Pietenjanpompies (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

My hope is that this will ensure a good, fair life for me and mine now, with a balance to ensure tolerance for those who are not mine. I also hope that this will ensure that what I do today will have meaning and value for those who will come after me.

Pietenjanpompies (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

Africa has been the cradle of conflict and cradle of civilisation along with a few other cradles such as China. The world has been a busy place over the millenia and we should remember yesterday, live for today and plan for tomorrow. My ancestors, me, my family and friends and my progeny all count but what I do and how I live today is based on my value, system evolved through my ancestry. My hope is that this will ensure a good, fair life for me and mine now, with a balance to ensure

Pietenjanpompies (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

When this happens they will move on from their 'brothers and sisters' in Africa, a form of solidarity they wish to hold onto to at the moment. When they move up in the social and legal strata within their country they will truly become 'American'. Do we constantly refer to 'Irish Americans'? No. This is because supposedly the Irish went there freely. African is not a race - it is a continent with a wonderful diversity of race and ethinicity and many countries

Pietenjanpompies (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

Many races moved across the globe over the millenia and North American slavery is young but by no means the only way races evolved. In a few hundred years time modern black Americans will all but have forgotten their ancestry except in history books. Obama and the new age will ensure that black Americans will not be socially and economically as limited as they have been and the end of the age of suffering for black Americans is on the horizon.

Pietenjanpompies (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

let your governments create modern systems that take you out of the age of darkness. African culture and other collective cultures stand in opposition to our concept of individualism and now or never may be the time for Africa to change. Even modern day 'African Americans' cannot understand this or overall African cultures. The only connection is the fact that once upon a time they hailed from Africa albeit in a slave boat and they share the same skin colour.

Pietenjanpompies (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

Sadder things than American slavery have and are happening in Africa - until Africans invent or create a system that works to protect them as individuals in their individual countries what has happened in Darfur, Zimbabwe, Kenya and many other African countries will continue. To blame the USA for standing by idly is to say to that very power that they are the patriach and when hand over power we must not be surprised when they use it just as they think fit. So Africans stand up and be heard,

Pietenjanpompies (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

they will do anything to ensure that. As we evolve as civilized thinking beings so racism will die out in those lucky enough to 'suffer'.Sadly racism will probably never die out in our lifetime. So it is up to modern governments to ensure the balance you seek through fair law creation and cultural tolerance.There are many races in Africa alone and it is incorrect to say or assume that there is just one race in Africa. Racism exists and existed all over Africa for millenia.

Pietenjanpompies (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

Slavery in itself is not new and America did not invent the concept and certainly were not the first to use slaves as Ancupolo points out - rather in western culture and law they are probably one of the western countries to last use slavery legally. Racism has existed for millenia and is the result of unthinking fearful men. Men who are threatened by the existence of other races and ethinicities, men so convinced that their race and ethnicity is the only and superior one to perpetuate that they

Pietenjanpompies (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

Race definition is popularly based on differentiation of facial features, hair, skin colour. This is contraversial even in science today but most countries have defined this in law and it is often confused by ethnicity which is defined by ancestry, culture, language, religion, behaviour, and biology with some scientists believing it is a product of interaction . Racism and ethnic stratification is not new and is not the result of slavery or only slavery.

Ancupola (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

The history of slavery is complex and one African nation or tribe would enslave another. It is also often forgotten that Africans sold other Africans into slavery and that in modern day Pakistan the Baluchistan region has a large population of people descended from African slaves. I agree with the theme of your comments.