Tag Archives: exploitation

How Corporate Christmas Celebrations are Hypocritical

January 25, 2014 admin Leave a comment

By : Samori Swygert

Corporate America could stand to sit down and watch, “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens. During this festive holiday, many Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus, embrace the blessings of family, and exchange gifts to show consideration of the wants and needs of family and friends.

Corporate America really milks and exploits this holiday season, as it proves to be the most lucrative in profit generation. Christmas themed music, decorations and motifs festoon galleries, atriums, hallways, and main entrances of buildings. Reindeers, stockings, cotton snow, Nutcracker arrangements, and shopping mall Santas pose with the children of mall patrons. All of the aforementioned accoutrements compliment a tradition, but many companies use them strictly as bait.

Many associate Christmas with the warmth of charity, good-will, love, and care. Well as much as this sounds spiritually enticing, there is a contradictory angle here.

Who is Ebenezer Scrooge

Those who are familiar with the movie, A Christmas Carol, remember how the main character, Ebenezer Scrooge was so obsessed with money that he had no regard for the spirit of humanity. He overworked and underpaid his employees. He penny-pinched to the point of insanity. His employee had a son, Tiny Tim that was forecasted to die from health ailments unless Scrooge relented his extra miser-like practices. Three spirits visited scrooge and revealed how his stingy, inhumane financial disregard for humanity resulted in the terrible demise of all he conducted business with. Does this sound familiar to you?? Hmmmm……

HUMBUG!!!

Although Walmart may have Salvation Army bell ringers on their premise, let’s not forget how they sought to deny increases in employee wages. Although McDonald’s may have Christmas themed ornaments on their establishment and food wrappers, remember that they also choose to deny increases in minimum wages. Despite the expected formalities in the greeting “Happy Holidays”, remember the furloughs that Grinch-like members of congress allowed to happen at the peril of the average tax paying citizen, as they received paychecks. Remember the companies that are raiding employee pensions in Michigan and across the nation. Think of Tiny Tim, by remembering the millions of children that remain uncovered by healthcare because employers choose to c*t healthcare benefits to curb expenses.

Remember to pray for the thousands across the nation that are being displaced to the dynamic of gentrification. Remember the poor and destitute as Wall Street Holiday parties flow with champagne, eggnog, mistletoe, and CEO’s receive million dollar year-end bonuses for downsizing.

The Gift Wrap-up

Allow me to keep this succinct and pithy, Corporate America, and members of the U.S. government are celebrating the holidays aesthetically, but internally, they are harboring the same gluttonous, greedy spirit of Ebenezer Scrooge. However, I would like to say Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all with no strings attached. Remember it’s not too late to donate to your local food bank, clothing drive, or give a few dollars to someone in need. As for Wall Street and the government, I hope you listen to the ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future and develop a true spirit of humanity…….Fooey!!!!

Socio-Cultural Commentary

Resurrecting femininity in black females

January 25, 2014 admin Leave a comment

Dr. Samori Swygert: Resurrecting femininity in our black females

by Dr. Samori Swygert

We’re embarking on the unchartered journey of 2014. Every New Year multitudes of individuals make personal resolutions to improve themselves. I have a vision for black females.

I implore all female readers to be patient, receptive, and not prejudge what I’m saying until they’ve finished reading this article.

I want to see a renaissance of the current state of some of our black females. Female only indicates gender. I want to see more ladies and women. I’ve seen a generation of females that have lost touch with FEMININITY.

“When they reminisce over you my God!”

It’s my opinion that the entertainment industry has sabotaged our young black females. I remember when young ladies carried themselves with such grace, daintiness, and femininity. That encouraged and hearkened black male chivalry and catering. Young ladies walked and talked with elegance. They conducted themselves with impeccable savoir faire, and exuded finesse. These characteristics were like honey to us young men, it crafted an image that men wanted to protect and was worthy of cherishing.

Currently, femininity is on a decline. The lack of both mature parental involvement is responsible for the degradation of our young black girls now. Many parents are not operating in a cohesive manner to convey healthy and proper modeling for our youth. To complicate matters, the entertainment industry has reprogrammed the psyche of our youth.

“Theres a stranger in my house”

Magazines, movies, talk shows, reality shows, social media (youtube, world star, etc), certain books, videos, and music have reversed engineered the wisdom and lessons of the matriarchs of the black family. True womanhood is becoming an archaic lost science. Much of what these forms of entertainment convey are externally focused, and lack the substance that develops the intrinsic quality of today’s females.

