Very sensitive debate, but necessary and worth it because it helps to dig
into the inner feelings of all the parties involved for a better
understanding of each other.   Thankfully, it is only 9%, and not 91%, of
African-Americans who would not have freed their ancestors in bondage and
bound for slavery in the new world so they can enjoy the material wealth of
20th century America. Again, it the situation of the winners, the strong,
powerful and affluent writing the stories of the weak, poor and
disenfranchised folks. They manage to, in the process, ascribe all that is
evil and wrong to Africa. Africans started the slave trade. AIDS came form
Africa. The most despicable tribal wars are in Africa, and so on and so
forth.

If you look through human history the worst of what is happening in Africa
has ever happened  somewhere before.  Only 50 years ago Europe completely
destroyed itself in a "world war" but today it is a glorified event. Hitler
lead the "superior" Aryan race to exterminate close to 2 million other white
people.  Are there any other wars in world today as we speak?

Indeed the news out of Africa is not good at all but we Africans are still
very proud to be Africans because with still have our family values, our
traditions, and our cultures that make us descent and beautiful human
beings. Africans may not have a three-car-garage house and all the wealth
but very happy to be alive.  Of course you would never see a story on CNN
about how an ordinary African goes about his/her humble day seeking food,
clothing and shelter.  It is not sensational enough.

Yes, we are here in America to seek a better life for ourselves and that is
our human right.  Humans have emigrated from one place to the other since
the beginning of time to seek a better life.  God Himself even ordained the
most celebrated emigration in human history.  It's in the Bible!!  The most
movement of people today from one country to the other occurs in the
developing countries, particularly in Africa, as they seek a better life.
There are probably more Ghanaians in Southern Africa as teachers, lawyers,
doctors, technicians, and others than here in the U.S.  The argument that we
are here in the US and hence a reflection of denial of our heritage is a
vacuous one.  We will never know, because if the strongest, fittest and best
of Africans were to have been left in Africa and not sold into slavery,
Africa may be a better place today. Because you have to be physically and
genetically fit to make that arduous Trans-Atlantic trip four or five
hundred years ago.   The brain-drain started then and continues today.

African-Americans live in a free country and can choose what ever heritage
they want.  But until the day that is the day that are no more, they will
always be linked to Africa.  Just as Jewish people work hard here to help
the state of Israel, African-Americans should do the same for Africa.

-----Original Message-----
From: Vera Crowell <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Wednesday, December 22, 1999 9:15 AM
Subject: Re: Shameful, abomination...


>You know, I've been reading these messages and I was shocked at first.  But
>now, I'm not really.  Why is it shameful that these African-Americans
>wouldn't free their ancestors?  Yes, slavery is abhorrent, evil, etc. and
>we're still suffering the effects.  But, what would the alternative have
>been?   What is the news we receive from Africa?  How do you know that that
>same ancestor wouldn't have been killed from any number of things such as
>tribal wars, colonial wars, droughts, plagues, etc.?  The list is endless.
>I as an African-American female realize that it appears that the
>respondents are simply looking at the materialism of their lives here, but
>I don't believe so.  I believe that perhaps they were thinking of the
>opportunities here in America that are not yet realized in Africa and that
>because of those opportunities and possibilities, their families are better
>off here than there.   Isn't that why many of you came here?  You felt that
>you could receive something here that wasn't available where you were born.
>  Something else just ocurred to me.  If my ancestors hadn't been torn away
>and brought here, and if we hadn't gone through what we did to achieve what
>we have, it's possible that those opportunities we all take advantage of in
>this country would not now exist for us.

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