Ryan Swano
Oooh… So much controversy at the Olympics.
I completely understand that some of us cannot help ourselves to want to weigh in on the controversies happening on the side-lines of the Olympics, and it seems to hold all of our attention fully captured.
#Memewhile…
If any other nation attacked a UN-run school in any other part of the world, then there would be a worldwide outrage displayed on every major media platform, and…
While the Olympics are being held in France, the former French colonies in Africa (still financially controlled by the French treasury) are embroiled in constant internal military conflicts, but mainstream media will never tell the truth about why there is constant conflict.
Most Likely This Was Not On Your Social Media Newsfeed
On Sunday 4 August 2024, at least 30 people have lost their lives and many others were injured in Israeli strikes on two United Nations-run schools in the west of Gaza City. According to the Palestinian Civil Defence in Gaza, 80 percent of those killed and injured in the strikes on Sunday on the Hassan Salama and al-Nasr schools were children.
Reporting from Deir el-Balah, Al Jazeera’s Hani Mahmoud said that the schools, which have been used as shelters by displaced Palestinians, have been severely damaged.
I realise that I used to shed tears reading news like this… Not that I am now indifferent to this horrific carnage…
Perhaps I am just too drained to cry, since Sunday’s attack follows an attack on a similar facility on Saturday in which 15 people were killed.
Greek Tragedy A Comedy of Eras
Memewhile, my timeline is Still filled with mostly misinformed outrage about artistic depictions of Greek mythology as if the Ancient Olympic Games was ever anything other than a Sporting Event Based on Greek Tradition and Steeped in Greek Mythology.
That, by its very nature, means it is un-Christian.
The misidentification of the clearly flamboyant Dionysus thinking it is a depiction of Jesus is preposterous to say the least.
I’m sure you’ve picked up by now that I’ve said ‘Comedy of Eras’ and not ‘Comedy of Errors’.
That is because the Greek Mythology of Dionysus stems from an era long bebore the Biblical accounts of Jesus of Nazareth.
I also found it hilarious that the depiction of the “decapitated woman” was said to be “satanic” by people who I know must’ve learned about Marie Antoinette and the French Revolution at some point in the years they spent at school.
Yeah it was gutter education the Apartheid government gave us, but I know they made sure we knew what the French guillotine was used for.
Eliminating The Competition With Tears
And what’s all this ado about a woman (one who was assigned female at birth) who has a rare genetic condition that results in her packing a mean punch in the boxing ring?
Oh yeah… I get it… Just like in the Caster Semenya case, and in the case of Serena Williams, a fragile female of European descent cried crocodile tears when they lost against a physically stronger female opponent.
Sport has for a long time stopped being an endeavour only between athletes. A huge part of sport is manipulating the rules, changing the playing field and finding ways to handicap or disqualify your opponents.
Does one then need to wonder why the Russian Gymnastics coach wants to have the scoring system changed after Simone Biles swept the floor with them?
By the way, the IBA which “tested” Imani Khelif happens to be a Russian-controlled body that was kicked out of the IOC in June 2023 because of allegations of corruption and not conforming on issues of governance, finance and ethics. It is alleged that the IBA only decided to “test” Imani Khelif in 2023 after She beat their top-ranked Russian fighter.
Is the Olympics in France Funded by African Countries?
While all of that is happening, right now there are a number of proxy wars being fought in the SAHEL Region which are mostly former French Colonies, and many of those conflicts in Africa are not as much about differing political ideologies, as it is about control of lucrative natural resources, which of course for the past century is what that country which is hosting the Olympics has built their wealth and power upon.
Despite feeling overwhelmed with emotion after her Olympics defeat, Congolese boxer Marcelat Sakobi made a powerful gesture by placing her hand in front of her mouth and pointing two fingers at her temple, raising awareness for the violence happening in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Her gesture was to signify that people are being killed in her country but that no one is speaking out to stop it.
There are also continued internal conflicts in Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, and other Francophone African countries.
Don’t be fooled by this trope that claims “Africans can’t govern themselves peacefully”.
France has never left those countries. The French and the US just continue to prop up whichever leaders favour their continued exploitation and have the ones who defy them overthrown.
In June and July alone this year, South Afica, which has almost 3000 soldiers on active duty as part UN Peacekeeping missions in the SAHEL, had three soldiers lose their lives.
Oh and there is of course Oil and Gas found in former Portuguese colony, Mozambique, so now suddenly they have a problem with “Islamist separatists” in a region that does not have a Muslim majority. Guess who is sponsoring that…
Citizenship Miss-representation
Memewhile… Speaking of Mozambique…
Apparently her mom is half Zulu and half Mozambican, while her dad is Nigerian and apparently the Miss SA contestant, Chidimma Adetshina, was born in South Africa…
I’m just wondering why we as South Africans don’t have the same fervour and make an issue about white South Africans born to foreign parents representing our country.
As for our new DSAC Minister whose enthusiasm for his job we are all genuinely excited about; This is one issue the honourable minister should perhaps not have taken a bite into so hastily.
Unless the Miss SA Competition gets its funding solely from the DSAC, and I doubt that it falls under Sport or Arts; OK perhaps Culture yes, Minister McKenzie probably will not really be able to influence their criteria, since it’s run and owned by a private company.
Plus, the issue of her Citizenship is solely the purview of the Department of Home Affairs.
In that regard, if there’s any doubt about her citizenship, Home Affairs need to make a better public proclamation very specific to Chidimma Adetshina’s case and not simply beat aroud the bush about what the criteria for citizenship are. Give us the facts specific to Chidimma Adetshina so that we can put this thing to rest.
OK, on the other hand, in terms of Cultural Representation, of course, understandably our opinions will be divided about whether she should represent SA or not.
But isn’t it yet just another non-issue to keep the masses preoccupied?
We wouldn’t be scrutinising a white participant to such an extent if her parents weren’t both born in South Africa. I suppose my point is…
I just want us to stop calling this ‘Xenophobic’.
Let’s just all be honest and call it Afrophobic.
Personally, one could say that I shouldn’t really care if she participates or not…
After all the South African Government has withdrawn its support for the Miss SA Competition a few years ago when the owners of the competition insisted on sending a contestant to the internatonal competition held in Israel. I supported the government’s decision and I can go on and on about other reasons why I do not support the competition.
That Brings Us Full Circle to The New GNU
Under Former Minister Naledi Pandor, our Ministry of International Affairs has played a huge role in our country standing firm on our position on the Israeli occupation of Palestine.
Ms Pandor has also played an important role in our country’s status across Africa and the rest of the world.
Memewhile… Since we have this new GNU, I am wondering whose idea it was to relieve Naledi Pandor of her duties knowing that she did such a sterling job?
Actually, my guess is that the “successful establishment of the GNU” was on condition that Cyril Ramaphosa should replace her.
You wanna guess who gave the president that ultimatum?
Anyways… I just hope I managed to draw your attention to the fact that we are being entertained, given nonsensical inconsequential things to argue about, while we live in the most unequal country in the world, and the rest of the world ain’t an easy place to live in either.
Memewhile… Don’t let them tell you who your enemies are.
