“...Sing a song full of the faith that the dark past has taught us, Sing a song full of the hope that the present has brought us, Facing the rising sun of our new day begun, Let us march on till victory is won...”The Negro national anthem

Its Tuesday the 20th Jan 2009, 7 PM in SA i have just rushed through gym to watch history being made. I am so excited mind you the country of my birth just had its inauguration a few weeks earlier and to be honest i only got parts of his inauguration speech from the net and to be honest i wasn’t too phased about the rest of it. We have presidential elections in SA in a little over 2 months and I am so not as excited about the potential of a new president as I was about the whole US presidential race. I think I wrote about Barrack Obama last year or the year before, followed the Democratic Party election and the whole American election process like my life depended on it. This one man has managed to get the whole world not just Americans interested and not only interested but I guess you could say fanatical about America. It’s not only because his predecessor was so bad or that the US and world economy is in such a frail state, but I guess because the man speaks with what seems as such sincerity and conviction in his words.

His speech was moving, for me it wasn’t the words (because it was nothing new, but rather a summary and redelivery of all his ideals which took him to the mountain top) but the delivery and its impact on the hundreds of thousands who braved the cold to witness it live. I won’t lie i had a , tear in my eye particularly when the camera panned to the crowd.

He is such an inspirational figure, President Obama, but I am not impressed by him purely because he is a person of colour who has managed to bring together all the people of America...the world... uh huh, for me he represents hope. But let me explain. Here is a guy, abandoned by his father, in a way abandoned by his mother too, through circumstances, because she stayed in Indonesia (or was it Hawaii?? i think both I forget) with her new husband and he was raised by his grandparents. His parents or grandparents weren’t wealthy. This is the story of many an African American, a lot of whom quite frankly amount to not too much if at all that. And here is this guy, who through his convictions and application of mind and self, worked his way from absolutely nothing to the highest office in the land and some might even go as far as saying the world. Mind you in America, to become president you have to overcome many a challenge. All because he firstly believed he could and more importantly put his back into it and made it happen. I don’t know the man but from what i read, went through some pretty tough times but stayed true to the cause...true to his course...true to himself (well most times)...In my mind he represents what is good and pure about a person elected by those around him to serve and lead. Big up and maximum respect to him. I hope by the grace of the his creator, he is guided and protected and all the good that he speaks gets put to action, because I must be honest, all through the inauguration, I was waiting for that red dot to appear and I know I wasn’t the only one. Many an American who had tried to bring on change has met the same fate, Abraham Lincoln, JFK, Malcolm X, Martin Luther King jnr, 2Pac...all assassinated (2Pac was a joke by the way)...

Lets not fool ourselves he has a tough task ahead of him.

Further foolishness would be to think that he is going to make much of a difference in your life or mine. I must be honest, his silence over Gaza did concern me slightly, it made me think is this a sign of possibly be more of the same...in the words of the Thai people...Same Same but different. I don’t think so. I think in certain situations, silence, even though it may be perceived in the wrong light by a few, is the best option in the long run...but once again time will tell.

The man will do some good in his country (thats not too difficult given the current situation) and perhaps in the world, but on this continent let us not start even begin to think that the messiah has come. No one can help you if you hate another because he is different to you. No one can help you if you believe a life is worth a cellphone. No one can help you if you are too lazy to get off your bottom and do some hard work to earn your keep. No one can help you if you feel you are entitled to something. People are dying, my country is rich in resources that can be used to feed the hungry, educate those that thirst for knowledge, provide jobs for those with families to feed, but nooo, we’d much rather spend money on arms and ammunition, maim and kill innocent people, who are just trying to make ends meet. Rule by fear...no one can help you boss. No one can help you if in your mind’s eye all you seek is to abuse your position of power to amass personal wealth at the expense of those who put their trust in you and the promise that you preached of a better life. Yip, that’s Africa’s plight. Till we change our ways, our thinking, our mindsets we will stay exactly where we are till kingdom come. No one can help you but you. You believe that its ok to kill thousands of innocent people because you might get one or 2 bad guys amongst them, well no one can help you. If you believe that you can strap C4 to yourself and kill thousands of random people many of whom may even potentially believe in your cause, all in the name of some god (clearly not the Islamic, Jewish or Christian God as I understand it) then my friend no one can help you.

When the day comes that we as a people are ready to see the error of our ways and depart from it and seek a better way of life and life for ourselves only then can we see a difference. Only then can we be helped. I read a quote the other day and it said only an idiot keeps doing the same thing the same way and expects a different result. Till the day comes that we all realise that we are truly are all the same and that we need each other to make this continent of ours a better place. Until the day comes when its less about what’s in it for me and more about I gain yes, but now how do i assist my fallen compatriot...until then this place is, pardon my French F**ked!!

“and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself” – Barack Obama

It begs the question, so you Yaw what are you doing? And my honest answer I guess, is doing what Africans do best...talking!!! But more will happen, that’s my promise to myself!!!

