(FinalCall.com) – In today’s world, we are looking at a new form of cultural imperialism. Many on the African continent have been familiar with this terminology for years, because we’ve watched our culture usurped and buried under an avalanche of cultural imperialism mainly coming from the West.
When the European imperial powers broke out of Europe and went into the nations of the world, one of the first things they wanted to do was impose their will, which is the culture of western society.
A small news article recently came out of Morocco, a Muslim country colonized by the French in 1912, which did not emerge into the light of freedom until 1956.
›A law was discovered that was written during the colonial days, stating that, in order to be a notary republic, one had to speak French. Here is a country that has Arabic and Berber as indigenous languages but yet, because of cultural imperialism, in order to be considered educated and do legal documents, the people had to speak French, the language of the colonial master.
Some of the leaders of nations saw the dangers of cultural imperialism, i.e., when President Jammeh of The Gambia came into office in 1994. Immediately, he imposed a law about the use of bleaching, or “whitening” cremes as they are called in Africa. In America, we softened the term and called them skin toners (for blotched skin only).
President Jammeh saw the danger of it. Among women in certain parts of Africa, whitening creme is very popular. Therefore, he made a law that it was illegal to use or sell whitening cremes. This was President Jammeh’s way of fighting cultural imperialism. At the root of the overall philosophy, originating from Europe and America, is that the lighter and the closer you are to Europeans and White Americans, the better you are. It is criminal for a beautiful Black woman to think that trying to artificially lighten her skin would enhance her beauty. This is an example of cultural imperialism.
The new crusaders, President George Bush and his war council are pushing a form of cultural imperialism over the Arab world. This has affected every part of the world where there is Islamic culture, ideas, beliefs and traditions. The new Arab television program backed by America is a rerun of the “Voice of America.”
During the Cold War, the “Voice of America” was used when America took to the airways to implant its ideas and culture in the parts of the world where they saw the Soviet Union was a threat. Today, it is being done with Arabic-speaking programs pushed upon the Arabic-speaking Muslim world in an attempt to implant American culture and ideas.
If you view the way that these programs are being projected to the Muslim world, they are saying that the Israelis were justified in the killing of Sheikh Ahmed Yassin. In reality, this was a tragedy of enormous proportions and has affected the entire Muslim world. Perhaps, America feels that, in their propaganda and their attempt to impose cultural imperialism on the Muslim world, this will keep them from paying a price. It is obvious that the Israelis have no desire for peace with the Palestinians. Their only desire is to crush and destroy them as a people.
A battle is raging for the souls and hearts of the struggling masses in developing countries of the world. President Bush drew the line in his statement when he said, “You are either with us or against us.” If you are with them (the United States and Europe), then they will seek a way to impart their brand of cultural imperialism on your society. However, if you are against them, they will seek a way to destroy you.
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