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Expats on election fever in the USA
Washington D.C. The Capital City of the United States is home to the political spectacle that has been the elections 2000. After almost a year of bombarding citizens with ads and campaigns, the week of November the 7th brought the last desperate attempts to swing voters. Election day specials were offered, even a free meal could be obtained at your favourite pizza place as an incentive to vote. Some South Africans have cast their votes as residents in a new country. Sam du Plessis from Oregon is the Chief Financial Officer for the U.S. District Court in Oregon. Voting in his new home country is his " civic duty and responsibility." "I absolutely admire the American system, and participate fully in the democratic processes. I was born and raised in South Africa, but immigrated to America in 1977. Growing up in South Africa under the apartheid system, I was denied voting privileges." Du Plessis said. He voted Democratic Party this week because they embody "freedom and inclusion for all ethnic groups." Many other South Africans currently residing in the States, have experienced the "election industry," and not all of them have embraced the new system with enthusiasm. Washington is indeed industry of politics, backed by the media and business in an attempt influence voters. "Rather than focusing on party policies, the American media seems to focus more on slandering candidates on personal trivialities" says Margie Brand, a young South African from Cape Town in Washington who witnessed the spectacle. "We are all aware of the Bush and Gore favourite snack food, favourite music and favourite cartoon character" Brand said.
Victoria Varley from Arkansas who last voted for the United Party in South Africa, says there is undoubtedly an "election industry" which evolves around the particular candidates. Varley prefers the South African election system. "I would prefer that we voted for a party rather than for a candidate." Many South Africans are speculating about the impact of the new Republican/Democratic government will have on South Africa. "I doubt whether Bush knows where South Africa is, let alone who runs it and what sort of political structure it has" said Capetonian David Abramson who now lives in Houston, Texas. Most of the South African residing in America who responded to a poll, previously voted for the Progressive- and Democratic Party, and are now supporting Gore. "I feel that if Gore were to be president he would be a staunch friend, supporter and ally of South Africa. Bush - who knows, can he pronounce Mbeki?" said Mel Green from Boston, originally a Johannesburger who voted for De Villiers Graaf. Hamish Park,originally from Natal and now based in the Virginia suburbs of Washington D.C., reckons the Republicans seem too harsh and out of touch with the regular guy and with the less developed countries with people of colour. "Too much like the old South African nationalists for me." Park told African Eye News. "I don't think Bush and his crowd give a hoot about Africa other than how much money could be made here . Don't look for any concessions on pharmaceuticals to combat the epidemic in South Africa under a Bush administration," Park said. "It appears that South Africa has not been of interest to U.S. leadership (Black or White) since Mandela left office," said Jonathan Fine, an engineer in Southern California who is originally from Elgin. Fine is voting for Ralph Nader's Green Party this year because he believes "a true democracy consists of more than two parties who are essentially the same in many areas." He reckons if Bush comes into power, trade might increase. Some South Africans believe the U.S. democracy really does represent the greener grass. A former South African who wishes to remain anonymous, simply said that there is no comparison between the U.S. and South Africa election processes whatsoever, because "we have real genuine candidates here, not a bunch of thieving assholes as in South Africa."
