Hi Edwin, It is difficult for me to understand the situation in Kenya as I have no reference point, so my questions may be foolish. Is this disregard for human life due to centuries of colonial abuse? Why are people willing to accept police abuse? From what I read of tribal communities in Africa, and the Americas, while they could be very abusive to intruders, they were relatively decent and protective to members of their own tribe. My friend, Foday, has told me that urbanization has disrupted many of the tribal connections and protections in Sierra Leone, is this true in other former colonial nations?
Thank you for sharing your observations with us. We need to know more about this world we all share
Sorry for late reply. While African countries succeeded in gaining independence, most of first freedom fighters set their countries on the wrong path. They started building their own wealth at the expense of the common people, creating strong personas around the presidency, owing the parties, and feeling insecure. They started feeling threatened by any dissent voices from the opposition. So, the founders became insecure of those who were clever than them. This became systemic norm of threatening opponents by the political class. Also, people are unlikely to report abuse because police themselves are the stumbling block. 2. They fear being also earmarked by the same police officers. 3. There isn't clear and secure way of reporting abuse and even when it is reported, it takes time to get justice. Sometimes, it takes bribes to get justice. Also, on the other issue, tribal blood is thicker than non-tribal member. Each tribe has its own stereotypes about another tribe and this is mostly the basis of mistrust to intruders. Up to date, since the earliest migration, tribes are found in one location. They are unlikely to live with other non-tribe members.But one thing about tribes is that their members are likely to trust foreigners from outside Africa than their members from another tribe in their own country. Also, urbanisation in Africa is rapidly rising. The millennium population is pro-urban, learned, and want white collar jobs that for their skills. There is still enough space for urbanisation in Africa because most of the land remains underdeveloped. However, it is slowly disintegrating tribal connections and protections not only in Sierra Leone but also in the entire Africa. This is particularly common among the millennials because they aren't tied to traditions and staying in one place; they are digital nomads
That is much as I feared. The Europeans did no favors for the indigent African people. My mother and her sister were direct descendants of David Livingstone's brother. David of course is credited with "discovering" Lake Tanganika and Victoria Falls. They were there all along and the African people knew exactly where they were located - my ancestor only mapped them. He did do some good things like medically treating the people's illnesses and injuries. But on the bad side he also preached Christianity to them and convinced them it was somehow superior to their native longtime naturalistic religions. The only other decent thing he did was to oppose the slave trade - of that I am proud. If people like David Livingstone had gone to Africa to teach modern medical treatments; or how to write their dialect and words so they could become educated in their own languages, or taught them modern agricultural processes, it would have been far better than forcing Christianity and later Muslim on them.
Of course, most of the Europeans went to Africa to steal the natural resources, diamonds, gold and other valuable minerals. Because they considered themselves superior to the Africans, they built their homes apart and in doing so instilled greed and desire for wealth while abusing physically weaker persons. So when African governments threw off the yoke of colonialism, the leaders wanted to live like the Europeans did.
Do not blame your people for the mess they are in now Edwin, continue helping them achieve education and skills needed to live in the world of today. Maybe, if we're very lucky, a hundred or so years from now our descendants will all realize we are the same animal and value each other. Or maybe that's just an old lady's dream.
Hi Edwin; I read this and came back and read it again. It is difficult to know what to say - your writing is eloquent and explains things and the connections surrounding extrajudicial murders. I don't know the situation except to observe that any time a person tries to do something to resist against the 'bosses' who run everything, they are suddenly 'disappeared' or assassinated in cold blood to give the rest of the people a message to stay out of it. It breaks my heart. Often, the manipulations from the top are clever and hidden but the result is the same: divide the people; create jealousies among them, and the killing will be done FOR them by the pawns of the system who are also being used.