It’s difficult to watch more than 5 minutes of reality shows like Love and Hip Hop, Housewives, and Badgirls Club because I see womanhood mutate to disrespectful barbarianism and shallow, ego driven narcissism. There is a difference between being strong/independent and being bossy, loud and dismissive. This is similar to women saying they like a confident man and not a cocky/arrogant/obnoxious man.

Rewarding bad behavior

Society and the entertainment industry perpetuate the incompatibility between the black man and woman. THIS IS ACCOMPLISHED BY REWARDING BAD BEHAVIOR. Why are there TV shows that pay black women to be “ratchet”? Why do music videos objectify black women as strippers? Why do record labels encourage and endorse black female artists to basically strip in every video and pay them for raunchy dances and lyrics? Why must black females pose nude on front covers of King, GQ, Esquire, and Source Magazine to be considered “successful” or “empowered”?

Young black girls see the public attention and fanfare these superstars and video vixens receive. They then imitate it, in hopes to garner the same exact attention. The more lewd and provocative their behavior, the higher their pay and fame. This indoctrinates their psyche as the only method and means to get what they want in life. They either have to use s*x or annoy someone into submission via rambunctious, combative, and bellicose behavior. Ultimately, many young girls are either dressing like hookers or resembling street thugs, and that’s not attractive!

The results

The results are devastating. The black man and woman are being rendered socially and romantically incompatible. This is crippling black dating and the institution of marriage. The sanctity of marriage in the black community has been rendered dysfunctional and prone to divorce. We’re carrying hazardous subliminal behaviors that were skillfully implanted (like the movie Inception) in our subconscious into our marriages and households.

Our daughters are assuming the machismo, bravado, and brute character of men like: Sharkiesha, the girl that got an uppercut on the bus, Jerry Springer, or violent brawls on Love and Hip Hop. This bad behavior fuels female incarceration, because many are participating in acts considered criminal. Thus we are also fostering a generation of THE NEW JANE CROW!

A real woman knows how to smoothly mitigate conflicts and disagreements without “showing her a$s”. As a man, it is hard to even treat a female with chivalry, kindness, and respect when they don’t carry themselves in a manner worthy of chivalry. You can’t act like a man and be angry that I don’t treat you like a woman.

When a woman is super-independent (to the extreme), we don’t feel the need to treat, cater, woo, or bend over backwards because we assume you can do everything for yourself. Leave some room and work for us to do, allow us the opportunity to demonstrate our utility. Historically speaking, the only thing we’ve ever really had in America as blacks was that trustful bond between husband, wife, and children.

I envision a retreat back to that graceful paradigm to rediscover feminine allure, attraction, etiquette and beauty. Hollywood I’m not letting you dictate who my Queen is! We need our elder matriarchal leaders to re-install the software into our black females. Ladies you are more than a piece of A$S, you are an ASSET!

I’m just expressing my feelings. I don’t know the innate intricacies of the female psyche. I don’t like finger pointing, it never yields resolution. Thus to be fair to my female readers, I’ll share my open letter I wrote to young black males here: http://www.kulturekritic.com/2013/11/news/samori-swygert-letter-younger-black-brother/

what are your thoughts?

Global Issues

Dr. Samori Swygert: Is Africa for sale?

November 18, 2013 admin Leave a comment

Dr. Samori Swygert: Is Africa for sale?

Africa, THE MOTHER LAND, has been the “cradle of civilization”, and is still the placenta of global economics. Africa is revered as the continent where life first started, and the birthplace of math, science, spirituality, and philosophy. However, the allure and fascination with this continent among foreign nations is the abundance of wealth and resources it contains.

Historically speaking, Africa has been the target of conquest and domination. This statement is best illustrated, and supported by the usurpation of land, and slaughter of the Zulu tribe of South Africa by the European Voortrekkers, King Leopold of Belgium, and Cecil Rhodes. I will go in depth about these endeavors in a part 2 follow up to this post, because it’s too lengthy.

Let’s fast forward into the 20^th and 21^st centuries. First, to gain perspective of extent and enormity, 1 metric ton equals 2,204 pounds, and 1 standard ton equals 2,000 pounds. March 1^st 1984, the New York Times published an article that detailed a discussion with Clive Knobbs, the Vice President of the Chamber of Mines in Johannesburg. Knobbs said that gold production would peak at 792 tons per year by the end of the decade. He reported that South Africa had produced 750 tons of gold in the previous year, and that production would drop to 560 tons of gold by 2005. Keep in mind this was in 1984.¹

