Comments on: Uganda Responds - and Doesn't - To “Stop Trying To Save Africa” http://globalvoicesonline.org/2007/07/31/uganda-responds-and-doesnt-to-stop-trying-to-save-africa/ The world is talking. Are you listening? Mon, 30 Nov 2009 17:16:31 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Scarlett Lion - My First Global Voices Post: "Uganda Does – and Doesn’t – Repsond to ‘Stop Trying to Save Africa’" http://globalvoicesonline.org/2007/07/31/uganda-responds-and-doesnt-to-stop-trying-to-save-africa/comment-page-1/#comment-1574939 Scarlett Lion - My First Global Voices Post: "Uganda Does – and Doesn’t – Repsond to ‘Stop Trying to Save Africa’" Mon, 03 Aug 2009 17:25:11 +0000 http://www.globalvoicesonline.org/2007/07/31/uganda-responds-and-doesnt-to-stop-trying-to-save-africa/#comment-1574939 [...] the full thing on the Global Voices webpage here, but here’s a little little bit… “Maybe I just go where the weather is better,” [...] [...] the full thing on the Global Voices webpage here, but here’s a little little bit… “Maybe I just go where the weather is better,” [...]

]]> By: Jared http://globalvoicesonline.org/2007/07/31/uganda-responds-and-doesnt-to-stop-trying-to-save-africa/comment-page-1/#comment-1193319 Jared Sat, 25 Aug 2007 16:44:00 +0000 http://www.globalvoicesonline.org/2007/07/31/uganda-responds-and-doesnt-to-stop-trying-to-save-africa/#comment-1193319 The article, I think has been misquoted and misread in a number of whats. Consider this quote from the article which has been ignored by many readers: "There is no African, myself included, who does not appreciate the help of the wider world, but we do question whether aid is genuine or given in the spirit of affirming one's cultural superiority." For the record, he does not ever say that anyone should stop caring or stop trying to improve the world. He is merely questioning HOW we should try to help. If one understands the history behind the African situation, it becomes quite clear that the West has been instrumental in destroying many aspects of African society THROUGH humanitarianism (for example religious missions that helped co-opt converted Africans). The "nonprofit industrial complex" has truly become problematic for Africa. And anyone who does not understand it, is ignoring the linkages between so-called charities and the organizations and governments who continue to hold Africa back (through neocolonialism). The recent move by CARE to renounce US Food Aid is a case in point: they took a bold move in the right direction. But most large NGOs still continue their Food Aid distribution with considerable negative effects on local African farmers, traders and traditional communities. Of course we should try to help anyone in the word in need. But 'doing good' is not an easy thing. At every step of the way, one should scrutinize and challenge how we try to do good. We should always ask: Are we addressing the symptoms or trying to get to the root cause of the issue? What kind of dependency are we creating? Are we helping give an unjust society a human face rather than seeking to change it? What are the ulterior motives behind aid? How is aid imposing values? How is aid preventing recipients from thinking for themselves? So thank you Uzo for complicating the issue. *"If I knew for a certainty that a man was coming to my house with the conscious design of doing me good, I should run for my life...for fear that I should get some of his good done to me" (Thoreau) The article, I think has been misquoted and misread in a number of whats. Consider this quote from the article which has been ignored by many readers:

“There is no African, myself included, who does not appreciate the help of the wider world, but we do question whether aid is genuine or given in the spirit of affirming one’s cultural superiority.”

For the record, he does not ever say that anyone should stop caring or stop trying to improve the world. He is merely questioning HOW we should try to help. If one understands the history behind the African situation, it becomes quite clear that the West has been instrumental in destroying many aspects of African society THROUGH humanitarianism (for example religious missions that helped co-opt converted Africans).

The “nonprofit industrial complex” has truly become problematic for Africa. And anyone who does not understand it, is ignoring the linkages between so-called charities and the organizations and governments who continue to hold Africa back (through neocolonialism). The recent move by CARE to renounce US Food Aid is a case in point: they took a bold move in the right direction. But most large NGOs still continue their Food Aid distribution with considerable negative effects on local African farmers, traders and traditional communities.

Of course we should try to help anyone in the word in need. But ‘doing good’ is not an easy thing. At every step of the way, one should scrutinize and challenge how we try to do good. We should always ask: Are we addressing the symptoms or trying to get to the root cause of the issue? What kind of dependency are we creating? Are we helping give an unjust society a human face rather than seeking to change it? What are the ulterior motives behind aid? How is aid imposing values? How is aid preventing recipients from thinking for themselves? So thank you Uzo for complicating the issue.

