On her visit to Congo a couple weeks ago, Hillary Clinton snapped. Ok, so she didn't really snap, though she perhaps got slightly bent out of shape. And for a woman as cool as Hillary, apparently this is big news. I snap on a daily basis in Congo, but of course, I am not the Secretary of State.
In case you didn't read about the incident, it involved a town hall event in Kinshasa where a university student asked a rather inappropriate question. Again, this is hardly a shock. People asked me what I considered to be inappropriate questions on a daily basis in Congo. The questions aimed at me usually revolved around the fact that I have been married 8 years and do not have children. You can take it from there. But in this case, the student asked Mrs. Clinton what Mr. Clinton thought about a trade deal with China. Hillary was rather put out that the student wanted to know about her husband's opinion, rather than her own. I suppose that if I were Secretary of State I would have reacted similarly.
Afterwards, the student approached Clinton (Hillary, that is) and explained that he had meant to ask President Obama's opinion, not Bill Clinton's. Perhaps. Or perhaps that is simply the easiest thing to say when you offend the US Secretary of State.
For a while the incident was also reported as a translation error. But that does not appear to have been the case.
So what do I have to say about this incident? I feel that I should weigh in somehow. Surely the world is waiting for my voice...
I get it. I totally understand why Hillary Clinton would be quick to feel that she was being overshadowed by her husband. I would feel the same way.
But I also find it totally believable that this student did not make a mistake. That he intended to ask her husband's opinion. And I think very few Congolese, men or women, would find this question offensive. Why shouldn't a wife be asked about her husband's opinion?
Hillary answered the question saying...
Wait, you want me to tell you what my husband thinks? My husband is not the secretary of state, I am. So you ask my opinion, I will tell you my opinion.
Diplomatic or not, I like her answer.
Perhaps that student really did make a mistake. But, in a country where physically handicapped women are not considered "marriage material", where wives are routinely deserted if they don't bear children, and where sexual violence has risen to horrific levels perhaps an indignant response was not the worst thing in the world. Hillary came to Goma to address (or at least learn about ) the problem of sexual violence in Eastern Congo. She made the usual remarks and speeches, and showed the appropriate level of concern. But pretty speeches can only carry us so far. The solution to the plight of women in Congo must come from many directions. Yes, laws must be written and enforced, and a culture of impunity must be changed; but women themselves must also demand better.
The media spun this minor incident into a hot debate on whether Hillary feels threatened by Bill's reputation. But I would argue that we are looking in the wrong direction. This "minor incident" may be the most valuable thing Hillary did on her trip to Congo. Speeches and conferences about respecting women's rights are all well and good, but that one minute exchange where Hillary Clinton arches her eyebrows and demands better from that young man, may be worth a thousand words.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Different Worlds
So here we are in Haviland, Kansas, a town of about 900 people in the heartland of America.
Last week we were in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
The week before we were in Kampala, Uganda.
And the week before that we were in Goma, Congo.
It has been a long month.
We have enjoyed everywhere we have been, and are currently very happy to be here in Kansas visiting my husband's parents.
But we are also exhausted, and a bit overwhelmed, by the thousands of worlds we have glimpsed along the way.
My head simply finds it hard to accept that thousands of different worlds exist on this one little planet. I don't feel "culture shocked" by the US, but I feel shocked by the fact that so many different cultures exist simultaneously.
But slowly, I am getting used to the idea that worlds do co-exist, and that perhaps they needn't be so far apart.
So here I am in Haviland, Kansas eating smothered steak and mashed potatoes, while text messaging the SHONA women in Goma. I call them on skype and we chat in Swahili as they finish their meal of ugali and greens. They update me on their most recent sports match and the new cloth they bought. I double check that they received the money I sent through western union (no problem) and ask how Mapendo's sick mother is doing in the refugee camp. In turn they want to know how my father-in-law is doing with his heart trouble, here in Kansas.
And worlds collide. Or perhaps shrink. Or maybe expand. I need to get my metaphors straight. But The fact is that the SHONA women do actually know my father-in-law, they met him while he was visiting Congo last year. And I actually know Mapendo's mother, who visited Goma several times. And I can almost taste the ugali and greens they are eating, and they can almost taste the smothered steak and mashed potatoes I am eating...NO! just kidding. They would have no idea what to do with smothered steak and mashed potatoes.