Birthdays
18th Graeme Hunter
19th Priya
21th Chris de Coning, Clayton S
22nd Munier
24th Karabo

Maximum respect and one love. Enjoy the rest of your week!!

Y

“You worry bout the wrong things, the wrong things; You worry bout the wrong things, the wrong things.. Anyway, they don't know you like I do (They don't know); They'll never know you (Never know); Anyway, they don't know you like I do (Never know); They'll never know you.” Kanye West (Anyway)

How rude of me last week I added 4 people to this list and i forgot to give them an intro. Marika, Leah, Celeste and Clement, welcome to our little community that happens almost every week. To leave comments read some of the older ones please go to www.mondaymail.blogspot.com or drop me an email.

A couple of issues that have been floating around in my head which I hope you guys can set me straight on, if my thinking is warped or let me know if you share my sentiments. The biggest news at the moment is this invasion of Gaza by Israel. I know we touched on it briefly last week, but its still bugging me particularly the analogy people are using of people causing harm to my house or something like that. I think it’s a load of BS if you ask me.

Let’s analyse that analogy for a moment and try and link it closely to the situation with Israel. A guy breaks into my house hurts one of my children who unfortunately passes on from the injuries sustained. I didn’t get a good look at the perpetrator of this heinous atrocity, but i have it on good authority that he is somewhere along Rivonia Road anywhere between Rivonia and Rosebank (I could have said Alex, but hey I need to break the stereotype). I know some heavies with some heavy artillery...and i know more or less where they are, so here is an idea, lets go bomb and shoot the hell out of the area between Rivonia and Rosebank, more or less where i think they are. Cos in the end the ends justifies the means!!!

I know its an oversimplification of what is actually going on, and let me start by saying, once again I don’t believe in what Hamas, Hezbollah, Hitler, the KKK or the old apartheid government did right here, all in the name of religion but what i find even more disgusting is the remorseless, ‘un-condoned’ killing of scores of women and children. As I hinted last week, all this will do is unify the Arab world against Israel and whala, this week Bin Laden has come out and declared a Jihad on Israel, from where I sit I am not sure how many sympathetic people there will be for the Israelites. Anyway... this brings me to another point...

The whole world is going moggy over the goings on in Gaza and rightfully so, but ey what about Zim, 2000 dead from Choleara, what about Sudan, plenty thousands dead from senseless killings, Rwanda, DRC, hell even back here in SA, with the crime. I don’t see, read or hear about people protesting in Piccadilly Circus for their liberation or for some international intervention. Hell no, is it because it is such a recurring phenomenon on this continent or is it because people just select who to be sympathetic towards or does the picture the media paints for us assist in helping us decide what or who to feel more strongly for???

The next thought floating through this abyss  i call my mind is this whole US motor industry bailout. All good and well they want to save jobs etc. but so these people all stay in their jobs and build all fancy cars etc. I am not sure if it’s just me who is thinking this but...and then what?? Isn’t the world in like a recession? New car sales (in South Africa) have been at their lowest point in long time. Point no one is buying cars. So then what are these people going to be making cars for? Yes fair enough the platinum industry relies on them, the steel industry, oil, currency, leather, plastics, labour, hell most of worlds commodities relies on it. But in my mind it maketh no sense. They will be made and then sit in the factory for more to be made...but then again i don’t know the intricacies of the bailout plan...Funniest thing i read was the porn industry requesting a bailout.

Yep i have much time for my mind to wander...speaking of wandering I want to share a very personal experience i had a little over a week ago. I wasn’t going to say anything to anyone because if someone told me the same thing i’d look at them and say OKKKKK...and roll my eyes when they look away, but here goes. A few days ago my mate Lebo came to visit and i was letting him out of the gate on my way back to my house I do what I do quite regularly, which is look up at the skies and just smile, nod and say thanks for this existence we call life, this existence which for some reason has treated me rather well in my 32 well 33 yrs. But this nite was different. It was a beautiful overcast night with clouds aplenty. The moon was as bright in the sky as street lamps are on the road. Just then something told me to look to the right of where my gaze initially was. The oddest thing happened to me. In the clouds i saw the face of a man smiling...pretty hectic, I wasnt sure I was going loko or just seeing things so i looked away and then up again and it was still there. My gaze was kept for about 5 minutes, kind of like in a trance. Weirdest thing I tell you!! Initially I was a tad concerned thinking a bolt of lightning would come crashing down on me (overactive imagination...the joys of being a middle child), but within a few seconds i was overcome by calmness. I have no explanation, it could have just been a vision in the clouds but the whole chain of events was rather surreal yet peaceful for me. How is this for ironic, I am writing this email and I am watching the latest season of Heroes, and Nathan has just seen God . I have no explanation, it could have just been the cloud formation but whatever it was, the whole chain of events was rather surreal yet peaceful for me. Anyhooo...

