Most People Won't Share this... because African Lives Don't matter!

Most people won't read or share this; don't let this massacre of Students distract you from videos of cats and posts from ladbible... Such is the wasted potential of humanity, since the advent of social media. 

Hi! This blog has now moved to www.antoinespeaks.co.uk please go their to support my new website and new articles; thanks for the support and feedback. Lets keep challenging people to think a little deeper

Before you read or watch; please note I wrote this blog post in April 2015. However, after the recent Paris attacks and many other attacks I have since wrote this(click the link to read): "I will not let terrorist make me afraid and nor should you" 

You are welcome to read both blog posts; Thank you.

Click above and you can now watch me reading and explaining this blog/the title; or carry on reading on for yourself. 

This Week in Kenya, a Massacre of 148 students took place. Students murdered by four armed Terrorists of al-Shaabab. Some were able to survive, leaving us with harrowing stories. Ones such as a man whom smeared blood on himself and hid amongst the bodies of his dead and dying friends. Or others like the woman who hid terrified in cupboard for two days; so scared to come out, that her rescues had to desperately convince her she was safe.

The question becomes; what is surviving and what is safe? These students will have to live on with these terrible memories and experiences. Expectedly, their university remains closed indefinitely. Their future hangs desperately in the balance. Most sadly, they will have to live on in fear each day in a country where Al-Shaabab's militants remain at large and continue their threats of mass-violence.

Spare a moment for the 148 whom did not survive. The clothes of their families will be no less soaked in tears. The screams of their sorrows will echo around the streets, churches, mosques, homes and fields of a their country with no less anguish. 

Yet, the world does what to combat, acknowledge, condole or seek retribution for their murders?

There will be no Foreign leaders photo opportunity or Je suis... hashtag. Most newspapers won't run their tragic deaths on any front page. 
Why? A quick look at Zizek on Violence can explain our western mindset to non-western deaths and/or violence.

"Over the last decade, 4 million people died in the Democratic Republic of Congo - mostly political killings. Time magazine ran a cover story in 2006, titled "The Deadliest War in the World," chronicling this state of affairs.

But there was no uproar, no one took up on it. Comparatively,

The death of a West Bank Palestinian child, not to mention an Israeli or an American, is mediatically worth thousands of times more than the death of a nameless Congolese...

and yet the U.S. media reproaches the public in foreign countries for not displaying enough sympathy for the victims of the 9/11 attacks." Zizek On Violence

Replace 9/11 with the tragic deaths of the Charlie Hedbo staff and we are in the same situation. We ask the world to weep for our loss or a loss close to us, without showing the same sadness or respect to their losses. Or worse, the thousands of lives we have had a hand in creating; from the estimated 1.2million(at least) that have died due to the so called War on Terror. 

Antoine you're wrong! "I do care; i wrote that status about the Charlie Hedbo Attack..."

Well, at the same time as 12 people died in France, there were 12 other terrorist attacks around the world. The most horrific was 2000 or more that died in Nigeria at the hands of Boko Haram. Where was their Je suis hashtags, protests, headlines, posters, vigils, status or tweets.

I say, in 2015 we need to think more as a united humanity rather than 'them and us'.

We need to see their deaths as our deaths.

Their lives as our lives.

We need to move further together instead of drifting further apart. We are socially connected but more disconnected; this banality of violence must stop.

Social media

Check your own timeline; when was the last time you shared something of meaning, positivity or educational.
Check your mind; when was the last time you read a story about someone who didn't look like you, live in your country or wasn't 'famous'?
When was the last time you sat and read a news story from start to finish? 
When was the last time you thought "i won't let this story be forgotten between the posts about cats and selfies"?
When was the the last time you thought someone needs to read this; "The world needs to read, see and act on this"?

A long time? this is because of the Banality of violence. Whereby we choose between whose deaths we care about and whose we don't. Whose lives are worth protesting, weeping and commiserating. There is a buffet of media; we would rather digest the sweet pointless posts and videos, than the news stories and tragedy that leaves a lump in our throat.

A friend asked me why this was the case and why this wasn't major news on all media forms; to use a popular phrase why this hadn't broke the internet?

Well, it could be because they are Black, could be because they are far away or even simply because the media has created a narrative about Africa. That narrative is a place that is uneducated, uncivilised and a conflict zone. Not a place of development, growth, innovation and full of people with hopes, dreams and aspirations just like anywhere else. This media driven narrative means people read stories about Africa and think "that's ok, that happens there all the time". This gives people an excuse not to emphasise. Not to care. Not to share. Not to write that status, tweet or share that post. "Africa and violence is old news". Do these lives not matter? Are we that busy sharing rubbish that we can't take a moment to care for these students?