*”If I knew for a certainty that a man was coming to my house with the conscious design of doing me good, I should run for my life…for fear that I should get some of his good done to me” (Thoreau)

]]> By: Nathan Falck http://globalvoicesonline.org/2007/07/31/uganda-responds-and-doesnt-to-stop-trying-to-save-africa/comment-page-1/#comment-1192836 Nathan Falck Tue, 21 Aug 2007 08:36:39 +0000 http://www.globalvoicesonline.org/2007/07/31/uganda-responds-and-doesnt-to-stop-trying-to-save-africa/#comment-1192836 There are a lot of great arguments that Uzo could have made, but I was disappointed to see that he didn't make them. Instead he relied on these ad-hominem attacks on blond, blue-eyed US co-eds. The truth is that most aid is disastrous, and that, not too far from what Comrade 27 says, I think Uganda would do a lot better (in the long run) if all the Westerners here packed up and went home. Not that all Westerners here have a negative impact--the ones doing business, especially, I think are beneficial. Most Western aid is a palliative, though, intended to ease our discomfort at the inequality of the world. Glossy celebrity causes and overly-simplistic "save Africa!" campaigns serve this purpose, and for this reason, they offend me: they do little good (and sometimes quite a bit of harm) while fooling us into thinking we're being good Samaritans. That's what allows us to go to the club after school or work without being bothered by those nagging truths: wouldn't my money be better spent on something worthwhile? And those thoughts, it must be said, are a real downer. There are a lot of great arguments that Uzo could have made, but I was disappointed to see that he didn’t make them. Instead he relied on these ad-hominem attacks on blond, blue-eyed US co-eds. The truth is that most aid is disastrous, and that, not too far from what Comrade 27 says, I think Uganda would do a lot better (in the long run) if all the Westerners here packed up and went home. Not that all Westerners here have a negative impact–the ones doing business, especially, I think are beneficial. Most Western aid is a palliative, though, intended to ease our discomfort at the inequality of the world. Glossy celebrity causes and overly-simplistic “save Africa!” campaigns serve this purpose, and for this reason, they offend me: they do little good (and sometimes quite a bit of harm) while fooling us into thinking we’re being good Samaritans. That’s what allows us to go to the club after school or work without being bothered by those nagging truths: wouldn’t my money be better spent on something worthwhile? And those thoughts, it must be said, are a real downer.

]]> By: Glenna Gordon http://globalvoicesonline.org/2007/07/31/uganda-responds-and-doesnt-to-stop-trying-to-save-africa/comment-page-1/#comment-1190634 Glenna Gordon Wed, 01 Aug 2007 08:45:31 +0000 http://www.globalvoicesonline.org/2007/07/31/uganda-responds-and-doesnt-to-stop-trying-to-save-africa/#comment-1190634 People are offended by people who "care." The road to hell is paved with good intentions, and I think it's hard when Westerners come to Africa, idealistic and thinking they care and can make a difference, and they make mistakes, or even worse, end up making things worse than they were when they started. Of course, that doesn't apply to everyone - but I think it's more common than some of us would like to think. People are offended by people who “care.” The road to hell is paved with good intentions, and I think it’s hard when Westerners come to Africa, idealistic and thinking they care and can make a difference, and they make mistakes, or even worse, end up making things worse than they were when they started. Of course, that doesn’t apply to everyone – but I think it’s more common than some of us would like to think.

]]> By: Angeline Bandon-Bibum http://globalvoicesonline.org/2007/07/31/uganda-responds-and-doesnt-to-stop-trying-to-save-africa/comment-page-1/#comment-1190614 Angeline Bandon-Bibum Wed, 01 Aug 2007 02:43:02 +0000 http://www.globalvoicesonline.org/2007/07/31/uganda-responds-and-doesnt-to-stop-trying-to-save-africa/#comment-1190614 We should never stop trying to improve our world, and, since Africa is a vital part of our world, we should never stop aiming to make life better there. Who is offended by people who care? Angeline Bandon-Bibum http://sojournersdreamanovel.blogspot.com/ We should never stop trying to improve our world, and, since Africa is a vital part of our world, we should never stop aiming to make life better there.
Who is offended by people who care?

Angeline Bandon-Bibum
http://sojournersdreamanovel.blogspot.com/

]]> By: Larry http://globalvoicesonline.org/2007/07/31/uganda-responds-and-doesnt-to-stop-trying-to-save-africa/comment-page-1/#comment-1190575 Larry Tue, 31 Jul 2007 22:55:01 +0000 http://www.globalvoicesonline.org/2007/07/31/uganda-responds-and-doesnt-to-stop-trying-to-save-africa/#comment-1190575 Just wanted to point out that Rorty would NEVER say that your choice of a community and tradition to value was constrained by your ethnic heritage. He reveled in the idea that identity was infinitely revisable. Just wanted to point out that Rorty would NEVER say that your choice of a community and tradition to value was constrained by your ethnic heritage. He reveled in the idea that identity was infinitely revisable.

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