So why should we care about them, right? We don't really bother about the ones who live in our own country, so...Africa? Ha!
Well, I had the privilege of seeing a preview for the movie "The Constant Gardener", which does a wonderful job ripping to shreds the complacency and immorality of Western attitudes towards Africa. It reminded me how much we choose to hurt the most impoverished people in the world.
Regardless of whether you're an Afro-phile or don't know the difference between Niger and Nigeria, I would highly recommend seeing this film. Although somewhat sanctimonious and less than realistic in its thematic scope at intervals, it's not only insightful and enraging, but also lots of fun. It's an intense ride, and will be worth the 8 bucks.
This movie is genuinely exciting, and if it can get a few people to actually look up where the hell Kenya is, maybe it can also inspire some discussion on our end of the political spectrum. (When was the last time you saw a diary about AIDS and the Christian Right?)
Well, you may ask, why should Africa matter on a website dedicated to US politics? Simply put, because US politics matter so much to Africa. For instance, a brief survey of our current budget, with a moderate examination of general trends within international trade, reveals that:
US FARM SUBSIDIES ARE KILLING AFRICA!
And that's just the tip of the iceberg.
I know it's a bit much to ask for a donation to save children from starvation in Niger, to request that people find out where Darfur is or learn about the tuberculosis rates in Ghana...but for God's sake, see this movie. It opens everywhere August 31st.
Let's start try to stir it up.