It's Seriously Screwed Up

Not to be dramatic.. but reading King Leopold's Ghost has made me incredibly disappointed with our own nation and all of the other European nations that stood idly by while Africans were exploited, tortured, and killed, for economic gain, just as the US forced Native Americans on the Trail of Tears towards reservations, and took their land through deception. From various history classes, I have gained an insight into conquest, war, and colonization, mostly from the victors perspective. But KLG took all of this to a completely different level that includes psychological, emotional, and physical torment. "Each time that the torturer lifts up the chicotte, a reddish stripe appears on the skin of the pitiful victims, who, however firmly held, gasp in frightful contortions...At the first blows the unhappy victims let out horrible cries which soon become faint groans...in a refinement of evil, some officers demand that when the sufferer gets up, panting, he must graciously give the military salute (121)" the dehumanization, the physical abuse including harsh forced labor, beatings, mutilation, and outright murder, and the psychological effect of separating families goes far beyond a desire for just exploration and conquest. It seems unfathomable for any motive, yet somehow a deeply rooted greed for profit and power moved the white men to lose their "civilized" ways and act like the very savages they were supposedly trying to help.

Although it seems as if the European world is past their previous evil state, slavery and exploitation are still found in the modern world. In June 2012, a journalist reported on an instance of slavery in Brazil in the Amazon River region. Workers are told that they will be given paid work, but instead are taken deep into the forest and forced to cut down the forest to make charcoal under very harsh conditions, often without pay. Many are scared to escape, fearing that the armed guards will shoot them in the back. Thousands of people in brazil live in slavery and are put to work to gather resources that will be shipped and used in the United States. The Brazilian government has tried to address the problem, but in such a vast area, offenders are difficult to find. Instead, they will punish known offenders, and educate the population on how to find safe jobs. Couldn't they do more to stop this?

Another issue that surfaces largely in the book, is brutality and the enslavement of children. In West Africa, 109,000 children work in the production of cocoa, the main ingredient in chocolate, a common treat that is enjoyed around the world. Roughly 10,000 are victims of enslavement. Child labor is known to take place in many countries (China, India, Africa to name a few) that are our main sources of clothing production, and other resources. Female trafficking is also common in many parts of the world. These forms of abuse leave victims in fearless, powerless, and without a voice. Who can help? Perhaps the better question is, who WILL help?

I am sure that the majority of Americans, normal citizens and great politicians, can agree that exploitation is horrible. Yet few of us are willing to give up basic commodities, and luxuries, that are provided for us by the enslavement of men, women, and children, abroad. Perhaps there is no greater call to action because the offenses are not occurring close to home. We have reaped the benefits of exploitation, often times knowingly, since the brutality and harsh labor occurs not within our own borders, but within those of the third world.

KGL Chapter 3

The Magnificent Cake

This chapter is dedicated to describing Stanley's exploration from the east to the west coast of Africa. On page 49, we hear about Stanley's brutality with native Africans. They describe him as practically feasting on death and fighting for the sole purpose of drawing blood, "We have attacked and destroyed 28 large town and three or four score villages." Humanitarian groups, Aborigines Protection Society and the Anti-Slavery Society sure thought Stanley was evil, saying that he "shoots negroes as if they were monkeys." Why would he do this when he was on an expedition? To establish dominance? Or did he feel threatened, and so fought out of protection or self defense? Clearly the native's primitive bows and arrows were no match for European rifles. One would think that his presence would be enough to intimidate the Africans, so was Stanley fighting simply to kill?

As a journalist, Stanley wrote many accounts of his trip. His first book was titled Through the Dark Continent. Other volumes were titled In Darkest Africa and My Dark Companions and Their Strange Stories. How are these titles significant and representative of Stanley's feelings, and that of other Europeans, regarding Africa and its people? Since Stanley's 3 white companions all died before the end of the expedition, there is no way to know if his account is truthful. As we know, Stanley wasn't the most emotionally stable guy, so some of it must have been exaggerated, but which parts are most likely to have been romanticized? What picture was he trying to paint for people back in Europe?

After finding Livingston at Lake Tanganyika on the east, then followed a river known by the locals as the Lualaba. He suspected that it was either the Congo River or the Nile. An article from the Daily Telegraph comments on his findings. He found that the Congo River curves as if its shape is a semicircle, so part of the top half is above the equator, and the rest of below. Because of its proximity to the equator, the region is dominated by sharp differences in weather, when it is rainy above the line, it is dry below. The last part of his journey was through the rainy season. Many died from starvation and disease, others went crazy.


Quiz Questions

1. In some parts of Stanley's records he reflects on himself as if speaking as an African native:
"How can he be a good man who comes for no trade, whose feet you never see, who always goes covered with clothes, unlike all other people? No, there is something very mysterious about him, perhaps wicked, perhaps he is a magician, at any rate it is better to leave him alone and not disturb him" (53).

In these moments, was Stanley experiencing true guilt? Was he actually recognizing how wicked his actions were?

2. When Stanley returned from his trip he condemned the Arab slave trade, voiced his desire to convert the Africans, and discussed "the general indecency of their nakedness," as if wanting to enlighten and uplift the continent (57). Was he speaking the truth? Or was he really more focused on the economic potential he saw in Africa? What was in it for him?

