Zimbabwe: Reduced to Eating Rats
by
Ted Slater
on Dec 19, 2006 at 4:50 PM
For the past few years I've been following the disaster brought on by Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe, a man about as demented and evil as they come.
(OK, that might be a bit of hyperbole. I'd consider North Korea's Kim Jong-il, Venezuela's Hugo Chavez, and Iran's Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to be no less demented and evil than Mugabe.)
The latest news from this country that used to export food to neighboring countries: Thanks to Mugabe's cronyism and racist/anti-farmer policies, food is now so scarce that people are lucky if they're able to even find rats to eat.
Zimbabwe's ambassador to United States denies that eating rats is any indication that his nation's people are starving. "It is a delicacy," he said. "It is misleading to portray the eating of field mice as an act of desperation. It is not."
Reminds me of the quote misattributed to Marie Antoinette, who, when told of the peasants' not having any bread to eat supposedly said, "Let them eat cake." It's my understanding that things turned around shortly after her ... ahem ... being removed from office.
May the people of Zimbabwe soon find an answer to the problem leading their country into catastrophe, preferably one less violent than the cutting edge solution the people of France implemented against Antoinette in 1793.
1. Jonathan had the following to say on Dec 19 at 6:26 PM:
Readers should remember that the American republic was not founded without bloodshed.
"... We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. --That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness."
Do Americans have the right to abolish tyranny by taking up arms and not Zimbabweans? I do not support violence as a first resort, but after decades of civil opposition (just ask the MDC activists Mugabe has imprisoned), the options are dwindling.
2. Jethro had the following to say on Dec 19 at 6:55 PM:
So you're lumping Chavez with Kim Jong Il, Mugabe and Ahmadinejad? Why's that, because he has the temerity not to be a lackey re US oil policy? Please, he is trying to do what's best for his nation - since when does that make you evil?
3. Chris Krycho had the following to say on Dec 19 at 8:01 PM:
Jethro - more likely because he's actively allied himself with Ahmadenijad and agreed with some of his extremist and radical statements against the US, etc. Trying to do the best for one's country rarely includes attempting to alienate the one country that does more good for the rest of the world than any other country (or indeed most other countries combined) just in the sense of its contribution to world aid and relief. He's also one of the worst about abuses of power and consistently gets rated poorly by the Human Rights commission of the UN (which says something, given it has Saudi Arabia on the panel). No, Chavez has earned his "evil" marks with distinction. Most of the people I know who would criticize Chavez wouldn't even stop to think about his oil reserves.
4. Jethro had the following to say on Dec 19 at 8:36 PM:
Chris,
There is a fascinating article on the NY Times website (just go to Top 10 articles) by Peter Singer, largely about altruism, but addressing the issue of US foreign aid. Basically he says, yes we give alot, but only in a way that suits us and not where it's really needed.
Just my humble opinion, but sometimes those so called 'extremist and radical' statements about the US are alot closer to the truth than most of us would like to accept.
5. Paula had the following to say on Dec 19 at 10:22 PM:
It strikes me as odd that previous comments turned quickly from Zimbabwe's desperate need to debates about U.S. international politics. However you see America's position on the world stage, please take a moment to turn outward, beyond that which directly affects your country.
6. Chris Krycho had the following to say on Dec 19 at 10:52 PM:
Jethro - somehow, citing Peter Singer doesn't increase the credibility of one's argument to my mind. This is the guy who advocates the legalization of infanticide for children up to two years' old. Regardless of what the country does altruistically (or not), the vast majority of charity and foreign aid from the use is privately funded, and done simply because people do care and do want to help people. Which is the point the author was trying to get at in the first place ... the desperate straits of people not in America. At the very least, we ought to be praying for them. Quite honestly, I think we as Christians have a significant responsibility to do more than that (though clearly, the question of aid is a moot one here, given the corruption in Zimbabwe).
7. Nate Lotze had the following to say on Dec 20 at 8:41 AM:
Regarding Mugabe's ambassador and rats as a delicacy:
Does the good ambassador eat them too? He must be able to afford them every day.
8. Elissa had the following to say on Dec 20 at 10:15 AM:
My husband is Zimbabwean and his mother and siblings still live there. He said it is not really strange that someone in Zimbabwe might eat a rat at some point. The strange thing is that now eating rats is many Zimbabweans' only choice. He says that any one who says that rats are a delicacy is just trying to cover up the real problem.
9. Ash Walls had the following to say on Dec 20 at 6:59 PM:
Regarding citing Hugo Chavez as an evil man:
The U.S. has problems with Chavez on account of his oil agenda and his desire for South America to be autonomous. The man is no Kim Jong II. He simply wants the U.S. to demonstrate less invasive foreign policy.