Look around you, read the news, read your own timeline of friends and you will see we are divided and we are falling. Realistically, we can not change the foreign policy mistakes of the past. However, we can change our personal social and humanitarian thoughts and actions for the unity of today to influence the future of tomorrow.

Only by standing together can we stop this descent into a world, whereby Extremist attacks become more frequent; in a world that becomes more marginalized and narrow minded. A world whereby, we still elect people who do not care or represent our lives. A world whereby, we allow ourselves to be distract by fake realities and celebrate infamy rather than talent. A world whereby, the gap between rich and poor grows each year. A world whereby, a "like" is valued more than real tangible protests, thought provoking, debate, discussion, actions and change!

I don't have the answers, but if we think together, we act together. 

WE CAN COME UP WITH A BETTER ANSWER THAN THE MINORITY THAT KEEP FAILING US AND THE WORLD!

Here are two poems that are poignant in these troubled times.

I often suggest to people that they should read this poem, when someone passes away who is close to them. I think it is still fitting for this tragedy.

Do not stand at my grave and weep 

I am not there. I do not sleep. 
I am a thousand winds that blow. 
I am the diamond glints on snow. 
I am the sunlight on ripened grain. 
I am the gentle autumn rain. 
When you awaken in the morning's hush 
I am the swift uplifting rush 
Of quiet birds in circled flight. 
I am the soft stars that shine at night. 
Do not stand at my grave and cry; 
I am not there. I did not die. By Mary Frye

RIP to these Students

RIP to the many that will sadly befall a similar fate.

RIP to those who have already befallen such a tragic fate.


THE TEST
Share this post and see if the people you know share it or like it; you will see exactly what i am talking about. Most people will skip past this and watch a funny video instead. Which isn't your fault. At least you tried to be "The change you want to see".

Thank you for reading.
Please follow my blog, youtube, Facebook and/or @AntoineSpeaksOn twitter. Below are some of the generic questions i have had since writing this post.

Questions
Do I have to share this blog? 
No, but share something. Share something of support, something of substance, something that inspires, something that challenges people to do something, care and emphasise. Most of all share your own opinion. I am just one person; just like yourself. My opinion is no better than anyone else's. As an Arab saying goes "The same rain water, grows weeds as well as roses; but the rain remains the same" Most of you reacted 'positively'. Others not so much. Such is life.

Should I stop having fun on the internet/social media?
No, of course not. The internet is a gift. A gift filled with fun, interesting, funny, cute and amazing videos/posts/sites/thoughts. However between the fun stuff, simply take a minute to care. It doesn't have to be every day; but when the time comes. When a story is so bad that the world must react. REACT don't be apathetic, distant and disinterested.

Antoine, saying "Most People" is generalisation; Why don't you feel it devalues your post?
"All generalisations are false; but this to is a generalisation" Someone far smarter than myself said that. If you clicked on the blog you aren't most people. However, if your only reaction to the blog is the title. Not Kenyan deaths, not the world ignoring Congo, not the world picking which deaths matter, not society becoming increasingly distracted by rubbish, not the media driven narrative that Africa is only a place of violence and not the call for you to change either your ways or attempt to inspire the people you know to change theirs. Then you have wasted your time reading this blog. The Title is a call to action. Simple as that. Message me and i will explain the nature of the internet in 2015. Sometimes you have to challenge people to think i.e. The greater good.

If you found this post thought provoking, please read my other relevant posts.

The world is sick... and here's why http://www.antoinespeaks.co.uk/the-hypocrisy-of-a-sick-world/

What if men were treated like women?
http://www.antoinespeaks.co.uk/what-if-the-gender-roles-of-society-were-reversed-this-film-depicts-the-sexism-women-face/


My letter to black boys and the people that raise them http://www.antoinespeaks.co.uk/dear-black-boys-and-the-men-they-will-become/

Antoine Allen
@AntoineSpeakson

""The three c's of life; choice, chance and change. You have to make the choice, to take the chance, if you want anything to change" A. Allen

"

www.youtube.com/antoinespeaks

www.antoinespeaks.co.uk 

Sharing Videos of People caught being racist only makes problems worse!

Every so often, some unfortunate black person manages to be confronted by someone/people, so at ease with being racist, that they are willing to be filmed doing so.

This footage then spreads around the internet like wildfire. Trending like the numerous people caught on British transport to the current video from America of a Woman berating and using the 'N Word' at Black man in his car; whilst her kids play in the background. And the latest example of Chelsea Fans Stopping a Black Man in France from entering the train

It gives everyone an opportunity to make a nonverbal statement. 

Black people can say "look see i told you; people are still racist!"

White people can say "oh my god, i am not racist i shared this video and i am appalled". 

