each other.
Our new president has shown us that the saying…”Where there’s a will there is a way.” Believing in one’s self is the key. If you have no plan or purpose, then you’re going around in a circle. Make a plan, and work hard at being successful, accepting nothing less. Strive constantly at bettering yourself. Know that nothing is impossible. Even the bible states: “All things are possible if only you believe.” Start learning how to trust yourself. Know that all things under the sun have a purpose. So when you are working towards a goal, if the goal isn’t working out as you planned gain strength and wisdom to work even harder to accomplish your goal. But the good thing about it is not to be a quitter because quitters never win. Believe in your heart that you’re a winner and nothing less.
We were all given the tools by our Creator to be winners. But many times the choices we make without weighing our options, choices are what causes the problems with our success or failure.
Just praying and not even believing what we are saying is just a waste of time and energy. Pray from your heart and believe what you’re saying, because God knows what’s in our hearts and minds. “Trust you in me, and all things are possible.” Work with all your heart and soul in having faith and believe in self.
The whole world needs to make changes before we kill and destroy all of God’s creation. We as people have to learn how to respect and love God’s creation. If we learn how to do this then you’ll know that you’re loving and respecting God. How can you pray to God and ask Him for help, but ignore what we’re doing to His Creation. When we decide that we are all one and the same in the eyes of God, because He created us all from the same cloth which makes us not only equal but one and the same. Pay attention to the needs of others, show love for one another and know that this is one of the things God asked us to do.
How is it possible that when you go to court you must swear on the bible. When you’re taking a government job you are also asked to swear on the bible. But the way which we treat one another isn’t what’s in the bible that God has asked of us.
Many changes are taking place each and every day for us to pay attention to, and work towards making changes in our lives towards God’s creation.
So let us not place the total burden of change upon the shoulders of President Obama when we are the keys to total change. May our eye become open to see where we are going wrong. May our ears be open to hear the cries from the pain we bring upon one another. If we don’t pay attention to these things mentioned our lives are going to become even worse.
I do believe that God has placed President Obama in the position he’s in to guide us just as Moses was chosen to deliver the children out of Egypt by God. We need to pay attention to all the signs that God is showing us.
I was reading the March issue of the Ebony. I came across this: “President Obama should help in making it better for so called Black children and change the culture that allows teachers and other administrators to justify having low expectation for so called Black students.”
This is my feeling on this situation. This matter was to be first addressed at home. A so called Black boy or girl can also learn by example. Why if my dad is a drunk, I too should be a drunk? He’s showing me that isn’t the way to go. But so many so called children feel it’s ‘kool’ to be wrong, more than to do right. If as a so called Black you speak proper English, you’re a nerd. Many so called Black children fight real hard to fit in with all the wrong doers. We all can and must make choices. We are all responsible for our choices. How can any person, so called Black or white, is truly responsible for whatever choices they make. It’s asking too much of President Obama to make changes we should have been doing for many years.
God sent Moses to deliver the children, but also remember that children still had to be responsible for what they did. We as so called Black people have to want more than we’ve settled for after all that others before President Obama came along. So we need to more and complain less. Stop showing yourself to be small thinkers, even when can also think large. Stop going to church and reading the bible and not, I repeat, not knowing and believing what God has asked us all to do. Love one another as I love you; do unto others as you’ll have them to do unto you. I know that I am the Lord thy God who has ahs created each and every one from the same cloth. Let us for a change stop this colour madness and see God is within all of His creation. We have no idea when this world is coming to an end. At the rate we are going…it could be sooner than we think. Please, can we go to our Maker as one and the same, His children? When that day comes that most go goes to church and hear about what? God isn’t going to ask you what did you do for or about any person as a colour. The question will be what have you done for or to my children? Know that we are all God’s children.
Ask yourself these few questions: Are you willing to remain as is? Are you willing to believe in yourself much more than others? If you can answer these questions honestly and know that you are worthy of and to all things that God has created then you are making progress in knowing self.
It’s truly amazing how so called Blacks find it easy to get together and plot against one another. But yet find it so hard to come together with love, respect and true concern for one another.
For some reason, or reasons, it seems that everyone but the so called Black Americans can come together as one. We as human-beings living in a divided country will never reach where we need be.
Just thinking, hoping and wishing isn’t going to do anything for use bettering ourselves.
Why is it so hard for so called Blacks to trust one another? When are we going to stop talking and complaining about what needs to be done…and please for the love of God start doing more towards change and betterment of self. Let not what others has fought and died for go in vain. Even one bible tells us that there’s a time for or planting and a time for harvesting. Don’t only read the parts in the bible that are supposed to be helpful in giving you material things. But know it’s also about leading us towards knowing not only God but self. A man or woman isn’t worthy no more, or less, than he or she feels.
Sometimes when I am alone, I cry because I have done all that I am able to do through God’s help and guidance to help others. Many are saying we need to teach the young. But believe me, we also need to teach older folks also. Some older folks have has seem to give up. Some seem to be more interested in being a friend to their children and not truly being a parent. Some seem contented through material gain. Some pay more attention to material gain than to teaching their they children true values and self worth. Remember the so called white man did have the chance to teach our children before we did. Teaching our children to love and respect self is the first keys to self worth. Being responsible is also important. If we don’t teach our children to be responsible then being independent isn’t easy because they look to others. Looking to others and not fighting to stand on your own two feet to be a man or woman will never get you anywhere but being dependent. Doing what you have to do to make it through life…don’t mean doing illegal things to make it. No it doesn’t don’t. ever allow your pride to get in the way of common sense. Do what you want, but for the love of God, do it the right way.
