DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO INVISIBLE WAR – INVISIBLE COUNTRY

How aware are you of what is happening in the west African country of the Democratic Republic of Congo? Think it’s just one of the last places in the world that you can still see the wild gorillas? Oh, you better think again. It’s wild, alright – but not in any good sense.

So you want to take an adventure trip to the Congo? You better think long and hard before you make that decision. The war in the Congo has been described as the African equivalence of the German holocaust. For many years, the war in the Congo continues to kill approximately 45,000 people per month. Some of these are killed by their home displacement, malaria, starvation and other diseases. Out of this huge death toll, approximately 50% of these who die are children. Since 1998 about 5.4 million people have been killed, there is no other conflict that has had so many death tolls other than World War II. Yet not a lot of people are ware of what is going on in the Congo.

How did this all begin? The Congo had been invaded twice and endured a long civil war after Rwanda's genocide spilled across the border in 1994. More than a million Rwandan refugees crossed over into the Congo border. The years that followed resulted in millions of people fleeing their homes and finally they saw the collapse of what infrastructure still remained after decades of neglect under their then ruler, Mobutu Sese Seko.

When the displaced attempted to return to their homes, they found their homes destroyed, their water resources destroyed, and their way of making a living destroyed. Women especially were vulnerable to trying to go back to any type of work for fear of being raped or murdered. The country came to an economic standstill. And it only would get worse.

Just like in Sierra Leone, the war is also about greed. Gold, natural resources, the Congo is rich in them and there is a great global demand for them. Where there is a willing buyer, a sale will always result. The means to attaining these wealths include enlisting children at a very young age into the war. They have become brainwashed, deadly baby soldiers.

The war is savage and continues. It is not your typical political war. It is a horrific war. A war of terror and atrocities. The war uses rape as a weapon. Women of all ages, from the old down to little female children have been raped. Their sexual organs have been mutilated, destroyed. The number of these rapes is in the 100,000’s. This is happening before the world’s eyes, but the communities of the world choose to keep their eyes closed to these atrocities and do not lend a helping hand to try to stop this type of torture from continuing. This war in the Congo has claimed at least 30 times more lives than the recent Haitian earthquake. The world rallied to rush to Haiti’s aid, but the ongoing suffering in the Congo continues while the world turns her back on it.

We used to think that tyrannical governments were the cause for their population’s suffering. But in the Congo, this is not the case! There is no functioning government at all – their name, the Democratic Republic of Congo is definitely misnamed! There is no democratic government or any other type of formal ruling government in the Congo.

Is there a light at the end of this terrifying tunnel? Not at this point. Not while the world continues to turn her back on what is happening in the Congo. To turn the tide in the Congo, there needs to be a concentrated joint effort of the global community. Who is going to lead the charge? What country will stand up and say, ‘ENOUGH”? The powerful countries of the world need to focus their strength against this already weak society and lend a positive hand to stop the horror and give the Congo a new beginning, a new rebirth.

6712

Apartheid- whites agains blacks

The south African Apartheid began in 1948, it was designed to oppress the rights of blacks while maintaining a society of white supremacy. The idea of separation among races didn't originate in South Africa. Even in our own country, the American natives were forced to live separately in reservations in the 1850's.The idea that blacks were lesser human beings was the common thought due to the slave trade.

Was there a valid reason for the blacks to be separated from the whites? There would only be a valid reason if one truly believed that one race of people were superior to another race. In South Africa, another name for apartheid could be white greed. South Africa had the land rich for farming and mines rich in diamonds. The native Africans had the rights to both. The whites wad all of the power and all of the riches. Also, the existence of a growing black peasant agricultural group raised the cost of black labor to white farmers. Farmers used political means to separate blacks from the land and created a group of cheap black labor. Mine owners also followed in the same way so they could enjoy a cheap black labor market. One way to force the issue, was to make the African owners pay taxes that they could not afford. With their inability to pay the taxes, they were forced from their own businesses and their own lands. They had no choice but to work for the whites in order to survive and try to provide a life for their families.

