World Refugee Day 2013

Today is World Refugee Day. 

According to a new UNHCR report, the average number of forcibly displaced people is at an 18 year high and, as of the end of 2012, 45.2 million people are displaced.   "This includes 15.4 million refugees, 937,000 asylum seekers, and 28.8 million people forced to flee within the borders of their own countries." 

Please take a moment to appreciate the freedoms we typically take for granted: the freedom of speech, the right to vote for your chosen political representative without fear of retaliation, the ability to move freely, the right to practice your religion as you understand it, and the privilege to live without fear that you may be targeted and harmed solely because of an inherent trait (your gender, sexual preference, or ethnicity).

 

"There's a little too much hate going on in my feed right now"

And this is why I don't live in Texas anymore:

Facebook feed 1: representing the hillbilly section of the population.  Keep in mind this man is a police detective.  He is college educated and technically not an idiot.

Former FB Friend's status update henceforth dubbed "Jethro": "Simple way to end these rock throwing sheep herders from attacking our Embassy's. You breach the walls? You die! You throw a rock? You get a bullet! You kill 4 US citizens? We kill 1,000 of you!"

Burned into our memory: 9/11

While I'm not in the US being inundated with 9/11 coverage my facebook feed has not escaped.  It's not that I don't recall this day eleven years with sorrow for those who lost loved ones in the senseless attacks as well as those families who lost sons and daughters in its aftermath with the ensuing wars, it's just that I wish that people would recognize that this tragic assault on unsuspecting America changed the lives of many not only living in the US but around the world.

Practicing Positivity

I love reading blogs; it's my version of reality television.  Many of these blogs happen to be expat blogs because I like to hear about other places people live, why they moved there, and how they adjust to life in those places.  One of my best friends writes such a blog which I love to read.  It's about her life after moving to Manchester, England.  I think she does a great job of giving her opinion without negativity.  It's not always in favor of the UK but it doesn't ever make me feel like I'm reading a ventfest about how terrible things are there.

"Ditch the degree, pick up the diapers..."

...reads the title of a feature in Kenya's Daily Nation newspaper.  The article interviews three women who have university degrees, a rarity amongst many Kenyans, who have happily decided to quit their jobs and stay home to care for their children.  Their reasoning includes tension of wondering if the baby was ok with the babysitter, a baby drugged by the nanny in order to force him to sleep, higher rates of medical problems when leaving the baby with the househelp, and the discomfort of leaving the child until he is old enough to attend school.

Singletons, Beware!

Smug Marrieds are lurking behind every poinsettia bush and Christmas tree.  As Bridget Jones laments, why is it that all smug marrieds think it's appropriate to ask singletons about their love lives?  I can't tell you how many times in the last week people have asked me the status of my dating life.  Just substitute Bridget for Captain Awesome and the conversation usually goes a little something like this (just a lot less British and not quite so witty):

Saving the World, One Refugee at a Time

So it's been awhile since I posted about what's going on in my world.  A few things have changed in the last month and a half.  First off, I"ve returned from exile from small *town* (I use that word loosely) Tanzania.  I am back (based, anyway) in Nairobi.  My contract with Skillshare/Kenya Rainwater Association ended in mid-August and I am now working for RSC (Resettlement Support Center), better known as JVA. 

Where were you when? Yet another 9/11 tribute

My sister started a blog series asking readers to remember where they were during pivotal moments of history. Since I've been promising her a guest post for awhile now I thought I'd take this opportunity to reminisce about where I was ten years ago today before the events of September 11th became synonymous with anti-Muslim rhetoric and the country was bankrupted by two wars started in response to this fateful day.

Africa Is Not A Country

As I am sure most of you are aware, Africa is not a country.  So I don't understand why people insist on referring to it like all the countries here are one and the same.  Each country here has its own political system and individual history.  You cannot judge one country's stability, safety, whatever by what is going on in a completely different area.  It's like deciding to not travel to Texas because there's a protest in D.C.

Corruption: Feed the Beast or Fight Back?

It's been awhile since I've updated regularly, I know.  I had family in town visiting and no computer access at home, but I swear I'll be better this month!  Here's another post based on suggestions left by you, my loyal readers.  If anyone else out there on the interwebs want to know more about Kenya, Captain Awesome, or my random musings on different topics leave a comment and I'll do what I can to appease the masses. 

When I saw the suggestion to write about something negative that has happened, how I handled it, and how it's affected my perspective of Nairobi, Kenya, or East Africa on my Request Line post I wasn't sure what I would write about since I had already kind of put myself out there more than I'm used to on my post about the armed robbery that occurred at a house where I was staying. But, alas, Kenyan police handed me the perfect thing to write about this past week.

Day of the African Child

June 16th is the International Day of the African Child.  It began in 1976 in Soweto, South Africa with thousands of black school children taking to the streets to march in protest of the inferior quality of their education and to demand to be taught in their own language.  Hundreds of children were shot down by security forces and in the following two weeks of protests more than 100 were killed and a thousand injured.  To honor the memory of those fallen and to draw attention to the plight of 30 million street children across the continent every June 16th since 1991 has been recognized as Day of the African Child.  The theme for June 16, 2011 is to spread awareness of the dangers street children face, promote the protection of them, and determine effective strategies for child care and protection.

Dating Dos and Don'ts: Why I Don't Date

I was asked recently why I don't date with regular frequency here.  My auto response is that even though I meet a lot of people here I am picky about who I attracted to and the quality of person with whom I want to spend my free time.  However I realized recently this is not the sole reason for my careful choosing of potential dates.