Paul Zway says the U.S. democracy is a circus, but it is democracy at its best. He voted Libertarian in this election because he wants "way less Government and Government intrusion in his life, as well as less invasive laws and regulations." Johann Beukes claims that the South African version of "democracy" is far from the American version. Beukes voted for F.W. de Klerk in the previous South African elections, because "he was the only "hope" white South Africans had." His vote goes towards Gore in the States. "Looking at how South Africa must suffer its foreign image under a President who is oblivious to the facts surrounding AIDS, I would not want to see the USA with a President who does not even know who the foreign heads of State are" Beukes said about Bush. A Bush supporter and former Nationalist party supporter, Professor Frank G. Steyn from Ohio, said Democrats are "picking up aged an retarded people, and rewarding them to vote Democrat." He says the Gore administration could lean more towards left/socialist/communist" and Bush more to individual freedom. Not all South Africans prefer the U.S. system. Leslie Dubowski, originally from Beaufort West, prefers "the less hyped, more focused elections of South Africa." The election process is more media driven, and relies on a more "ignorant, complacent population," says Kathy Wagner, who voted ANC, from New Jersey. She sees America as an intensely conservative country with archaic attitudes to class, race and gender issues. "People here are not as politicised as we were in SA and voter apathy is a major problem" Wagner reckons. Jules Brenner from Marin county, loves the Federal System because you vote for your judges, supervisor of your school- and city board as well as for president, although she thinks "the two-party system sucks." "There really is little choice between Democrat and Republican. I consider leader in both parties to either puppets of the parties, or liars, or both." Brenner said. The majority of the South Africans who responded to the poll conducted by African Eye News Service, voted Progressive Party or Nationalist after the F.W. de Klerk take-over, with two votes for Mandela and the old Nationalist Party. The majority of these South Africans support a Gore administration wholeheartedly, with two votes for the Green party and two for the Libertarians. © RSA-Overseas & Matheson Communications [ Top ]  Kytie Koekblik ColumnIlda Jacobs Washington D.C. - Hierdie week se Kytie Koekblik gaan ek in twee afdelings skryf: Pre-verkiesing en post-verkiesing.. Vandag is die 7de November 2000 en rondom my loop honderde mense met plakkertjies rond waarop staan "I voted." 'n Groot oomblik in die Amerikaanse geskiedenis in hierdie kop-aan-kop verkiesing tussen "The Liar" and "The Friar," soos Gore en Bush gisteraand gedoop is op Jay Leno se belaglike en soms supersnaakse TV-show. Ek meen daar is 'n verkiesings-industrie hier in Washington wat soos alles in Amerika om geld gaan. Gore maak asof hy 'n aktivis gaan wees vir die armes en middelklas, en Bush verdraai sy woorde en beloftes na gelang van die omstandighede. In my beskeie nuwe buitelander- in- Amerika opinie , is dit 'n sirkus. 'n Absolute verkiesingsspektakel. Daardie kongresmanne met die fake glimlagte wat soggens met pamflette by die metros staan en kastig jou hand skud. Asof hulle regtig vir elke jan rap en sy maat om gee. "Persoonlike interaksie" met die massas is deesdae die in-ding in die politieke spel. Gore speel dit spel baie goed. Hy is hard, ervare, en dinamies alhoewel nie naastenby so charismaties soos ene Bush nie. En ek dink my oupa sou gesê het, Bush is 'n lammie. 'n Ruggraatlose ou wat sy deuntjie binne 'n oogknip sal verander om die klimaat te pas. In elk geval, vanoggend 7 November sien ek mos 'n advertensie-veldtog op 'n driewiel. Die een of ander mal man in 'n pak klere ry op 'n driewiel in die hoofstraat van Bethesda rond met twee amerikaanse vlae wat agter hom aan wapper. Aan hom vasgemaak, is "Lierman for Congress" plakkate. Kan jy nou meer. 8 November Die is nou Limbo-verkiesing. Ons weet nou nog nie wie die nuwe Amerikaanse president is nie. Ek dink dit is nogal 'n goeie idée vir 'n movie: Amerika 48-uur sonder 'n president en die krisis wat dit veroorsaak. Kuba besluit om in te gryp en 'n kernwapen op die Wit Huis te los te laat.. Chaos in Amerika. Geen Wit Huis nie, geen President nie, geen World Bank of IMF nie. Op 'n ernstiger noot: Ek probeer nog uit vind wat presies in die Amerikaanse politiek aangaan, maar dit lyk vir my na die mees powere poging to a demokrasie. Almal blameer nou vir Ralph Nader omdat hy die Nader-faktor is wat Gore en die Demokrate se posisie beduiwel het. Ek probeer so aan die situasie dink: Ons het hier 'n verdeelde Amerika wat ongeveer 49% konserwatief en 51% liberaal is. Of dalk is dit juis 'n oorwegend konserwatiewe Amerika. Dalk as die Demokrate 'n beter kandidaat gehad het, nie Al The Liar Gore nie, sou die Demokrate meer stemme gewerf het? Ek weet tog nie, dit voel net vir my totaal belaglik om te dink enige burger moet voor 'n keuse gestel word: Stem waarvoor jy glo as jy 'n Nader-man is, maar jy weet jou stem gaan eintlik aan Bush.. Dit is aaklig. Dit is seker maar wat in