How Low They Can Go

The picture above was published in The New York Times in 1993. It was taken by a South African photographer named Kevin Carter, who was covering the humanitarian crisis in Sudan in the 90's. As you can see in this symbolic image, a vulture, aware that a starving Sudanese girl is close to taking her last breath, is stalking her in order to feed its hunger. In 1994, Kevin Carter won a Pulitzer Prize for this picture. A few months later he committed suicide because of severe depression.

In the year 2007, it looks like Africa is facing different types of vultures - the human variety. In a way, one can argue that the human vultures are more inhumane than the real ones. At least the real vultures like the one in the illustration wait for the preys to die before they feed on them. They follow the natural order of things in that if they don't, they will end up being preys themselves. These human vultures feed on people who are alive but are too frail and too powerless to help or protect themselves.

This is a story about human beings who barely fit that adjective, because they represent the worst in humans. They are the bottom feeders, both symbolically and literally in every sense of the word, who have no conscience whatsoever.

It is no secret that the Bush Administration has been a colossal failure in every area imaginable both domestically and internationally. However, one area it has been receiving much praise on, even from its ardent critics, is its handling of the issue in debt reduction policy for poor African countries so that they can fight poverty and the AIDS crisis. Even dedicated AIDS activists like Paul David Hewson AKA Bono have praised Bush's effort to fight AIDS by helping reduce debts and in some cases by canceling them. As recently as last week, reporters have heaped huge praise on Bush for this very issue as well as allocating significant amount of money to fight poverty and AIDS in poor African countries.

In the past, I have, perhaps too cynically or maybe out of just sheer irrational bias, been skeptical of Bush's action regarding this issue, because it appeared to be somewhat inconsistent with the way he handled crises involving other poor people who needed immediate attention by his Administration. Hurricane Katrina comes to mind. Everyone knows that while New Orleans was drowning, Bush was playing guitar in Arizona. Let's face it; the man is a prototypical psychopath with the competency level less than a county supervisor let alone a world leader.

So what was behind Mr Bush's unusual generosity to the poor in Africa? Well, it looks like my suspicion was not so unfounded after all. As we did in the past, let's follow the money. Yes, once again Bush's buddies, just like they do in every other industry, are the beneficiaries of this latest heist. It appears that the money which is allocated to help reduce the debts of these nations, in some cases, never even reaches the people who need it. Through the usual Republican Party's nefarious scheme of money exchanging from one crook to another, and a little help from some corrupt leaders, vultures like Paul Singer and Michael Sheehan, owners of what are euphemistically called "debt advisory" companies, divert money away from the needy into their own pockets.

Here's how it works. A poor nation borrows money from a country willing to lend it. Unable to pay back the loan, the borrowing country defaults on the loan. The lending country, rather than losing the whole amount, will negotiate to collect a smaller amount of the original debt. However, before the deal is finalized, these 'debt advisory' companies owned by the likes of Mr Singer and Mr Sheehan jump in and purchase the loan from the lending country. The corrupt president of the poor country, instead of protesting the deal, is pacified and silenced through bribes by the vultures. The debt advisory companies then take this poor country to court and sue for the original amount plus interest. Where does the money come from to pay these companies? Of course, from funds allocated to fight AIDS and poverty in these poor countries by those jolly old fellas', "salt of the earth" guys, G W Bush and his lapdog accomplice Tony Blair using US and UK tax payers' money - yet another wonderful use of tax payer money to portray the two countries as nations filled with heartless and unsympathetic people. And what is the connection between Mr Bush, the Republican Party and these vultures, I mean besides their well documented basic lack of humanity? Yep, you guessed it, campaign contribution! In both the 2000 and 2004 presidential elections, Singer made a $300, 000 and $1.2 million in donations respectively to the Bush camp. As you will see in the video, Bush and Blair are being silent accomplices by allowing this travesty to take place.

It may not seem too fashionable to question or be suspicious of issues like this, since, at first glance, it may seem like a case of biting the hand that feeds you.  But it is extremely important to look behind the headlines when claims of extra ordinary generosities are made by people who have shown to be less than generous in the past. This is too important an issue to be left to the main stream US media.

So, which countries are being hounded currently by these vultures? Here is a list from the International Development Association (a World Bank Group) as of 2006. And yes, it includes Ethiopia.

Please watch the short video below by Gregg Palast. It is sure to leave you speechless.

Incidentally, I would like to encourage everyone to thank Congressmen John Conyers (D-MI) and Donald Payne (D-NJ), yes the same Donald Payne who is fighting an uphill battle in Congress for Ethiopians, in their effort to put an end to this disgusting practice.

And please send Mr Sheehan an e-mail and let him know how you feel about this.

Thank you!

LeBron's Flagrant Foul

During a recent press conference, President Bush, when asked to rationalize the economic relationship between his European allies and his enemy of the week country Iran, he rather candidly said "...let's put it this way, money trumps peace, sometimes." This is a remarkably blunt admission by the "leader of the free world" (there's an irony for you) in describing the somtimes contradictory relationship between money and business on one side and peace and democracy on the other. Although in a rather smaller scale, here is an example of this relationship, which can be seen as a microcosm of the larger picture.