Remember this and allow it to be your guide through life. God created you in His own form and likeness. This gave us all the power to be whoever we want to be during the time He allows us to be on this earth. Having the power to use the greatest gift that we’ve been given. And that is the power to think. The bible clearly states that God judges us by our thoughts. So this means that thoughts comes first to create actions; no actions comes without thoughts. Use the great power of thought that God has given you to be that person that really makes make a difference. Strive to be a leader and not a follower. And if you choose to a follower…be a follower of greatness or to greatness. Believe 110% in self and give your faith and trust to God and in God.
Stand up and stop complaining about things you are able to change. No Mo man, woman or child has control over you but God. And God wants you to have the best of everything, on and out of life. Don’t attach yourself to material things and negative people.
The sad thing is you can be 100%, but if you are around negative people…it can kill your strength level. And don’t allow anyone to tell you that you cannot be a force to be reckoned with. Never ever settle for just being ok. Strive being always the best that you’ve placed yourself into. Constantly push yourself towards greatness. All the people who have has reached the top, worked hard and believed in themselves. NOT ALL – SOME INHERITED THE TOP WITH NO EFFORT
Work at what you know you are good at, or with. Always strive reaching the top. Leave your mark on this earth in a positive way. While striving to reach the top…bring along someone with you. Remember if each of us helps at least one person in life we will be making a difference in this world. Being helpful towards others is doing what God wants us to do towards one another.
All that you’ve acquired in life isn’t worth anything unless you share with others, or at least one person. This way you’ll live on through others.
Only you alone can make all what I’ve mentioned possible. President Obama or anyone else can’t make this happen for you. The good thing about President Obama is he’s showing everyone that you can accomplish whatever you set your heart and mind to as long as you’re willing to work hard and with a good education. Now they are some good men and women who are successful with just a limited education. But they applied themselves and believed in their dreams.
So in order to reach the position you want in life takes work, faith, belief and trust in God to grant you the wisdom, understanding and determination to reach your goals.
Barbados Underground 
Obama gave many the audacity to hope. His oratory skills can’t be questioned but the time for action has long gone. Bush Tea and others were correct. The ME is in a mess. The US disaster on Wall Street which precipitated the global recession has destroyed well galore in open economies like Barbados.
Yet he tries to build a society in the circumstances. What Black family what!?!
I am sick and tired of people blaming the problems of a degenerate society on blacks. The economic power is in the hands of the Whites. They have the control over what is good ande bad. Look at the Movie industry is all structured to sell Sex and Violence. The new generation be it black or white are being fed a daily diet of such and as a result is being brainwashed and hoodwinked into such thinking. The older generation of Blacks did not have those things to contend with all and Spiritually was high on their list of things to do! The question is . How does one raised a child in a society that is bombarded with sex and violence being accepted as the norm. and which is accessible to them through mass media which is white owned? Now adays parents are fighting internal forces anas well as external. They no longer have the control as older generations had af the family. Some do try their very best. While others are lost and overwhelmed ashow to tackle such problems!
CCC
A good article. You should do more of these kinds of articles on your adopted country and less of the partisan articles you write on your native country.
I think that the black people in America that expect miracles of Obama are being fooled by the white tea party elements and others that will do anything to bring down Obama next year and make him a one-term president. Indeed, the tables are so stacked against him that it will be another miracle if he survives 2012.
David; I don’t understand what you are trying to say in your post. It should be clear to every thinking person that Obama does not have the power to effect the kinds of change in America that most of us expected of him. He had to depend on majority whites and a deeply flawed governmental system to effect the small changes that we’ve seen so far. Have you followed the intricacies of the Health system debates and the various contortions that were necessary in that process to get an emasculated bill passed? Do you realize that Obama has done significantly more and has worked significantly harder than any modern day president up to now and is yet regarded as having done nothing? The problem is America and the American system and Obama can’t change that. Indeed, that the power brokers allowed him to come in and survive so far is proof positive that they knew from the start that he would not be able to effect any really meaningful change that would impact significantly on their various agendas.
Black people in America should recognize the limits to Obama leading them to some promised land. Their minority position in a generally racist society should tell them that the true gains will be hard to come by and will take far more than an Obama one or two term presidency.
checkit-out
Many were duped by the charismatic Obama and felt that he would have been able to use is oratory skills to persuade and force change and hope he promised on the campaign trail.
Obama is a poor man’s marionette.
No attempt at hiding the corporate strings that convulse his contradictory actions, in fact one can see not strings but chains.
But what else can you expect from an unknown politician to rise without trace from the cesspit of Chicago politics to the highest office in the land.
IMHO Wall St owns CIA, who own SIS, who own Taliban and thye other extremist proxies, who are the sole reason for this lucrative , but never ending War on terror.
My advice to Caswell, change your news source – you’re barking up the wrong tree.
Sorry Caswell (much respect), I of course was referring to CCC.
@ David
In all honesty President Obama can only do but so much, or any other politician for that matter; At some point in time the people themselves has to stand up and become a force to be reckon with; If every so called black decided not to go back to work on Monday, or even spend a dime on anything. This will create a problem for the economy. But standing up for what you believe in is what makes a difference; We can continue to blame others for not doing enough for us. But don’t you feel that it’s time for us to stand up and allow the ones that are holding us down to know we aren’t going to continue to live under these circumstances? We can continue blaming everything, and everyone. But to accept the blame is some what of a problem to most;
@Charles
What if MLK accepted that he could not make a difference?
Mr Cadogan
Are you an African American?
Man any one who calls me such is in for a whipping, for I am neither African or American!
It ought to have been obvious to all that Obama was just an orator, and a puppet with too many puppeteers. It ought to be obvious that the man has no leadership or ruling experience. I doubt that he can run a rum shop on Spring Garden on Kadooment Day, even if given the rum and ice free of cost.
And his attempt at a health system was pathetic! Always doomed for failure. He has succeeded only in raising health insurance premiums without making health care accessible to any one else.
the man is a circus all by himself.
@GP
Yes you were one of the commenters who expressed grave doubts at his ability to mobilize the legislature to make change in Washington.
