The thanks you get.

walshb

carlybabe1 wrote: »

I wish you would stop making generalisations like that. The reason there is so much press coverage is because shes Irish, not because of her colour.
A case in point was the story of a black woman who was jailed in a foreign country because she was caught smuggling drugs, there was plenty of press coverage because her mother is living & studying here, and she too is black.
This prticular story is probably not making headlines in, say, australia, because there hasnt been australian victim involved.
Its patriotism not racism, thats keeping this in the news.

I already admitted to that. I understand. But it's not just in Ireland that it
is making news. I just asked that if this woman wasn't a westerner and white, would it have made the news at all? Maybe it would have made the local Ugandan news, but I doubt any other country would give a toss.

Quazzie

walshb wrote: »

I already admitted to that. I understand. But it's not just in Ireland that it
is making news. I just asked that if this woman wasn't a westerner and white, would it have made the news at all? Maybe it would have made the local Ugandan news, but I doubt any other country would give a toss.

It would make the news in countries affected by it. i.e Uganda and Sudan. I'm assuming here but I think I'm correct in suggesting that gang murders in Limerick or Dublin don't make the press in Uganda, or Sudan, or even the UK for that matter. This has nothing to do with ethnicity, but is just purely down to what the press deems necessary to report on.

Dinter

Well tbh walshb you come across more angry at the media coverage of the kidnapping than you do at the fact that there was a necessity for that woman to be there doing charity work.

walshb

Well, the fact that every time someone turns on the tv or opens a paper we are hearing Africa this and Africa that and charity this and charity that, then surely the kidnapping of black African aid workers would be news to us? After all, we are being saturated with images of starving Africans every minute of the day. But, somehow I doubt it would ever be reported if there was no western connection.

One thing is certain, it's a damn great plug for GOAL!

togster

walshb wrote: »

I just asked that if this woman wasn't a westerner and white, would it have made the news at all?

Probably not. The media reports what the target audience is interested in.
In Ireland that is usually Irish related news stories. She is Irish and happens to be white ergo the interest. Plus she is a charity worker and that will be reported in various locations around the world, because most people can have empathy eith someone who does a selfless act for people who need it most.

BTW you went further and stated that these aid workers cause more harm than they do good. So this thread was not simply about race and the media.

I realise this is AH but please don't your own lack understanding detract from other peoples good work in a cynical world.

tbh

walshb wrote: »

Well some, and me included, think that western interference in these countries is actually
doing more harm than good.

is this something you know, or something you reckon? I should mention, I have a little second-hand experience on this matter*. This is obviously a situation you have evaluated, so I'm curious as to how you figured the cons outweigh the pros.

What harm have they been doing?

What is it that you think these organisations do?

Please note, as well, I'm asking you specific questions. I'm not really interested in your opinion, which you are entitled to of course. I'm just curious as to what your thought process was in coming to the conclusion that

walshb wrote: »

western interference in these countries is actually
doing more harm than good.

and the figures etc you used to come to that conclusion.



*member of my immediate family is an economist in the world bank, with responsibility for evaluating NGO performance

irelandrover

walshb wrote: »

I understand fully that because she is Irish and was kidnapped that it will make news here.
I just think also, that the fact she's a western and white woman, that this is hyped and that had she been an aid worker, black and African, NO news would have reported it.

It's not just in Ireland that this is being dished out!

I live in Holland and I had no idea until I opened this thread that an Irish woman had been kidnapped.

In All Fairness

I agree with most posters that this has nothing to do with race and the news coverage it has received is due to the Irish connection. However the OP's remarks as to whether Aid agencies do more harm than good are valid ones. My cousin was a senior operative for Goal for a few years and now works for the UN in a similar capacity. A real problem for the aid agencies is that they have to bribe the authorities to get the food through and this leads to a further stranglehold for the incumbent totalitarian regime. The black marketeers also often have to be paid as this is cheaper than losing convoys. He says it can be quite dispiriting at times especially when senior officials in these countries are ludicrously wealthy even by our standards. However there are still millions of people who desperately need the aid that does get through. I have a great respect for these people who risk their lives and give their time to help other human beings in need and if they can battle their frustration and cynicism and anger having been at the coalface we should be able to aswell. As a previous poster remarked the only other option is to give up. It is a difficult one.

Dinter

In All Fairness wrote: »

A real problem for the aid agencies is that they have to bribe the authorities to get the food through and this leads to a further stranglehold for the incumbent totalitarian regime.

So right. You know those battered pick ups you see in the movies with a couple of machine guns on the back and crewed by a couple of drugged up child soldiers.

Ever wonder why they're called technicals?

Tchaikovsky

Dinter wrote: »

crewed by a couple of drugged up child soldiers.

So that's who the 'black baby' money went to!

walshb

In All Fairness wrote: »

having been at the coalface we should be able to aswell. As a previous poster remarked the only other option is to give up. It is a difficult one.

So, what do you propose we do? Keep sending aid and money, because that is what I do and it bugs the crap out of me becuase it aint damn well
working. Too many white chiefs and westerners dictating is the damn problem. They not only want to 'help,' they want to take *****(& over

Tchaikovsky

Do you have any idea how bad things would get if the Western world stopped giving aid to Africa?

walshb

Tchaikovsky wrote: »

Do you have any idea how bad things would get if the Western world stopped giving aid to Africa?

I don't know, as I don't know when it ever happened. It has been going on for years now with things every bit as bad. Something needs changing, because at the moment, it's not working.

The whole culture and policy and dependency on aid has to change. The African's cannot be allowed to be solely relying on aid. I wonder, do these charities really want to save and eradicate? If so, what do they do and how do they make a name
for themselves. As bad as this may sound, there are people getting rich from
poverty and will never want to see the poor become independent. The poor need a far
greater say in how their live are run, to listen to the charities, you would
think that these people were not capable of even making decisions

Tchaikovsky

You can never turn your back on the needy, but I do think it would be useful to have more family-planning education put in place because there are just too many babies being born in Africa.
This over-population is only exacerbating desertification, leading to further famine.

ahmed89

this is a really stupid thread,we are living in ireland,thats why this is news to us,we want to make sure she is back to ireland safely

tbh

walshb wrote: »

I don't know, as I don't know when it ever happened. It has been going on for years now with things every bit as bad. Something needs changing, because at the moment, it's not working.

It is working, it just could work better. And, what's more, you don't actually seem to know that it's not working, you seem to just have a vague notion that it's not. It doesn't seem to be backed up by any sort of rationale.

asdasd

Are we all racist enough to assume there can't be a white person from Uganda

i see what you did there!!! You've made it so we are racist whatever way. Either coming or going.

I did the same to an American who objected to my use of the term black, while I was in America. I said that since not all black people were Americans this was a form of cultural imperialism, also I asked what she would call a white South African who got US citizenship.

Oh stop!! The laughs we had at her face!!

She scampered off, though. Tail between legs, I like to think.

DTrotter

That's what she gets for giving dodgy names to teddy bears.

Amalgam

Some African countries have pretty awful ingrained attitudes towards the workload in a family structure. A man will be under a tree being wise with his pals, swatting away any flying insects, while the woman will be walking a good few miles to pick up water or grain\food\firewood.. and will get a few clatters about the head if she decides to do otherwise.

Why subsidise that?

PaulieD

Meanwhile, in other news "racist" old Ireland gave Africa nearly 900 million in aid last year.