District Six

Two things. I've just come across a fantastic blog that I think you all should read. It's called "Samizdat." Dissidence is hot. One might call it anti-religious (especially if you are religious) & radical. Others might call it reasonable. I call it good. What this guy has that so many atheists like myself are missing is a patient tone. Often, atheists explaining what they see as clear as day tend to take on a tone that belittles religion & religious people. But Samizdat manages to steer clear & stays respectful while being firmly critical & logical. Props.

Second, Newsweek was on the ball with their most recent publication. The cover said something about aliens &, despite myself, I picked it up. Check it out if you haven't. On the website, I found this article about "District Six," a real place in South Africa that clearly set the outline for the recent blockbuster "District 9." As I said in an earlier post, I thought the film's metaphor about apartheid Africa wasn't perfectly clear (though when it comes to literature & film I usually need to be hit over the head with such metaphors). Had I not read an article cluing me in beforehand, I probably would have left the theater thinking "Poor aliens" instead of "Poor dehuamnized, disinfranchised, divided African nation." But the true story of District Six & the Cape Flats is a very real & clear example of our ability to destroy others' livelihoods over petty differences in appearance. & it's one that more people should hear, so spread it around. Qitaal fee sybil Momo [MdG]