Blonde Ambition: Is That All It Takes?

by with One Comment FeaturedGlobalPolitics

While the price of the pound sterling erodes faster than the Amazon basin, we see an appreciation in the values of middle-class white privilege, having horrible views and being totally incompetent. I am of course referring to Trump, Johnson and Bolsonaro. We are no longer discussing right-wing politics as their views go beyond protectionism. Their policies are derived from laziness, convenience, self-interest and defiance of doing the right thing. So what exactly is going on in the world? How has it come to this in 2019?​

I want to impress upon you how Trump et al are not simply laughable misfortunes we can shrug our shoulders at. An eclipse of rationality and reality has overcome us with deep scars impending on our social and ecological history. Of course in the three nations, different forces are at play. In the USA, fatigue of being told ‘you need to do the right thing’. Brazil’s vote was swung by appealing to the public’s desperation. Boris bucks the trend in that he was elected by party peers when Theresa May stepped down. At first glance, Boris seems the most harmless in his glory-seeking buffoonery. But a ruthless liar can only mean potential ruin for Britain.​

We all know enough about Trump; but as a Brit, I feel a duty to inform the world of Boris’s incompetence. Despite being fired multiple times for dishonesty, Boris maintained his career as a journalist until entering politics. He then won an election to become Mayor of London. During which he failed to deliver on any of his responsibilities and betrayed promises. Most notorious of these lies is the promise of £350 million a week back into the U.K’s public healthcare system to win the Brexit campaign. This year, Boris was taken to court for these unsubstantiated lies but somehow left unscathed. Dishonourable mention for his 37 offensive public remarks including calling Black children of the commonwealth “flag-waving piccaninnies,” devout Muslim women walking “letterboxes,” likening gay marriage to bestiality and “f**k the families of 7/7″ bombings. ​

If you thought Boris was a farce, Bolsonaro says hold my caipirinha. His rainforest slaying is reported daily, this needs no introduction. He says Black people “are not even good for procreation” and should “go back to the zoo.” He said about an opposing female Congresswoman that she doesn’t even deserve to be raped. Recalling his earlier years on a public sector salary, he would spend his money on sex. So why would so many women and Black Brazilians vote for him? It is speculated that speaking to the electorate’s increasingly popular Catholic values and promises of a quick fix to the country’s crime and ailing economy won it for Bolsonaro. ​

An unsavoury but important question some of us are secretly asking: is White male privilege to blame here? Wealthy, supposedly educated White majority countries elect racist White men. In fact, a White man in Brazil has managed to deeply offend those of Afro-Caribbean descent yet astoundingly garnered the majority of their votes. Why are Trump, Johnson and Bolsonaro untouchable when they are awful human beings? Is it even fair to bring up the White male privilege cliché? Because let’s face it, if a person of colour or a woman held the same views they would not even be in the running, let alone be in office.

My answer to all the above is yes, because this generational phenomenon is the last ripple of imperialism and patriarchy. An act of revolt against liberalism is a revolt against today’s youth… a united youth who want to dissolve lines of socioeconomic class, race, gender identity, orientation and faith to work together. These values are a deep threat to old-world privilege. ​

We have reached shameful new heights for politics in the western world. I look forward to a future where any form of undeserving privilege is an artefact of our troubled history. I am confident that when generation X become the leaders of our world, they can turn some of it around. Let’s hope we haven’t lost the Amazon and our minds by then.

Similar Read: Fascism 101 

Christchurch and the Ignorant Crusade

by with No Comment FeaturedGlobalRace Relations

“Welcome, Brother.” These were the last words of the first victim in the line of 50 other victims who would be killed in the Christchurch massacre. Brenton Harris Tarrant, who is currently the only suspect in the barbaric killings, sent an 87-page manifesto to the Prime Minister of New Zealand moments before committing himself to a long line of terrorists, whose sole purpose in this world is to sow discord and create chaos. 

He streamed the killing live on Facebook, utilizing a feature we all use for showcasing funny cat and dog videos, birthday celebrations, or surprise engagement proposals. He used a feature that was meant to connect people in far away distances and bring them together, to showcase his hatred, rage, and intolerance of a specific religion, and its people.