Why are we holding Pres. Obama to a higher standard? Is it because the black man has to be so much better than the white in order to get a ‘look-in’?
I did not have high hopes for Obama. In part because of the politics of washington. I did not trust the power structure that he would have to deal with in order to get things done . These people are a bunch of sharks only looking out for themselves. Obama was just a fly on the lions back. They are all a bunch of hypocrites.
European jets attack Libya. History repeating itself:
MARCH 19, 2011
OBAMA: ‘Today we are part of a broad coalition. We are answering the calls of a threatened people. And we are acting in the interests of the United States and the world’…
MARCH 19, 2003
BUSH: ‘American and coalition forces are in the early stages of military operations to disarm Iraq, to free its people and to defend the world from grave danger…
Farrakhan comments:
As usual Farrakhan speaks ‘truth’ to reality. What has Gadhafi done? Did he sell out his people like BaRat? No! The Libyans standard of living of much higher than that of the Egyptians, Tunisians and others in that region, even better than MANY Amerikan and Brits, BUT a few jokers are allowing the USUAL enemy to move in among them and work against their own interest [foolishly believing that the enemy is on their side]. Look at what’s going on in Bahrain, Yemen, Saudi Arabia they are shedding the blood of the innocents there as well. What the hell is Sarcrazy, skeezebag Cameron and Barat doing about those three? Will they invade as well? Not only did they bomb Waco and Move in Philidelphia but they also bomb Katrina and shot to death many Black people there as well.
And as for BaRat Obama, Aristide’s attorney said that he Obama personally called President Zuma and told him not to allow President Aristide to return to Haiti. That’s your Black saviour.
But like Dr. King said “The Moral Arc of the Universe is long BUT It Bends Towards Justice.”
But there’s more to come on what’s really going on with Ghadaffi!
@Ping Pong et al…
Different country. Different dictator. Different US of A President.
The current US of A President has been very careful here to ensure a UN decision (he is a professor of Law). Unlike the previous US of A president, who acted against Iraq illegally and unilaterally (some say that Bush Jr. was given the Presidency as a graduation gift — some others have said he distrusted those who read).
And, please do note, the “Muslim League” asked for, and supported, this action.
@Hopi: “The Libyans standard of living of much higher than that of the Egyptians, Tunisians and others in that region, even better than MANY Amerikan and Brits…
But, let us please examine the empirical…
Many of the people of Libya have tried to step up and change their government (a dictatorship).
The Dictator in question tried to not just repress them, but to kill them all.
Should People not be allowed to speak against their leaders without fear of death?
Halsall, stick to IT … at least there no one will question your opinions …
@BAFBFP… Thanks for that.
I believe if a person is too afraid to speak for themselves, they have no one but themselves to blame for what happens to them.
David; I agree totally with Hopi and, by extension, Louis Farrakhan. I am not surprised by Obama’s actions, they are par for the course for an American President. Obama, by not ostensibly being in the forefront of the attacks on Libya so far, is trying to conceal the inputs that America’s CIA must have had in fomenting the uprising in Libya. But the truth will out eventually.
It will also not help Obama in his bid for reelection. The Tea Party types will ensure that the thrust of the discussion will be that Obama has ceded leadership in this most typical of American interventions to the Europeans. I might be totally wrong, but I think that he is lessening his chances of reelection in 2012.
Chris;
Watch and LISTEN carefully to Louis Farrakhan’s video above. There is a lot of truth in what he has said. I think he answers all three of your questions.
Gadaffi in power since 1969 via a military coup
Responsible for the execution of many internal & external critics
Amassed a huge fortune for himself and his family (including two sons who cavort all through Europe spending money stolen from the Libyan people)
Grooming his sons to be his heirs (replacing the monarchy that he overthrew with a monarchy of his own)
Is it too far fetched to believe that he has enemies among the citizens of Libya?
@checkit-out: “Watch and LISTEN carefully to Louis Farrakhan’s video above. There is a lot of truth in what he has said. I think he answers all three of your questions.
Please forgive me for this, but might you be able to articulate the answers to my questions yourself?
@All… I’m going to bed.
Please internalize this…
The sentiments expressed in the article are fair. On Obama, remember that he is working against the ‘establishment’, I disagree ‘with’.
The US establishment is very strong and culturally ingrained, near nigh impossible to work against.
If their ‘lobbying’ was used in any other country, it would be labelled ‘bribery’. Nuff said.
The ‘back Government’ such as black ops etc have their own agendas too.
On Libya, it is easy to look on and state or criticise. But, one must look at the Middle East as a holistic issue, it cannot be viewed on a state by state basis, sorry.
When Gaddafi goes, do you really think that the Shia majority will not then be led by an extremist Government, willing to execute on a whim?
What happened to the demonstrations a year or two back in Iran, should the ‘coalition’ forces not have invaded there too??
Strange too that Iran is not saying a word on the ‘Arab League’ supporting movements on Libya BUT the same Iran is vocal against the Arab League support that serves to protect the Bahrain monarchy.
Thtis will be another shambles. Replacing one ‘negotiable’ dictatorial regime with an ‘adverserial’ regime.
And all done by ‘Western forces’. Who is the sucker? Hopefully they will at least get a letter of thank you from the extremists.
One down (Saddam), one going (Gaddafi), one to go (Saud) and then the road is open for Arab unification.
REAL unification! Then the ‘sport’ begins.
The ‘coalition’ forces are moving on Libya, per David Cameron ‘
Cameron said: “British forces are in action over Libya. We have all seen the appalling brutality that Colonel Gaddafi has meted out against his own people. ”
Fair enough, so the coalition forces are tyring to save thousands of Libyans. So, urgent and immediate action is, in their eyes, warranted.
So, on a related issue i.e humanitarian and live-saving, here is an exerpt, from established and official sources, on hunger and deaths.
