22 April 2009
Durban II 2
There is an irony in letting Mahmoud Ahmadinejad make a speech at a conference on racism. I wonder if it was lost on the delegates. Then again, the United Nations described the conference as a “shining example of what the UN is supposed to do best: unite to combat injustice in the world.” How’s that for irony?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
8 comments:
It's only a matter of time before Iran does something that cannot be un-done.
I know very little about the modern RSA. In fact, my only knowledge relates to the Boer War and a few books by Wilbur Smith (of all things).
You have nonetheless piqued my interest and I shall study the point. Because of interest and I think that there is a story unfolding here that I have left drift by.
PS I am a great fan of the No 1 Ladies Detective Agency and have watched all of the five episodes on BBC 1 and read all of McCall Smith's books except for the latest which is still in hardcover.
Botswana is sort of like RSA no?
A lot's changed since the Voortrekkers.
Botswana and RSA are major trade partners but they're not very similar countries. RSA's made up of many different cultures, the people speak a wide variety of languages and the history of each ethnic group is almost that of different countries. They were all different countries not that long ago. Botswana has far fewer languages and the people are mostly the same ethnic group. More or less. Whites of RSA and Botswana share a similar culture and history but most blacks don't. Botswana has more in common with Lesotho.
Ah Lesotho. Now I understand (not).
We had very little coverage of this conference here in Switzerland. And it took place here. This means that it did not come off because we Swiss are very good at inflating opportunity into success and claiming credit wherever we can. Them planes though....
The current Geneva conclave (WHO) is getting some press. Swine flu. Pandemic. I am urgently concerned and will see if I could get some tamiflu from my kind lady doctor who treats me like an equal. I have never been treated like this before by a Doctor. But then, I am a North American Indian and people in Canada do not have particularly warm feelings for us. I do not understand this much but Canadians are a very closed society. The state encourages walls between the groups. While the USA calls itself a melting pot, Canada calls itself a mozaic. Preferably a white one. I moved and prefer my new country. The area where I was born and raised is way in the North of Alberta (I left nearly forty years ago). All of the Doctors there are from South Africa (all white people with blond hair) I hear. Canada requires that new Doctors spend some time in the booneys before moving off to a city practice.
Appenzell Inner Rhoden is a catholic conclave. This is the place that gave women the vote in 1970. Tradition is important. They are shocked by the big germans anyway and seeing them wandering along their paths, material dangling, causes some consternation. The only happy people are bug spray people but germans like to bring everything with them.
You got me on Cheney. I was speaking about the old guy. Not his daughter. Unless you know something I did not......(quite possible by the way. You seem astute and well read enough).
I was talking about Dick but you never know. Maybe his daughter can be president. You don't need any experience anymore.
What's a booney?
Iran has as much right to attend as anyone, but they don't have the right to bring hate-speech to a convention on tolerance.
Post a Comment