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How much uglier can it get?
Will it degenerate into another race war?
Food for thought : President George W. Bush's chief speechwriter, Michael Gerson "I had fully intended to ignore President Trump’s latest round of racially charged taunts against an African American elected official….”
Open your ❤️ my friend.
If a party, a person and even a
mega movement changed their
racist, fascist ways, be willing
to accept them back into the
fold.
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Dr Oohay,
There you go again, but in the Kafkaesque process, some of us are getting educated : everything that you say in the post that I’m replying to is new to me. and I thank the Almighty that you studiously side-stepped mentioning Brother Obama, USA’s first Black President and a Democrat.
I suppose you’d much prefer to paint this version of him ?
So do tell us, which of the parties is really the Black People's Parties it the Republicans or the Democrats, and why is it that Dr.Ben Carson is the only Black dude in Trump’s cabinet / inner circle?
I don’t know your background , but there is the case of David Horowitz ,formerly a big shot at left wing Ramparts Magazine which I read religiously in the early 1970s, fast forward ( and I’m not blowing his horn) some years ago he authored “Ten Reasons Why Reparations for Slavery is a Bad Idea for Blacks—and Racist Too”
In the 4th form at secondary school we studied Animal Farm with A. T. Von S. Bradshaw, our English tutor, a former major in the British Army.
A little later I got to understand this was all part of the post-war British propaganda ploy to poison our impressionable young minds about the Russian Revolution
And that’s how it is: Every urchin that received a colonial type education read some George Orwell, especially Animal Farm from where, as derived, “All men are equal but some men are more equal than others” is forever on our blubbery lips…
As you know, there are different kinds of shit
Smell this
In the McCarthy era and slightly thereafter, I imagine you would have been one of the valuable assets working full time for J. Edgar Hoover as a so-called neo-con type of capitalist ideologue making poignant anti-Marxist propaganda for Brer McCarthy and ensuring that adherents of Karl Marx philosophy (“commies”) would all forfeit whatever freedom they imagined they were entitled to as per the American Declaration of Independence which states
“We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness”
despite which McCarthy made sure that on suspicion only they would spend long years or indeed the rest of their miserable lives behind bars after being hunted down or nearly lynched by anti-Communist vigilantes.
The Black man’s burden ; Under attack, for just being black :
Cf, Angela Davis: The Prison-Industrial-Complex
N.B. ( but not for you ) : “Every man is two men; one is awake in the darkness, the other asleep in the light.” ( Khalil Gibran) He also said, “Every man loves two women; one is the creation of his imagination and the other is not yet born.”
Dr Oohay,
“White People” ?
Believe it or not, we're all living under the sun of God.
And that’s how some of us got dark, under the sun of God
In Plogen ( Black Girl) Cornelis Vreeswijk sings “Jag är svart, är svart i solen” ( I’m black, I’m black (from working) in the sun) from Cornelis’ great album “Cornelis sings Victor Jara - worth a good listen )
In the cold war era in Africa there was an ideological war going on” between Communism and Capitalism”; in Africa another ideological battle continues between Islam and the disciples of imperialism’s postcolonial ( neo-colonial) Christian missionaries (accurately represented here in Prof. Lumumba & Maponga: A Powerful, Bold Lecture on Religion in Africa!)
When it comes to working for the Yankee Dollar, we know that in the United States, there are some faithful lackeys: God forbid, but, if in the name of crudity/obscenity, Trump ever declares an intention to grab Nigeria by the pussy or by the balls, or in the name of America First and rapacious capitalism second , to transform Nigeria into the New Riviera of West Africa, there are those among us who would not take it lightly, and should you support such an imperialist idea, on the grounds that waiting in the wings to become next president of Nigeria is a geezer who is ostensibly “Marxist”, there would be at least a few righteous Nigerians, Chinweizu among them and hopefully, Chimalum Nwankwo too who would accuse you of sleeping with the enemy. (I mention the later, having just read his marvellous “ Of the Deepest Shadows and Prisons of Fire “ impressed by all of it, especially “Memory Poem ( of Biafra and its prison of fire) ”
We understand that you live in the United States, just as Soul Sister Gloria In Excelsis Emeagwali also lives in the United States, and that this should normally mean that you have a vantage perspective that those of us who do not live in the Mighty States, might not so easily share, knowing, as we ought to, that “ he (or she) who feels it knows” and that, friend or enemy, sometimes a person has to be over there where the law and the disorder and the love and the hatred is, in order to feel it and to know.