>>
MALNUTRITION It is estimated that 684,000 child deaths worldwide could be prevented by increasing access to vitamin A and zinc
(Source: WFP Annual Report 2007)
Undernutrition contributes to 53 percent of the 9.7 million deaths of children under five each year in developing countries.
(Source: Under five deaths by cause, UNICEF, 2006).
—————-
4,3million children die annually from malnutrition.
Where is urgency, the haste, to prevent these deaths?
4.3million!!! And the necessary supply is food, not bullets!
Food!
Don’t believe all you see on CNN and Fox or, for that matter, Al Jazeera.
Its all about power and control.
Errata, its half of 9.7, 4.8 million, not 4.3
Oh, and finally.
If anyone thinks that shelling alone will rid Libya of Gaddafi, you are deluded.
It will take ground forces.
Although, at least Obama removed the hiding of bodybags through Canada, as was directed by the Republican administration, so the impact will be immediate.
Imagine dying for your country and your body being flown inm under secrecy, under cover of darkness????
Horrible, horrible.
When are soldiers going to tell the ‘leaders (leading from a desk)’..’kiss my …’?
That said, the tune is going to change when the ground forces have to go in.
Ron Paul is against the war but is he really that naive not to understand what is happening?
When Tutsis were killing Hutus where was the UN and NATO and US? (Deciding whether to label this activity genocide or not… They could only “move in” if was genocide …).
As far as I am concerned, the Libyan Government does not use depleted uranium in its weaponry and did not cause the World wide depression that is affecting the lives of billions, and reintroducing poverty on a massive scale. The Libyan Government does not encourage instability in other countries nor does it actively seek regime change in any territory in the world.
If Western interests have the money to finance military action against a foreign Government, Western people should ask their governments why the hell should that money not be spent on them first. What a sham …!
David what the hell are you talking about. Who is being naive here. Surely man are you really this gullible? Ron Paul comments are pro American but sensible from an American’s point of view.
I am not American and care little about the economics of picking or not picking dictators. I care only about Western Governments that are clearly being guided by big monied interests vilifying leaders and countries and lying to the public about their agendas. And I care about the growing size of the gullible population of this world.
@BAFBFP
Did you miss the point where he said what gives US or any country the right to invade a weaker country. Don’t pick and chose the arguments.
Sorry David, Still lost as to your meaning …
@BAFBFP:
“When Tutsis were killing Hutus where was the UN and NATO and US?”
Answer: Checking out if there was any oil or not.
Guess not, so let’s pown Libya, Iran, Iraq and Afghanistan.
@BAFBFP
I don’t think that the US (at least under Obama) wanted to get involved in Libya. It is already deeply enmeshed in two Muslim countries and wouldn’t want to be in a third as that would give provide more ammunition to would be terrorists. The country making the most noise about Gaddafi was Britain under Cameron, and French jets were the first to take to the skies over Libya.
The other big issue as far as the US is concerned is who is leading the opposition to Gaddafi? That is unknown at this time and Obama is a student of history, remember the USA supported the Mujahideen against the Soviets in Afghanistan, the Mujahideen drove the Soviets out and eventually disintegrated due to infighting which eventually led to the Taliban which led to…. … so it is better to deal with the devil you know than to release the dogs of war.
@SArgeant
Iraq should be a good case study for the US and cohorts. When you remove the strongman you better be prepared to deal with the consequences of it.
Another side to the story
African World News & Views Winter 2011-3 (3/15/11)
Libya Getting it Right
A Revolutionary Pan-African Perspective By Gerald A. Perreira
Norah Owaraga noted that Libya, “unlike other oil producing countries such as Nigeria and Saudi Arabia, utilized the revenue from its oil to develop its country. The standard of living of the people of Libya is one of the highest in Africa, falling in the category of countries with a GNP per capita of between USD 2,200 and 6,000.Thousands of Indians, Egyptians, Chinese, Filipinos, Turks, Germans, English, Italians, Malaysians, Koreans and a host of other nationalities are lining up at the borders and the airport to leave Libya. It begs the question: What were they doing in Libya in the first place? Unemployment figures, according to the Western media and Al Jazeera, are at 30%. If this is so, then why all these foreign workers?
For those of us who have lived and worked in Libya, there are many complexities to the current situation that have been completely overlooked by the Western media and ‘Westoxicated’ analysts, who have nothing other than a Eurocentric perspective to draw on. Let us be clear—there is no possibility of understanding what is happening in Libya within a Eurocentric framework. Westerners are incapable of understanding a system unless the system emanates from or is attached in some way to the West. Libya’s system and the battle now taking place on its soil, stands completely outside of the Western imagination.
News coverage by the BBC, CNN and Al Jazeera has been oversimplified and misleading. An array of anti-Qaddafi spokespersons, most living outside Libya, have been paraded in front of us—each one clearly a counter-revolutionary and less credible than the last. Despite the clear and irrefutable evidence from the beginning of these protests that Muammar Qaddafi had considerable support both inside Libya and internationally, not one pro-Qaddafi voice has been allowed to air. The media and their selected commentators have done their best to manufacture an opinion that Libya is essentially the same as Egypt and Tunisia and that Qaddafi is just another tyrant amassing large sums of money in Swiss bank accounts. But no matter how hard they try, they cannot make Qaddafi into a Mubarak or Libya into Egypt.
The first question is: Is the revolt taking place in Libya fuelled by a concern over economic issues such as poverty and unemployment as the media would have us believe? Let us examine the facts. Under the revolutionary leadership of Muammar Qaddafi, Libya has attained the highest standard of living in Africa. In 2007, in an article which appeared in the African Executive Magazine, Norah Owaraga noted that Libya, “unlike other oil producing countries such as Nigeria and Saudi Arabia, utilized the revenue from its oil to develop its country. The standard of living of the people of Libya is one of the highest in Africa, falling in the category of countries with a GNP per capita of between USD 2,200 and 6,000.”
