the grand unveiling
Soaring above the Dakar skyline, the nearly finished monument to the African Renaissance in Senegal’s capital is billed as a symbol of Africa’s rise from “centuries of ignorance, intolerance and racism”.
“It brings to life our common destiny,” Reuters reported him saying at the launch ceremony. “Africa has arrived in the 21st century standing tall and more ready than ever to take its destiny into its hands.”
Um… maybe this is a bad time to point this out, but.... isn’t Africa one of the few places on earth where people are still enslaved, bought and sold? In fairness, part of me says I should congratulate them on having arrived at the 19th century, that’s a big step for some of them.
Ditto Grumpy.
At least someone in Africa is dreaming of better things. Maybe some heads should roll over the cost of the sculpture, but I like it.
For all of the controversy, the sculptor deserves a hearty
Rev. Jesse’s words are especially interesting in that he was probably addressing descendants of the slave traders who sold Jackson’s own ancestors into slavery.
It’s troubling though that Senegal had to turn to pay North Korea to construct the statue. Unless I’m missing something, making a statue like that doesn’t require any technology that wasn’t mature by the middle of the 19th Century, technology that literally began in the Bronze Age. How backward does a country have to be to not even be capable of making a statue to honor their own progress?
I think Grumpy pointed that out.
You need not just 19th century tech.
You need at least 19th century political will.
You need to STOP selling your own people into slavery.
Face it folks. The slave-trade would not have worth engaging in if Africans didn’t supply the fodder. If your ancestors were slaves in the USA, it’s because your so-called fellow Africans captured and sold your ancestors to the slavers.
Come on guys, don’t be limited to what stupid old Jesse says. This is about the renaissance of a whole continent. A joining with the modern age.
It’s not like they’re all accusing each other of witchcraft left and right and sacrificing children to get ahead in business ventures. Oh. Still? Wait, never mind.
Africa has arisen, and joined the 17th century! That puts them 1000 years up on the muzzies!
Yes, it perplexes me as well that they had to outsource to the freakin’ NorKs just to work in copper. It’s not like the whole damn thing was cast using the lost wax process. No, it was made up of sheets riveted in place. That’s AT LEAST 1600’s technology. Hell, even the fwench could do that over 120 years ago.
Personally, I want to see inside. If you look closely you’ll see that the man’s hat has windows in it. So maybe inside is a grand art gallery. Or a shrine to President Wade. Or something grandiose like that.
This is art that will stand 1000 years! Or until a plane crashes into it. Or until the locals steal all the copper.
I think its a fascinating look into the Skillz of the Norks. I imagine that weapons program they brag about is full of 17th century innovation and high tech thinking. Seems that those duds they lit off a year or so ago are now fully understood as the latest and greatest in Norko Wunderbaa tech by the Wunderkind of the Great Peoples Republic of Midgets.Those missles they sell to iran are probably copper jacketed to help keep down the erosion of the cheap ass tech inside.
I do think the statue is kinda cool lookin though.The statue looks to me like they’re looking for an escape route off the continent…
Posted by TimO
04/05/2010 at 06:06 AM
that should help put food on the table
and some fresh water, sick.
04/06/2010 at 08:21 AM