Oddly, I was on a website that does events - classes and such - and I saw this class advertises and was disturbed by it a lot.. (Link below). I feel that things like this - that colonize and abuse nations and civilizations for the 'get rich' idea of profit - are a big part of the problem, and part of why and how the abuses can continue. They are drawn in by 'get rich quick through real estate' schemes and the like.
The Deep State behind all States calls the shots against the larger, known leaders they take out. In the USA, this was JFK, RFK, Martin Luther KIng. Malcolm X, Medgar Evars, ETC. Anyone who was dangerous enough to have the people behind them; the true leaders. A true leader wants no worship! A true leader leads by example.
This 'hierarchy' of greed and lust for power, for lack of better terms to describe it, also affects local, tribal, and other politics - even social politics. For Africa - the last frontier of resources to exploit, the push is especially a hard-sell to pillage the continent - and the corruption trickles from the top down. Good people who try to make a difference and fight back - journalists, community leaders, even poets - know they are in danger for speaking up and speaking out. My heart hurts in reading this. I am sorry I don't have better words to say.
Here s the link to that offending class and IMO, part of what is going wrong.
Not to say that this man is 'bad' for offering this class - his intentions may be honorable but he is caught in the trap too. What country doesn't want wealth and think that those wealthy countries have something better than their people have ever had - something that would improve conditions, at least for some?
What I am saying is that that those who promote 'wealth baskets' are part of a system of exploitation and subjugation, maybe without even knowing it - just trying to create wealth and opportunity for their people.
But what is wealth, really? Isn't it something more wholistic than money and power and having nice things? Isn't it also community, sharing food and resources and keeping tribal languages and traditions alive and vital - especially heart-centered earth-centered ones - things of the heart that uplift and unite people rather than divide them?
The problem is, it's not that simple; it's never that simple - even though at the core, it IS that simple. Everything has a season I suppose. Breaking up older, rural, tribal cultures, colonizing, and taking all that is good and leaving the people bereft of their cultures, their plants and forests, their animals, everything; IS the tradeoff worth it? They will only know in retrospect. Because I think it ends up being a system of enslavement - and that is the culprit.
I think partly it is up to the more privileged, like people in the US and other western so called civilized countries, to speak out and speak up against these practices. I won't even go into the whole push for globalism and 'one world government' - that's a whole different topic but I think it is at the root of all that is happening. Fewer and fewer with more and more wealth and power.
What do you think would do any good? I am poor. BUT - I have plenty food, a good roof over my head, government programs to help me out. And by standards in many other countries, I am so wealthy. When I read statistics on how few have power over billions of the rest of the people, I know the game is rigged. What I see you doing with the Startup is not only educating us about history but also how to build something from the bottom up that might be more in alignment with a heart centered culture and way to go. Thanks for writing this.
Your report makes me want to do something - but what? Share substacks such as yours? What are your ideas? Are there places like KIVA that allow people, even poor ones, to make micro-loans to startups in rural communities of farmers, weavers, etc? How to weave modern technology with rural and not have everything good get swallowed up? AI terrifies me. Technology has a way of getting into wrong hands for weaponization and profit. I am old. I worry about this stuff.
Best wishes to you always, and thank you for writing. You said this so much better and briefer in your comment in response to Fay Reid.
Inspired by your credible understanding of this whole issue of extra-judicial killings and torture. This boils down to a rigged system that disadvantages others for the others to have their way. It still happens. There are murders that emanates from subsystems that does get much attention from the msm. (I will still cover one day).
You sum up the mission of this newsletter in the following words and am really encouraged;
"What I see you doing with the Startup is not only educating us about history but also how to build something from the bottom up that might be more in alignment with a heart centered culture and way to go."
Recently, I started with deep dives because I realised there is a lot of information gap that needs deep dives
Thank you, Edwin. The above link in itself is of no importance except that it shows part of the gears of the system. Keep on doing what you do so well; your substack is so important.
