Wednesday 6 July 2016

Meet Me At the Finishline

I don't know what to think of +Beyoncé . On the one hand, her performance at this year's BETs (which has won the award of Best Award Show of All Time for this year's show) was out of this world. Hell I watch it every morning as I have my breakfast just to start the day right. On the other hand though, she's such a package rather than a person that one doesn't really know if she's just really discovering her blackness or jumping  on the 'freedom' bandwagon. I mean the hair is still blonde...but it's braided now. What are we to think?
The New Face of the Resistance?
Does anyone else feel like the world's gone mad? I wonder sometimes has the world really gone mad; or has the fact that social media enables us all to witness the madness in real time make things seem more escalated than they are? I mean not that they're not bad - but maybe they've always been bad - the difference being that now, they're bad in 3D; on +Facebook and +Instagram. Not to mention +YouTube and +Snapchat.
Speaking of social media, I have to say I'm proud of us as Kenyans. In this sea of confusion and discrimination, Kenyans seem to have their hands on the pulse of what is right and what is wrong. They protest at the right things; a lawyer getting killed by police for defending a guy against the police (have you signed the petition by the way?). Nobody is trying to defend the police. No one is talking about 'protecting' law enforcement. Everybody can see that what they did was wrong (well except for Cliff Ombeta who is looking after number one. They must be paying him a fortune to defend them - he better be able to retire after this).
He beat up a 14 year old girl coz she was swimming
If you go across the sea to somewhere else that has come into prominence for police injustice however...
Have you seen the +BET Awards 2016 yet? I mean seriously if you haven't, please go and watch. #Jesse Williams gave a speech that was memorable not just for its poetry, vivid imagery and general creativity; but also it's content. He called what was done to Tamir Rice, a twelve year old playing by himself with a toy gun, who was shot by police, a driveby. Now the reaction to this...was basically this petition https://www.change.org/p/abc-sign-petition-to-fire-jesse-williams-from-grey-s-anatomy-for-racist-rant. And people attacking +Justin Timberlake for being inspired. Like seriously, what followed such a transcendent speech was such small minded pettiness that I officially gave up on Americans.Y'all seriously cannot be helped.

Another thing Kenyans are protesting about on social media is the visit by Israeli (former?) PM +Benjamin Netanyahu . Apart from the traffic jams his visit is causing, there's also the fact that his nation practises apartheid. Now watch someone say me pointing that out is 'antisemitic'. Just like Jesse Williams pointing out that police killed a  12 year old child is 'racist'. Like seriously, can someone define for me what racial or religious prejudice is because clearly I don't understand. Because these things are just facts. They're not opinions. A twelve year old boy was shot. Fact. Israel practises apartheid. Fact.
But that is the way of oppression I suppose. Keep your fucking mouth shut or we take away what little 'freedom' you still have left. Honesty is not allowed. You must allow the people to keep their illusions at all costs. And most people are too scared of the consequences to say a word.
Why do I feel like Muhammad Ali is nodding in agreement right now?

#Brexit happened. You know when you think human beings cannot get any dumber than they are? Then seventeen million people vote to leave the European Union because of...what? Is it to enhance their economy?
Nope.
Is it because they're oppressed in some way?
Nope.
Then why then? why?
Oh because of 'immigration'. Because 'we want our country back'. How's that working out for y'all UK? Have you lost a few pounds? Is your society now a better place to live in? Have your jobs increased? Is your economy thriving? Really congratulations on being dumber than any rock that ever existed.
As for 'your country'; I like how people appropriate the whole to themselves like other people don't exist. Do you know your history? People have been trading in Europe ever since those damned Romans built roads. Travel and trade has been happening as long as people have been alive. At what point did one piece of land become the property of...who are these people anyway? Norsemen? Vikings? Gauls? Who owns Britain really? Tell me. I'm curious.
I think the world would be a much better place if more people were curious. If more people knew their histories and didn't just make them up to suit whatever agenda they currently have.

'History' may always come down on the side of those who did stand up; who did point out injustice - Muhammad Ali, Nelson Mandela, the Dhalai Llama, that Asian woman on house arrest I forget her name, Jesse Williams...Jesus Christ - they're full of 'Oh you were right' and 'You fought for our rights'...but in the present, when it counts, when it's not the popular opinion; how many people hide? How many people say, "This isn't my problem?"
It's your problem.
You're either part of it, or you're part of the solution.
Choose.

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