Africa in Perspective

I just read a column in the LA times online that really puts the media spin on African assistance into perspective. Check it out. The article cites the sensationalism that Western media places on the plight of the African people, Making everyone on the continent out to be an AIDS infected refugee torn from their war-ridden homeland and chased by platoons of children wielding AK-47s. Here, however is what the article states:

What percentage of the African population would you say dies in war every year? What share of male children, age 10 to 17, are child soldiers? How many Africans are afflicted by famine or died of AIDS last year or are living as refugees?

In each case, the answer is one-half of 1% of the population or less.

The problem is he doesn't actually cite where he got this statistic. The article makes some very good arguments and for that reason had a large amount of notoriety on social bookmarking sites such as digg.com, but I think some of the assertions are ridiculous.

The author basically states that Africa is doing just fine, and is progressing at a good pace and what they really need isn't assistance, but expanded trade with the west and more entrepreneurs. This is true, but the article diminishes the plight of the African people in their battle against the progress-killing epidemic of HIV/AIDS.

He goes on to quote the noted journalist "Andrew Mwenda" as saying:

What man or nation has ever become rich by holding out a begging bowl?

I think if you asked a few sisters in Calcutta that question they might have a few examples for Mister Mwenda. Do both. Free trade + Free aid = better Africa.

Aids and African Development

Here is a video featuring Mark R Dybul, US Global AIDS coordinator, where he talks about how AIDS dramatically impacts the development of Africa. It's very interesting. He also talks about how, where resources are available, Productivity and development go through the roof. It's pretty neat.

Take a look:


Also, and I'm just pointing something out here for Mr Dybul. Mark. What are you doing, man? Who do you think you're fooling with that flock of seaguls cut? Bald is beautiful. Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.

Philly Awards Bono with 'Liberty Medal' for Humanitarian Work

I am not a big fan of Bono. I think he's pretentious. But he does good things. Of course he also says incredibly simplistic and asinine things like:

When you are a monk in Burma this very week, barred from entering a temple because of your gospel of peace...well then, none of us are truly free

What? What does that even mean?

Celebrities.

I can't knock him too badly however. Bono was awarded $100,000 for his philanthropy and he gave it all to his charity Debt AIDS Trade Africa (DATA).

As a quick aside, "Debt AIDS Trade Africa" doesn't make any sense. None. Its just a bunch of random words strung together to make an acronym.

Celebrities.

The Mother Teresa of Rwanda

When people would ask Momma T where she would get money to do things, she would respond with "Have faith, God will provide." Now you may call that ridiculous, reckless, or crazy; I'll call it beautiful. Here is a video of a woman with the same sort of mentality: