comYics said ”They should open a McDonalds in Africa and hand out free cheeseburgers.”
That has to be on par with the often misquoted phrase, and mis-attributed to Marie Antoinette, ”Let them eat cake”
I’m sure the bloke reckons he’s funny using the cartoonist’s name but wtf…. how…argh! The sheer stu….argh!
ComYics is beyond belief. Beyond comprehension. Beyond…
words. :p
The glaring disparities in South Africa, which is hosting the Football World Cup this very month, is referenced here. While it doesn’t have an emaciated starving population which this rather annoying & patronisiing image of the begging African sterotype shows, there are many extremely poor in SA and there are starving families in SA. Just not at the level trying to be portrayed here; it is still a relevant comment to make.
We shall see how things pan out in the coming months after the World Cup. Will the government return its attention & focus to who needs it the most in South Africa?
Bruce: You will note that my post does not mention foreign aid or more particularly, foreign aid to Africa, the continent.
It does, however, ask what the government of South Africa, the country which is the topic of the cartoon, is doing about the poverty stricken within the borders of the Republic of South Africa.
The cartoon has for the begging bowl the bottom half of a football/soccer ball which references the Football World Cup (FIFA World Cup) currently being held in South Africa.
It more than likely would like us to question the wisdom of spending vast sums of money to host football games while many within their borders are still without running water and electricity or even homes.
As one who has lived in Brazil I know the devotion to soccer in SA . It bridges the wide wide gulf between rich and poor. I don’t however understand the lack of social concern about the wefare of the poor that generally prevails. African politics is not something I know much about, but we always seem to picture only the starving Africans. How do we help that continent help itself? We give money to whoever promises to further our aims and are often backing the ruthless . We are naive and need to grow up.
Bruce: Alas, It’s going to be a busy day for me today It’s 6:25am as I type this about to leave home, so quickly…:
But what I meant by my post by pointing out I was not mentioning foreign aid,although getting irritated by this image of a stereotype African with a frigggin begging bowl; I was holding the South African government accountable; it was that it is up to Africans to sort themselves out.
Africans do not not need more patronising aid that aids the doners more than it does the receipients. They need access to the global market place on a fair & equitable basis.
I’m for globalisation (in a sensible manner!), I’m for a flatter world. But that may be discussion for another ‘toon.
In this one I lay accountability squarely at the South African government’s door.
“profit” from this extravaganza? :-|
But I need to be away. :p
Back…match with Portugal vs. Ivory Coast is on so my attention is a little distracted…
I don’t know why foreign aid came into this cartoon (actually, I do, it’s the frigging begging bowl & poor emaciated African!) but I liked Sandra & michaelwme’s posts.
However, as far as I know South Africa is known as an upper middle-income developing country ODA recipient.
i.e. it does indeed receive some sort of Official development assistance and, as far as I know, it does keep that well accountable.
http://www.dcis.gov.za/
I’m sure if one delves into that site one should be able to suss out how much SA receives in development aid from the international community. I vaguely remember that it accounts for about 1 or 2% of its annual budget (i.e. not all that much).
The trouble is, Africa to many means one thing:
Poverty.
Poor ol’ Africa, always needing a hand-out.
sigh
Nevermind this cartoon was about one of the 53 countries that comprise Africa. Nevermind it was about the Football World Cup. Nevermind it was about the South Africans who have been by-passed aid and development, not by foreign donors or by an African government which diverted “foreign” aid to its own pockets, but by their own government. (Who may have diverted SA tax-payers’ monies to cronies and their own pockets!)
It is a criticism levelled at the SA government or governments more interested in showcasing sports instead of feeding their poor.
Bruce (EDIT: you posted about 7 minutes before me! So I didn’t see your latest post as I typed this one): I could wax lyrically about the lack of accountability of the present SA government to its own people but I fear I may have lost the “right” to complain very loudly. I left the country. Twice.
comYics almost 14 years ago
They should open a McDonalds in Africa and hand out free cheeseburgers.
OmqR-IV.0 almost 14 years ago
comYics said ”They should open a McDonalds in Africa and hand out free cheeseburgers.”
That has to be on par with the often misquoted phrase, and mis-attributed to Marie Antoinette, ”Let them eat cake” I’m sure the bloke reckons he’s funny using the cartoonist’s name but wtf…. how…argh! The sheer stu….argh! ComYics is beyond belief. Beyond comprehension. Beyond… words. :p
The glaring disparities in South Africa, which is hosting the Football World Cup this very month, is referenced here. While it doesn’t have an emaciated starving population which this rather annoying & patronisiing image of the begging African sterotype shows, there are many extremely poor in SA and there are starving families in SA. Just not at the level trying to be portrayed here; it is still a relevant comment to make.
We shall see how things pan out in the coming months after the World Cup. Will the government return its attention & focus to who needs it the most in South Africa?
Michigander almost 14 years ago
Yeah, ComYics, they could sure use the extra weight on their bones.
OmqR-IV.0 almost 14 years ago
Bruce: You will note that my post does not mention foreign aid or more particularly, foreign aid to Africa, the continent. It does, however, ask what the government of South Africa, the country which is the topic of the cartoon, is doing about the poverty stricken within the borders of the Republic of South Africa. The cartoon has for the begging bowl the bottom half of a football/soccer ball which references the Football World Cup (FIFA World Cup) currently being held in South Africa. It more than likely would like us to question the wisdom of spending vast sums of money to host football games while many within their borders are still without running water and electricity or even homes.
sandy306 almost 14 years ago
As one who has lived in Brazil I know the devotion to soccer in SA . It bridges the wide wide gulf between rich and poor. I don’t however understand the lack of social concern about the wefare of the poor that generally prevails. African politics is not something I know much about, but we always seem to picture only the starving Africans. How do we help that continent help itself? We give money to whoever promises to further our aims and are often backing the ruthless . We are naive and need to grow up.
OmqR-IV.0 almost 14 years ago
Bruce: Alas, It’s going to be a busy day for me today It’s 6:25am as I type this about to leave home, so quickly…: But what I meant by my post by pointing out I was not mentioning foreign aid,although getting irritated by this image of a stereotype African with a frigggin begging bowl; I was holding the South African government accountable; it was that it is up to Africans to sort themselves out. Africans do not not need more patronising aid that aids the doners more than it does the receipients. They need access to the global market place on a fair & equitable basis. I’m for globalisation (in a sensible manner!), I’m for a flatter world. But that may be discussion for another ‘toon. In this one I lay accountability squarely at the South African government’s door. “profit” from this extravaganza? :-| But I need to be away. :p
OmqR-IV.0 almost 14 years ago
Back…match with Portugal vs. Ivory Coast is on so my attention is a little distracted…
I don’t know why foreign aid came into this cartoon (actually, I do, it’s the frigging begging bowl & poor emaciated African!) but I liked Sandra & michaelwme’s posts. However, as far as I know South Africa is known as an upper middle-income developing country ODA recipient. i.e. it does indeed receive some sort of Official development assistance and, as far as I know, it does keep that well accountable. http://www.dcis.gov.za/ I’m sure if one delves into that site one should be able to suss out how much SA receives in development aid from the international community. I vaguely remember that it accounts for about 1 or 2% of its annual budget (i.e. not all that much).
The trouble is, Africa to many means one thing: Poverty. Poor ol’ Africa, always needing a hand-out. sigh
Nevermind this cartoon was about one of the 53 countries that comprise Africa. Nevermind it was about the Football World Cup. Nevermind it was about the South Africans who have been by-passed aid and development, not by foreign donors or by an African government which diverted “foreign” aid to its own pockets, but by their own government. (Who may have diverted SA tax-payers’ monies to cronies and their own pockets!)
It is a criticism levelled at the SA government or governments more interested in showcasing sports instead of feeding their poor.
Bruce (EDIT: you posted about 7 minutes before me! So I didn’t see your latest post as I typed this one): I could wax lyrically about the lack of accountability of the present SA government to its own people but I fear I may have lost the “right” to complain very loudly. I left the country. Twice.
CorosiveFrog Premium Member almost 14 years ago
To most people, it’s humiliating to receive charity.
But maybe with all that attention (not pitty) focused on Africa, people there will believe in themselves for a few days.