Did the alienation of the blacks affect how they felt about themselves? Did they grow to doubt their own worth by the dominance of the white? Rules of apartheid made the native Africans foreigners in their own land. They were forced to live in separate states called “homelands”. To enter South Africa from their “homelands”, they were required to carry a passport to gain entrance to their own country. They had lost their nationality. Apartheid was successful in keeping the races separate or apart.

As in any race, once oppressed, they will eventually rise up against their oppressors. In South Africa, this was no exception. It was against the law to protest for or against apartheid, but slowly the movement began. A leader emerged. His name was Nelson Mandela. To be successful, a cause must have a leader, someone to guide the process to completion. Mandela was instrumental in writing laws regarding the redistribution of land, trade union rights, free education for both children and adults and freedom to maintain their own culture. The main thing that made Mandela stand out was how he always preached for peaceful resistance with the avoidance of violence at all costs. Mandela was ultimately arrested and served a 26 year sentence for his part in ending Apartheid in South Africa. On his release, instead of quietly going on with his life, he traveled the country calling for the international community to maintain its sanctions against South Africa. "I have carried the idea of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. I hope to live to see the achievement of that ideal. But if need be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die," he shouted. Did the whites have the right to institute a policy of Apartheid? The answer is a resounding, “NO”. No one race is superior to another. No one race should be made to be subservient to another. No race should be displaced in their own country due to greed and the false belief of superiority.

Apartheid started in1948 and ended in 1994. by 1985 western nations had decided to protest against the racial policies in South Africa by boycotting certain products from South Africa. Also they stated to publicly protest against the apartheid. Finally due to all the pressure and economic problems the apartheid ended, but there remains an underlying racism. Guarded beliefs are still silently felt. What the blacks had to give up was very difficult to regain. It is still a step by step process. It is a work in progress. It is a universal hope that what was taken away can be restored. The good in mankind wants this as a successful end. Unfortunately, the racial issue is alive and well in South Africa. It is just not front headline news, but it is there, nevertheless.


742

Bloody day at Omaha Beach

On June 6, 1944, the Allies landed on various beaches at Normandy, France to combat the German armies. June 6th 1944 is also referred to as D- Day. Little did the Allies know that this was definitely not going to be an easy war. In fact, the battle became a nightmarish blood bath for the 29th infantry division and 9 companies of Army Rangers.

When people think about D-Day, they are most likely to think about Omaha Beach. Why is this? It is because Omaha Beach suffered more casualties than any other beach that day. The reason why Omaha suffered so many death is because of the terrain, weather, experienced German troops, and no DD tanks. All of these reasons contributed to the reason why Omaha was the bloodies battle fought on D-Day.

The Germans definitely had the advantage because they stationed themselves on the bluffs where they could dominate the battlefield. The terrain itself was the American’s mortal enemy. The beach was crescent shape surrounded by bluffs and a highly unlikely place for an army to attempt a successful landing. The Germans also had the advantage of more experienced men, unlike the Allies who had many inexperienced young men who had never seen combat.
DD tanks (Duplex Drive Sherman tanks nicknamed Donald Ducks were equipped with propellers making them sea worthy) had been trying to make it to shore, but because of the inclement weather, 27 out of the 32 who attempted the landing sank. This resulted with the troops having dangerously little back-up. The storm raged around the men adding to the already bleak situation. The Germans were prepared for the assault. They had put four lines of obstacles in the water which were set with mines. Against the incoming boats and tanks the Germans set up hedgehogs, which were metal obstacles that would be effective in destroying the bottom of the boats and keep the tanks from getting through the line of defense. Even when they tried to roll the hedgehog over it was still effective as a wepon because of the way they were constructed.

Even before they landed, many of the men were already weakened by seasickness. Fear was upon them even before the landing doors opened as they could already hear the attack upon them. Even as they took their first steps onto the ramps, they were cut down in the initial minutes of their descent. Those who tried to avoid exiting by the ramp, through themselves into the water and quickly drowned by the weight of their equipment. Once the men landed, they forgot all instruction and it became a matter of self-preservation. The casualties were happening fast and shock spread rapidly through the ranks. Within the first 15 minutes of the initial landing, 66% of the men were already killed. The remaining men were in clusters on the beach trying to take cover behind the hedgehogs placed on the beach. The preset mines were taking their toll.