But today I am not going to argue. I remember one time I asked Argentine if she really needed to have her own cell phone. I thought that since she lives with Mapendo they could perhaps share a phone. She looked at me as though I clearly had missed a basic lesson in kindergarten somewhere, and explained that a cell phone is like a pair of legs to a handicapped person. "I can't get everywhere I want to go, but my cell phone can" she said. I am quite sure that I rolled my eyes, and continued lobbying for a shared phone.
Monday, August 24, 2009
Check out my guest post
My head is still swirling from all the traveling, and I feel like my feet have just barely touched the ground.
I still haven't caught up on my blogging, but in the meantime, you can read my guest post on "Ever the Nomad", a lovely blog filled with beautiful pictures and a taste for seeing the world. Anja, the author, is "a traveller who writes and a writer who travels". He also regularly invites bloggers from all over the world to write guest posts.
So come and read my guest post where I will take you on a tour of Goma
and while you are there check out all the other fascinating places he features as well.
I still haven't caught up on my blogging, but in the meantime, you can read my guest post on "Ever the Nomad", a lovely blog filled with beautiful pictures and a taste for seeing the world. Anja, the author, is "a traveller who writes and a writer who travels". He also regularly invites bloggers from all over the world to write guest posts.
So come and read my guest post where I will take you on a tour of Goma
and while you are there check out all the other fascinating places he features as well.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
On the ground
For those of you who have been wondering...
My husband and I have officially landed stateside. We arrived on Monday after a few stops in Rwanda, Uganda, and Dubai.
And after three years in Goma, without once getting malaria, I came down with it on the day we left. Clearly my body was just made to be in Congo.
But I am feeling better now and here we are stateside, extremely glad for the opportunity to be with family and friends.
Meanwhile the SHONA ladies are doing well on their own. And we have new shipments that have arrived, although they won't be posted in our store for a couple weeks. My blog, also, will probably be a bit neglected for a week or two, so bear with me.
I have much to say, and a blazing internet connection to enjoy, but it will take a few more days for my head to stop spinning. Looking forward to catching up with you all soon.
My husband and I have officially landed stateside. We arrived on Monday after a few stops in Rwanda, Uganda, and Dubai.
And after three years in Goma, without once getting malaria, I came down with it on the day we left. Clearly my body was just made to be in Congo.
But I am feeling better now and here we are stateside, extremely glad for the opportunity to be with family and friends.
Meanwhile the SHONA ladies are doing well on their own. And we have new shipments that have arrived, although they won't be posted in our store for a couple weeks. My blog, also, will probably be a bit neglected for a week or two, so bear with me.
I have much to say, and a blazing internet connection to enjoy, but it will take a few more days for my head to stop spinning. Looking forward to catching up with you all soon.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Hillary Clinton in Congo
On her visit to Congo a couple weeks ago, Hillary Clinton snapped. Ok, so she didn't really snap, though she perhaps got slightly bent out of shape. And for a woman as cool as Hillary, apparently this is big news. I snap on a daily basis in Congo, but of course, I am not the Secretary of State.
In case you didn't read about the incident, it involved a town hall event in Kinshasa where a university student asked a rather inappropriate question. Again, this is hardly a shock. People asked me what I considered to be inappropriate questions on a daily basis in Congo. The questions aimed at me usually revolved around the fact that I have been married 8 years and do not have children. You can take it from there. But in this case, the student asked Mrs. Clinton what Mr. Clinton thought about a trade deal with China. Hillary was rather put out that the student wanted to know about her husband's opinion, rather than her own. I suppose that if I were Secretary of State I would have reacted similarly.
Afterwards, the student approached Clinton (Hillary, that is) and explained that he had meant to ask President Obama's opinion, not Bill Clinton's. Perhaps. Or perhaps that is simply the easiest thing to say when you offend the US Secretary of State.
For a while the incident was also reported as a translation error. But that does not appear to have been the case.
So what do I have to say about this incident? I feel that I should weigh in somehow. Surely the world is waiting for my voice...
I get it. I totally understand why Hillary Clinton would be quick to feel that she was being overshadowed by her husband. I would feel the same way.
But I also find it totally believable that this student did not make a mistake. That he intended to ask her husband's opinion. And I think very few Congolese, men or women, would find this question offensive. Why shouldn't a wife be asked about her husband's opinion?
Hillary answered the question saying...