In Zambia, Africa, companies are now repairing the railroad lines to ship copper to South African ports for export. Zambia is the continent’s largest producer of copper. According to an article in Bloomberg news, they want to upgrade 746 miles of railway. Copper is used for pipes, wires, and cables. They are projecting output to reach 1.1 million metric tons of copper annually by 2015. In 1975 Zambia produced 6 million tons of copper. The deterioration of the railways accounted for a decrease in exportation. In 2009 exportation declined to 690,000 tons of copper from Zambia. Currently in 2013, Zambia Railways has increased the number of trains for transport to 68, and thus project 1.1 million tons of copper for export. The majority of the mines in Zambia are Chinese owned.²

In Nairobi, Kenya, the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), and Radar Technologies International discovered enormous water aquifers. The report revealed that a minimum reserve of about 66 Trillion gallons of water resides below Kenya. They also reported that precipitation in Kenya and Uganda replenishes them with approximately 898 billion gallons of water annually. They have so far discovered 5 aquifers. The Lotikipi Basin Aquifer is approximately the size of Rhode Island, another is named; Lodwar Basin Aquifer. The other three are still being prospected. Kenya, the United Nations, and Japan are in talks about how to use this for irrigation for the Kenyan people and other uses (other uses?).³

The Democratic Republic of Congo in Africa is pregnant with Tin, Tungsten, and Tantalum. These three metals are used in the manufacturing of smart phones, digital cameras, and laptops. These metals are being exported in a manner reminiscent to Blood Diamonds. The drive to procure these metals caused U.S. lawmakers to introduce acts similar to the Kimberley process for diamonds. The name of the acts are; The Congo Conflict Minerals Act, The Extractive Industries Transparency Disclosure Act, and The Dodd-Frank Law. These acts mandate that major electronics corporations like Apple, Samsung, Nokia, Nintendo and others disclose the specific mines they receive their Gold, Tin, Tungsten, and Tantalum from.⁴ The Congo has also quadrupled their gold output over that last 5 years, and has produced 26 metric tons of gold in 2012 alone.

Kinshasa is the capital and largest city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Kinshasa was previously named Leopoldville, after the violent Belgium conqueror King Leopold. Currently Kinshasa and Zambia have some of the largest Cobalt mines, and China is prospecting these Cobalt sites for mining and extraction. According to the 2011 United States Geological Survey, between 2009 and 2013, more than 100,000 tons of cobalt is being extracted per year. Cobalt is one of the most unique and necessary metals of our time. Cobalt has unique strength and thermal stability, and is thus used as alloy in turbines, batteries of cell phones, laptops, electric and hybrid car batteries, and munitions.⁵

Lastly, the United States has established drone bases in West Africa, North Africa, and East Africa under AFRICOM (Africa Command arm under the Pentagon). The U.S. military operations expands into Niger, Djibouti, Ethiopia, and has opened a drone base in the Seychelles off the African coast to conduct further East African surveillance. Furthermore, President Obama has pledged $7 Billion over the next 5 years to 8 countries (Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda, and Mozambique). The ultimate goal in accordance with the International Energy Agency is to have universal electricity access to the Sub-Saharan region by 2030. The final price tag is estimated to be $300 Billion.⁶

Moreover, The Gates Foundation has formulated, and executed a vaccination campaign in Africa. Their goal is to eradicate Polio, by using satellite photography and GPS to find all their targeted villages and dispense oral Polio vaccines to the people.⁷ Bill Gates has pledged $1.8 Billion by 2018 to accomplish this campaign, and his subsequent campaign will be to target Malaria in a similar protocol. Bill Gates has also partnered with Monsanto (purchased 500,000 shares of Monsanto stock) and other biotech giants to map, sequence, and analyze the genomes of African fruits, vegetables, and plants. The aim is to battle malnutrition, famine and address concerns about agricultural sustainability in the African continent.

Take Home Message

Honestly, I’m somewhat skeptical and cynical about the various foreign endeavors into the African continent. I’m also aware of the malfeasance and corruption that goes on inside some of the African nations. However, I see a silent reincarnation of imperialism and colonialism happening under the guise of philanthropy, humanitarianism, and benevolence. Terms like “sustainability” and “infrastructure” cater to receptive ears, because the continent does need these improvements. However, with the vast amounts in exports of raw material, African people are still impoverished in many nations, but the multinational companies are getting filthy rich. The lifestyles of the African people has not been ameliorated or improved from the wealth they possess. I also have my own concerns about biotech industries and the African people, but that will be discussed in a future post. Africans in America and abroad should return to the continent, and show the people how to use the materials that are exported. The continent can then competitively manufacture the same products for retail in global commerce as China, and own the resources.

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