I am a heavy Quora user. Quora is actually the only social media I am active on. I enjoy the time that I spend there: reading, commenting on answers and sometimes writing one of my own. This article was necessitated by a Quora users comment on one of such comments I made.
If you don’t know what Quora is, it is a question and answer platform where questions are asked and anyone can answer, I have read that it is a civilised version of Reddit I don’t know if that is true or not all I know is you can’t use foul language as the BNBR referee will send you off if you do, Lol! Personally I would say it is similar to Stackexchange another question and answer platform.
You can read my Quora answers here. I tend to answer questions centering on religion because that is what the Quora bots were throwing my way, now that I am better at navigating around Quora. I will be writing more on topics like metaphysics and spirituality and more fun topics which are more my turf. Like I said this whole article was motivated by a Quoran’s comment on a comment I wrote with same title as this article. As I have a lot to say I reasoned a comprehensive response on here is a better option, instead of posting a few words on Quora that won’t adequately relay my views hence a rejoinder with the title of the original article.
Here is a link to the parent answer
Below is the comment in its entirety for ease of read I have delineated in colours
The black fonts are from what I wrote originally
The blue are the commenter’s JM—Joaquin Montano
The red are my new response to his (which are blue)
Me: My question is how does it solve the genocidal situation that faces Europe at the moment.”
JM: Genocide. Genocide was first recognized as a crime under International Law in 1946 by the United Nations General Assembly. According to the Genocide Convention of 1948, this is it’s definition:
“In the present Convention, genocide means any of the following acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, as such:
- a) Killing members of the group
- b) Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group
- c) Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part
- d) Imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group
- e) Forcibly transferring children of the group to another group.”
Care to explain how exactly Old, poor Europe fits into this category, how she is a victim of a systematically devised plan to exterminate it’s population? Irak and Libya definitely fit into this category. But, France or Poland?
ME: I apologise ‘genocidal situation’ is a wrong choice of word. I lifted that off one of the comments above. What I intended to say or write is the inundating refugee/illegal immigrant crisis currently rocking the stability of Europe.
ME: “…am an African my homeland was equally raped and pillaged”
JM: Was?
Yes, was. I don’t deny that the consequences of past deeds (of colonialist) still torments and its effects remain even many decades after but at least there aren’t direct overt exploitation.
Sorry but, living in denial doesn’t mean the problems aren’t there anymore.
That I choose to be reasonable should not be misconstrued as living in denial. It simply means I don’t have my head stuck in my ass. It is a shame you conflate the two.
Africa is still the most miserable continent in the world.
Yes, according to people like you and western media. How exactly are we miserable, is it because we don’t measure up to the West’s definition? Super mega infrastructures may not be available on the continent but is that all there is to measure the quality of human life? I can’t place your arguments but know this Africans don’t need your type on our side if all you are going to do is insult us and tell us ‘we are wanting to be civilised’ how dare you!
The old empires now turned into “democracies” are still there, profiting from misery. To this date, it’s a French currency (CFA franc) the one that rules the economy of France’s former african colonies. When Gaddafi tried to change this and create an African currency, the “great democracies” decided the man was finished. Slave trade is now a reality in Libya (literally) as we talk.
I am not an expert on international finance and unlike you I don’t blow hot and cold over internet conspiracies & allegations. To prove that the CFA francophone – France arrangement is a zero sum game you need to throw me some cold facts. On Gaddafi that is a discussion for another time.
“I opt for a higher standard and choose to let by-gones be by-gones and only work at building enduring legacy out of the ruin of the past”
Or, maybe, you take the choice of sounding “reasonable” in order to please the “western” ears, in order to be considered “civilized” rather than a “savage” ranting against the Enlightened States …
Funny — How you are quick to judge my reasoning as being pretentious. That alone says a lot about how you perceive Africans. Your comment says it all your mindset is no different from that of the western media like them you see us as primitive, uncivilized and feigning ‘reasonableness’ borrowing your own term. I am however the first to admit that we may be unlucky in having a class of looting kleptocrats as politicians who do nothing but plunge us deeper into miry pits.
We shall assuredly pull out of our current unfortunate circumstances not through angst or violence but with intelligence, will power and fortitude because contrary to what you believe the vast majority of us on the continent are decent, respectable members of our respective societies.
Nigeria Labor movement workers union strike
We have been through enough and know that violence rather than build tears apart. Cue this. In January 2012 we had something reminiscent to #Occupy Wall Street, we tagged it #Occupy Nigeria. We were protesting our displeasure with the then government of Goodluck Jonathan over governmental policies that were perceived as anti-people; it was peaceful, no riots, not a single fist was thrown, we were orderly. At the end of a week-long protest a compromise was reached, but guess what the rest of the world didn’t get to see this image of Africa and Africans (Nigerians in this particular instance)because interestingly International news agencies didn’t think it news worthy, why? — Just like you they were disappointed they did been happier to see us throw stones, be angry and get violent we were being ‘pretentious’ you know like you said of me. Clearly if the opposite were the case all of international media would have arrived on our shore in chartered jets, set up shop ready to roll camera and show to the world what a bunch of barbaric, primitive, savages we are. Again borrowing your word!
I took the time out to write this piece for two reasons:
I felt it necessary to school you and others like you who think the worst of Africa and Africans we know our history we also understand our present predicament. We are cognizant that we have a long way to go but we also know that we are better off when we don’t let others measure our lives by their own warped standards.
And to also prove to you that my ‘reasonableness’ and by extension that of millions of Africans isn’t pandering to the west it is just what we truly are a decent group of people who have been unfortunate and dealt the short end of the stick for centuries.
You mentioned a rant. I’m only bringing facts, not opinions based on emotions.
Well your writing style and tone are condescending— so uncool! You may need to take a lesson or two in etiquette. Your comments are emotion charged I can almost picture you with a pout jumping up and down with flailing hands. Read through the comments again and see the responses of others to your comments and tell me who is emotional. People who scream and shout their points angrily seldom win a debate even if they have great points. If you want anyone to listen to what you have to say I advise you– Change your tact!!
yeye
yeye is an agnostic pantheist who borrows a leaf from all known perennial wisdom traditions, a chela that drinks from the cups of wisdom presented by custodians of ancient traditions. She lives life on her terms.