Some of his victims had escaped war, genocide, persecution, and political discourse. Some of his victims were children, coming to their house of God with their loved ones, eager to show their devotion and then hopefully be able to play or spend time with their families afterwards. Some of his victims showed bravery in the line of fire. They were protecting their sons, and daughters, and strangers. They were facing the ultimate test of being courageous and paying for it with the highest asset they had – their lives.

Support has been outpouring for this tragedy, with the Prime Minister of New Zealand showing real leadership, by donning a hijab as a sign of respect and mourning, to paying for all 51 funerals and financially supporting the families of the victims for as long as they need.

However, at some point, I ask myself is this indeed enough? What the Prime Minister is doing and how the world feels outraged and disgusted is a good sign, a great sign that unity is slowly finding its way against the tide of hatred and injustice once more, but the question remains… is it enough?

We go through these spells, don’t we? Every decade or so, there is a monumental struggle between ideologies, religions, belief systems, or perceptions, that cause the loss of life for so many, only to prove what?

A point? Is anyone genuinely victorious when the death of innocent are involved? When we live out our lives, doing our best to be successful, and happy, and safe in this world, is it enough to “give our thoughts and prayers” to these situations, and their victims?

Are we doing enough? Collectively as a society? 

I do not have the answer to this question, and maybe that’s because I have become so numb from screaming out my frustrations to anyone and everyone who will hear me.

I have exhausted myself from seeing another group of people cruelly gunned down for their beliefs, race, or perceptions.

Exhausted of seeing individuals defend terrorists by claiming there was no outpouring support when another tragedy occurred on this date, at this time, or this place. Tired of the political manipulations and control the so-called leaders of the western world and its media try to spin to get our attention and dictate the narrative.

I am tired of seeing innocent people torn apart because of blatant ignorance and hatred. Tired of having to continually view the media and the joke of leadership we have in this country criticize individuals for who they are, what they wear, how they wear it, gender, sexuality, the color of their skin, the faith they belong to, the geographical location they hail from.

Whatever you believe in, or don’t understand, whatever you align yourself with politically, or don’t align to… remember this, our planet is on the brink of natural disasters changing the very landscape of which we live in, fanaticism and fascism are on the rise and threaten to overcome all sensibility and logic around the world, and the gap of wealth and development is widening at an alarming rate.   

We are the generation that will define what it means to be human. Whether we want that responsibility or not. We who live in this time and era will collectively define our mark on this planet. 

Similar Read: History and the Christchurch Massacre

History and the Christchurch Massacre

by with One Comment FeaturedGlobalRace Relations

“I sleep well. It’s the politicians who are to blame for failing to come to an agreement and resorting to violence.”

You may recognize these words as those of Mikhael Kalashnikov, the inventor of the AK-47. In a world where terrorist attacks and mass shootings have become a daily reminder of the power weapons confer to their holders, there is always a pending question: who is to blame?

Judging by the latest information, the Christchurch shooter was inspired by several European events and figures: Anders Breivik, Marine Le Pen, and the Balkan War among others. This idea that the good, rightful Christian world is being invaded and threatened by the blood-thirsty, ignorant Muslims is not new, but it is sickening that some people still act accordingly to such nonsense. Breivik slaughtered teenagers trapped on an island. Marine Le Pen and her party (Front National) lost the French elections because their claims are absurd, their ideas are utterly racist and the French were either more hopeful or less cynical than the Americans or the Brazilians, who both chose to rally behind pseudo-charismatic, fear-inducing, history-ignoring leaders. There is no such thing as a Muslim invasion. Swapping the word “Muslim” with “Mexican” or “LGBTQ” works as well. The people do not feel threatened or cornered. But to divide is to conquer. It does not go any further than that.

The Balkans were indeed invaded, centuries ago, by the Turks. Many Albanians and Kosovans still revere Skanderbeg as a hero and model of patriotism who fought to defend his country. Nevertheless, many of them are Muslims. If these people can accept their legacy, why does an Australian native decide that he has to go on a shooting spree after invoking the spirits of men who are, or have been, tried by the International Court of Justice for organizing and perpetrating the most recent genocide in Europe?

