What’s the most serious quandary for African leaders today? It’s how to implement African values and traditions in Africa while meddling with financial and military powerhouse allies in the West? It’s no secret, some Western morals conflict with African values. African leaders find that they have no say in what laws are being passed in the international community. Regardless of that, the West expects them to comply with any “NEW code of ethics” implemented even if it conflicts with traditional African customs.
Keep in mind, Africans are still asking what a black person’s life is worth to the West? African minerals are sold for far less than their fair shake when sold by Africans on the global market. African craft has always been stolen without any credit given to the place where it was taken from. At some point there comes the option to discriminate. Alas, the black mother’s tears has never brought her consolation; nor has her boisterous attitude. Fast forward to a time where “human rights” finally applies to everything, you’ll find that Trayvon Martin’s and Jordan Davis’s blood continue to reiterate how vulnerable Blacks are, in the West. In effect, since slavery, the West has continued to disregard the sanctity of African values. It is as if they don’t exist. This is devastating to Africa!
On the flip side, there could be good reasons why the world [mostly Western governments] is setting new international norms that trump most country’s values. Even the Pope has no power over this. He caved in to homosexuality so that the Roman Catholic Church would not fall. Do people regard God the same like before? Many country’s norms were developed from the same religious values which are being overturned today. As both race and sexual orientations are paired in resemblance, a black person’s fight for equality, strife for an end to discrimination in the West, has been likened to a homosexual’s yearning to come out of the closet, even if that sexuality was long considered a sin or taboo in established religions around the world. The law now trumps the scriptures.
It begs to question; why are we so bothered by other people’s race or sexuality? The west frowns on any creed that doesn’t comply with its views. Shouldn’t everyone be educated on each other’s ways to establish our differences? Should ones’ nature or values be dictated? We see that in all religious and cultural traditions, L.G. B. T. life was strictly forbidden. Now, it takes the World Bank or IMF to willfully trample over this cultural traditions? What is homophobe? Ask yourself why do you or I care? What is the reason why others should be forced to accept it or influenced to reject it?
When you have children are you supposed to teach them your traditions anymore? So that they may learn and carry on the family tradition? Focus being on family, why are we concerned with what rocks the other family’s boat? Why should I care to know who is gay and who isn’t? Because I have a religious value? We all sin everyday! We all sin everyday! Yet, again, if one was a homophobe why should they be punished for their difference? Is that not a kind of phobia in itself?
There was a time when you could simply ignore the lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender subject. That was back when we lived in a heterosexual world. But those days are gone. Lesbian women get married now, the traditional bread winning father is often cast out of the home, even though there may be children there, gay men could hold hands, kiss and show romantic affection in public. Bisexual people also want to be taken seriously even if they raise their eyebrows in the best of both sexual worlds. The transgender wants to be accepted for who he or she has transformed their self to. More people have adopted to the world of gay sexuality. Heterosexuals are expected to forgo religious or cultural beliefs that make them uncomfortable with homosexuality. But this is problematic for cultures that are not Western oriented which then becomes a viable issue.
Many have blamed pedophile priests, adulterous Imams or Rabbis and secretly gay Christians for misleading their public. Married men have been caught hanging their wedding rings to rendezvous with a secret boyfriend. While Muslim and Jewish men have kept a quiet grip on Abraham’s doctrine, right and wrong is now determined not by spiritual leaders but by political individuals who proclaim liberty through global politics. For Africans, if the West chooses to restructure its society to a none religious one, that’s the West’s prerogative. But why impose that on Africa through politics?
Africans are pro heterosexuals. African tradition states that the male is head of clan while female is the nurturing mother who is catered to (chivalry). Africans measure a person’s worth by their moral character, their bloodline (tribal royalty) and their cooperation within the culture. In this culture, boys and girls are taught their traditional roles in society. Men marry women as wives and the family looks up to the father as their leader under God. This means people of the same sex cannot date openly or marry because the term marriage is viewed as a sacred religious rite which does not include homosexuality. This is not discrimination, it is culture at best.
In Africa, if people who are gay, get hitched and live together, that will be a violation of the traditional culture in the tribal community. Just as the West expect straight people to accept homosexuality, Africa also expects the same from the gay community in the West. There are Temples, Churches, Mosques, Synagogues and historic places that should be referenced under strict doctrines where gays cannot go there if they continue to partake in homosexual activity.
Is this fair to gays? I don’t know. Who knows? Is this fair to straights? A man with a female’s soul is not who is hated, it’s the holiness of what or where he may defile. Africa has its own cultural norms that differ from that in the West. But in recent years, the West has used monetary or humanitarian aide or military might to force Western agendas in Africa. Some Africans have already been brainwashed through Western education, internet, media, Hollywood and music cultures. The truth remains that Africans are pro heterosexual.
Everyone admits, we suddenly find ourselves in a changing time. The question that people are not asking is, who or what is causing this sudden change? If we must do the right thing and never discriminate against race, creed, sexual orientation or gender, will a racist cop pull another black person over in a racist town ever again while citing bogus reasons? What about gay men, will they be ridiculed? Are we to assume that people should know where they belong if their kind is not favored? What’s the best solution to adjust to this change?
What do we do with change? The world is changing so how do we adjust to this change? The common law heterosexual couple vs, the married gay couple. We talk about discrimination but there is no fixed remedy for racism in the West. While waiting for a compelling narrative here comes this banquet of homosexual controversies not surrounding the life, wealth, health and protection of a long suffered black person and his/her property but rather, the right of LGBTs to get married in Africa publicly? If the political acceptance of moral behaviors trump religious and cultural norms then where is the influence coming from? Only few know the answer. We have to admit that swapping the traditional pillars of society is a huge step.
Yes, we are all going to hell. Still, one has to ask, is this so called change is another ploy to distract people from the big picture? Like black people at the inception of racism or gays at the inception of all homophobic outcries. Who stands to gain from gays and Blacks? Who stands to gain now that gays are no longer supposed to be discriminated against but Blacks still fair far from a life free from racism? One person’s past time become another person’s abominable act. The moment we decide to restrict one group we immediately deny others of their rights. We bind nature. We miss talents. To hold a sexuality an abominable act now stands in the way of progress and the fulfillment of prophecies. What a time!
Humans are bound to be different. This is simply the order of nature. The goal is not to focus on how to end our differences, rather it is the knowledge, education, thorough and ingenious reasons to cope. In itself, the strength that comes also builds to educate. One cannot implement all cultures correctly without coming to loggerheads with someone else’s creed. This is why I skipped the “stand your ground” case that sent another black boy to the morgue.
This year, in light of remembering the life and legacy of Nelson Mandela, I pondered on the state of Uganda and its unnecessary cry for attention. No one could kill that many people without having a smeared conscience. This African leader barked loud in his yard but the bark echoed at the World Bank and IMF. Now, he’s imperiled a $90 million deal. Should African presidents be more diplomatic in such a way how it would be better if he or she knew when to keep quiet and allow destiny to take its course?*
Educate, though we will. Everyone will know their right and never be judged outside of the court. The Ugandan president probably didn’t believe his ears the first time he was told to legalize LGBTs in his country. To him it had to be a prank. His culture, his tradition and the moral pillars of the society he was born and raised in condemns it. Just like it condemns racism. But his disdain for racism has not caused it to stop in the West. Yet his disdain for homosexuality has come with a price. As if it is not an culturally sensitive step being imposed by the West. This president is ordered to let his country’s tradition slip away. ‘Should I accept gay marriage for $90 million or keep my tradition and get nothing?’ He said ‘keep the tradition’ (not in those words).
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