Hi Edwin, It is difficult for me to understand the situation in Kenya as I have no reference point, so my questions may be foolish. Is this disregard for human life due to centuries of colonial abuse? Why are people willing to accept police abuse? From what I read of tribal communities in Africa, and the Americas, while they could be very abusive to intruders, they were relatively decent and protective to members of their own tribe. My friend, Foday, has told me that urbanization has disrupted many of the tribal connections and protections in Sierra Leone, is this true in other former colonial nations?
Thank you for sharing your observations with us. We need to know more about this world we all share
Sorry for late reply. While African countries succeeded in gaining independence, most of first freedom fighters set their countries on the wrong path. They started building their own wealth at the expense of the common people, creating strong personas around the presidency, owing the parties, and feeling insecure. They started feeling threatened by any dissent voices from the opposition. So, the founders became insecure of those who were clever than them. This became systemic norm of threatening opponents by the political class. Also, people are unlikely to report abuse because police themselves are the stumbling block. 2. They fear being also earmarked by the same police officers. 3. There isn't clear and secure way of reporting abuse and even when it is reported, it takes time to get justice. Sometimes, it takes bribes to get justice. Also, on the other issue, tribal blood is thicker than non-tribal member. Each tribe has its own stereotypes about another tribe and this is mostly the basis of mistrust to intruders. Up to date, since the earliest migration, tribes are found in one location. They are unlikely to live with other non-tribe members.But one thing about tribes is that their members are likely to trust foreigners from outside Africa than their members from another tribe in their own country. Also, urbanisation in Africa is rapidly rising. The millennium population is pro-urban, learned, and want white collar jobs that for their skills. There is still enough space for urbanisation in Africa because most of the land remains underdeveloped. However, it is slowly disintegrating tribal connections and protections not only in Sierra Leone but also in the entire Africa. This is particularly common among the millennials because they aren't tied to traditions and staying in one place; they are digital nomads
That is much as I feared. The Europeans did no favors for the indigent African people. My mother and her sister were direct descendants of David Livingstone's brother. David of course is credited with "discovering" Lake Tanganika and Victoria Falls. They were there all along and the African people knew exactly where they were located - my ancestor only mapped them. He did do some good things like medically treating the people's illnesses and injuries. But on the bad side he also preached Christianity to them and convinced them it was somehow superior to their native longtime naturalistic religions. The only other decent thing he did was to oppose the slave trade - of that I am proud. If people like David Livingstone had gone to Africa to teach modern medical treatments; or how to write their dialect and words so they could become educated in their own languages, or taught them modern agricultural processes, it would have been far better than forcing Christianity and later Muslim on them.
Of course, most of the Europeans went to Africa to steal the natural resources, diamonds, gold and other valuable minerals. Because they considered themselves superior to the Africans, they built their homes apart and in doing so instilled greed and desire for wealth while abusing physically weaker persons. So when African governments threw off the yoke of colonialism, the leaders wanted to live like the Europeans did.
Do not blame your people for the mess they are in now Edwin, continue helping them achieve education and skills needed to live in the world of today. Maybe, if we're very lucky, a hundred or so years from now our descendants will all realize we are the same animal and value each other. Or maybe that's just an old lady's dream.
You have a deep understanding of all the mechanizations that allow this to keep happening. You describe it so well here.
Hi Edwin; I read this and came back and read it again. It is difficult to know what to say - your writing is eloquent and explains things and the connections surrounding extrajudicial murders. I don't know the situation except to observe that any time a person tries to do something to resist against the 'bosses' who run everything, they are suddenly 'disappeared' or assassinated in cold blood to give the rest of the people a message to stay out of it. It breaks my heart. Often, the manipulations from the top are clever and hidden but the result is the same: divide the people; create jealousies among them, and the killing will be done FOR them by the pawns of the system who are also being used.
Oddly, I was on a website that does events - classes and such - and I saw this class advertises and was disturbed by it a lot.. (Link below). I feel that things like this - that colonize and abuse nations and civilizations for the 'get rich' idea of profit - are a big part of the problem, and part of why and how the abuses can continue. They are drawn in by 'get rich quick through real estate' schemes and the like.