The Albanian and Kosovan diaspora constitutes one of the most important minorities in Switzerland, and most of them are Muslims. The stigma of the war is still blatantly visible in this community, and conflicts with Serbia over borders and the Kosovan independence are intense. Second or third generations have Swiss passports, do their military service, marry Swiss citizens and could not care less whether their children are the invaders or the invaded. Claiming that the tyrants who cold-heartedly ordered women to be raped and men killed, houses to be burnt not even 30 years ago are modern heroes is simply ignoring the most important lesson history has taught us. Brenton Tarrant was probably not very attentive when his History teacher talked about the Crusades. There is no peace to be found in weapons and hatred. 

Similar Read: Muslim “Re-Education” Camps?

Ilhan Omar… Anti-Semitism or Islamophobia?

by with No Comment CultureFeatured

Congresswoman Ilhan Omar’s recent remarks about Israel’s involvement in US affairs has sparked outrage in our government. In one of her statements to Congress, she said, “I want to talk about the political influence in this country that says it is OK for people to push for allegiance to a foreign country.” Without ever attacking Jews or Judaism itself, she has been labelled as “anti-Semitic.” Pro-Israel lobbying groups quickly went up in arms to attack her, and multiple people have called for her to be removed from the Foreign Affairs Committee. President Trump even tweeted a response in which he called her comments reflective of a “dark day for Israel.” A picture of Omar has gone viral that depicts her in front of the burning buildings from 9/11.

Despite receiving an inordinate amount of criticism, Omar has not retracted her comments or stepped down from her position on the Foreign Affairs Committee. Plenty of Democrats have voiced their opinions against her, despite belonging to the same party. Several days after Omar’s remarks, a resolution was passed to denounce anti-Semitism and overall hate, which includes anti-Muslim rhetoric as well.

I recently spoke to someone who highlighted something I had never thought of before. When someone says something against Jews or Judaism, they are labelled as anti-Semitic. The use of the prefix “anti” indicates that the person who is committing the action is in the wrong. They are against something that they should not be against. When there is anti-Muslim rhetoric; however, it is most often labelled as Islamophobic. The suffix “phobia” implies that it is not necessarily wrong for someone to be against Islam. In fact, the use of this term categorizes Islam as something to be afraid of, like the dark or spiders. A person who is Islamophobic is seen as a good person who is rightly afraid of something, whereas an anti-Semite is a bad person who is against something good. The usage of these terms are not an accident, and it is clear that there are political associations with both words.

Ilhan Omar brought to light an important matter concerning our country’s undying loyalty to a foreign nation, yet she was attacked for doing so. The U.N. recently found that Israel intentionally shot children, journalists, and the disabled during protests in Gaza; yet, we see more outrage when someone questions our national loyalty than the murder of innocent people. It is clear that there is a major issue with the way that the US blindly supports Israel and its policies, and I hope that Ilhan Omar will not be the last one to call attention to this problem.

Similar Read: Ideas Make This Country Great

The Rohingya Massacre: A Crisis the West Rather Not Cover

by with One Comment FeaturedGlobal

The United Nations considers the Rohingya people the “most persecuted minority group in the world.” It’s time we start paying attention. 

[Silent] Genocide: The Rohingya Massacre… We originally published this article on 11 September 2017. The crisis has unfortunately worsened since then. If you haven’t heard about the Rohingya Massacre, likely due to the West and major news orgs choosing not to cover it, please read our short piece below to catch up on a story everyone should know about. 

I was scrolling through my newsfeed last week and noticed some of my friend’s updates and funny videos from Labor-Day weekend. While scrolling, I also saw that one of my friends had posted a link from The Economist talking about the Rohingya genocide that is currently taking place in Burma (Myanmar). In a short blurb above the article, she wrote in capital letters, “WHY ISN’T ANYONE TALKING ABOUT THIS!”

I’ve known about this conflict prior to seeing her post, but she made a good point – why isn’t this being discussed on major news networks? I have read time and time again about the intensity and cruelty that is taking place at this moment across the world in Burma, and it sickens me to know that just this year alone 1,000 Rohingya have been killed in a new crackdown by the Myanmar state. 

Here is a breakdown of what started this conflict and why this is happening…

The Rohingya are Muslims. They are indigenous to Burma’s Rakhine province in the North-West Region that borders the South Asian country, Bangladesh. There are approximately 2 million Rohingya, of which, 1 million are currently living in Burma today.

