Teh Encyclopaedia de Tchadwick [archived]

A Talk regarding the current conflict in Darfur, T'Chad, Africa,
and the passing of Micheal Jackson.

I am sometimes harsh and seemingly insensitive to what others
around me believe to be the truth.

This is because my own ideas of truth are generally far departed
from any consensus, and I have a difficult time expressing my
self, beyond these words and the conversations I may have.

So let me attempt to clarify what I have recently said.

I remember in the late 80's the popularity of Micheal Jackson.
I can clearly recall the huge color TV in the living room of
my house in NY. Whatever was on TV, would easily be interrupted
by the new song by him. I remember Bad, Thriller, and a few
other videos being put on irregardless of what was on; the
president could have been speaking, and, awp, Micheal has
released a new video, and we have to cut to that.

I really enjoyed the music; before I was a teenager I was
not very interested in music, but the vibe of Micheal and
his music was very inspiring, and I may have even danced
a little bit.

On facebook I made a comment in a thread regarding his
passing. I stated, quote, "I could give a damn about one
celebrity passing, when possibly hundreds of Indigenous
people carrying spears were slaughtered by police from
helicopters with absolutely *no* coverage."

I do not wish to disrespect his passing, or state that I
do not like him. However in the grand scheme I do not think
that it has as much relevance as the recent events in
Devils Curve, Peru, or even the conflict in Darfur.

I attended a party at the Full Circle Farm last night, and
they were asking for donations to send to the children in
Sudan, who were being taken from their families and sold
into Slavery.

My understanding is that in Sudan, hundreds of years ago,
there existed *no* problems on the scale that we see today.

It is my belief that the Way Of Life and the level of
Privilage that most Americans have experienced is directly
due to the exploitation and lack of human empathy that began
on a large scale with the subjugation and control of the African
continent.

So when I first came to the party here, surrounded by, excuse me,
caucasians, I felt extremely out of place. I felt that the fund
raising was in jest, in some ways it is conscious, and an aware
movement, but on the *grand scheme* it would be all but impossible
to explain my view on why all of these people have been able to
enjoy such privilages as having time to be aware of domestic and
governmental conflicts abroad.

So I did not feel well. I felt angry in some ways. I still feel
this way, disconnected from the consensus, because I find it very
hard to say "this computer I am typing on is filled with precious
metals from third world countries" and "everything that is imported
into America is shipped using large amounts of natural gas, which
is ultimately taken from places like Nigeria, and South America".

As I found these things out it made me want to simply leave this
place. No matter how aware they get, it will take them quite some
time to understand that any importation of goods, any interaction
with so called Third World Nations, amounts to agreeing to this
slavery, agreeing to this seperation of natural peoples from their
original ways of life.

No matter how low the gas consumption of my car, no matter if it is
a hybrid, or a tiny electric vehicle, the machine behind it that
creates these goods, is ultimately evil.

No matter how organic the food I eat, there is always going to be
Ecco-Aparteid, people who really need health, but will never be
able to afford it.

As long as we are in a culture that cannot exist on its own, and
"requires" goods and importation from other nations, we will all
be perpetuating the slavery and destruction of foreign lands and
people.

No amount of donations to them will stop it. Someone said, that
in Sudan, there *is* no currency. Do you know why? Because there
has *never* been one except for that which was imposed by
colonialism.

One point I have. I do not ask questions. I create solutions.
So it is difficult for me to learn from others. But I do listen
intently to everyone. And I would like to hear all view points.

--

I finished the last paragraph of this writing in the company of
the people who sponsored the party. They said that at least $1000
was donated for the cause of slavery in Sudan. They had pledged to
match each dollar donated and send it off to the Sudan.

With so much cultural pressure present I had no inclination to
discuss my views of what was going on. Each person there seemed
to be very well off, very set in their ways, and very aware that
their way of life would end. They were just enjoying it while it
lasted.