Allied intelligence had been wrong. They had not expected such an assault. They thought that they would be facing only a single, second rate battalion. They were wrong. Omaha Beach alone was the resting place for over 2,000 American troops that day. The sea ran red with blood. Omaha had 1,000 more casualties than any other landing beach that day. It was miraculous that the Americans were victorious in the end. With the leadership of their officers, the men slowly ascended the bluffs and wagered their fight in a more equal terrain. They stood strong and fought with courage. By the end of the battle, Victory was in the hands of the Allies. However, It was a great price to pay in lives for this victory.

621

Art Of Film

When we think of movies, we usually think about all the graphics and special affects that will be in the movie. But do we ever think of where movie began? People have been captivated by movies for centuries, but actual movie film wasn’t made until the early 1900’s. During the 1920’s, people were just as fascinated and amazed with silent movies as they are now with the high-tech movies. The audience craved more –they wanted more than music that accompanied the movie, they wanted more reality, but were the early talkies really any better than the silent movies?

Once talkies came out, it was the death of the silent era. Today many people believed that silent movies were primitive, but what are they basing this on? Silent movies were much more than mere film; they were art. People interpreted them in different ways. A lot was based on individual imagination. According to Jack Warner of the Warner Bros. fame, “Silent films had an international appeal, a visual language that transcended the spoken word. They allowed the audience to invest their own meanings, imagine their own dialog.”

The actors in silent films were accused of being too melodramatic. Look at the greatest of the greats, take Charlie Chaplin as an example. Of course his actions were exaggerated, that made him such a favorite character. Because there was no speech, the actors depended on their acting ability to tell the story – an art that was both difficult and under appreciated. Yes, they exaggerated their emotions. They had a story to tell – a story that couldn’t be heard, only seen.

The early superstars of the silent era were heartthrobs as great as any of modern day. Take Rudolph Valentino – and many of women would gladly have taken him! He could make the audience swoon by his mesmerizing stares. Each women in the audience could imagine that he was gazing only upon them. He was the forerunner for the Clark Gables of yesteryear and the Rob Pattinson’s of today! Was one era better than the other? None could compare to the original silent appeal of Rudolph Valentino; he needed no words – his presence and character were enough to elevate him to great heights in the early entertainment industry.

Silent movies were actually never silent. Music was an important part of the movies. They could change the whole feeling of the seen. Some movie theaters even had a live orchestra! The music was enthusiastic and exciting and gave the movie just the extra kick. Suspense was magnified by the accompanying music. The audience would be glued to the screen and stuck in their seats in anticipation heightened by the music accompaniment.

Silent movies were international movies because anyone could understand them. They had international acceptance and appeal. The observer was not stifled by language barriers. Anyone, anywhere could watch and understand the meaning that the actors were conveying. Translations and explanations were not needed. Silents were a universal medium for all.

Silent movies are a lost art, but to film aficionados, they are making a comeback.The modern movie, Wall-E, had a huge section of the movie that was portrayed without speech. It was a successful movie and it leaned on the silent films to create a modern version of how a story could be told with no dialog.

Silent movies were the stepping stone of the great movies that are made today. Technology has advanced in leaps and bounds. Each new movie tries to top the last movie out. There is a lot of frosting on the cake. Take off the frosting, get back to the basic recipe of the cake and you will see how great the ingredients were from the beginning. The silents needed no additional frosting to be happily devoured by all!

(631)

http://www.thefreelibrary.com/%60TALKIES%27+MORE+THAN+A+FAD%3B+SERIES+OF+PROBLEMS+ACCOMPANIED+EARLY+SOUND...-a083611840

http://www.forgetthetalkies.com/2009/06/recommended-silent-film-reading-dos-and.html

http://www.sunrisesilents.com/blog2.html