This was clearly brought home to me one day in the late 80s , when I was sitting in some elect exile company, and praising the Islamic Revolution in Iran until someone in the group took off his shirt to show me the stripes on his back, all of them the result of some severe lashes for counter-revolutionary activities…
Bahram, one of my Iraqi colleagues at work, told us how SADDAM once visited his workplace on some kind of regular tour of inspection, and that at the sight of SADDAM ( like HAMAN) one of his colleagues started trembling. The poor man couldn't control himself, as time wore on the trembling increasing incrementally with every second, it got to the point when his whole body was shaking uncontrollably, causing SADDAM to wonder, why is he shaking like that ? - and to conclude that he must be guilty of something, so Saddam’s guards took him out and shot him.
Perhaps, just another Kurdish story, to demonise the enemy-.--
On the other hand, the Armenians and other Christian folk in Iraq, loved and still ove Saddam…
But, first to clear up these two outstanding matters 👍
It’s good to know that as you say, Orwell taught you in his gospel fable
“ALL ANIMALS ARE EQUAL, BUT SOME are MORE equal than others.”
That of course applies to dollar billionaires, poets, presidents, and professors too.
If in doubt :
This was the search term in both Google and Bing :
Google : Donald Trump and Racism
Bing : Donald Trump and Racism
How many lawsuits has Trump been involved in
Dr Oohay
s'il vous plaît,
of course,
you are at liberty,
at Liberté, égalité, fraternité
to search for Donald Trump versus Racism
Donald Trump versus Inequality
Donald Trump versus Barack Obama
Donald Trump versus anti-Semitism
Donald Trump and Charlottesville
Search for The Defiant Lawyers
even search for the movie “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner”
starring the late great Sidney Poitier
back in the day, bearing in mind these lines
from I Shall Be Free No. 10 :
“Now, I’m liberal, but to a degree
I want everybody to be free
But if you think that I’ll let Barry Goldwater
Move in next door and marry my daughter
You must think I’m crazy!
I wouldn’t let him do it for all the farms in Cuba”
Re - what you said earlier on about Congressman Al Green ,
your exact words : “A Demo leader Al Green (not the beloved singer) now invokes the proverbial DEIA victimhood strategy. Newsome (still the same unchanging inauthentic character”, etc etc
But surely, poverty, especially Black poverty, and Black Lives Matter in the United States, in Nigeria , and in the world over, is not not merely a matter of victimhood, or is it?
Of course, to our liking : The Modern Jazz Quartet
Dr Oohay,
That was succinct.
I have checked out your earlier references:
the 28th US president , Googled: Woodrow Wilson and KKK
Bing : Woodrow Wilson and the Klan
17th US President . Googled: Andrew Johnson vs 40 acres and a mule
In response to these references, Gloria In Excelsis Emeagwali has requested
that you open your heart (the seat/ headquarters of the intellect)
With perhaps the possible exception of the widespread, especially the widespread student opposition to the Vietnam War, Foreign Affairs has not usually played a major role in determining Presidential Elections outcomes in the US of A, although after 9-11 the election was Bush's to lose, especially after he gave the strict ultimatum, “ You’re either with us or with the terrorists” by which he could have also meant, you’re either with the US / me & the Republicans or with the crazy demons…
Since, in reality, it’s often “ it’s the economy stupid” and the sweet promises of more dollars in the pocket of the blue-collar workers, and average middle class citizens Jack & Jill, not so much the Hillbillies, perhaps the Q should be reframed: On the whole, in the past 50 years or so after Civil Rights etc, which of the parties Republican or Democrats, has offered and has actually been able to deliver more prosperity to the relatively poorer masses ( the abandoned and oppressed) in the land of opportunity, flowing with milk and honey?
Biden wasn’t doing that badly in the people’s economy sector was he?
Over here in Sweden where I have followed latest political developments closely, since 1971, when it comes to the economy and taxation it’s more or less the same ideological divide between the two main parties, the Conservatives (The Moderate Party) and the Social Democrats and their left-wing coalition allies; ideally the social Democrats would love to levy a Robin Hood tax - to tax the filthy rich to help finance the bountiful social welfare system, once upon a time, in the good old days, famous as “The Swedish Model”- whereas the Cons want the filthy rich to pay less taxes, and have been on a privatization spree (2006-2014) and in their second coming which started in 2022 their motto is “Themba Feza”. Today, all Swedish political parties are in essential agreement with The Sweden Democrats that immigration levels must be severely axed, and I suspect that the more anti-immigration SD are keeping an eye on Trump as an inspiration, possibly with a view to deporting all of our own legal and illegal immigrants who may be involved in gangster-ism and criminal activities etc, to some kind of Guantanamo Bay detention facilities outside Sweden.
