Recently, a pal of mine (with whom I occasionally disagree about matters political) said -- after I made a comment about neocolonialism contributing to development problems in Africa -- "People are always complaining about colonialism. It happened so long ago; get over it, already." Suffice to say I was a bit awestruck and couldn't think of a coherent reply, except something like "Easy for you to say."

This is not unlike the claim many white people make about slavery and Jim/Jane Crow and segregation in the US -- "It happened so long ago. Get over it already." Well, if you'll allow me, I'd like to set up an analogy.

Suppose you have a horrible accident, and your leg is amputated. (LIke the girl at right, one of many civilian victims of the war in Iraq.) Five years later, you and I are walking down the street, and you're walking more slowly than I am, because it's a bit tricky to walk with an artificial leg. I turn to you and say "Hurry up," to which you reply: "I can't walk so fast. My leg got amputated." Suppose I respond with: "Geez, that happened so long ago. Just get over it, already." No! That injury that happened so long ago still affects you, and currently serves as an impediment to your progress!

Now let's take it a step further. Suppose instead of an accident, your leg was amputated because your family was poor, you got bitten by a rat, couldn't afford medicine, and it got infected and required amputation. Suppose, too, that you can't afford a prosthetic leg. I, as your wealthy companion -- who could have given you the medicine for your rat bite (read: some kind of Marshall Plan for Africa) -- did not help out financially, and in fact still refuse to hook you up with the funds for an artificial limb. Now imagine I say: "Geez, that happened so long ago. Get over it, already."

Easy for the person with two legs to say.

The N Word


MAN, I wish I could get the Trio Network. Chuck D is hosting an original show there called The N Word, all about that hideous racial epithet. Check out these clips and tell me it doesn't look like a kickass show that the networks would air if they had any freaking vertebrae. Also check out this interview with Mistachuck himself.

Geez, black people are so sensitive about that word. White people haven't said it for years. Get over it, already!

Random

Find out How Stuff Works! Ever wonder how people manage to go over Niagara Falls? Or what really happens with LASIK surgery? (TPCQ: "Sure it's great at first, but after ten years, your eyes fall out.") Or how a nautical mile is defined? Now you know!

Oh you wanna know who has the same birthday as me, ha? You wanna know a little something about that guy, ha? You wanna hear the story about how I made Jeremy Collins fall down laughing at the bowling alley, ha?

TimeWaster™

Check out The Singhsons. Pretty well done!

Today I'm listening to: The Orb!