3. What were Stanley's true motives for exploring Central Africa?

4. Why were the English uninterested in Africa?

5. How did Stanley affect King Leopold's desire for Africa? How does it relate to the title of the chapter, "The Magnificent Cake?"

cash, control... and compassion?

Although colonialism and imperialism seem to be two very similar terms, colonialism refers to the settlement of one country (or parts of it) by another, while imperialism is the economic and/or political control of a country by another. Both are driven by a desire for economic prosperity and power. Beginning with the Ancient Greeks, numerous superpowers began establishing colonies abroad to stimulate trade by establishing oversees markets for imports and exports. During the time of the Industrial Revolution, European nations, especially Great Britain looked outside of its realm for markets and raw materials, thus leading to an increase in European colonization of other lands.  The colonization in turn brought Europe great wealth, and with such wealth comes power. They acquired great power in the form of respect and admiration from other nations, and they struck fear in the hearts of the indigenous population, who they could in turn exploit without limits. Eventually, the American Revolution came around, Britain lost its North American colonies, so it began to turn its attention to other more “primitive” lands. 

Europeans soon began to establish a presence in Africa. As its markets were expanding, goods were being produced rapidly, so they needed a good, cheap labor force. So in the 18th and 19th centuries, Europe got involved in the slave trade, as part of the triangular trade route between Africa, Europe, and North America. Europe then realized that its own natural resources were depleted, and Africa was rich with useful raw materials. This was incredibly beneficial to wealthy nations, as it was cheap to gather the materials since they would exploit the indigenous people, and they acquired everything they needed for their own markets.  At the time, France was also interested in Africa as a way to redeem itself after being defeated at Waterloo in 1815 . European pride certainly compromised their morals as they began to exploit the indigenous Africans without mercy. One of the most lucrative natural resources was rubber, and diamonds, now a very controversial gem. 

Although most of colonization and imperialism was driven by a desire for land, natural resources, power, and wealth, the British developed a different reason behind imperialism. In 1899 Rudyard Kipling, a British poet, wrote a poem titled “The White Man’s Burden.” Basically, they believed that it was their duty, and a somewhat heavy burden, to take control of other countries politically, in order to enlighten them and teach them how to be civilized, steering them away from savagery. This seemingly “humanitarian” approach appears to have been nothing but a justification for their deeply entrenched greed that would be fulfilled no matter what stood in their way.

Senior Project/Paper

I completed the main part of my senior project in the summer. In early June, I spent one week in the Dominican Republic, in a medical and dental clinic, volunteering as a translator for a pediatrician. The first day, we spent a few hours setting up the clinic, stocking the pharmacy, cleaning, etc. Then, for three days, I worked with the pediatrician, acting as the only bridge of communication between the doctor and the patient. After each patient, I recorded age, symptoms, ethnicity (Haitian or Dominican), and final diagnosis. At first, it was difficult to understand the patient, especially since the Dominican dialect is different to the Spanish I am used to hearing and speaking at home. However, once I became more comfortable, I was able to effectively communicate between the patient and the doctor, to help figure out what was wrong with the patient's health. I also contributed by instructing the patient on how to use/take the medicine the doctor prescribed them.

For my senior project paper, I wrote about health in the Dominican Republic with an emphasis on rural health, (since I was working in a small village in the mountains). At first it was difficult to find information about it, but then I began to search more specific issues, such as infectious diseases, and the nation's water supply. I also found two books at the Napa library that were helpful in describing typical Dominican life. The World Health Organizatin also had many useful statistics about numerous aspects of the health situation. Once I got enough information about health in the Dominican Republic, my paper came together quite smoothly. I suppose I could have searched for more articles from books or magazines, further in advance to have made the research process smoother.

The research I found was also very interesting because it coincided with my own observations of rural areas. A lot of the research I found was about the nation's contaminated water supply and the mosquito-borne diseases that arise from it. Sure enough when I was in the DR we could not drink the water, and all the volunteers had to take chloroquine weeks before arriving and a few weeks upon returning to the United States.

Research Paper Q & A

1. My topic is the contoversy over embryonic stem cell research. There are many religious and ethical reasons that people oppose embryonic stem cells. The use of adult stem cells and stem cells from umbilical cord blood seem to be a solution to the embryonic stem cell debate, yet many people oppose stem cell research as a whole, even if it is not harming embryos.

2. Sevearl sources fully encompass the arguments of both sides on the issue. This is very useful as it illustrates the pros and cons of embryonic stem cells. Other articles are also useful in showing that embryonic stem cells have already proven themselves as helpful to improving the lives of animals, showing promise for use in humans.

3. I believe that stem cell research, embryonic stem cells and adult stem cells, will be very useful to humans. I also feel that the procedures to extract stem cells are quite ethical, despite opponents' complaints. Scientists use cells from embryos that would be discarded anyway. Why not use them to save someone's life?

4. I will explain the differences between embryonic stem cells and adult stem cells. Many terms are quite difficult and are certainly not common knowledge, so I will devote part of my paper to introduce the science behind stem cells. For example, embryonic stem cells are more useful because they are pluripotent: they can become any type of cell. Adult stem cells are multipotent: they can be induced to beome some of the body's cell types.

5. One article talked about Harvard researchers who built a cow's kidney from embryonic stem cells. That kidney was then able to successfully produce urine. Surely this could be applied to humans, and provide healthy organs for people needing a transplant. Embryonic stem cells have so much potential for cures!