Daniel says that the Irish journo whose remarks about the hopelessness of Africa launched a hot thread here this past weekend is fairly wide of the mark in his harsh judgment. Excerpt:
Myers' attitude towards Africa is no doubt influenced by experiences in some of the worse, more conflict-ridden states (or, in Somalia's case, pseudo-states) and his appropriate horror at the irresponsible attitudes of many southern African governments, not merely that of Mbeki, about the region's public health crises. Myers makes many legitimate points, and I'm sure the sweeping generalisations he ends up making are the product of frustration with the stigma against saying such things publicly. Still, it occurs to me that this overly broad view of Africa is very much like the American view of "the Middle East," which people in this country will commonly refer to as exceedingly violent or unstable, when it has been-outside of a very narrow strip of the Levant-relatively quiet, peaceful and stable until recent years. Americans believe this because they are frequently shown only those parts of the region that make international news, and those tend to be the parts where there are intractable conflicts, and they are now often told that America's role in the region is to provide stability in a region that supposedly would otherwise lack it. That almost exactly the opposite might be true is not really considered a serious view. The idea that Africans can make their own way in the world without ongoing assistance and support also seems to be quite unusual and controversial.
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"They need our medicine, medical research, and life-changing religious teaching." I would guess you've never set foot on African soil, or even talked with an African Christian. Until you walk a mile in their shoes, you're just one more in a long line of American blowhards. There are plenty of African Christians who are trying to change the culture. So, mm, what are you trying to do to help?
"They need our medicine, medical research, and life-changing religious teaching."
They need help, without the strings attached. They don't need our military fighting wars to overthrow leaders to make them safe for Democracy, Corporatism, Bureaucracy, etc.
I wonder if Charles C. has ever set foot on soil such as Africa
I wonder if Larison ever has. I'd bet all the money in my pocket right now he's never set foot in the Middle East either.
"They need our medicine, medical research, and life-changing religious teaching." I would guess you've never set foot on African soil, or even talked with an African Christian...There are plenty of African Christians who are trying to change the culture."
Color me skeptical. I've met African Christians, and a lot of them fit Paul Johnson's description:
"Many of these religions or cults are associated with the desire for land, and reflect the traditional native leadership of priest-kings. In fact they are tribal churches. They are characterized by sacramental vomiting, water rituals, and speaking with tongues, such as (a very common formula):
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Hhayi, hhayi, hhayi, hhayi,
Sorry Jesus Sorry Jesus Sorry Jesus
Spy spy spy, Naughty boy, Naughty boy
Nhayi hhayi hhayi — Halleluja, hallelujah,
Amen"
Very culturally transformative, yep.
The estimated future reduction of 20% of the workforce due to the AIDS epidemic does not fare well for the productivity forecast of African countries hit hardest by AIDS.
Wondering where you got your figures....
I presume that 20% is relative how big the workforce would have been sans AIDS. Because the UN, at least, projects that the proportion of Africa's population aged 15-64 will rise from 508 million in 2005 to ~1.2 billion in 2050. For sub-Saharan Africa, the figures are 411 million in '05 and 1 billion in 2050. (*) IIRC, these projections take AIDS into account. Even if they didn't, 80% of 1 billion is still 800 million.
They need our medicine, medical research, and life-changing religious teaching.
I hope this instance of taking up the white man's burden does not involve military intervention. Because if it does, count me out.
(*) Statistics from UN database associated with "World Population Prospects, 2006 Revision".
I wonder where Rod "Crunchy Con" Dreher gets some of his bloggers from: the Church of the United Ignoramuses, perhaps?
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