Daniel’s Blog

written by Liz Dwyer, Anti-Racist Parent columnist

My seven year-old son is very tall for his age. He’s been in the 90th percentile for height his whole life. He’s also African-American. It seems like in our country, Black + Tall + Male = having to constantly hear, “You better put him in basketball! He could be the next Kobe Bryant or Michael Jordan.”

Yes, if you’re a tall, African-American boy, you are destined to be a basketball player.

Never mind that he’d rather spend his time at a science center, and never mind that if you ask him what sport he really wants to play, he’ll tell you football because his grandpa works at Notre Dame.

Even though he could have begun playing in our local sports leagues when he was five, I was reluctant to register him because I didn’t want to feed into the stereotype that the only thing of value in an African-American boy is athletic ability. But, when he turned six he begged to play soccer. I felt a little like I was putting my own baggage about sports and black males onto him, so I signed him up.

No one assumed that he knew how to play at all, and the coaches emphasized that the goal was exposure to the sport. However, I noticed that the performance expectations seemed to be much higher for the Latino boys on his team than it was for him. One Latina mother explained to me that it was because soccer is so much more popular in Latin America. She claimed that Latino fathers give their children soccer balls before they can walk. Clearly, this seemed like questionable stereotyping to me, but I found the sentiment echoed quite frequently by other parents.

When the soccer season came to a close, it only seemed natural to move my son on to the next sport, basketball. He was assigned to a team and it quickly became clear that he was the tallest kid on it. He was also the only black child in the entire division. I can’t begin to tell you how excited his coach was. “Come on over here! You’re going to be our rock star.”

I was immediately irritated. I found myself sitting in the bleachers, watching the first practice and thinking, “That coach only said my son’s a rock star because he thinks that since my boy’s black, he knows how to play.” The truth of the matter was that up till then, my son had only played basketball a couple of times. My husband never played competitive sports so it doesn’t come natural to him to toss a basketball or football around every day. I was a cheerleader, not a basketball player, and quite frankly, his learning to read above grade level has been our top priority, not sports.

The very first game of the season, my son scored three baskets and led his team to victory. Afterwards, the coach gushed about my son, saying, “He’s really got some natural talent there.”

I wanted to ask, “What do you mean ‘natural talent’?” but before I knew it, the coach was talking to another parent.

Even though it feels like black folks are always treated like they’re naturals at sports, dancing, singing, joke-telling and hip-hop, I again asked myself if I was reading too much into such a comment. Was this coach just being complimentary or did he assume that blackness = basketball like everybody else?

As the weeks passed, it became clear that my son was not the best shooter on the team. Making three baskets in the first game was a bit of beginner’s luck. But, one of his Latino teammates managed to hit 80% of his baskets. Instead, because of his height, my son became the king of rebounds. Needless to say, they won every game and my son genuinely enjoyed playing on the team.

This year we were out of town and so we missed soccer registration, but back at the beginning of August, the guy working in the recreation center office made sure to mention that basketball registration would be happening in November.

Again, I found myself wondering, am I only being told this because the guy behind the desk figures a black kid will like basketball more, or does he genuinely not want my son to miss out?

It made me realize that this is one of the most insidious things about racism: It takes a psychological toll on you since you constantly have to turn this stuff over in your head. The vigilance it requires to be sure my son is not being treated in a prejudicial manner gets exhausting. I don’t like having to wonder whether something I’m told or the way my boy is treated is a symptom of either conscious or subconscious racism.

Come to think of it, one of the reasons I like my son’s pediatrician so much is that after checking my son’s vision, the doctor said to him that he has such perfect eyesight that he could be an airline pilot. The doctor never says, “Wow, you’re tall! You should be a ball player!” I wish no one else did either.

Liz Dwyer lives in Los Angeles with her husband of eight years, Elarryo Bolden and her two sons, ages six and three. Her great sense of adventure and desire to learn about diverse cultures took her to Guangzhou, China where she taught English to third and fourth graders, picked up some Mandarin, and managed to get into seven bike accidents. Liz taught in Compton, CA for three years and later worked for national education non-profit Teach For America. Liz has written and reflected on the world around her for the past three years at Los Angelista’s Guide to the Pursuit of Happiness. She’s currently freelance writing and working on her first novel.