Wait, you want me to tell you what my husband thinks? My husband is not the secretary of state, I am. So you ask my opinion, I will tell you my opinion.
Diplomatic or not, I like her answer.
Perhaps that student really did make a mistake. But, in a country where physically handicapped women are not considered "marriage material", where wives are routinely deserted if they don't bear children, and where sexual violence has risen to horrific levels perhaps an indignant response was not the worst thing in the world. Hillary came to Goma to address (or at least learn about ) the problem of sexual violence in Eastern Congo. She made the usual remarks and speeches, and showed the appropriate level of concern. But pretty speeches can only carry us so far. The solution to the plight of women in Congo must come from many directions. Yes, laws must be written and enforced, and a culture of impunity must be changed; but women themselves must also demand better.
The media spun this minor incident into a hot debate on whether Hillary feels threatened by Bill's reputation. But I would argue that we are looking in the wrong direction. This "minor incident" may be the most valuable thing Hillary did on her trip to Congo. Speeches and conferences about respecting women's rights are all well and good, but that one minute exchange where Hillary Clinton arches her eyebrows and demands better from that young man, may be worth a thousand words.
In case you didn't read about the incident, it involved a town hall event in Kinshasa where a university student asked a rather inappropriate question. Again, this is hardly a shock. People asked me what I considered to be inappropriate questions on a daily basis in Congo. The questions aimed at me usually revolved around the fact that I have been married 8 years and do not have children. You can take it from there. But in this case, the student asked Mrs. Clinton what Mr. Clinton thought about a trade deal with China. Hillary was rather put out that the student wanted to know about her husband's opinion, rather than her own. I suppose that if I were Secretary of State I would have reacted similarly.
Afterwards, the student approached Clinton (Hillary, that is) and explained that he had meant to ask President Obama's opinion, not Bill Clinton's. Perhaps. Or perhaps that is simply the easiest thing to say when you offend the US Secretary of State.
For a while the incident was also reported as a translation error. But that does not appear to have been the case.
So what do I have to say about this incident? I feel that I should weigh in somehow. Surely the world is waiting for my voice...
I get it. I totally understand why Hillary Clinton would be quick to feel that she was being overshadowed by her husband. I would feel the same way.
But I also find it totally believable that this student did not make a mistake. That he intended to ask her husband's opinion. And I think very few Congolese, men or women, would find this question offensive. Why shouldn't a wife be asked about her husband's opinion?
Hillary answered the question saying...
Wait, you want me to tell you what my husband thinks? My husband is not the secretary of state, I am. So you ask my opinion, I will tell you my opinion.
Diplomatic or not, I like her answer.
Perhaps that student really did make a mistake. But, in a country where physically handicapped women are not considered "marriage material", where wives are routinely deserted if they don't bear children, and where sexual violence has risen to horrific levels perhaps an indignant response was not the worst thing in the world. Hillary came to Goma to address (or at least learn about ) the problem of sexual violence in Eastern Congo. She made the usual remarks and speeches, and showed the appropriate level of concern. But pretty speeches can only carry us so far. The solution to the plight of women in Congo must come from many directions. Yes, laws must be written and enforced, and a culture of impunity must be changed; but women themselves must also demand better.
The media spun this minor incident into a hot debate on whether Hillary feels threatened by Bill's reputation. But I would argue that we are looking in the wrong direction. This "minor incident" may be the most valuable thing Hillary did on her trip to Congo. Speeches and conferences about respecting women's rights are all well and good, but that one minute exchange where Hillary Clinton arches her eyebrows and demands better from that young man, may be worth a thousand words.
Sunday, August 2, 2009
What can I do about Congo?
People hear about Congo and they want to do something.
There are several major media campaigns that seek to answer this question.
Kind of.
Perhaps the most widely known campaign is the Enough Project, which urges the public to "come clean for Congo". What does that actually mean? It is a campaign focused on the connection between mining for minerals in Congo and the war (a connection that does exist but is not nearly as clear cut as they would like you to believe). But in the end what is this campaign? It is largely a video contest aimed at raising awareness for Congo. The public is invited to make videos with the theme "come clean for Congo" and the winner will be flown to the LA screening (from within the US of course).
The blog wronging rights has also just drawn attention to another media campaign...it is called "one million bones". Yes, that is right, ladies and gentleman. These folks aren't just soliciting videos they are soliciting bones. Home-made ones of course. Artists and activists are invited to make a bone and submit it for display on The Mall in Washington. A collection of 1 million of these home-made bones will be displayed together to draw attention to the victims of genocide throughout the world, and particularly in Congo.
