An Accident in the Congo and World Cup Grievances

Woke up to the news this morning that an oil truck had flipped over in the Congo, caught on fire, then subsequent events (someone smoking a cigarette is supposedly the cause of even furthering the disaster) occurred which has left over 200 people dead. After reading the comments on CNN.com, I was so disgusted by the reader comments that I started flagging things left and right. I mean, 200+ people just died, and all people can do is make jokes like whether this means gas prices are going to go up?? If this had happened in say Romania, I bet there would have been at least a little more sympathy. But no, let the Africans kill themselves... ha ha ha! *rolls eyes*

I know I can't take every ignorant Youtube or CNN comment too seriously, but it infuriates just me how many people do not take anything even remotely serious as it pertains to Africa, and recently, unless it is the World Cup. And that's a whole other topic in itself. All of a sudden everyone is a soccer fan and rooting for African countries... Black Americans too... talking about "Go Ghana!" Huh? Really? I find it fascinating that soccer games are the first time many Blacks here feel comfortable enough to openly support or even consider an African nation. And guess what? After the games are done everyone will be back to business ... back to their own little cubicles and visits to Miami... not a care in the world for anything Africa-related.

The games are said to supposedly help South Africa's economy by bringing in all these tourism dollars, but is it really helping the average South African? Never mind those who live in the slums, that's a given. I read a piece a few weeks ago that said that most of the people attending the World Cup were not even African... many Africans of other nations could not even afford the transportation to get into South Africa. I'm not advocating doing away with the games, but there is something sort of phony and brush under the carpet about the festivities in South Africa. I am always happy to see any African country get positive attention. But I think I also get annoyed when only the commercial aspects of the continent are celebrated... especially by those who really could care less about Africa itself.

Another thing is that China and Europe are continuing to squander the wealth of resources that the continent has. I wish someone other than these high profile Bob Johnson types of African Americans would invest (with integrity) in something that can really make serious change in an African country. To me that would be the best combination, the Diaspora working with Africans ... but sadly slavery has left so many divisions between people of African descent all over the world. If I ever become wealthy, I will not only responsibly invest, but I will work to bring Black Americans and Africans together. I just hate to see our people so detached and as cliche as it sounds, together we can really affect change.