Despite having historic ties to the land of Burma that have lasted for centuries, the Rohingya people were rendered stateless in 1982 by a highly controversial citizenship law that deliberately excluded them as one of Burma’s natural, and thereby legitimate, ethnicities. Because of this, the Rohingya people have been falsely and cruelly classified as foreigners in their own homeland.

If this was not difficult enough the Citizenship Law of 1982 has since become the staging grounds for the rising tide of Islamophobia in Burma. Biased government led initiatives are being fueled by a strategically planted hatred for Muslims and are designed to alienate the native Rohingya from Burmese Buddhist life.

One of the main initiatives involves the denial of the title “Rohingya” from public discourse. Instead, the incorrect term “Benjali” is being pushed on the Rohingya people to make them seem like foreigners and Muslims to the Burmese people. 

Because of this, the Rohingya people have been pushed to the literal fringes of Burmese society where they are extremely vulnerable, and where human rights abuses are mounting up and becoming quite difficult to document.

Since the violence has started the Rohingya people have been forced to flee to neighboring states, such as Bangladesh, Thailand, and Malaysia. They’ve unfortunately been met with further hostility. Those governments have rejected them and relegated them to a life of complete neglect in refugee camps, which inevitably increases the very real threat of human trafficking. 

In 1967, Martin Luther King Jr said, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” These words should ring loud and true for anyone who considers themselves a citizen of the world, and they cannot be ignored just because what you see makes you uncomfortable or helpless. We all belong to this planet and when anyone tries to force one person or a group of us to disappear via genocide, we ALL need to come together and say it loud and clear – that it is NOT OK, and that IT WILL NOT BE IGNORED. I too at times feel that my voice is lost in the multitude of noise that is generated in this busy world we live in; however, that will not stop me from yelling, writing, and talking about issues like the Rohingya genocide because they deserve our attention. The people of Rohingya need and deserve justice, and they’ll never get it if the people who know about the issue refuse to discuss it and bring it to other peoples attention. 

The United Nations considers the Rohingya people the “most persecuted minority group in the world.” It’s time we start paying attention. 

Last year we shared a similar story about 8,000 Muslims who were killed in a designated U.N. “safe haven.” Read about it here: Unknown Genocide

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“1995: 8,000 Muslims Killed in U.N. Safe Haven”

by with No Comment FeaturedGlobalInternational

This week marks the 22nd anniversary of the genocide in the Bosnian town of Srebrenica, where 8,372 Muslim men were killed in an area that was designated as a U.N. “safe haven.” Most of their bodies were thrown into mass graves, and some of their bodies are still being discovered today. Countless women, many of whom were the wives and mothers of the men killed, were tortured and raped by Serbian soldiers. This genocide has been called the worst mass murder in Europe since World War II.

My grandfather was born and raised in Bosnia, so as you can imagine, I heard about this massacre at a very young age. I recall learning about the Srebrenica massacre in high school, but it wasn’t called a massacre. My history textbook devoted just two sentences in a sidebar mentioning the massacre, and they referred to it as an “ethnic cleansing.” The word “cleansing” implies that the killing of 8,372 Muslims made Bosnia purer. I couldn’t help but think that if the victims were a group other than Muslims, the coverage and the historic context of this massacre may have been dramatically different.

Winston Churchill said, “History is written by the victors.” This was obvious to me considering that our history textbook devoted multiple sections to other genocides, notably the Holocaust. Are the numbers between the Holocaust and the Srebrenica genocide comparable? No. But both involved large groups of people being killed for no other reason besides their religion. The Holocaust is a well-known historic occurrence that almost everyone can recall learning about in school; yet, the Srebrenica genocide is something obscure-sounding that most people have never even heard of before.

Let’s switch gears and fast-forward to 2017. ISIS (or ISIL) is in the Middle East systematically massacring a minority religious group called the Yazidis (ISIS is responsible for killing many other people and groups of people, but their massacre of the Yazidis is the only one officially classified as a genocide by the U.N.). A minority group is being systematically killed for no other reason besides their religion. After the Holocaust, the world said, “NEVER AGAIN.” Fifty years later, the genocide at Srebrenica happened, and much of the world didn’t even know, let alone bat an eye. Twenty-two years later, in a world abundant with media outlets and 24-hour news cycles, much of the world doesn’t know about a genocide happening right in front of them. If we don’t know enough about our history to learn from it, how can we prevent it from happening again?