This is all the more remarkable when we consider that in 1951 Libya was officially the poorest country in the world. According to the World Bank, the per capita income was less than $50 a year—even lower than India. Today, all Libyans own their own homes and cars. Two Fleet Street journalists, David Blundy and Andrew Lycett, who are by no means supporters of the Libyan revolution, had this to say:
The young people are well dressed, well fed and well educated. Libyans now earn more per capita than the British. The disparity in annual incomes . . . is smaller than in most countries. Libya’s wealth has been fairly spread throughout society. Every Libyan gets free, and often excellent, education, medical and health services. New colleges and hospitals are impressive by any international standard. All Libyans have a house or a flat, a car and most have televisions, video recorders and telephones. Compared with most citizens of the Third World countries, and with many in the First World, Libyans have it very good indeed. Qaddafi and the Libyan Revolution)
Large scale housing construction has taken place right across the country. Every citizen has been given a decent house or apartment to live in rent-free. In Qaddafi’sGreen Book, it states: “The house is a basic need of both the individual and the family, therefore it should not be owned by others.” This dictum has now become a reality for the Libyan people.
Large scale agricultural projects have been implemented in an effort to “make the desert bloom” and achieve self-sufficiency in food production. Any Libyan who wants to become a farmer is given free use of land, a house, farm equipment, some livestock and seed.
Today, Libya can boast one of the finest health care systems in the Arab and African World. All people have access to doctors, hospitals, clinics and medicines, completely free of all charges. The fact is that the Libyan revolution has achieved such a high standard of living for its people that they import labor from other parts of the world to do the jobs that the unemployed Libyans refuse to do. Libya has been called by many observers inside and out, “a nation of shop keepers.” It is part of the Libyan Arab psyche to own your own small business and this type of small scale private enterprise flourishes in Libya. We can draw on many examples of Libyans with young sons who expressed the idea that it would be shameful for the family if these same young men were to seek menial work and instead preferred for them to remain at home supported by the extended family.
No system is perfect, and Libya is no exception. They suffered nine years of economic sanctions and this caused huge problems for the Libyan economy. Also, there is nowhere on planet earth that has escaped the monumental crisis of neo-liberal capitalism. It has impacted everywhere—even on post revolutionary societies that have rejected “free market” capitalism. However, what we are saying is that severe economic injustice is not at the heart of this conflict. So then, what is?
A Battle for Africa
The battle that is being waged in Libya is fundamentally a battle between Pan-African forces on the one hand, who are dedicated to the realization of Qaddafi’s vision of a united Africa, and reactionary racist Libyan Arab forces who reject Qaddafi’s vision of Libya as part of a united Africa and want to ally themselves instead with the EU and look toward Europe and the Arab World for Libya’s future. One of Muammar Qaddafi’s most controversial and difficult moves in the eyes of many Libyans was his championing of Africa and his determined drive to unite Africa with one currency, one army and a shared vision regarding the true independence and liberation of the entire continent. He has contributed large amounts of his time and energy and large sums of money to this project and like Kwame Nkrumah, he has paid a high price.
Many of the Libyan people did not approve of this move. They wanted their leader to look towards Europe. Of course, Libya has extensive investments and commercial ties with Europe but the Libyans know that Qaddafi’s heart is in Africa. Many years ago, Qaddafi told a large gathering, which included Libyans and revolutionaries from many parts of the world, that the Black Africans were the true owners of Libya long before the Arab incursion into North Africa, and that Libyans need to acknowledge and pay tribute to their ancient African roots. He ended by saying, as is proclaimed in his The Green Book, that “the Black race shall prevail throughout the world.” This is not what many Libyans wanted to hear. As with all fair skinned Arabs, prejudice against Black Africans is endemic.
Brother Leader, Guide of the Revolution and King of Kings are some of the titles that have been bestowed on Qaddafi by Africans. Only last month Qaddafi called for the creation of a Secretariat of traditional African Chiefs and Kings, with whom he has excellent ties, to co-ordinate efforts to build African unity at the grassroots level throughout the continent, a bottom up approach, as opposed to trying to build unity at the government/state level, an approach which has failed the African unification project since the days of Kwame Nkrumah and Sekou Toure. This bottom up approach is widely supported by many Pan Africanists worldwide.
African Mercenaries or Freedom Fighters?
In the past week, the phrase “African mercenaries” has been repeated over and over by the media and the selected Libyan citizens they choose to speak to have, as one commentator put it, “spat the word ‘African’ with a venomous hatred.” The media has assumed, without any research or understanding of the situation because they are refusing to give any air time to pro-Qaddafi forces, that the many Africans in military uniform fighting alongside the pro-Qaddafi Libyan forces are mercenaries. However, it is a myth that the Africans fighting to defend the Jamahiriya and Muammar Qaddafi are mercenaries being paid a few dollars and this assumption is based solely on the usual racist and contemptuous view of Black Africans.
Actually, in truth, there are people all over Africa and the African Diaspora who support and respect Muammar Qaddafi as a result of his invaluable contribution to the worldwide struggle for African emancipation. Over the past two decades, thousands of Africans from all over the continent were provided with education, work and military training—many of them coming from liberation movements. As a result of Libya’s support for liberation movements throughout Africa and the world, international battalions were formed. These battalions saw themselves as a part of the Libyan revolution, and took it upon themselves to defend the revolution against attacks from within its borders or outside.
These are the Africans who are fighting to defend Qaddafi and the gains of the Libyan revolution to their death if need be. It is not unlike what happened when internationalist battalions came to the aid of the revolutionary forces against Franco’s fascist forces in Spain. Malian political analyst, Adam Thiam, notes that “thousands of Tuaregs who were enrolled in the Islamic Legion established by the Libyan revolution remained in Libya and they are enrolled in the Libyan security forces.”
