Not quite sure where I should post this... I guess this belongs under politics, but I'm going to be naughty and post it here. As reaction to a recent PM I've received, I'm going to ask: What do you know about AFRICA? And more importantly, what do you think about AFRICA?
greg in noord-frankrijk
I've only been to Northern Africa (Maghreb & Machrek), which is certainly different from the rest of the continent. I found the scenery quite magnifique and the people living there discrete, tactful, patient, friendly and above all hospitable. In passing, Morrocan food is simply excellent.
Most things I know from Africa come from either Africans living in France or French tourists and expats.
I am ashamed at the speech Sarkozy dared make in Dakar last year. Our hosts were extremely offended and our country was completely ridiculised by the ignorance & neoracism displayed by Sarkozy and his "writing" staff.
André in Zuid-Afrika
greg in noord-frankrijk wrote:
I've only been to Northern Africa (Maghreb & Machrek), which is certainly different from the rest of the continent. I found the scenery quite magnifique and the people living there discrete, tactful, patient, friendly and above all hospitable. In passing, Morrocan food is simply excellent.
Most things I know from Africa come from either Africans living in France or French tourists and expats.
I am ashamed at the speech Sarkozy dared make in Dakar last year. Our hosts were extremely offended and our country was completely ridiculised by the ignorance & neoracism displayed by Sarkozy and his "writing" staff.
His speech was not covered by the media at all down here, so it had no effect here. Of course, it should be understood that there's a big difference between sub-Saharan Africa and the rest of Africa.
Julian
greg in noord-frankrijk wrote:
I am ashamed at the speech Sarkozy dared make in Dakar last year. Our hosts were extremely offended and our country was completely ridiculised by the ignorance & neoracism displayed by Sarkozy and his "writing" staff.
That was some speech, wasn't it? He tried to portray himself as an enlightened, modern man free of racial prejudices, but instead he came off sounding like a 19th Century cultural chauvinist. And the ultimate message I got from it was, "Africans, embrace the future by embracing France ... but stay home! Don't come to France!"
André, I can tell you what I know about Africa, but I don't have all day. But regardless, I think Africa is a continent of great natural beauty, fascinating civilizations, and great potential, but unfortunately it, primarily Sub-Saharan Africa, is racked with inter-ethnic violence, corruption, economic mismanagement, crushing poverty, miseducation by tyrannical government leaders, misguided superstitions, HIV/AIDS, etc., that threatens to keep it from progressing.
Uriel
Quote:
I found the scenery quite magnifique and the people living there discrete, tactful, patient, friendly and above all hospitable
You want to use "discreet" there, which means close-mouthed and tactful. "Discrete" means separate and distinct, as in discrete variables.
I rarely think much about Africa (sorry, Andre!), but when I do I think of it in nature terms of scenery and animals, and human terms of poverty, constant warfare, and economic deprivation. Because those are the events that make the news -- the places in Africa that have their shit together don't make the 6 o'clock, of course!
I do tend to think of it as two distinct zones -- the upper desert area with more of the Arab/Egyptian/Mediterranean influence and drier climate, and the sub-Saharan region that is grassier or more tropical. Either way, I tend to think of it as unpleasantly hot....
André in Zuid-Afrika
Uriel wrote:
Quote:
I found the scenery quite magnifique and the people living there discrete, tactful, patient, friendly and above all hospitable
I rarely think much about Africa (sorry, Andre!), but when I do I think of it in nature terms of scenery and animals, and human terms of poverty, constant warfare, and economic deprivation. Because those are the events that make the news -- the places in Africa that have their shit together don't make the 6 o'clock, of course!
I do tend to think of it as two distinct zones -- the upper desert area with more of the Arab/Egyptian/Mediterranean influence and drier climate, and the sub-Saharan region that is grassier or more tropical. Either way, I tend to think of it as unpleasantly hot....
That's a pretty good summary, I guess.
Uriel
What, "unpleasantly hot"?
André in Zuid-Afrika
Uriel wrote:
What, "unpleasantly hot"?
Well, SA can get pretty hot, but in general it's not unpleasantly hot! We're way down here, so it's not so bad here. At least we're not in the tropics (except for KZN, which is subtropical. I can't stand the heat there! )
greg in noord-frankrijk
André in Zuid-Afrika wrote:
His [Sarkozy's] speech was not covered by the media at all down here, so it had no effect here. Of course, it should be understood that there's a big difference between sub-Saharan Africa and the rest of Africa.
That's good news : there's at least one African country where France isn't completely ridiculised. I remember that Sarkozy and his slut paid a visit to Mandela this year.
Is Mandela going senile ?
Julian wrote:
greg in noord-frankrijk wrote:
I am ashamed at the speech Sarkozy dared make in Dakar last year. Our hosts were extremely offended and our country was completely ridiculised by the ignorance & neoracism displayed by Sarkozy and his "writing" staff.
That was some speech, wasn't it? He tried to portray himself as an enlightened, modern man free of racial prejudices, but instead he came off sounding like a 19th Century cultural chauvinist. And the ultimate message I got from it was, "Africans, embrace the future by embracing France ... but stay home! Don't come to France!"
Yep. The name of his "plume" (plumitif would be more accurate wording) is Henri Guaino, a total loser.
The worst in that story is Sarkozy & Guaino's inability to grasp *why* the Dakar speech outraged people in Africa and Europe. They still haven't understood so far... I'm telling you : we just have our own home-made Bush. A nightmare come true.
Uriel wrote:
Quote:
I found the scenery quite magnifique and the people living there discrete, tactful, patient, friendly and above all hospitable
You want to use "discreet" there, which means close-mouthed and tactful. "Discrete" means separate and distinct, as in discrete variables.
Oops ! Continuously discreet then.
André in Zuid-Afrika
greg in noord-frankrijk wrote:
André in Zuid-Afrika wrote:
His [Sarkozy's] speech was not covered by the media at all down here, so it had no effect here. Of course, it should be understood that there's a big difference between sub-Saharan Africa and the rest of Africa.
That's good news : there's at least one African country where France isn't completely ridiculised. I remember that Sarkozy and his slut paid a visit to Mandela this year.
Is Mandela going senile ?
Mandela's a good man, he's kind to everyone!
Uriel
What do you think of this US Africa Command business, Andre? First I've heard of us having any major presence in Africa since Somalia.
André in Zuid-Afrika
In principle it's a good thing, given Africa's history of civil wars. Africa certainly needs a watchdog! But the US isn't trusted much in many parts of Africa, so that could be a problem.
It hasn't attracted much attention in South Africa, and I must admit frankly that I haven't been paying much attention to it.
But regardless, I think Africa is a continent of great natural beauty, fascinating civilizations, and great potential, but unfortunately it, primarily Sub-Saharan Africa, is racked with inter-ethnic violence, corruption, economic mismanagement, crushing poverty, miseducation by tyrannical government leaders, misguided superstitions, HIV/AIDS, etc., that threatens to keep it from progressing.
)