Will There Be Change?

Sudan has risen to the forefront of international news of late, mostly due to George Clooney's work with the Enough Project and Americans obsession with all things celebrity.  Clooney recognized the power this gave him and decided to use it for good.  He took Dateline's Ann Curry to Sudan on a fact finding mission with Enough Project's founder, John Prendergrast.  I admit, I stayed home the Friday night that aired to hear more about the developing situation in Southern Sudan from Mr. Clooney.

Holiday versus Christmas

There has been some debate lately over the usage of the phrase Happy Holidays or Seasons Greetings versus Merry Christmas with one church going so far as to sponsor a website to call businesses out on their lack of Christmas decorations and so-called spirit.  I mean really people, this is why outsiders hate Christians and by association, Americans.  For one, aren't there more important things going on in the world to care about, like starving children living on the brink of war/genocide/death throughout the world that will never know over-commercialized event you are complaining about?  And more importantly, didn't Jesus teach us to be inclusive and loving of all people?  What's the matter with respecting the fact that Christmas is not the only religious holiday celebrated this time of  year?

In fact, Christianity isn't even the oldest religion observing a significant holiday this month.  And for that matter, Christmas day was chosen for its connection to pagan traditions connected to solstice and feasts to the dead rather than the actual birth date of Christ.  The origins of many so-called Christmas traditions associated with the holiday are in fact rooted in paganism and not historical Christianity including: evergreen trees, stockings, yule logs, and more.

Indeed, Jesus may be the reason for YOUR season, but for much of the world he is not the reason for their festivities and just because they're different than your own and what you know, these holidays should not be looked down upon as second-rate.  In the US people usually think of Hanukkah as the "other" holiday celebrated in December, however many world religions consider this a holy time of year.  Other religious holidays being celebrated in December 2010 include:

2nd-9th
Hanukkah- Judaism

7th
Hijra- Islam New Year

8th
Bodhi Day (Rohatsu)- Buddhism
Immaculate Conception of Mary- Catholicism

16th
Ashura- Islam

16th-25th
Posadas Navidenas- Hispanic Christmas

21st
Yule- Wicca/Pagan Northern hemisphere
Litha- Wicca/Pagan Southern hemisphere
Yule- Christianity

26th
Feast of the Holy Family- Catholicism
Death of Prophet Zarathushtra- Zoroastrianism

28th
Holy Innocents- sects of Protestantism

31st
Watch Night- sects of Protestantism

Keeping Up with the Jones': Let's Not

It seems like every time I turn around there is another article about the LGBT community being marginalized in sub-Saharan Africa. I shouldn't be surprised considering the lack of basic rights for the gay community in most countries in Africa and the fact that same-sex sexual activity is deemed illegal in 36 countries throughout the continent. During an informative (and I use that term loosely, it was in actuality a propaganda laced "look at how great we are" session) meeting with the Rwandan Human Rights Commission last summer I was informed that there are no gays in Rwanda and being gay is not an African problem and is only an issue found in western countries so therefore there is no need for the Commission to create to any laws to protect gay rights.

This month, a seventeen year old in Senegal will stand trial for sexual acts "against nature" and two other men were convicted just weeks prior on identical charges and sentenced to two and five years based only on denunciations from neighbors.  Just this past May, after being sentenced to 14 years in prison for 'unnatural acts and gross indecency', for celebrating their engagement, a gay couple was pardoned on "humanitarian grounds only" by Malawi's president after receiving huge international criticism.  That same month, gay activists in Zimbabwe were arrested for posting a letter in their office that criticized President Mugabe's opposition to homosexuality and subsequently abused by police.  Earlier this year another Malawian man was arrested for putting up gay-rights posters.  

In other news, an anti-gay bill is continuing to gain popularity in Uganda. Highlights include: "prison terms for Ugandans who fail to report a homosexual within 24 hours; lifelong prison sentences for a single homosexual act; and the death sentence for a range of acts, including having gay sex while HIV-positive, having gay sex with a disabled person or being classified as a "serial offender" — that is, someone who has gay sex more than once." A recent interview with David Bahati, author of the bill, revealed that he wants this to become a model throughout Africa. He is saying, "this is a project to eradicate homosexuality in Uganda. They're not saying, 'This is a reform.' They're saying, 'We can do this. We are at the crux.'

Even in the U.S. where we pride ourselves on being more culturally sensitive to subjects such as these we are still debating whether or not gay marriage should be allowed.  Anytime I see any article posted about this debate a shocking outpouring of hatred always follows in the comment section.  Why are people so vitriolic when discussing other people's personal lives?  How does one person's commitment to another person effect anybody else?  And if I hear one more religious tirade about God condemning homosexuals, I literally might scream.  My God loves all of his children; red and yellow, black and white, gay or straight, all are precious in his sight.  A friend posted a particularly entertaining (read: sarcastic) retort she found on facebook about "why gay marriage is wrong" that I find particularly appropriate in response to many of the close-minded arguments on this topic.

So my response is this: stand up and speak out against the marginalization of your fellow human beings.  Who knows when your government is going to decide that how you live your personal life is wrong and punishable by jail and/or death.  Find an organization in your community to lend  your support.  In Kenya check out Gay and Lesbian Coalition's website to learn more about their partner organizations and community activism.  International human rights organization, International Gay & Lesbian Human Rights Commission, also has resources on how to take action worldwide.