Soulparking

Saturday, 15 July 2006

One of the biggest pet peeves Africans or especially South Africans have is when an African-American super star arrives in South Africa for a concert or a performance and the first thing out of their mouth is, “It feels good to be home!”

If they would really listen to the crowd, most of them groan in protest.  They are not Africans.  And if you looked at the way the concert is setup – they would know they are not African.

I would like to say – I do believe that if African-Americans wanted to make it their home or rebuild their roots in Africa – now is the perfect time.  Africa is in desperate need for African-Americans to start businesses, music industries, technology, and human service projects.  BEE (Black Economic Empowerment) is very strong.  South Africa wants 90% of the companies owned and operated by blacks.  But those that claim they are from Africa – are seen on MTV exploiting it just like the forefathers who sold them into slavery in the first place via tribal warfare. 

I have a T-shirt idea:  “Enslave whitey.  Rebuild Africa.” 

Instead of investing in bling bling, rims, jewelry, but if they would invest in companies, property, social programs in South Africa, Angola, Congo, Nigeria, Namibia, Zimbabwe – then they are truly home.  And immediately all the evangelist African-Americans will say they are investing in these countries.  I think its sad that all the evangelical, missionary type African-Americans fly over on South African Airline direct flights from Atlanta to JoBurg Interntaional Airport believing they are going to radically change the African savages. 

But guess what?  South Africa is no longer savages.  Some of the strongest Christians are the ones that are already here.  And they are organic Christians – were grown locally.  Another protest is when Americans come over and proclaim they know better – better ways to make people closer to God – or create a better relationship with God. 

But these people – all kinds – not just black – sometimes all they have is their closeness with God.  And its what helps them survive.    And some of the strongest connections to God I have seen – that rival some of the evangelists of the Baptist South – are my Muslim friends.  Women and men are best friends with God – and talk to him about everything – what is going on in their lives and pray to him all the time.   They are not perfect either.  They are divorced, make wrong choices, and are your basic run of the mill sinners.  But God forgives them.  And their relationship is alive all the time not just at their designated prayer times.

The more gold and diamonds African-Americans in the USA are buying to show off – the more they are enslaving their fellow Africans – the ones they proclaim they are part of.  And the more they are pouring money to the white people owning the companies that operate the diamond and gold mines.  Especially when by average most Africans make less than $1000 a year.  Why not stop this atrocity and invest in the rebuilding of the Mother Continent?

And this is coming from a white, Alabama boy.   

One of my neighbors is African-American also living in Cape Town.  One night when I was coming home – she nearly hit my car with her brand new white 2006 Volvo – because she was backing up into her space while high.  We started talking in the elevator.  We immediately knew where the other was from due to our accents.  I told her I was “African-American.”  She rolled her eyes.  “Don’t make me angry,” she said and then laughed.  Then she proceeded to ask me if I knew where she could score some pot. 

I rolled my eyes and told, “I don’t do dope.  I never have.” 

And her and her friend who was African with her asked if I would like to party with them in their apartment.  I was polite and told them no.   And as they staggered down the hall, I asked myself, “Why is it she can claim to be African-American?  Here she has all this money – and she is using it to buy the newest, coolest car and wasting her money on drugs.  And we have to walk past so many children sleeping on the street…?  Doesn’t she feel any affinity to uplifting her Mother Country?  Instead of exploiting it?”

On 18 July, we celebrate Mandela’s birthday.  He will be 88 years old.  And Mandela says it best:  “a man makes himself.” 

So I call myself African-American.  Soon I will be a Euro-Asian African-American starting in October when I move to Hong Kong. 

And personally, I am not eager to move to Hong Kong but because I am not “African” – immigration is kicking me out of the country.  I can no longer stay.  Even though I am here to teach, empower, and help South Africans become the best in the world.  I am here to assist people of the Mother City on the Mother Continent be number one in the world.  But the laws are so – they do not want my money, my time, or my help.  Shame.

Just because of the color of my skin and where I was born.

And the KanYe West concert last night – I could still see Apartheid.  There were the gold circle tickets that were purchased by the rich white kids.  And then they had two sets of metal dividers to keep them apart from the general admission cheaper seats of the poorer black and coloured kids.  I stood in these general admission spots – and wondered if KanYe West could see the divide.  And behind me – there were a group of black girls who were singing and rapping at the top of their lungs – and screaming whenever KanYe looked their way.  But he reached out his hands to touch the kids who paid the big money for the gold circle tickets. 

And in-between sets he pronounced like Michael Jackson did when Michael came down in the mid-1990s, “It’s good to be home!”

I rolled my eyes.