African Migrants under Attack
As African fighters from Chad, Niger, Mali, Ghana, Kenya and Southern Sudan (it should be noted that Libya supported the Sudanese People’s Liberation Army underJohn Garang in their war of liberation against Arab hegemonists in Khartoum, while all other Arab leaders backed the Khartoum regime) fight to defend this African revolution, a million African refugees and thousands of African migrant workers stand the risk of being murdered as a result of their perceived support for Qaddafi. One Turkish construction worker described a massacre: “We had 70-80 people from Chad working for our company. They were cut dead with pruning shears and axes, attackers saying: ‘You are providing troops for Qaddafi. The Sudanese were also massacred. We saw it for ourselves.”
This is a far cry from what is being portrayed in the media as “peaceful protesters” being set upon by pro-Qaddafi forces. In fact, footage of the Benghazi revolt shows men with machetes, AK 47s and RPGs. In The Green Book, Qaddafi argues for the transfer of all power, wealth and arms directly into the hands of the people themselves. No one can deny that the Libyan populace is heavily armed. This is part of Qaddafi’s philosophy of arms not being monopolised by any section of the society, including the armed forces. It must be said that it is not usual practice for tyrants and dictators to arm their population.Qaddafi has also been very vocal regarding the plight of Africans who migrate to Europe, where they are met with racism, more poverty, violence at the hands of extreme right wing groups and in many cases death, when the un-seaworthy boats they travel in sink.
Moved by their plight, a conference was held in Libya in January this year, to address their needs and concerns. More than 500 delegates and speakers from around the world attended the conference titled “A Decent Life in Europe or a Welcome Return to Africa.” “We should live in Europe with decency and dignity,” Qaddafi told participants. “We need a good relationship with Europe not a relationship of master and slave. There should be a strong relationship between Africa and Europe. Our presence should be strong, tangible and good. It’s up to you as the Africans in the Diaspora. We have to continue more and more until the unity of Africa is achieved.
From now on, by the will of God, I will assign teams to search, investigate and liaise with the Africans in Europe and to check their situations . . . this is my duty and role towards the sons of Africa; I am a soldier for Africa. I am here for you and I work for you; therefore, I will not leave you and I will follow up on your conditions.” Joint committees of African migrants, the United Nations, the African Union, the European Union and international organizations present at the conference discussed the need to coordinate the implementation of many of the conference’s recommendations. Statements are appearing all over the internet from Africans who have a different view to that being perpetuated by those intent on discrediting Qaddafi and the Libyan revolution. One African commented:
When I was growing up I first read a comic book of his revolution at the age of ten. Since then, as dictators came and went, Colonel Qaddafi has made an impression on me as a man who truly loves Africa! Libyans could complain that he spent their wealth on other Africans! But those Africans he helped put in power, built schools and mosques and brought in many forms of development showing that Africans can do for themselves. If those Africans would abandon him to be swallowed by Western Imperialism and their lies and just let him go as a dictator in the name of so-called democracy…if they could do that…they should receive the names and fate that the Western press gives our beloved leader. If there is any one person who was half as generous as he is, let them step forward.
And another African comments:
This man has been accused of many things and listening to the West who just recently were happy to accept his generous hospitality, you will think that he is worse than Hitler. The racism and contemptuous attitudes of Arabs towards Black Africans has made me a natural sceptic of any overtures from them to forge a closer link with Black Africa but Qaddafi was an exception.
Opportunistic Revolt
This counter-revolutionary revolt caught everyone, including the Libyan authorities, by surprise. They knew what the media is not reporting: that unlike Egypt and Tunisia and other countries in the region, where there is tremendous poverty, unemployment and repressive pro-Western regimes, the Libyan dynamic was entirely different. However, an array of opportunistic forces, ranging from so-called Islamists, Arab-Supremacists, including some of those who have recently defected from Qaddafi’s inner circle, have used the events in neighbouring countries as a pretext to stage a coup and to advance their own agenda for the Libyan nation. Many of these former officials were the authors of, and covertly fuelled the anti-African pogrom in Libya a few years ago when many Africans lost their lives in street battles between Africans and Arab Libyans.
This was a deliberate attempt to embarrass Qaddafi and to undermine his efforts in Africa. Qaddafi has long been a thorn in the Islamists side. In his recent address to the Libyan people, broadcast from the ruins of the Bab al-Azizia compound bombed by Reagan in 1986, he asked the “bearded ones” in Benghazi and Jabal al Akhdar where they were when Reagan bombed his compound in Tripoli, killing hundreds of Libyans, including his daughter. He said they were hiding in their homes applauding the US and he vowed that he would never allow the country to be returned to the grip of them and their colonial masters. Al Qaeda is in the Sahara on his borders and the International Union of Muslim Scholars is calling for him to be tried in a court. One asks why are they calling for Qaddafi’s blood? Why not Mubarak who closed the Rafah Border Crossing while the Israeli’s slaughtered the Palestinians in Gaza. Why not Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld and Blair who are responsible for the murder of millions of Muslims in Iraq and Afghanistan?
The answer is simple—because Qaddafi committed some “cardinal sins.” He dared to challenge their reactionary and feudal notions of Islam. He has upheld the idea that every Muslim is a ruler (Caliph) and does not need the Ulema to interpret the Quran for them. He has questioned the Islam of the Muslim Brotherhood and Al Qaeda from a Quranic/theological perspective and is one of the few political leaders equipped to do so. Qaddafi has been called a Mujaddid (this term refers to a person who appears to revive Islam and to purge it of alien elements, restoring it to its authentic form) and he comes in the tradition of Jamaludeen Afghani and the late Iranian revolutionary, Ali Shariati.