Suid-Afrika ook gebeur. In 1999 was ek as jong stemgeregdigde voor die keuse gestel: Stem ek ANC en leef ek met die wete saam dat ek dalk een van die twee derdes is wat ons baba-demokrasie aan 'n totalitere regime oorgee, of stem ek vir die opposisie waarin ek nie glo nie, maar verseker ek demokratiese representasie. Al wat ek weet, is dat demokrasie net in naam bestaan. En ons ANC konstitusie glo ek met hart en siel in, maar in praktyk, werk dit nie so nie. In praktyk, is Gore nie die people's persoon wat hy voordoen om te wees nie, en is die President van Amerika maar net 'n figuur hoof. So dalk sal ou Bush nie so 'n slegte joppie doen met sy gawe-oom glimlag nie. Maar vir die wereld se onthalwe, vir ons derdewereld, vir Afrika, vir Suid-Afrika se onthalwe, hoop en bid ek dat Gore die president is. Want weet daardie mannetjie Bush eers waar Suid-Afrika op die landkaart is? Nog nie post-verkiesing.. Tyd vir Kytie Koekblik om na Kommunistiese Kuba te vertrek, en steeds het ek geen idée wie die nuwe president van Amerika is nie. Daarom, tot volgende keer vir 'n post-verkiesings verslag. En volgende week bring ek 'n warm Kytie Koekblik uit Kuba storie.. so stay tuned. Kytie K. Kytie Koekblik would like you to respond to her tongue-in-cheek running commentary on suburban life in America in this editorial. Fresh off the boat, she is ready to explore and experiment with American bath plugs and to drive on the other side of the road. You can contact her here. © RSA-Overseas & Matheson Communications [ Top ] South African church in US
Africans in America came together in the city of Baltimore on United Nations Sunday for the inaugural worship service of the Kalafong African Methodist Episcopal Mission Church. Former apartheid activist Rev. Dr. Mankekolo Mahlangu-Ngcobo founded the new congregation for people of African descent, and for Africans living far from their homelands. The new Kalafong A.M.E. ministry received the blessing of President Bill Clinton, who wrote a letter to Ngcobo in support of the church. "This celebration is a reminder of the ways that God's blessings can be used to fulfill our obligation to help others," Clinton said. Ngcobo founded the church with a powerful personal vision of a church where healing can take place. Kalafong means "healing place " in Sesotho, Sepedi and Setswana. "We need a methodology to sing God's song in our new home," Ngcobo said during the inaugural service. "We believe that when God transforms our lives, we will be able as a church to influence the political, social and economic systems where we are." Ngcobo said Africans in America could lobby for the cancellation of the debt of their home countries, and affect American leadership to treat Africa like Europe or Asia. "We need sing to a new song to our motherland, that our leaders must move away from explotation, greed and nepotism and then the motherland shall prosper." Ngcobo told the congregation. Ngcobo emphasised the strangeness, isolation and pain which have devastated several Africans who are far removed from their mother continent. "It was the destiny of a black woman like me to be a domestic worker, but God had another agenda" Ngcobo said. Ncgobo was ordained in 1991 under the pastorate of now-Bishop John Bryant, and for the last seven years she has served as assistant minister at Metropolitan A.M.E. Church in Washington, D.C. Ngcobo's vision for the Kalafong ministry is to be a place for the "healing of ourselves, families, communities and nations." Several ministers from a cross section of churches and members of the diplomatic corps attended the ceremony. The Kalafong A.M.E. ministry has been welcomed by an ecumenical cross-section of religious leaders and by the community of Baltimore, where more than 200 000 African born are residing. The permanent observer to the United Nations, Ambassador Amadou Kebe, said the "new church is a vibrant medium for the rapid promotion of socio-cultural integration and development that would give more meaning to international economic cooperation, especially of increased co-operation with the African continent." The Presiding Elder George A. & Dr. Virginia M. Manning of the A.M.E. Washington Conference for the 2nd Episcopal District, congratulated Ngcobo on the establishment of the new Branch of Zion, a "global house prayer for all people to meet the needs of people who are hurting and suffering." The Ambassador of Botswana to the United States, Kgosi Seepapitso IV, as well as Congressman Elijah Cummings and Senator Hughes from the Maryland General Assembly were amongst the high profiled guests at the service. A few hundred African-Americans and African nationals came from Washington, Virginia, Baltimore and from as far as Massachusetts, Ohio and New York City to attend the event. George Moffat, a former South African exile based in Washington, D.C., attended the event although he describes himself as not being particularly religious. He reckons the African-American churches have a very active role in the empowerment of people with far reaching social empowerment programs. "I would have been more pleased if the Reverend had taken the concept home [to South Africa] to expand the black and white churches' vision in their