Now this is not just an awareness campaign but also a fundraising campaign. These bones come with a subscription fee, $5 per bone, thus the project is hoping to raise 5 million dollars, which will be donated to 3 organizations.
But I just can't get over the bone imagery. On the website, visitors are cheerfully invited to "have a bone making party". Is this really what we want to be making?
Now, I get it, the question of "what can I do?" is a hard one to answer. I recognize that these organizations are trying to come up with something that people in the US and Europe can actually do. And it is not easy. Congo is very far away and the problems are very complex. It is hard to figure out how people can "get involved". And public awareness and lobbying is one answer.
But there are other options.
SHONA is a small group of Congolese women. They are surely some of the most vulnerable women in the world. They are young and handicapped and refugees from the current fighting.
AND YET they can do something themselves. They are doing something. Instead of making bones, they make beautiful handmade bags, placemats and clothing. And with the proceeds from their sales they are feeding and educating themselves and their siblings, rebuilding their family homes and truly creating a better world.
So you can make a video, which will be watched in LA. Or you can make a bone that will be displayed in DC. Or you can buy a t-shirt from an organization whose slogan is "activism you can wear" and who promise that "a portion of the proceeds" support programs in Congo.
Or you can buy a beautiful shirt that was actually crafted in Congo and where 100% of the profit is returned to the Congolese craftspeople themselves. You can host a SHONA party instead of a bone making one. And ultimately you can celebrate the power of the women in Congo to create their own solutions.
Because, yes, we can become activists.
But so can they.
Speaking out on behalf of the people of Congo is one thing we can do, and should do.
But empowering them to speak for themselves is another.
Come visit SHONA
There are several major media campaigns that seek to answer this question.
Kind of.
Perhaps the most widely known campaign is the Enough Project, which urges the public to "come clean for Congo". What does that actually mean? It is a campaign focused on the connection between mining for minerals in Congo and the war (a connection that does exist but is not nearly as clear cut as they would like you to believe). But in the end what is this campaign? It is largely a video contest aimed at raising awareness for Congo. The public is invited to make videos with the theme "come clean for Congo" and the winner will be flown to the LA screening (from within the US of course).
The blog wronging rights has also just drawn attention to another media campaign...it is called "one million bones". Yes, that is right, ladies and gentleman. These folks aren't just soliciting videos they are soliciting bones. Home-made ones of course. Artists and activists are invited to make a bone and submit it for display on The Mall in Washington. A collection of 1 million of these home-made bones will be displayed together to draw attention to the victims of genocide throughout the world, and particularly in Congo.
Now this is not just an awareness campaign but also a fundraising campaign. These bones come with a subscription fee, $5 per bone, thus the project is hoping to raise 5 million dollars, which will be donated to 3 organizations.
But I just can't get over the bone imagery. On the website, visitors are cheerfully invited to "have a bone making party". Is this really what we want to be making?
Now, I get it, the question of "what can I do?" is a hard one to answer. I recognize that these organizations are trying to come up with something that people in the US and Europe can actually do. And it is not easy. Congo is very far away and the problems are very complex. It is hard to figure out how people can "get involved". And public awareness and lobbying is one answer.
But there are other options.
SHONA is a small group of Congolese women. They are surely some of the most vulnerable women in the world. They are young and handicapped and refugees from the current fighting.
AND YET they can do something themselves. They are doing something. Instead of making bones, they make beautiful handmade bags, placemats and clothing. And with the proceeds from their sales they are feeding and educating themselves and their siblings, rebuilding their family homes and truly creating a better world.
So you can make a video, which will be watched in LA. Or you can make a bone that will be displayed in DC. Or you can buy a t-shirt from an organization whose slogan is "activism you can wear" and who promise that "a portion of the proceeds" support programs in Congo.
Or you can buy a beautiful shirt that was actually crafted in Congo and where 100% of the profit is returned to the Congolese craftspeople themselves. You can host a SHONA party instead of a bone making one. And ultimately you can celebrate the power of the women in Congo to create their own solutions.
Because, yes, we can become activists.
But so can they.
Speaking out on behalf of the people of Congo is one thing we can do, and should do.
But empowering them to speak for themselves is another.
Come visit SHONA
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