"He was a true man of trash, in the sense of disruption, disturbance, and daring. "harrow
General Kelly, called Congresswoman Frederica Wilson an empty barrel on October 18, 2017. When confronted on November 30, 2017, a month after the insult, the four-star general adjusted his decorative lapels, smiled, and made the following comment:
"You see, an empty barrel is a great thing. The term is a
wonderful compliment. Empty barrels are boisterous and innovative. The term is positive, especially when applied to African and African American women."
"But Mr. General, Sir", said the reporter, "with due respect, no one uses it that
way." "The meaning and connotation of the term "empty barrel" is negative. How do we know that this so-called compliment is not a convoluted insult, given the common usage and understanding of the term, Sir? Can the insulters around the world not use your strategy of convoluted redefinition in their defence? You caused emotional anguish by labeling the distinguished Congresswoman as "an empty barrel" and you now seek to flip the word and give it your own positive spin.What stops the thousands of people sued for defamation and character assassination, from using this defence in court, Sir?
Can the KKK not use it for every insult they cast at Black people? Defenders of the N-word can use it too, right?"
With a glint in the eye, and an enigmatic smile, the General walked away,
leaving the journalist in utter dismay.
On December 5, 2017 the Congresswoman sued the General for defamation of character.
The matter is now with the Supreme Court.
gloriaemeagwali.com
Sent: Sunday, October 15, 2017 4:36 PM
To: usaafricadialogue
Subject: USA Africa Dialogue Series - FW: [apela-infos] Disparition de Yambo Ouologuem
One of africa's most famous early authors has died. Yambo ouologuem, author of Devoir de violence (Bound to Violence). As important a novelist, in the history of african literature, as I know. Devoir came out in 1968, and it was astonishing. The critics did not want to believe an African could write with such style, as so discredited him as a plagiarist. His defense of the plagiarisms was almost as powerful as the novel. His work was part of the revolutionary spirit of the times, not only in his attacks on power—what we'd call colonial, neo-colonial, and postcolonial—but on sexual taboos, and on negritude. Attacks on the veneration of historical figures who were depicted as virtual slave owners. Attacks on a world of privilege, of domination, of corruption—as seen from below, as seen from the perspective of what he termed "la negraille." He was a true man of trash, in the sense of disruption, disturbance, and daring.
And then he quit writing. Returned to northern mali, became as religious advocate, and disappeared from view. We need to salute him as one of the signposts of African literature, and remember what he accomplished with the few writings he provided.
Maybe he could be compared with Rimbaud.
If irele were alive, he could tell you all what he meant. I hope others will step into irele's footsteps, and provide their testimonies about him, so that his passing does not occur in silence.
ken
Kenneth Harrow
Dept of English and Film Studies
http://www.english.msu.edu/people/faculty/kenneth-harrow/
From: <apela-infos-request@asso.univ-lorraine.fr> on behalf of Bani Diallo <cnlpdiallo@gmail.com>
Reply-To: Bani Diallo <cnlpdiallo@gmail.com>
Date: Sunday, 15 October 2017 at 12:29
To: <apela-infos@asso.univ-lorraine.fr>
Subject: [apela-infos] Disparition de Yambo Ouologuem
Chers membres de l'APELA,
J'ai une triste nouvelle à vous communiquer : Yambo Ouologuem, le premier lauréat africain du Prix Renaudot, s'est éteint dans la nuit du samedi 14 octobre 2017 à Sévaré.
Que son âme repose en paix !
Bien que déinscrit de la liste APELA, pour des raisons d'ordre technique, j'ai tenu à diffuser cette information, au moment où les obsèques officielles du défunt sont en cours de préparation.
Mamadou Bani Diallo
Tél. : (223) 76 48 31 29
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