The Deep State behind all States calls the shots against the larger, known leaders they take out. In the USA, this was JFK, RFK, Martin Luther KIng. Malcolm X, Medgar Evars, ETC. Anyone who was dangerous enough to have the people behind them; the true leaders. A true leader wants no worship! A true leader leads by example.
This 'hierarchy' of greed and lust for power, for lack of better terms to describe it, also affects local, tribal, and other politics - even social politics. For Africa - the last frontier of resources to exploit, the push is especially a hard-sell to pillage the continent - and the corruption trickles from the top down. Good people who try to make a difference and fight back - journalists, community leaders, even poets - know they are in danger for speaking up and speaking out. My heart hurts in reading this. I am sorry I don't have better words to say.
Here s the link to that offending class and IMO, part of what is going wrong.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/creating-a-real-estate-wealth-basket-in-kenya-tickets-689807612137?aff=erelexpmlt&keep_tld=1
Not to say that this man is 'bad' for offering this class - his intentions may be honorable but he is caught in the trap too. What country doesn't want wealth and think that those wealthy countries have something better than their people have ever had - something that would improve conditions, at least for some?
What I am saying is that that those who promote 'wealth baskets' are part of a system of exploitation and subjugation, maybe without even knowing it - just trying to create wealth and opportunity for their people.
But what is wealth, really? Isn't it something more wholistic than money and power and having nice things? Isn't it also community, sharing food and resources and keeping tribal languages and traditions alive and vital - especially heart-centered earth-centered ones - things of the heart that uplift and unite people rather than divide them?
The problem is, it's not that simple; it's never that simple - even though at the core, it IS that simple. Everything has a season I suppose. Breaking up older, rural, tribal cultures, colonizing, and taking all that is good and leaving the people bereft of their cultures, their plants and forests, their animals, everything; IS the tradeoff worth it? They will only know in retrospect. Because I think it ends up being a system of enslavement - and that is the culprit.
I think partly it is up to the more privileged, like people in the US and other western so called civilized countries, to speak out and speak up against these practices. I won't even go into the whole push for globalism and 'one world government' - that's a whole different topic but I think it is at the root of all that is happening. Fewer and fewer with more and more wealth and power.
What do you think would do any good? I am poor. BUT - I have plenty food, a good roof over my head, government programs to help me out. And by standards in many other countries, I am so wealthy. When I read statistics on how few have power over billions of the rest of the people, I know the game is rigged. What I see you doing with the Startup is not only educating us about history but also how to build something from the bottom up that might be more in alignment with a heart centered culture and way to go. Thanks for writing this.
Your report makes me want to do something - but what? Share substacks such as yours? What are your ideas? Are there places like KIVA that allow people, even poor ones, to make micro-loans to startups in rural communities of farmers, weavers, etc? How to weave modern technology with rural and not have everything good get swallowed up? AI terrifies me. Technology has a way of getting into wrong hands for weaponization and profit. I am old. I worry about this stuff.
Best wishes to you always, and thank you for writing. You said this so much better and briefer in your comment in response to Fay Reid.
Inspired by your credible understanding of this whole issue of extra-judicial killings and torture. This boils down to a rigged system that disadvantages others for the others to have their way. It still happens. There are murders that emanates from subsystems that does get much attention from the msm. (I will still cover one day).
You sum up the mission of this newsletter in the following words and am really encouraged;
"What I see you doing with the Startup is not only educating us about history but also how to build something from the bottom up that might be more in alignment with a heart centered culture and way to go."
Recently, I started with deep dives because I realised there is a lot of information gap that needs deep dives
I will check the above link
Thank you BB
Thank you, Edwin. The above link in itself is of no importance except that it shows part of the gears of the system. Keep on doing what you do so well; your substack is so important.
Thank you so much. I received your blessings