Then, by investing in African countries, some Libyans feel that Gadaffi was giving their money away to Black Africans. Were they thereby deprived? That is one of those 'perception v reality' questions. But added to the contributions, grants, donations and bribes given by Gadaffi to many African leaders, in the same way that people are labelling everybody in Benghazi because of the actions of some, so all of us in Africa, we too, get labelled as shiftless beggars etc. because of the actions of some.
That may have been behind their refusal to accept the mediation of the African Union at the time when they had not yet toppled Gadaffi or expelled him from Tripoli, but many of us took a great deal of exception to the contempt for all things African that they totally failed to hide when rejecting the efforts of the AU. Since most of those being rejected were black, we must be excused for seeing that behaviour as racist.
So while it doesn't mean that there are no racists elwhere in Libya - far from it! - the silence of most of those on the rebels' side in the face of clearly racist targeting of people with black skin, leaves those of outside to interpret that silence as consent, and thence to conclude that they are all racists. Of course, the silence is probably more to do with not wanting to stand up to be counted on the side of the human rights of ALL in a climate where the racist voices are loudest. It could be labelled cowardice, but such is the nature of most human beings - it takes a bit more to stand in the gap on the side of oppressed and despised minorities, especially when the pack is in full cry.
At the same time, it is not enough to just label them racists. We can and should demand better of them. Even racists have to stick to the code of conduct these days!
Ayo
*Think of how you might view Mexicans and people from Central and/or South America if most of what you saw of them was 'wetbacks', cheap labour and domestic servants, with a vicious drug trade thrown in. As a Mexican in Mexico City you might know that there is far far more to your country than that. But the Texan in Texas ... what does he see? That's rather what N. Africans see of the continent behind them - and it is 'behind' only because they are facing the wrong way.)
Ayo
I invite you to follow me on Twitter @naijama
On 25 Sep 2011, at 03:16, "Emeagwali, Gloria (History)" <emeagwali@mail.ccsu.edu> wrote:
>
> I really can't understand why people choose to label all the people in Benghazi racist.
> Are all the people in Tripoli non-racist? Some are and some are not.
>
> The folks in Benghazi are a mix of many things: pro-Sanusi royalists,
> mainstream secessionists and regionalists - people who felt that they should enjoy more
> petro- dinars ; al-Qaida supporters; moderate Muslims; republicans; europhiles;
> pro-democracy activists ; anti-Gaddaffi activists etc. ...and to complicate
> matters some of the of the people of Benghazi are Black and
> a percentage of them identify with Arab culture ........
>
>
>
>
> Dr. Gloria Emeagwali
> www.africahistory.net<http://www.africahistory.net/>
> www.esnips.com/web/GloriaEmeagwali<http://www.esnips.com/web/GloriaEmeagwali>
> emeagwali@ccsu.edu<mailto:emeagwali@ccsu.edu>
>
> ________________________________
> From: usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com [usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Abdul Karim Bangura [theai@earthlink.net]
> Sent: Saturday, September 24, 2011 10:37 AM
> To: USAAfricaDialogue@googlegroups.com
> Cc: leonenet
> Subject: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Tripolitanians Will Dribve You Racist Benghazi Arab Libyans Out Of Their Territory
>
> Blasts send huge plume of smoke over Libya capital
>
>
> Photo: AP
>
>
> September 24, 2011 — BENGHAZI, Libya (AP) — A huge plume of smoke is filling the sky over Tripoli's harbor area and explosions can be heard.
>
>
> It's not immediately clear what caused the blasts, which hit Saturday afternoon. THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below. BENGHAZI, Libya (AP) — The head of Libya's National Transitional Council says an interim government will be announced in the coming week.
>
>
> Mustafa Abdul-Jalil says Libyans must united to form a new government. The NTC failed to seat a new Cabinet last week amid disagreements over which cities should be represented and other issues. Abdul-Jalil spoke to reporters after returning from New York where he and the NTC's premier Mahmoud Jibril represented Libya at the first post-Moammar Gadhafi U.N. General Assembly.
>
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