Africa Is a Country

Winter In America Edition

Winter In America Edition

By
Africa Is a Country

Music Break Number 102 goes out to our American family, set to face four years of struggle against a new set of rulers.

Baltimore, Maryland, USA. Image credit John Lucia via Flickr CC BY 2.0.

The former British colony of the United States of America, inaugurates its 45th president – a far-right fascist – today. The great theorist of American foreign policy, Noam Chomsky sums up the general mood to Brooklyn Rail:  “… The stakes are very high: literally, survival of organized human society in any decent form.”

For that reason, this weekend’s Music Break goes out to our American family, who are set to face four years of struggle against a new set of rulers led by “a mendacious and cathartic white president.” The political decisions made in the nation with the largest military, some of the world’s largest corporations, and the loudest media companies in the world affect all of us.

But let’s not be too quick to panic.

Suppose American citizens are firm in their resistance. In that case, the regime will be checked by a balance of powers (we’d recommend some political history, e.g. Corey Robin and Stephen Skowronek), and a law-making and enforcement regime that is spread between 50 semi-autonomous states (though the power these states enjoy, could see some of them – those governed by hard-right Republican Party politicians – introduce retrogressive laws around trade union organizing,  the minimum wage, abortion or gender rights).

For starters, you can play these sounds – 21 minutes long and courtesy of Chicago MC Common and the imitable Steve Wonder – to drown out the noise of Donald Trump’s inauguration speech today.

 

Further Reading

Not exactly at arm’s length

Despite South Africa’s ban on arms exports to Israel and its condemnation of Israel’s actions in Palestine, local arms companies continue to send weapons to Israel’s allies and its major arms suppliers.

Ruto’s Kenya

Since June’s anti-finance bill protests, dozens of people remain unaccounted for—a stark reminder of the Kenyan state’s long history of abductions and assassinations.

Between Harlem and home

African postcolonial cinema serves as a mirror, revealing the limits of escape—whether through migration or personal defiance—and exposing the tensions between dreams and reality.

The real Rwanda

The world is slowly opening its eyes to how Paul Kagame’s regime abuses human rights, suppresses dissent, and exploits neighboring countries.

In the shadow of Mondlane

After a historic election and on the eve of celebrating fifty years of independence, Mozambicans need to ask whether the values, symbols, and institutions created to give shape to “national unity” are still legitimate today.

À sombra de Mondlane

Depois de uma eleição histórica e em vésperas de celebrar os 50 anos de independência, os moçambicanos precisam de perguntar se os valores, símbolos e instituições criados para dar forma à “unidade nacional” ainda são legítimos hoje.