communities" Moffat said. Moffat said he would like to see the dynamism of the church in America being exported, and he would like to see South Africans take their expertise and experience home. South African gospel songs and a diverse range of performances rooted in African- and African American gospel characterised the inaugural sermon. Evidently the Kalafong ministry will cater for the needs of the African born. The church will cater to exiles to whom America has offered a refuge, and the basic need to connect with Africa through the singing of songs in African dialect, will be met at the Kalafong ministry. The original version of the National Anthem of South Africa, Nkosi Sikel' iAfrica, the prayer for Africa, rang true in the hearts of the Africans who attended the ceremony. Nationals from Lesotho, South Africa, Ghana and Nigeria were represented at the service. "This is God's Consulate, a "supernatural embassy"," said Apostle Samuel Ansah, a Ghanaian who is now stationed at The Power of the Cross Worship Center in Bowie, Maryland. © RSA-Overseas & Matheson Communications [ Top ] Rooibos tea for health-concious Americans 
Washington DC -
Our popular rooibos herb, or "rooibush" as it is called
in the States,
is the secret ingredient in a special blend of iced tea for health
conscious Americans.Seth Goldman, a Yale graduate now based in Bethesda, Maryland, is the tea-enthusiast behind "Honest Tea", a bottled iced tea that was developed in response to super-sweet sugar-loaded American beverages. The Honest Tea Gold Rush flavour is a herbal cinnamon blend that contains the rooibush herb. On the label of Gold Rush it proudly states that this bottled beverage is made with spring water and the "rooibush herb, a herb from South Africa." Goldman came across rooibush in California, where he tasted a tea blend containing the South African favourite. He was sold on rooibush, and a special tea was developed for his company to compliment the other natural flavours in their range. The other Honest Tea flavours from around the globe currently includes Hawaiian ginger, Chinese Green tea, Guatemala lemongrass and Mexican agave nectar. The Gold Rush Honest Tea is a "herbal infusion" made with raw can sugar, rooibush, chamomile, cinnamon and other herbs. Goldman is currently investigating two more blends of rooibush to include in his range of teas, but it has to be unique and different to the original rooibos, which is imported into the United States by smaller South African enterprises. Goldman says "rooibush is very distinctive," and its taste has to be well balanced to create a unique blend. The current iced rooibush tea is very popular, and according to Goldman. He receives many e-mails from American customers to inquire about its particular taste. Goldman, an energetic 35 year old, became the part of a tea-drinking culture when he was an intern at the U.S. State Department in Hong Kong and later as an English teacher at a university in Beijing, China. When Goldman launched Honest Tea with his partner professor Barry Nalebuff from the Yale School of Management, they wanted a bottled tea that tasted like tea, with less calories than the established super-sweet tea-flavoured drinks on the markets. "Soft drinks are the largest source of sugar in America" Goldman said. Their series of teas appeal to several natural food outlets, and the target audience are the "label readers", a generation of Americans who are health-orientated. Goldman says there is definitely a trend amongst Americans to avoid over-processed and artificial food or drinks. In his travels across Russia, China and America, Goldman came across other teas which later became blends in the Honest Tea product line. "Honest Tea fits my interests and needs, because it has a socially responsible element" Goldman says. He has an active social conscience, and through Honest Tea " I feel as if I am making a difference." A low-income community of Crow Indians in Montana, where Goldman acquires his peppermint for the Moroccan peppermint tea, benefits directly from sales. This community is in an area with 67% percent unemployment. (The national average is less than 5%). A portion of the sales are donated to the Pretty Shield Foundation, a nonprofit group that assists foster and homeless Native American children. Currently Goldman is also investigating the possibility of sourcing rooibush from disadvantaged communities in South Africa. Despite the fact that Goldman is CEO of this fast growing company, he is still involved in all aspects of the business. He is a very enthusiastic tea drinker who even invents new blends for his company. Recently the company has introduced tea bags which contain whole leaf tea, the kind used for brewing from scratch, unlike ordinary tea bags which contain chopped up or pulverised tea leaves. Five of their eight varieties are organic. Although Goldman has not yet introduced a rooibush tea bag to the Americans, it is a definite possibility, he said. © RSA-Overseas & Matheson Communications [ Top ] Jews out of Africa exhibit