About our man Trump, even Einstein himself did at sometime confess:
“A question that sometimes drives me hazy:
Am I or are the others crazy?”
So, take note : What you derisively refer to as “Trump derangement syndrome” is s double- edged sword and slightly adjusted could be applied to Trump himself : “ Trump derangement symptoms” :
Trump's psychological profile 2016-2025
Consider : https://www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2025/01/24/is-trump-mad-or-bad/
A still unanswered question : How would Goebbels explain
that there’s not a single black person in Trump's Cabinet?
Honestly, are you not worried about this :
“Imperialism and Totalitarianism Go Hand in Hand”: M. Gessen on Trump’s Policies at Home & Abroad
Dr Oohay,
Two Republicans:
Ronald Reagan in a call with President Richard Nixon called African U.N. delegates 'monkeys'
Of course you know the whole story of Reagan vs The Black Panthers
I know the somebody who sent this to me, but I can’t make out who the “I” is, that’s talking :
👆 I am extremely aware that I am beating a proverbial dead horse here, but leaders are born, and they are not made, and politics is about confrontation and not consenting. I advise that anyone who is a political "junky" must read Robert Caro's biography of Lyndon Baines Johnson (LBJ), "Master of the Senate". (LBJ) knew how to wield power. Though he was a racist--he would call us "Negras" in private--but he accomplished more for us than any leader, save Marion Barry the former Mayor of Washington, in the District of Columbia. Johnson appointed Thurgood Marshall as Solicitor General and the first Black Justice to the US Supreme Court. Though he knew that his Democratic Party would lose the South (Dixie) in presidential elections--"we" did from 1968 until 1992 (Bill Clinton won Arkansas [his home state], Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Tennessee and West Virginia)--he passed the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. When his chef, Zephyr Wright, and his chauffeur, Robert Wright, who were both black, informed him that they had difficulties using amenities driving en route to his residence in Texas, he called Sen. Dick Russell (D-GA)--who was the "head" of the Southern caucus (Dixiecrats)--I am paraphrasing that there would be hell to pay if his "Negras" encountered any problems. They never did. Johnson hated Republicans.
In the movie. "Cry Freedom", there is a scene where Bantu Steve Biko (Denzel Washington) responded to a racist White South African Judge, that, "We are in a confrontation, but I see no violence".
Schumer has neither the charisma nor the cojones to be Senate Minority Leader. The question for Senate Democrats is who is the ruthless lady or gentleman to succeed Schumer? The Senator has to be White and Anglo-Saxon and Protestant.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zephyr_Wright
Dr Oohay,
Many thanks - that was generosity writ large, sharing, daring to share so much of you, with us, such a panoramic view, so many different strands, some revelations, so much on my plate
I’m responding to just that little Catholic segment of your intro - will address the liberalism issue and your follow up later. However, you have not yet shared with us - directly - your thoughts about Pan-Africanism as a political philosophy and a movement. For me, from that point of view - Pan-African consciousness, of course we have “more in common than what perhaps divides us” and “us” would include good dudes such as the Prophet Moses on whom was conferred the mantle of Prophethood when he was a hoary 80 years of age, an office that he discharged as the Almighty’s appointed, until he passed on to the Hereafter when he was 120 years old, “Us” also includes another elder who has secured his place in history as Robert Mugabe who ( another exemplary use of the possessive adjective) famously said, “Blair, keep your England and let me keep my Zimbabwe.” ( In similar circumstances with regard to the idea of “shithole countries” as commander in-chief we could perhaps expect to hear dear Adepoju remonstrating in rhyme,
“Trump keep your America,
and let me keep my Nigeria”
27th March ,2025, the date that the mystery was finally cleared up for me, by you - thank God when you talk about the benevolent and I suppose salvific effects of having attended a Roman Catholic Secondary school , which a poor, wretched sinner like me never did - the mystery of why the guys ( in Sierra Leone) that attended Roman Catholic Secondary schools, invariably turned out to be the most argumentative that I have ever encountered on the planet, a prime example that still sticks in my mind, the late great Arthur Abraham - a Pan-Africanist and Nkrumahist to boot ( I’ve already told you a little about this phenomenon here ). My assumption about the loquacious and argumentative nature of those who attended Catholic Institutions of higher learning in that country was that they had been given a free rein by the Irish Catholic priests, the Irish already known for loquaciousness and eloquence as a national characteristic (Jonathan Swift, GB Shaw, Joyce, Oscar Wilde, Yeats, Samuel Beckett, C. S. Lewis , Gerry Adams ( former leader of Sinn Fein), the immaculate Mary Robinson and of course, Seamus Heaney ( a real poet)
Van Morrison : Poetic Champions Compose
Dr Oohay,
Once again, this time in Scandinavian patois, tusen tack .