Image courtesy of Balakov on Flickr
(antiracistparent)

We note that globalisation makes all economies more inter-dependent, but it benefits developed countries more while putting most developing countries, especially small and vulnerable economies and the least developed countries in Africa, at a disadvantage and subjecting their economic security or even state sovereignty to severe challenges.

This from the BEIJING DECLARATION OF THE FORUM ON CHINA-AFRICA CO-OPERATION of the ministers in charge of Foreign Affairs, foreign trade and international co-operation, economic or social affairs from China and African countries in 2000.

I m not going to explain all about globalization now, I think I did it a bit in my other article. What I want you to notice here is that our leaders have seen already that the size or the economic forces (or both of them) of a country are sine qua none conditions if we want to survive in the today’s world governed by globalization principles. I wonder if our brothers ( African ministers in the forum) tried counting how many they are. Three football teams with their goalkeepers and reservists at least ,representing 800 Millions of people, sharing two things : poverty, a potentially rich land and world poorest area : Africa.

They have no doubt that our economic security and our state sovereignty (and God only knows if we ever had them) are at risk. Is that a truth? I think that is more than a truth. A country like Burundi, like Rwanda , like Gabon and bla bla bla blaaaa have no future in today’s system. What I don’t know is if their trips to Beijing will be a long-term solution. Why can’t we unite? Why would we think that frontiers drawn by Europeans: French, Belgians … (and God only knows how much they love Africa) are intangible.

Think twice and tell me why?

See u soon for more comments on this declaration but the first thing I hate to see, is the picture of a such forum. More than four dozens of African presidents : does it please you ?

Daniel.

In my previous article about internet usage in Burundi, I was afraid to explain more about Globalization and recommended my readers to ask more information to those big fat economists with post doctorate degrees, lecturers in well respected institutions.

I heard the term globalization (Mondialisation as he used to name it in french) the first time from my chemistry teacher Augustin Nzohabonayo surnamed Gotos when I was in high school at Buta Seminary in South of Burundi. He used to tell us that globalization just means: “Being the best, keeping the secret and absorbing the weak ( the poor)” ( “Etre premier, Garder le secret et Absorber le plus faible”). I m not a good translator, I encourage every one to give a better translation to some who may not understand french in comments.

When I appeared for interview in 2002 for a Chinese scholarship, I was expecting some questions about relativity theories and all of those biology, mathematics and chemistry related problems that you probably wouldn’t want to meet in your whole life. I also had memorized all I could about Chinese geography and history. I was also worried that my english wasn’t good enough to express freely myself.

I felt a bit happy when I heard them talking to me in french. After introducing myself to that smiling lady, I got two simple questions: what do Burundians in general know about China ? and the second: what is globalisation and how it does affect Burundi ?

For the first one, I couldn’t start vomiting all I had read in books. Should I have said that my Mom also knew the longest river in China and all those Tsing dynasties in the books and history teachers heads ? I have learned a lot about Chinese history and Geography in school, but the beer I drunk at the graduation day seemed to have erased all of it from my head. I had to read again several books. They think Chinese are too many, I said . The woman nodded but the man at her left side couldn’t understand well french . She explained in a language witch at that time was still a whole mystery to me.

The second one was too embarrassing, even though I have had some classes of Economy in high school, I had followed sciences option (Scientifique B) which means I was stronger in sciences, literature and economy not being my cup of tea. I remembered that my economy teacher gave some lessons about it but couldn’t really remember even the definition of globalization. I had to base my explanation on the assessments of my chemistry teacher to explain it. Everyone in my class had taken what Gotos was always repeating as a definition of Globalization ( Being the best, keeping the secret and absorbing the weak ( the poor) ) as just a joke. He used to repeat them without comments while teaching chemistry. I m not saying that I explained well the concept and gave a magic strategy to Burundi to profit from it but the truth is that, the results outcome showed I passed the interview and I was given a Chinese government scholarship.

According to studies conducted by PIPA two out of three Africans have a positive view of the effect of globalization on their lives. this is a strong majority reaching as high as 82 percent in Ghana and 79 percent in Kenya. However Africans(60%) think rich countries are not playing fair in trade negotiations and these can also be as many as 88% in Ivory Coast and 72% in Zimbabwe.

“These findings suggest that Africans are eager and willing to join the game of world economic integration even as they have resentments that they are being treated unfairly by the wealthy countries.” Steven Kull, director of PIPA, comments.