Then a few days later everyone goes back to living there day to day lives. Day to day lives that for some include their ignorant views on immigration, sharing of BNP literature, their inability to comprehend "non-blatant racism" and even go back to using the N word themselves or at least sharing the various memes that use is it so frivolously. Herein lies the hypocrisy of black and white society in general. 

It is far too easy to condemn the obvious whist ignoring bigger issues:

• Issues like the lack of diversity in the media and television; name 5 current shows with a strong ethnic minority cast or positive portrayal? 
• Issues like the glass ceiling within universities and the work places, that perpetuates a circle of inequality and social segregation. 
• Issues like the growing ignorance in race relations; how many white people could define white privilege? How many black people could give an adequate explanation of why the N word use is ok for them and not for others? 
• Issues like the racism within football grounds; If the Premiership/ Football League hired more ethnic minority referees then you would see the true extent of racism in football).
• Issues like 'Black face' returning to schools and fancy dress parties; how many black people have actually explained why black face is offensive? How many White people are willing to listen and learn?   
• Issues like the growing hatred of immigrants and muslims; Did you hear about the White Man March?
• Issues like Hip Hop's proliferation of the use of N word and its impact on black and white relations: Isn't this the same week that Justin Bieber said the N word? Wasn't it just last week, that footage of Jeremy Clarkson say it was mad public?
• Issues like the treatment of Aboriginal peoples; How many people shared of watched John Pilger's Utopia?
• Issues like Donald Sterling; not once did he say the N word but what did he do? He displayed a mindset that showed his true feelings. His feelings that came from a person in a position to hire and fire. In a position to deny housing. In a position to influence. Not the blatant but inconsequential racism of a random woman with little to no influence in society. 
• Issues like the growing divide and silence between races. People are afraid to talk about racial issues. However, those that are unafraid often make misguided or propaganda led statements. Why is it so hard for us to just ask questions of each others culture, likes and dislike?

Football fans like most groups of men act in unison. They hide behind the anonymity and security of the group setting. How many of these men would attempt to stop someone getting on to a train by themselves? Or sing such chants? People show their true colours in the freedom afforded to them when surrounded by like minded people; one need only look at the average Britain First post. 

Thus this video and the many others like it is not surprising to me; nor should it be to you. Nor should it be even acknowledged above issues that pay far for impact on people's ability to progress through society. 

N*ggers in Paris

The question then becomes how can i be as appalled by its use when Jay Z and Kanye West put it as the key word in the title of their song? Well I still can and i have made a video on this before. 

But when rappers and other members of the Black community use the word so much; i actually feel sorry for White people. Not those who would be using it regardless. Not those who would be using it out of hatred. But what of the impressionable "White kid"; who grows up listening to hip hop. Maybe has a few "black friends". Maybe they even do not correct him/her when they say the word. Maybe he/she is repeating it from a song or a film. Either way, that repetition said to the wrong person may end in an awkward or even violent confrontation. 

But that all said, i won't be sharing this particular video because it isn't anything new. Or anything worth sharing. I've been called a N*gger in real life and countless times on internet. None of which killed me. The problem becomes when people's actions are as strong as that word. People with power to stop you getting a job, university place or are supposed to protect and serve you. Or the people who throw the word with a punch, knife or some other weapon. 

It becomes difference between the blatant and the institutional racism. The difference between subjective and objective violence( Zizek's theory on how subjective violence merely distracts us from everything else that happens continuously). 

We already know about blatant racism! Black and White people already know there are a minority of racist white people. Just as there are minority of racist people from every race. But whilst pointless issues distract society, real issues go unshared. 

Why? because people might actually have to speak to each other. That is the problem with today. There are no picket signs. 

No "No blacks, dogs or irish allowed signs", 

No blatant segregation lines,

No Apartheid,

But to go with that there are no Martin Luther Kings, Malcolm X's, Rosa Parks or Nelson Mandela's. No one to speak for black people or even to promote discussion around issues. Mistakenly, Rappers have become the spokesperson for black people in popular media. Last time i checked, there were more black people who weren't rappers/hip hop artists than were. At no point did i elect Kanye West as my spokesperson....

WE as society. We as a humanity need open debate and discussion. People should not be afraid to talk about race. Black people should not fear being called sensitive or angry. White people should not fear being called ignorant or racist. We still need to learn more about each other's cultures and perspectives on the world.
Or all the progress we have made will continue to drift away with each coming generation.

With that all said; i always say judge videos by the comments that following them. Often issues can be truly understood by the comments of people who have witnessed the story. In this case, the mass condemnation of these thugs actions were pleasing!

What's your opinion? Do you think there is enough discussion on race relations?

What was your reaction to the video in question?

Comment below

Antoine Allen

www.youtube.com/antoinespeaks

www.antoinespeaks.blogspot.co.uk