Libya is a deeply traditional society, plagued with some outmoded and bankrupt ideas that continue to surface to this day. In many ways, Qaddafi has had to struggle against the same reactionary aspects of Arab culture and tradition that the holy prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was struggling against in 7th century Arabia—Arab supremacy/racism, supremacy of family and tribe, historical feuding tribe against tribe and the marginalisation of women. Benghazi has always been at the heart of counter-revolution in Libya, fostering reactionary Islamic movements such as the Wahhabis and Salafists. It is these people who founded the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group based in Benghazi which allies itself with Al Qaeda and who have, over the years, been responsible for the assassination of leading members of the Libyan revolutionary committees.
These forces hate Qaddafi’s revolutionary reading of the Quran. They foster an Islam concerned with outward trappings and mere religiosity, in the form of rituals, which at the same time is feudal and repressive, while rejecting the liberatory spirituality of Islam. While these so-called Islamists are opposed to Western occupation of Muslim lands, they have no concrete programmatic platform for meaningful socio-economic and political transformation to advance their societies beyond semi-feudal and capitalist systems which reinforce the most backward and reactionary ideas and traditions. Qaddafi’s political philosophy, as outlined in The Green Book, rejects unfettered capitalism in all its manifestations, including the “State capitalism” of the former communist countries and the neo-liberal capitalist model that has been imposed at a global level. The idea that capitalism is not compatible with Islam and the Quran is not palatable to many Arabs and so-called Islamists because they hold onto the fallacious notion that business and trade is synonymous with capitalism.
Getting it Right
Whatever the mistakes made by Qaddafi and the Libyan revolution, its gains and its huge contribution to the struggle of oppressed peoples worldwide cannot and must not be ignored. Saif Qaddafi, when asked about the position of his father and family, said this battle is not about one man and his family, it is about Libya and the direction it will take.
That direction has always been controversial. In 1982, The World Mathaba was established in Libya. Mathaba means a gathering place for people with a common purpose. The World Mathaba brought together revolutionaries and freedom fighters from every corner of the globe to share ideas and develop their revolutionary knowledge. Many liberation groups throughout the world received education, training and support from Muammar Qaddafi and the Libyan revolution including ANC, AZAPO, PAC and BCM of Azania (South Africa), SWAPO of Namibia, MPLA of Angola, The Sandinistas of Nicaragua, The Polisario of the Sahara, the PLO, The Native American Movements throughout the Americas, The Nation of Islam led by Louis Farrakhan to name but a few. Nelson Mandela called Muammar Qaddafi one of this century’s greatest freedom fighters, and insisted that the eventual collapse of the apartheid system owed much to Qaddafi and Libyan support. Mandela said that in the darkest moments of their struggle, when their backs were to the wall, it was Muammar Qaddafi who stood with them. The late African freedom fighter, Kwame Ture, referred to Qaddafi as “a diamond in a cesspool of African misleaders.”
The hideous notion being perpetuated by the media and reactionary forces, inside and outside of Libya, that this is just another story of a bloated dictatorship that has run its course is mis-information and deliberate distortion. Whatever one’s opinions of Qaddafi the man, no one can deny his invaluable contribution to human emancipation and the universal truths outlined in his Green Book. Progressive scholars in many parts of the world, including the West, have acclaimed The Green Book as an incisive critique of capitalism and the Western Parliamentary model of multi-party democracy. In addition, there is no denying that the system of direct democracy posited by Qaddafi in The Green Book offers an alternative model and solution for Africa and the Third World, where multi-party so-called democracy has been a dismal failure, resulting in poverty, ethnic and tribal conflict and chaos. Every revolution, since the beginning of time, has defended itself against those who would want to roll back its gains. Europeans should look back into their own bloody history to see that this includes the American, French and Bolshevik revolutions. Marxists speak of Trotsky and Lenin’s brutal suppression of the Kronstadt rebellion by the Red Army as being a “tragic necessity.”
Let’s get it right: The battle in Libya is not about peaceful protestors versus an armed and hostile State. All sides are heavily armed and hostile. The battle being waged in Libya is essentially a battle between those who want to see a united and liberated Libya and Africa, free of neo-colonialism and neo-liberal capitalism and free to construct their own system of governance compatible with the African and Arab personalities and cultures and those who find this entire notion repugnant. And both sides are willing to pay the ultimate price to defend their positions. Make no mistake, if Qaddafi and the Libyan revolution are defeated by this opportunistic conglomerate of reactionaries and racists, then progressive forces worldwide and the Pan African project will suffer a huge defeat and set back.
Gerald A. Perreira has lived in Libya for many years and was an executive member of the World Mathaba. He can be contacted atmojadi94@gmail.com
— On Mon, 3/14/11, Rique Ennis
Did you know:
Many years ago, Qaddafi told a large gathering, which included Libyans and revolutionaries from many parts of the world, that the Black Africans were the true owners of Libya long before the Arab incursion into North Africa, and that Libyans need to acknowledge and pay tribute to their ancient African roots? He ended by saying, as is proclaimed in his The Green Book, that “the Black race shall prevail throughout the world.” This is not what many Libyans wanted to hear. As with all fair skinned Arabs, prejudice against Black Africans is endemic…
Truly a different perspective checkit, we have to be careful not to become Westoxicated indeed..
This extract is most insightful:
How many people have been slaughtered by African dictators in the last 20 years ?
What is the personal worth of Mubarak,Khadfi,Mugabe and other African Dictators?
Just answer the questions.
@Hants
Nobody is questioning that we have had Dictators in most African countries and elsewhere.
Hell we have Dictatorships in China and elsewhere which have political prisoners and kill people all the time.
The problem is the hypocrisy by the West in how they cherry pick the countries to attack.
So no answer in numbers to the question. hundreds?thousands?millions? Billions?
just answer the question. nuh lotta long talk and intellectual posturing. Just the facts.
WESTOXICATED!!