Washington DC, - An art exhibition in the Washington suburbs entitled "Jews out of Africa," features a photo essay on the controversial "lost Jewish tribes" by a Jewish American, Jay Sand. Sand ventured into Africa to explore the relationship between the Jewish traditions in Africa and the Western Jewish experience. His travels across Africa took him to the Jewish communities of Uganda, Ghana, Zimbabwe, and he also photographed the controversial Lemba of Southern Africa. According to CBS News, DNA evidence has proved that the Lemba are descended directly from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Sand went to photograph these lost tribes in pursuit of a personal goal, to determine whether being Jewish was really as simple as he was taught to belief. "I was interested to know where my ancestors came from, I sensed it couldn't be that simple. My investigation proved that is was indeed more complicated than I had suspected. It is impossible to verify anything in ancient history, but the existing connections between ancestors are exciting." Sand said. Although genetic tests have recently proven a Semitic connection between the Lemba and ancient Jews, and their culture is similar to ancient Jewish culture, the Lemba are of many religious traditions. This has cast doubt into their "Jewishness," and a T'shuvah conversion to Halachily Jewish is a prerequisite. Sand says he reckons it is really up to the communities themselves whether they consider themselves as Jewish, whether they practice Judaism or not. "It is a very complicated question, I personally think there are different shades of Judaism. These communities live their lives practicing Jewish observances and on that level I could relate very much." Specifically within the Lemba tribe, Sand observed cultural similarities relating to the customs and practices of ancient Jews. These similarities and their "Jewishness" would also vary from rural to urban families. "There customs are similar to customs in the Old Testament, which means there is a historical connection. These cultural similarities are strong and exciting. Either the Lemba rituals and customs prove a real connections, or simply similar ways people have developed to relate to the world" Sand said. Sand spent time in Uganda studying the practices of 500 Ugandans, the Abayudaya, who have practiced Judaism since their local leader, Semei Kakungulu began to follow the religion 80 years ago. "Western Jews do not always imagine that people of different skin colors and from distant cultures could be Jewish, but the truth is that there are currently indigenous communities observing traditional Jewish rituals all over the continent of Africa" Sand wrote in his accompanying essay on his experiences. He also visited the Sefwi Wiawso community of Ghana, a small community of approximately 100 Ghanaians who recognize that their local culture closely resembles that of the ancient Jews. This has lead them to begin following Jewish holidays and observances. In most of the Jewish communities, Sand observed that Jewish people's lives are closely in tune with the non-Jewish communities, but more collectively based than in the Western world. The Jewish communities embrace elements of Judaism and Africanism. In Zimbabwe, Sand photographed the Beth El Congregation of Rusape. According to Sand, this community converted to Judaism when they followed the prophetic Judaism of a former slave from America in the 1800s. This slave had a "visitation" telling him that many African-Americans are actually descendants of ancient Jews. A community of about 1000 African in Rusape followed the slave when they recognized the similarities between their local culture and the Old Testament practices. His photography is not meant to make a statement about the Jewishness of these communities, but simply to change stereotypes and to open up thought about history and cultures. "The information in my photography is contrary to the stereotype of a Jew as being white, from a particularly European background. I wish to change stereotypes about a group." Sand says if a community claims to be Jewish, then he is interested in them from a historical viewpoint. "My interested in photography is to encourage people to learn what they never would have learnt in mainstream education, to have an open mind about history and the connections between each other." Sand said. Sand feels more comfortable with his own Jewishness after he has traveled through Africa. "I am more proud of being a Jew, because I am not just following a leader, I am connected with a broad, fascinating history. My connection with African Jews means a more involved connection with, and relation to the world. "I learnt about my own ancestry. We have been given a consistent story about Egypt and Israel with consistent facts, accepted facts. I had a sense that there was more shades of history and culture." The exhibition signified the inclusion of African Jewry into the mainstream American Jewish culture. Several Jewish African artists' work was featured in the Jewish Community Center of Northern Virginia. At the gala evening, "Africa and the Jewish experience," reflected the diverse culture of African Jewish communities with a selection of Moroccan music and dance. © RSA-Overseas & Matheson Communications [ Top ] [ Top ] |
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