Never a year went by when I was teaching where classes did not question why Africa is so poor and backward after being the birthplace of the human race, toolmaking, language and so many things which make us human plus numerous great kingdoms in its golden age. We've discussed Jared Diamond's theory about the lack of large mammals able to be domesticated. (Gun, Germs and Steel) And then there is the loss of 50 million people in the Atlantic slave trade plus the resulting social and economic disruption to African societies. And, then colonization with its complete denigration of African culture. All these are historically true, and all help explain the plight of Africa today. But, let's forget history for a moment, and talk about current politics. Zimbabwe, once the breadbasket of Africa and a leader in prosperity, has been brought to absolute destitution by one man - Robert Mugabe. The man who refuses to die, to go into exile and who manages to escape overthrow through his complete destruction of the opposition. Nick Kristof has just returned from Zimbabwe, described as "undisclosed location" while he was there. He went in as a tourist since foreign journalists are not allowed in. Read his latest column on the tragedy of Zimbabwe and the amazing resiliency of the human spirit.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/11/opinion/11kristof.html
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