Hello from Bwana Moja. Africa is NOT "The Dark Continent"

[K E Johnson]

The lovely Shania Twain is Canadian.

My wife was born in Canada as well… Maybe they’re related…..
Then again, Canada is the Great White North, oh no! Not another rabbit hole!!!

 

[sestoppelman]

My wife was born in Canada as well… Maybe they’re related…..
Then again, Canada is the Great White North, oh no! Not another rabbit hole!!!

My daughter married a Canuck and so my granddaughter is Canadian!

 

[TERMINATOR]

The American Association of Bears is petitioning federal, state and local governments to end the categorizing of bears as black or brown. They instead prefer to be called bears "of color".
Polar bears haven't weighed in on the issue just yet and the grizzlies are still on the fence.

The Polar Bears are too ashamed to speak up because CNN convinced them to be overwhelmed with “White Guilt”

 

[Hogpatrol]

On surveys, questionaires and other forms where I'm required to enter my heritage, I no longer want to be referred to as "white" or "caucasian". Those are actually racist terms. Being of mixed descent, French and Italian, from this point forward, I will check the "other" box and enter "European American". Let's see how that works.

 

[WebleyGreene455]

"When in doubt, empty the magazine". View attachment 484143View attachment 484144

*frowns in falling-block* The what?

 

[Tbitty]

*frowns in falling-block* The what?

@Hogpatrol - don't you know it's supposed to be "empty the 'clip'.. LOL

 

[Wheels]

One pet peeve I'll share with you all, and this is mirrored by all my Africa friends who share the same skin tone as me. Please stop referring to that continent as "The Dark Continent." There's nothing about Africa that's dark anymore. That's a colonial days term. It's dated, disrespectful and portrays you as out of touch. We're trying hard on this side of the world to revolt against any acts of neo-colonialism. That above-referenced moniker was placed on that part of the world by people living outside of Africa. It's high time to do away with it. I know you might think it has such a good ring to it. But it doesn't. It's a cuss word.

Evidently this thread ran it's course while I was on holiday.

A number of things come to mind in skimming these pages, but I will summarize with the following quote.

Yes, it is a rule I have difficulty with as well.

Welcome to AH Bwana Moja. I never realized that Lake Chamo was the place to target massive crocs. Perhaps I will make it there one day. I look forward to other gems you may care to share.

All the best.

 

[Royal27]

At this point this all seems a bit like:

No choice....

Don't you know how much trouble you'll get into for beating a live horse these days???

 

[steve white]

The term Colonialism has a very negative connotation, obviously. Did it also bring any benefit? From my recent trip to Namibia, I would say yes. I liked the church in Windhoek, the buildings in Swakopmund and elsewhere. Even the bore-hole. Without the ability to drill a well, the Country could not exist. Their healthcare, and even their system of Government. The colonial period brought a lot to Africa, some good, some bad. I don't know what the indigenous people of Africa are most proud of.....what they have achieved or built in the post Colonial period. Especially what they have built with their own initiative and their own funds. If they have, it's not obvious to me. Right now their are HUGE moves afoot by African organizations with palms outstretched toward North America and Europe. Rookhawk said it well regarding...."the Dark Continent". The phrase had nothing to do with melanin.....FWB

There have been thousands upon thousands of people who invested their lives and fortunes trying to make a future in Africa. They bore the economic brunt of developing wheat strains that did not die off from "rust" or tended sheep through epidemics of nose worms, dug wells or went belly up due to drought, endured war, being kicked out or divested of financial interests by unstable governments, etc in adfinitum. When they finally broke even (though many went belly up or died) along comes someone to guilt trip them as an exploiter. In the Belgian Congo--given its faults--there was a 500$ franc fine for calling a black a N*g*er. There was new housing. Hospitals and missionaries--people died so often west Africa was called the white man's graveyard. Oh, the horror! Diseases cured or treated, women given dignity, including the right to be educated, the little man protected from tyrants, intertribal wars stopped, PAC of problem animals destroying crops. Wow should we feel so, so guilty....except the Muslim slavers never felt guilty. Victorious tribes never felt guilty for destroying weaker ones. We have got to get over the phony guilt trip (and stop people like the "rev" Jesse Jackson from shaking down businesses etc., or anyone like him making appeals to guilt from Africa)
Did colonialism have some pros--you are in many ways standing on their shoulders today!