Most everyone, especially sports fans, are starting to become familiar with the name LeBron James. He is a professional basketball player for the Cleveland Cavaliers who, almost single handedly, carried his team into the NBA finals for the first time in the team's history last Saturday, beating the dreaded Detroit Pistons 4 games to 2 in the best of 7 series. Also known as "King James", LeBron is touted as "the next Michael Jordan", in talent and perhaps surpass Jordan in financial wealth. LeBron signed a $90 million endorsement deal with Nike in 2003, while still in high school! Though only 22 years old, he is listed as the 6th richest athlete on the Fortune 500 list of 2007 and also won "The Wealthiest Athlete of the Year" award at the ESPYs last year.

Recently, LeBron's teammate Ira Newbel drafted a letter to the Chinese government demanding that they put pressure on the Sudanese government in order to help stop the genocide in Darfur. The Chinese government is a big business partner with the Sudanese government, investing heavily in oil. All of Ira's teammates, except LeBron James and Damon Jones signed the letter. Yeah, I know. Who is Damon Jones, right? Yes, he is nobody really...I mean in terms of NBA stardom, compared to James. He is what they call in basketball lingo "a bench warmer". I guess he figured this was the only way he could get his name called in the same sentence with LeBron James, even though they are on the same team.

All joking aside, why did LeBron James, an NBA megastar whose signature would have put the much-needed weight on the letter, decline to sign the letter? Well, as the above article suggests, let's follow the money. Both LeBron and Damon have marketing contracts with a Chinese sportswear company Li-Ning Sports Goods Co. And remember that $90 million contract between James and Nike, a company which runs hundreds of sweatshops in China? Well, my hunch is that the contract probably contains a clause that prevents James from speaking out against the Chinese government in any form, including signing a petition.

One might give LeBron a pass on this, citing his youthful indiscretion and conclude that he may be too naive to understand the implications of his action or inaction in this case. However, there have been many young athletes before him who took a firm stand on issues and did what they felt was the right thing. In 1967, Mohammed Ali was 25, only 3 years older than LeBron James is, when he took on the U.S. government and refused to fight in Vietnam declaring, "No Viet Cong ever called me nigger" . For his stance, Ali was convicted of draft evasion and sentenced to 5 years in jail. The decision was later overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court. In a time when political discourse in the country was so bitter that people were divided in racial and political lines, taking a stand Ali took against the "big bad" U.S. government was not only courageous, but outright perilous for a young black man. He was stripped of his world heavyweight title and his boxing license. The financial damage and the set back to his career was immeasurable, but Ali was able to overcome all and regained the heavyweight title again. After his conviction Ali said: "I'm giving up my title, my wealth, maybe my future. Many great men have been tested for their religious beliefs. If I pass this test, I'll come out stronger than ever."

I guess the Mohammed Alis, Bill Russles, Kareem Abdul Jabbars, Arthur Ashes, Jim Browns , or the John Carlos & Tommie Smith's of the world are becoming extinct, aren't they? James, please spend some time with the ones who are still alive before they pass on. They may have some tips for you on how to match a big and incredibly athletic body to an even bigger and caring heart. It's more satisfying to be rich spiritually than materially - ask Ali.

Now James, listen to me young man. Here's a chance for you to score the biggest point in your young career. And you thought that game-winning lay-up against Detroit was your biggest one! Trust me; you will have plenty of chances to score points like those. I am talking about an opportunity of a life time to make a real difference in other people's lives. They come once in a lifetime. Use it, jump on it, put your big hands around like you do with that basketball and take charge. You'll be a better person for it. And believe me; you don't even have to go to jail because of it. How about a little humanity here? I realize you have been protected, shielded, cuddled and pampered by almost everyone you know up until now, and I don't expect you to be like Ali overnight. I also realize that it is difficult to be politically and spiritually conscious when people around you treat you like a rancher treats his prized milk-cow or his studhorse, but I am sure you look at yourself in the mirror everyday. And when you look deeper, you will come to the realization that those people in Darfur are of your color, not that skin color is a pre-requisite to help others, but you know what I mean. Who knows, if you look deep enough, you may find some Nubian blood in you. Have you seen what Nubian people look like? Here's a sample . Remarkable, isn't it - the resemblance to you? You know where Darfur is located, 'Bron ? Yes, it's close to that old Nubian Civilization. Do you know their history? You'll be amazed! Here... take a look. And yes, they had kings too!!! Just like your nickname! Isn't that a coincidence? Yep, they are actually civilized people, despite what the U.S. media shows you on TV sometimes. Don't get me wrong, the more publicity about Darfur the better, but you know they do us sometimes, right? Yes, they are a very proud group of people.  It's just that they have fallen on some hard times these days like we all do from time to time. And it was all through no fault of their own either. Yes, they had kings, queeens, warriors, businessmen and women, engineers etc… Yeah, Sudanese people, just like all human beings on earth, given the chance, can do anything they want. They can even play in the NBA! Remember Manute Bol? How about the current player - the one who plays for the Chicago Bulls - yeah, LuolDeng? Oh My God! Deng! How will you be able to look him in the eye next season? How about Dikembe Mutambo, for that matter, another African playing in the NBA who has done so much for his brothers and sisters in Africa? Oh well, I am sure you will find the courage to face them. I'm just trying to help a brutha out, 'Bron.

You know James, I have another idea. Why don't you take some time this off season to have a talk with Mutambo and Deng and see if they can help you with this? Come on, do this for us and make us proud, so next time we see you on the TV making one of your spectacular plays or thunderous dunks, we can be proud of both the athlete and the human being.

Chereka