Quote:
Originally Posted by baryl
Well the actual nation known as Ethiopia today has only existed sine the late 1800's or so but yeah the tribal cultures of Africa go back many centuries. It's a little like comparing modern Italy to the Roman empire.
Part of the problem is that tribal/cultural areas and national borders are usually not in agreement. I agree with your main point though.
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*sigh*
You guys, I tell you. Splitting hairs all the way. :D No, actually the entitity known as "ethiopia" has existed in several forms, mostly monarchies, for thousands of years. It and a few other areas of Africa are some of the oldest known populated areas of the world in fact.
You guys are focusing in on today's country's and borders, all irrelevant to my point. I'll say it again for you... Those tribes and empires and nations that have existed in Africa have had thousands of years longer to build and evolve as a society than we in N America have. While the Nations of Europe were building things and forming governments and exploring the world the Africans were busy.... what?
And today there are so many areas over there containing massive groups of people who are now incapeable of digging a proper latrine (shithouse) so they don't have to wallow in their own filth, they can't farm or raise livestock, don't know how to irrigate, they can't educate their young without outside aid because few in history ever bothered to learn anything to pass on. They know nothing of the democratic process and it seems few in their history even thought to either think of it for themselves or take a cue from other nations of the time. No, it seems that all a lot of folkes in Africa's rich history have been able to do is figure out how to live in shacks and huts, punch out a dozen or more babies and spread disease.
People over here and from all "rich countries of the world" have been sending money and aid since I was a kid in the 70's, and before that even. I don't think it's a bad or evil thing for McD or anyone to start asking when the problem is going to start getting fixed or why it never does and is looking more than ever like it never will.
Then you've got the aformentioned Pope who I believe still to this day denounces the use of birth control, a thing which all these impoverished Africans seem to have a firm educated grasp on... RELIGION. Thus their overpopulation problem perpetuates itself ad infinitum and the rest of the world ever-continues to hear cries of "Feed us! Feed us!" or "rescue us from our new oppressors!!"
I've given to United Way and the Red Cross and food banks etc in the past, and I absolutely do want to see those people over there helped, but damn right people are going to start questioning the effectiveness of the effort (how dare they?!) when there never seems to be any progress showing. Millions upon millions of dollars were raised during the "We are the World" and "Tears are Not Enough" fundraising song drives in the 80's, yet here we are in 2012 thirty years later and what, still Sir Bob is harping his same tune. Why? Because it's never going away.
Sorry, I'll send money for certain major disaster releif funds etc, but most of the dollars I give away will go to more local causes, such as the homeless, animal shelters, poor kids, etc. Sir Bob is going to have to come up with a new song.