10. Leah had the following to say on Dec 21 at 6:21 AM:
Paula, I think it's fair enough for people to pick up on points where they think Boundless is pushing a particular political point.(Whoa, way too many p-words in that sentence!!)
Many of their comments weren't even about "what directly affects (their) country", simply an objection to calling one particular man "evil". Which I think is fair enough. (I have no opinion on the matter, I didn't even know who the guy was until this post :P).
Actually (comment no longer directed at Paula), come to think of it, that reinforces for me the idea that issue Slater has with Chavez is based on Chavez's opinion of the US, rather than his evilness. Because if he truly was that evil (as opposed to just rubbing Americans the wrong way) then we'd have heard a lot more of him here in Australia.
However, back to Zimbabwe. Unfortunately, it really doesn't surprise me. I know a few (white) Zimbabweans and it sounds like life is more dangerous for the whites than the blacks. (Same as South Africa).
11. Ted Slater had the following to say on Dec 21 at 9:48 AM:
Is Chavez truly in the same league as Mugabe, Ahmadinejad, and Kim Jong-il? In retrospect, I have to admit that he's probably not as demonized as these other heads of state. But he does share a common bond with some of them -- a cronyism that's hurting his country, a rabid hatred of America, friendships with known terrorists and support of their beliefs and tactics, belief that America *deserved* 9/11, and so on.
For a bit of background on this man, written by someone who grew up in Venezuela, read this. For more background, take a look at this, this, this, this, and this.
12. Jethro had the following to say on Dec 21 at 3:14 PM:
Come on Ted. On one one hand you tell us that maybe you were a little harsh on Chavez, then on the other you direct us to clearly biased sources. Please be more even handed.
If you are looking for a more balanced view of Chavez just have a look at Wikipedia.
General question: Is so called 'hatred' of America a sin? Is it wrong not to like a country? Why can't someone legitmately dislike the US?
13. Ted Slater had the following to say on Dec 21 at 3:58 PM:
Jethro, people are free to dislike the U.S. That doesn't make them evil people, of course.
Which of the facts included on those links do you specifically disagree with? That he has ties with a number of terrorist organizations, including al Qaeda? That he is friends with Ahmadinejad and Mugabe and Castro? That he has spent billions of dollars recently to build up his military? That his government is "hypercorrupt"? That he is a Marxist, and perhaps a communist as well, and is bent on exporting his ideology to neighboring countries? That he wants to cripple the U.S. by reducing oil imports into this country? That his cronyism is negatively affecting his country?
As I said, he is likely not as demonized as other world leaders. But his ideology and coalitions and actions are a threat to us, and we should not take that threat lightly.
Now, back to rats....
14. Nicole Walls had the following to say on Dec 24 at 1:15 AM:
So we should fear Hugo Chavez because he is a threat to us (meaning U.S. citizens)? What about all of the people worldwide who have good reason to fear George W. Bush and the U.S. government?
Let's not pretend that the U.S. hasn't backed corrupt groups and governments that have terrorized and committed horrible atrocities. How many U.S. citizens are aware of the CIA's involvement in Central and South America over the last twenty years, and of all of the unnecessary death and destruction that it has brought about?
15. Ted Slater had the following to say on Dec 24 at 3:52 PM:
How did we digress from the troubles in Zimbabwe to bashing the United States? Strange how eager some seem to be to diminish the U.S. and exalt Marxists such as Chavez.
16. Paula had the following to say on Dec 27 at 4:36 AM:
Thank you, Ted!
We have all heard it said that the only thing evil needs to prosper is for good men to do nothing (extra Brownie points for anyone who can cite the original source of that quote).
Zimbabweans are in dire straits, as are the people in South Africa. By example: a pensioner friend of ours has recently begun sending her two mites' worth to her sister in South Africa, who is literally wasting away from hunger. Neither this sister nor her educated (white) adult children have any hopes of work or welfare ... yet they still have a home to live in -- more than most of the 700,000 Zimbabweans whose homes were destroyed by their government only last year.
Visit www.christian-aid.org.uk for one channel of action.
17. Sonny had the following to say on Dec 29 at 9:23 AM:
Some of these pro-Chavez comments just solidify my belief that Americans (generally) and Christians (specifically) are quite ignorant about international relations and global affairs. Although, should we be surpised. The average american 4th grader cannot find the US on a world map.
Slater, you are right on about Mugabe. The man is scum and all he had done since he took power is line his own poctkets and the pockets of his friends. having said that, he is anti-gay marriage and was very critical of South Africa for legaling gay marriage.
18. Leah had the following to say on Dec 29 at 9:13 PM:
Sonny, I don't think anyone here is pro-Chavez. They simply didn't think he belonged in the same group of tyrants as people like Mugabe and Kim Jong-il.