It’s good hearing from an honest broker who lives over there giving us some personal insights - in that regard the last honest broker I read from Naija-land was Chimananda, not “We Should All Be Feminists” but Americanah .
BTW , I wonder what Trump thinks about her proposition that “We should all be feminists”.
I was about to tell you what I think the p-grabber thinks, “ like hell we should” etc, but remembered just in time
Ojogbon’s cautionary words of wisdom for today
not so radically different from what the rabbis say
which proves that there’s no freedom of speech actually…
We can’t really say that in politics, “honesty is the best policy”, or can we ?
You say that Madiba, “ unfortunately had very limited success as a politician”; perhaps, so did Jesus, although in his case as he had already explained , “My kingdom is not of this world.
You obviously don’t think that Socialism is the best way forward for Africa, since you mention Nyerere but fault his socialist agenda, his Ujamaa which especially endeared him to Olof Palme and the Swedish Social Democrat government of the seventies and early eighties (Ethiopia was once Sweden's favourite country in Africa, Emperor Haile Selassie and King Gustaf VI Adolf of Sweden were good friends , so it was Ethiopia, later on, followed by strong support for the Liberation Movements in Southern Africa and the Socialist experiment in Tanzania…
I came to an abrupt and must confess, a disconcerting stop when I arrived at this sentence of yours which must have stopped many of your readers cold in their tracks, made others see blood :
“I also appreciate the honesty and courage of Major Nzeogwu, especially the intentionality of the aborted coup…”
It’s possibly laylatul qadr tonight
So I’ll stop right here for now.
Dr Oohay,
Trump speaks
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KhlW5dBly0Y
Indeed, “still waters run deep”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIRInzG4sTE
Apart from translating some Shakespeare into his mother tongue Swahili, here’s another feather in the cap of Julius Nyhere: we have been given to understand (in real time) that it was the UK and Sweden that were the main movers behind Tanzania invading and chasing Dada Idi Amin out of town, causing him to seek refuge in Saudi Arabia…
Black Lives Matter. Nigeria Matters.
I’m sure that I’m not the only one waiting with bated breath to see how you proceed with where you left off about Major Nzeogwu and his fellow miscreants. Everyone is waiting for sure, since Nigeria has yet to recover from the national trauma inflicted on her by the horrific events of January 15,1966, as recounted here by Femi Fani-Kayode, a murder spree that eventually morphed into the Biafra War which still leaves its tragic imprints on Nigeria’s history.
I have yet to consult with Baba Kadiri about the first part of your atrocious statement , because unfortunately the Baba ( a walking and talking encyclopaedia about the January coup and the Biafra Civil War ) has lost his voice to a terrible bout of the influenza (don't laugh) the last time I phoned him, I received this typed message in reply : “My voice is still not clear to talk”, so I dutifully recommended “Tea with a little lemon and honey” to which medical advice from Dr H, he politely acquiesced with a “Thank you, I will experiment with them.” B’ezrat Hashem he will soon be fitter than a fiddle; in the meantime the pen is still a mightier alternative to the machinegun and when he reads what you have written you had better watch out because he is fully loaded and he will be sure to join the conversation.
And by the way - you talk about “internationality” - cheers !
I view USA-Africa Dialogue Series and our various contributors as family
( with Ojogbon as the titular grand patriarch, although I’m older than him)
family - according to Gaddafi ( The Green Book ) is the basic unit of society
- FAMILY precedes the tribe etc
I guess we could also look upon the aforementioned USA-Africa family, what Fela would call “ the contraption” as a village - the choice is ours of course, our miniature global village or the restricted confines of e.g the Owerri Motor Park where everybody has their assigned roles and elevated statuses, carpenters, mathematicians, village preachers (as in The Deserted Village by Oliver Goldsmith) louses, lousy “ poets” , vermin, lice, prostitutes, pimps, touts , licensed noisemakers and door-to-door ogogoro sellers wearing gaudy academic gowns for their profile photos, and after a puff of marijuana some of them going off in huff because out of that vast reservoir of verbal poetic devices somebody shouted at the wrong person, one word : IMBECILE! And that led to self-exile. Banishment. Sufferation in civilisation, no longer shmiling for Mazi or Magister Ludi - reminiscent of Trump & Vance vs supplicant Zelensky who doesn't have any money or weapons but is dependent on EU charity
I must get back to the rest of your very interesting and some of your more controversial viewpoints later - about Obama etc
N.B I have also been following this apologist : The Vince Everett Ellison Show
Also interesting ; The Most Misunderstood Books Ever Written—And What They Really Mean
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