Birthdays
11th Pops, Base
15th Dr Clarke
16th Ann-Louise, Yatin

Much respect to you all and hope you all have a weekend being happy being you 

Y

Aaah brand new year. I guess now is a good a time as any to wish you all the best this year has to offer, and to be honest what this year offers is time and opportunity, what you do with it determines how your year your year turns out. Its a beautiful thing, its a beautiful thing. I have seen a whole lot of derivatives of 2009 some have called it 2000 and shine, 2000 and mine and 2000 and divine for example. All pretty interesting but what’s most interesting is how you can shine, have a divine year or make it urs, through a bit of effort on your part. In my mind it all starts upstairs. Your life, your year, your experiences are what you think them to be. You are what you think. I will stop with the self help stuff right about now, i just hope each of us in spite of our circumstances finds the strength, the willingness and the ability to rise above it all and say no matter how tough it is, i will overcome. I have this feeling...maybe its owing to CNN, BBC, METRO FM, Highveld, 5FM...that this could be one of the toughest years for us all or maybe not, but regardless, i am but too eager to have a crack at it!!

An interesting year its been thus far, it started off on a much tamer note for me personally this year as compared to 2008 or even how 2008 ended. Maximum respect to my New York crew, Mel and Paul, Si, Leah and Mr Ingo, for a very memorable trip. I am not sure if my liver, bank account and sleep patterns are as thankful but ey, its only one life you have. As has become the norm for me nowadays whenever i travel i try read a book. I got this book called “Tuesdays with Morrie” an absolutely brilliant book and i can’t think of a better way to help you focus on what’s important in the year ahead than by reading this book, its such an easy read took me a little over a day to finish it, so it will take you guys a couple of hours  Its about ...actually read it for yourself i don’t want to spoil it for you.

Anyway, as i was saying, an interesting year so far. Israel bombing the sand out of Gazza. 10 Israelis if even killed as opposed to 5 maybe 6 hundred Palestinians. Apparently the Israeli government are telling civilians to take cover and find shelter and the very places that these civilians are seeking refuge get bombed (UN Schools etc.) hmm. In my mind Hamas is wrong, just like any extremist organisation or person. But that doesn’t make all Muslims bad people, its unfortunate that Muslims have all these strong minded terrorist types doing things in the name of Islam, sept 11, Lockerby bombing (i think), Hezbollah, Hamas, recent attacks in India. Hamas was wrong to have broken the cease fire with those random rockets they launched. Israel had to retaliate and so would you or anyone else, but i think the retaliation has been exaggerated. My only concern is you tell me how this will aid the peace process in the region going forward? There is Iran who are saying that Israel should be wiped off the map. Israel is surrounded by Arab countries from all fronts. Extremists in that area will be galvanised by these, if i may say, senseless killings that’s taking many a civilian life. My sadness/shock is the fact that the international community has been relatively silent on this. Bar Mr Chavez, expelling the Israeli ambassador from Venezuela, no other country has done much in opposition. I am a just a normal dude and given the facts I have available. I can easily come to the conclusion that this incursion into Gaza is BS. The Palestinians have no food, water, power...Another interesting thing that i have noticed since this conflict started is that the price of Brent crude oil has risen about $15 - $20 a barrel...hmmm (i guess this benefits the oil producers but i am not sure how it will benefit the oil consumers, unless i am missing a trick)

Interesting year...interesting year. Ghana just had another successful government transition. The then opposition NDC, lead by Prof. Atta-Mills, won the election by less than 40000 votes from Mr Nana Akofu-Addo who represented the incumbent party the NPP. This was Prof Mills’ third attempt at the presidency and good on him, time will tell how he fares. My only reservation about him is that he represents the party that Jerry Rawlings led a few years ago. Reports though are that he hasn’t gotten off to a good start in relation to garnering (if i can use that word) confidence from the people, but once again time...
We have elections in 2 months. I am hoping the momentum that COPE was gaining doesn’t just dissipate into nothingness. I am not by any means suggesting that I am a huge supporter of COPE but I am a huge supporter of whittling down the ruling party’s 2/3rds majority. So guys go out there and vote. Not voting is taking away your voice. If you refuse to speak when you have the opportunity i don’t want to hear a peep from you when things aren’t going your way.

Back home we beat Aus in Aus in the cricket lovely to watch. There is the Confederation cup happening in a few months.

Another interesting time awaits us all. The world is in a weird yet interesting phase at the moment. I didn’t make any resolutions other than to be a better version of me. Yes it was a cop out cos i hardly stick to them anyway. I will like to learn how to play my guitar still so if you know of anyone who offers lessons or if you are keen to be my strumming partner holler

Thats me for this week, you all have a grand weekend. Looking forward to more interaction with you guys this year.

Birthdays
4th Sengetile
5th Pranuksha
6th Ingrid and Darren
8th Jordan
10th Chantel

Maximum respect

Yaw