In today’s article, before a series of articles that I will put in the 101% wrong category , I decided to talk a bit about Globalization even though I m not an economist because it will come very often.

Globalization (or Globalisation) has many definitions but the widely used by economists is the following: “The diminution or elimination of state-enforced restrictions on exchanges across borders and the increasingly integrated and complex global system of production and exchange that has emerged as a result.”

Try searching on internet and more definitions including politics, culture and whatever will come up. Some people confuse Internationalization and Globalization : the former refers to the importance of international (between or among nations) trade, relations, treaties etc, and the later means erasure of national boundaries for economic purposes.

Previously I said that most Africans according to studies, have a positive view of the effect of globalization on their lives. The chart below is often used by globalization advocates to praise it. In this chat they show the difference between Sub-Saharan area, China and the reste of the world.

This is the poverty rates in countries, such as China, “where globalization has taken a strong foothold “, compared to areas “less affected by globalization”, such as Sub-Saharan Africa, where poverty rates have remained stagnant. I hope you noticed what the big ecomist say: Sub-sahara is the less affected by globalization. This is a big lie , they are 101% wrong but that wil be an other topic.The evidence is that Sub-sahara Africa is the only place on this planet where poverty , instead of decreasing continued climbing for the past 20 years. Have a look at the chart yourself for your information if this is new to you.

Africa let’s repeat it is the looser in today’s modern economy based on globalization. Why ? Are our leaders too stupid to find a way out of poverty for their people. Do they luck love or just not educated enough to make it. The answer for some of you I know is the combination of all of above and many more. from Nigeria to Congo we saw presidents who probably had nothing more in their minds than stealing Africa. We never heard an American or French president who did the same. If we are to hear the same story, it will probably come from Middle East, South America or some Asian countries . Why not in Europe or North America ? They are Christians you probably would tell me and I know they are the ones who brought Christianity to Africa.

Manasse Nzobonimpa, one of East African Community and Burundi General Assemblies member was telling us last week that he once asked to some students in Europe how they see their schoolmates. Some are smarter than us, others as normal as we are and others even less smarter than us. They said before he asked why then Europe is not like Africa. The economic differences between Africa and developed countries discourage Africans at the point that one of my friends from Tanzania started talking about some theories about a probable curse from God that I won’t tell you here because it would be a long history. I will probably write about it but you may need to wait because talking about such useless and meaningless things is not in my priorities.

Explaining why Africa has lost it’s way to the prosperity is not easy thing and I m not smart enough to do it in a year or two. But if you are ready for a conclusion before introduction: Africa is only lucking Unity. We need a United Africa to move. I don’t mean East African Community or African Union, I mean, Yes I mean and I m not dreaming the United states of Africa.

I have created a category that I chose to call 101% wrong on my blog. In this category will be articles commenting on what I read here and there while I m surfing Internet.

I’ve noticed that some people, or let’s call them big people bcz some of them are not the common guys u will find down the street talking to all beautiful women passing by. They are our leaders and unfortunately 101% wrong on many issues.

One of them is H.E Kaguta Museveni, the president of Uganda. In his speech during the recent African Union summit in Ghana, H.E Museveni starts with a very sweet introduction and seems to understand both the history and the problems witch undermine his continent only to finish by both erroneous, I mean 101% wrong and disappointing conclusions.

More on this in coming articles but can’t wait congratulating H.E Khadafi, for his efforts for a United Africa .

Stay in touch ,

Daniel

Hello from Daniel

Thanks God, I have finally decided to lunch this blog. After years of hesitations.

This blog which is officially lunched today (5th July 2008 ) will be a place where I will be sharing every moment I m spending on this planet with you and the generations to come. I’ve had wonderful moments with friends or alone with my computer or in that adoration room at Saint Peters Church room 111. However, I’ve been keeping all of it in myself and now can’t take the risk of exploding with it any more. I’ve decided to share it with u guys.

My blog will be in English and some Kirundi maybe in case my mom would ask. No French please. I have an English key board and after six years far from french accents, writing french with my english keyboard is a nightnmare and I m not going to complicate my life because of that.

I don t also care of my english syntax, as long as u can understand what I write, it’s ok for me. This blog is not a good reference for those who want to improve their english.

My articles will be covering my daily life and my opinions about what I see here and there.

Thanks and many thanks for reading my blog