Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Fwd: Soyinka's Red & Green Cards
Kenneth Harrow
Thank you Richard.
I’d add a footnote. I too see myself as “progressive” and thus dismayed by the elements of the nanny state, or whatever we call a state that maintains Guantanamo, that enables the nsa to spy on us, that stretches the limits of incarceration and police power. Some of these things were attenuated or opposed, mildly, by Obama. Some, like drones, assassination of foreign figures, and spying—including going after whistle blowers—were strongly supported.
He told us, trust me.
Not, the system has to be limited.
No see what we have reaped, with a maniac in charge of these delicate areas of democracy.
And with the first words out of the maniac’s mouth, I will deport 3 million people.
3 million.
Obama? He deported 2 million, over his 8 years.
We are reaping the wind of the underbelly of globalization and its new power. Richard paints a picture of hope, without which I couldn’t really speak in the public realm any more. So I appreciate it. But my bitterness can’t be hidden considering all that the future portends.
What does the maniac say about abortion rights? That women whose states don’t provide it now can go to other states.
Anyone old enough to remember the 50s and 60s and even 70s remembers when u.s. women had to go to Sweden for abortions, or risk death with clothes hangers. We return to the bad old days, led by a maniac.
ken
Kenneth Harrow
Dept of English and Film Studies
http://www.english.msu.edu/people/faculty/kenneth-harrow/
From: usaafricadialogue <usaafric...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Toyin Falola <toyin...@austin.utexas.edu>
Reply-To: usaafricadialogue <usaafric...@googlegroups.com>
Date: Monday 14 November 2016 at 11:48
To: usaafricadialogue <USAAfric...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Fwd: Soyinka's Red & Green Cards
Sent from my iPhone
Begin forwarded message:
From: Richard Joseph <richard...@gmail.com>
Date: November 14, 2016 at 10:26:56 AM CST
To: Ayo Olukotun <ayo_ol...@yahoo.com>, Toyin Falola <toyin...@austin.utexas.edu>
Subject: Soyinka's Red & Green Cards
Dear Ayo and Toyin:
Please share these remarks with our colleagues. They elaborate points made in a letter to Dr. Ibrahim Hassan, University of Jos, who had circulated Wole Soyinka's statement following the recent U.S. elections.
Yours, Richard
Dear Ibrahim:
Great hearing from you. Yes, the Trump Triumph is serious but also complex. I am writing during a visit to Indiana, home state of the incoming American vice-president, Mike Pence.
Is there anything different here since Trump and Pence, and dozens of Republican legislators and state executives, were elected? Not really. And so it will be in many constituencies where the Right won. The people are calmly satisfied.This, they believe, is Their Land. They voted overwhelmingly to protect it, while realizing that it is the Trumpist elites who will benefit enormously.
Trump won essentially because the America-a-borning lacked the voting commitment of the America alarmed about demographic, social, and governmental changes. Those transitions can be slowed but not wholly reversed. Sadly, important Obama initiatives - on equity, climate change, and immigration - are imperiled.
Trump tapped a groundswell of grievance and fear to roar through the Republican primaries and the presidential election. The imbecilities he spouted endeared him to those who saw themselves on the sidelines of a globalized and cosmopolitan America. Boasts of sexual assault and non-payment of taxes could not dissuade his supporters, even of the "family-values" persuasion.
Trump's demagoguery was complemented by the drumbeat of anger directed at the liberal consensus - symbolized by Obama, Clinton, and other Democratic leaders- that can be heard unceasingly on talk-radio, Fox TV, and many social media sites. Even shadowy Alt-Right groups surfaced to voice their support of his candidacy.
Prominent ideologues will now assume key posts in the White House and surrounding entities.
Trump describes his triumph as being that of a movement, and so it is to an important degree, with conservative, nativist, regionalist, and reactionary strands. A diverse coalition was knitted together by his media antics and arena harangues.
A long era of liberal progress has ended; the struggle for another has begun. The adversary is in ascendance, joined by thousands of careerists who would have swung behind Clinton/Kaine if the vote had gone the other way.
Ours is still a constitutional and pluralist democracy, so the struggle will take place in many fora: civic, professional, governmental, and also in the streets. We've been here before, in Nigeria, the U.S., and many other nations where legal pilings are embedded, making it possible to resist authoritarian usurpers and eventually turn the tide.
The struggle will be long and arduous as the adversary is resolute, cunning, politically entrenched, and well-financed. This is a time for deep reflection, resilience, and strategic action. Wole Soyinka has been a progressive leader in word and action for decades. His green card is as important as his red card. He should deploy them judiciously, as the situation warrants.
Americans, as others in this era of reaction, need to hear from him and other progressive intellectuals, in person and from wherever they retreat to heal from the trauma. A re-energized counter-movement will emerge, and succeed.
I recall a personal message two decades ago from Prof. Omo Omoruyi at a low point in the June 12 struggle: "Don't Be Tired!"
As ever,
Richard
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Cornelius Hamelberg
At the Embassy of Ecuador in London, Wikileaks' Julian Assange has been questioned by Swedish prosecutors today. There's a 99% chance that they will drop the alleged rape charges against him ( of course he's still afraid of being extradited to the US where there are so many people who would like to burn him)….