I like um bad!!
millions most likely. some of them are worth billions other worth less. very little of them have push country as much gaddaffi though like everyone else he isn’t without fault. At what point do they transform from be a rebel force in the land which oppose government like farc in Colombia to being a freedom fighting force ? The line being show here is that res 1973 being used to not to stop a conflict in country but to support the rebel forces instead of stopping both sides.
Hants your posing questions such as those only advertises the type of arrogance through ignorance that should not only be ignored, it should be spat upon…!
Arabs are racist sons of bitches, a fact that I was only introduced to this year. I have always liked the Colonel because of his very loud pro-African stance. I did not know of course that the general population of Libyans were opposed to this stance. The Colonel to my mind has always been a progressive thinker and the sentiments of the pro-Arab Libyans will not change that.
Sergeant
Obama’s opinion means nothing if he is unable to don the garb of Commander in Chief of the United States Military and stop this shite from happening. Surely now just another helpless well meaning house nigger…
@BAFBFP.
What is wrong with asking questions? Isn’t that what we are allowed to do in a Democracy or on a blog?
Questions should always be answered or debated but never ignored dan.
@BAFBFP
Arabs are racist sons of bitches, a fact that I was only introduced to this year.
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Poor BAFBFP you must have lived a very sheltered life, why do people living in North Africa countries e.g. Egypt, Tunisia etc. consider themselves as part of the Middle East not Africa? Why do people of Arab descent living in African countries e.g. Kenya or Tanzania consider them selves Arab not Africans? I have an article about the treatment of Black Iraqis which I can’t locate for now, so this article via Al Jazeera will have to suffice.
One other reminder Obama is the President of the United States of America not President of the Black People in the Caribbean, Africa or Latin America so American interests come first.
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2010/01/201011153951276431.html
Thanks Hants for the the heads up
And by the way Hants, over 80% of Americans do NOT approve of these interventions and invasions and so on. Exactly whose interests are you referring to again?
@Chris Hall…….Since when did ‘MANY’ constitute the ‘MAJORITY.’
How many Libyans really want Ghadaffi to go?
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That article posted by CheckItOut says a LOT. One of Ghadaffi’s major sins is that he does NOT need to go to the World Bank nor the IMF. The big oil companies do not control him nor his oil. Therefore they cannot make any money off of him.
Had the ‘uprisings’ in Libya been realised in the US, UK or France it would have been called SEDITION and it would have been quelled within a minute. But here you have the west supporting this same type of seditious behaviour in an OIL rich nation over which they have no control.
Anytime the west holds up Africans, Asians or non-westerners in their media as dictators and criminals we are so gullible to jump on that lying bandwagon without questioning their motives.
Ghadaffi is a ‘dictator’ who is loved by his people. Give me a dictator who gives his people the freedom to live a healthy prosperous life any day than some bogus ‘joker’ in an empty suit who only works for the kleptoclass. They are under no illusion of some imagined form of democracy like the west where you can’t even transit the airport without having your body molested, where you can’t even grow your own food now without jackboots on your neck. Today Obama has Executive Order authority which gives him absolute dictatorial powers and this authority is just awaiting the right time to be implemented. Obama claims that they are going in there to protect civilians while he continues to bomb the lights out of Afghans, Pakistanis and Iraqis. This has got to be the mother of all deception! We in the west are dangerously delusional. No longer are they out-right invading nations, they’re now doing it by proxy.
Right now Ghadaffi has handed out millions of weapons to his population to defend that country and I say may the ‘Gods’ be with them. This beast will be defeated sooner than later.
And Ghadaffi is right when he says the Libya is African just like modern-day Egypt who dare not lay claim to that rich Black history.
I say to Ghadaffi may the ‘Gods of Maat’ be with you! You are a true revolutionary, a true soldier from the trenches!
**To take control of the world’s natural resources
**To take control of the international markets for those resources
**To take control of the international trade routes, sea lanes and pipeline routes.
Just a few more reasons why this sedition is that of the globalists bloodsuckers whose money pots have dried up.
Hopi;
There is a very good chance that these globalists will win at this game. What really concerns me to the core is the gullibility of otherwise intelligent people to froth after the US’s vision of right and wrong, even after the history of deceit that its leaders have amassed over generations. What the f#ck is wrong with these people, what the f#ck is wrong with this world?
BAFBFP wrote “Exactly whose interests are you referring to again? ”
man wuh you drinking today? You replying to Sargeant’s post not Hant’s.
Sorry man, I dun drinking bottle water, it ain’ wukkin’..! I goin’ back to my usual, Owen Arthur white … help me tah see clear clear…!
BAFBFP………….
I refuse to accept that these bastards will win again. Some force has to and will stop them. Just when we had enough war they go and start some shit again.
But you can believe this or not B, there are other forces out there working against them on our behalf and you can include Mother Nature that’s why they are moving so fast because ‘time’ is also against them…. and just between you and I, there are also benign UFOs/Aliens [‘true,true] working against them, so all is not lost.
Obama has taken America to war without Congressional approval. Totally unconstitutional. Those rednecks are gonna get him!
Hopi; I suspect he will plead precedence. He’s done exactly the same as Bush and Clinton before him but his problem is his partial blackness. The Rednecks / Tea partiers didn’t react to Bush and Clinton’s unconstitutional waging of war but they will surely get after Obama for doing the same thing.
@Checkit-out…….I think what Obama has done is shown the world that this ‘One World Government’ is NOW in full effect. He takes orders from the UN and not the US Congress. Similarly with the droning of Pakistan and Yemen and now Mexico. He did not go to Congress. America is now under the rule of the UN. Obama and Canada just signed some deal allowing each other’s military to operate in each other’s country since the Constitution forbids US troops operating on its soil. That’s why ‘red-blooded’ american people are arming themselves to the teeth because they know that something BIG is on its way. Obama wasn’t made President because of someone’s good intentions, there’s a sinister plan at play here.