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Occupation: Global Citizen & Renaissance Man
Before I begin my manifesto, let me say that I am a middle aged white guy that was born and raised in America. I have lived a blessed life so far. Struggles and hardships are foreign to me. However, my perspectives on life and my world view have been shaped by my experiences in Africa.
The Africa that I know and love is very different from the Africa that I keep hearing about in the mainstream media. Even good hearted relief workers and humanitarians tend to focus on disease, danger, destruction, and death. I believe that the Garden of Eden was on the African continent. Mankind was born out of Africa. I absolutely love the people of Africa. The incredible hospitality and sincerity that I experience keeps me coming back year after year.
“The Africa that I know and love is very different from the Africa that I keep hearing about in the mainstream media”
My first exposure to celebrities and Africa was in 1998 after I made my first visit to Uganda. I wanted to share my excitement and passion with others. I recognized the great injustices that caused innocent people to needlessly struggle and suffer in some places that I traveled. It was with great excitement that I contacted the Oprah Winfrey Show. I thought that as an African-American woman with a big heart and high visibility, she would be a great place to start. I received a reply from the producers of her show that they valued me as a viewer and that they appreciated my idea submission. Basically, I got the brush off. It was that experience that caused me to become highly cynical of celebrity activism in Africa. Now Oprah Winfrey is synonymous with philanthropy and celebrity activism in Africa. I applaud her efforts to create the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for girls in South Africa.
The last several years have seen an explosion of celebrities shining the spotlight on Africa. Let me mention a few: Oprah Winfrey, Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, Madonna, Bono, George Clooney, and Mia Farrow. Recently the crisis in Darfur, Sudan has become the latest cause célèbre. The Save Darfur campaign has spread like wildfire. College campuses and the media are all abuzz with the talk of Darfur and genocide. These are extremely emotional subjects. The clever connection has been made between China and Sudan. China is deeply involved in all parts of Africa to help feed its booming economy, especially in Sudan for oil. I refer to it as an economic colonization of Africa.
The “China factor” has been extremely successful in a short period of time for one reason; lots of money with no strings attached. The West has tried for decades to save Africa from itself by placing terms and conditions on aid and relief money. China has found a more efficient method of interfacing with Africa. Condition-free money! It is working; much to the displeasure of the arrogant, superior-thinking West.
Michael Kirkpatrick Dallas, TX
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