Z is for

ZIMBABWE which is sad for all who knew the former glories of this region, their bounty and stability. And which shows the frailty of any political system. "Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose"

Gestures of Power

I well remember as a callow youth our Bible Class teacher, (and saint) Laurie Crosby, agonising with us about Rhodesia's Unilateral Declaration of Independence. It is now a long time ago (1965).
Laurie was wanting us 12 and 13 year olds to think about whether it was better to have seriously stable but white government with associated white privilege, or to have genuine democratic government which at that time the Commonwealth was trying to foist on its former colonies, often with disastrous economic and violent consequence.
Ian Smith and his government resented what was being foisted upon them and declared themselves Independent.
This dilemma continues today, with the inheritance of Robert Mugabe being a current world focus. His leftist government in Zimbabwe ( formerly Southern Rhodesia of course) has wreaked havoc in trying to bring about "democracy".
One person's democracy is another person's tyranny! And Mugabe's particular version doesn't need me to outline it here.
This week Archbishop John Sentamu, Archbishop of York, himself a native Ugandan but now England's second senior Church leader...cut up his clerical (not dog...pleaaasse!) collar on BBC Television saying he would never wear it again until Mugabe had been dealt with.
His major thrust that the world is tentative about critiquing black African leaders is worth noting, and Sentamu as a black man is uniquely placed to make that comment.
Will it be a meaningless gesture? Certainly he has got lots of air play out of it, and that is part of the purpose...to bring it to the front of consciousness.
Hopefully the world will listen.

Sentamu on You tube here