 

[Zambezi]

There have been thousands upon thousands of people who invested their lives and fortunes trying to make a future in Africa. They bore the economic brunt of developing wheat strains that did not die off from "rust" or tended sheep through epidemics of nose worms, dug wells or went belly up due to drought, endured war, being kicked out or divested of financial interests by unstable governments, etc in adfinitum. When they finally broke even (though many went belly up or died) along comes someone to guilt trip them as an exploiter. In the Belgian Congo--given its faults--there was a 500$ franc fine for calling a black a N*g*er. There was new housing. Hospitals and missionaries--people died so often west Africa was called the white man's graveyard. Oh, the horror! Diseases cured or treated, women given dignity, including the right to be educated, the little man protected from tyrants, intertribal wars stopped, PAC of problem animals destroying crops. Wow should we feel so, so guilty....except the Muslim slavers never felt guilty. Victorious tribes never felt guilty for destroying weaker ones. We have got to get over the phony guilt trip (and stop people like the "rev" Jesse Jackson from shaking down businesses etc., or anyone like him making appeals to guilt from Africa)
Did colonialism have some pros--you are in many ways standing on their shoulders today!

Sorry Steve, system doesn't allow two likes so here's another...

 

[Mauser78]

I am a pale face living here, and in the decent years the native Africans make it very clear that after almost 400 years we are not Africans, but are still Europeans. Africa is and always will be the Dark continent, not because we call it that, but that is what africans want it to be. Spent some time in the City’s and Metro’s, not in the bush, and you will very quickly see who uses the terms us and them. The problem does not lie with the pale faces. We are not allowed to realise someone looks different than us, but you are told everyday that you are white.

 

[Foxi]

In many African cities, there is often a 16-hour daily power cut !!!
Certainly not caused by evil neo-colonialists.
In January, there was a three-week national power cut in Zimbabwe, in some regions much longer.
As soon as the network started working again, I received a WhatsApp greeting from my (black) PH in Zimbabwe.
"best regards from the really dark continent ".

 

[Foxi]

In the US Marines the old Gunnery Sergeants (Gunny) would advise in no uncertain terms, "You have to have a think skin". That meant don't let things bother you.

but the gunnies were cruel racist against doughnuts

 

[Mark A Ouellette]

but the gunnies were cruel racist against doughnuts

@Foxi That is correct. Doughnuts enable "fat bodies" by filling their pie holes with as my Drill Instructor, Sergeant Mills would say in 1977, "Good garbage and weird shit".

 

[Jfet]

Next time, I take my kids and grandkids to a fried chicken joint, I'll be sure to tell them "Don't discriminate between dark meat and white meat, kids. It's racist!".

I remember my grandmother, who was born and raised in the state of Alabama, chastising me for saying chicken breast. She informed me that a proper young man would say “Dark Meat” or ”White Meat.” It was quite inappropriate to use terms that referred to human body parts while at table.

Thank you for allowing me to reminisce about my grandmother. She was an amazing women!

 

[Wheels]

I remember my grandmother, who was born and raised in the state of Alabama, chastising me for saying chicken breast. She informed me that a proper young man would say “Dark Meat” or ”White Meat.” It was quite inappropriate to use terms that referred to human body parts while at table.

Thank you for allowing me to reminisce about my grandmother. She was an amazing women!

Which reminds me of a Churchill quote.

Winston Churchill was dining in fine company, and when asked what piece of chicken he wanted, he requested a breast. A lady upbraided him, saying, "Mr. Churchill, in polite society we ask for white meat or dark."​

The next day Churchill sent her a corsage, instructing the lady to affix it to her "white meat."

 

[Zambezi]

As a kid growing up in Bulawayo we had the guys riding the bicycles with the ice cream box on the front. I ran inside one day telling my mom the ice cream boy was coming! She scolded me as and said he's older than you and has a job, he is the ice cream MAN (even though he was only probably about 16-18 years old himself).

 

[WAB]

I sure hope Bwana comes back and reads this thread! It has taken on a life of its own!

 

[Jfet]

Which reminds me of a Churchill quote.

Winston Churchill was dining in fine company, and when asked what piece of chicken he wanted, he requested a breast. A lady upbraided him, saying, "Mr. Churchill, in polite society we ask for white meat or dark."​

The next day Churchill sent her a corsage, instructing the lady to affix it to her "white meat."

I am a Winston Churchill fan. In fact, it was at my grandmother’s home that I first started to read about Churchill. My grandmother had a high school degree and raised seven kids through the depression while working in the cotton mill and running a farm with my grandfather. She was extremely well read. I can remember in 1977, she was 77 at the time, sitting at her kitchen table as she opined about the pro’s and con’s of nuclear power. I was amazed at how well she understood how a nuclear power plant functioned.

I do not think Mr. Churchill would have made such a comment at my grandmother’s table. He knew proper table manners. When dining in “Pleasant Company” he would have been charming and well mannered.

Churchill had a way with words and could rip you and make you like it.

 

[JimP]

I sure hope Bwana comes back and reads this thread! It has taken on a life of its own!

It seams that Bwana ignited this discussion and then headed into the brush. He hasn't been back since the 11th