Ethiopian Millenium, me and you!

It is a good reason to celebrate, since we are the only generation to make it to this Ethiopian millennium ( 2000), it only comes ones, it only changes ones. So, we hear that there is a great deal of preparation back at the homeland. this is true also in various cities of North America.

It is very refreshing that we celebrate our holidays in a magnificent manner,as a ritual. What makes the millennium unique is not just only it is a holiday, but it is a ONE time incident and it is the only opportunity for Ethiopia and Ethiopian to reflect.

Yes, we are proudly behind the world seven-eight years according to our Ethiopic calendar. But, the truth of the matter is we are also behind the whole wide world seven-eight centuries.

http://www.oxfam.org/en/programs/emergencies/eafricafoodcrisis/index.htm

What is the point? The point is that while we are celebrating our unique role in Africa and in the whole world, we need to remember we are also uniquely crippled for centuries. We have one opportunity, one unique time frame, one generation … with countless possibilities.

Let’s cling to the idea that “the time is now” to turn the country so rich with culture, but so stricken by poverty and corruption. Let’s believe and claim together “The generation is mine, the tools are my creativity, the people are my team who are determined to change the country/our country that has bowed down because of the heavy yoke of poverty, the heavy yoke of corruption”

There is only one millennium, there is only one opportunity, and that is coming! it is up to me and you, either to indulge in a very carnal "celebration" mood, or to craft a plan that will get us out of the dire poverty our families live in amass.

THE BEGGAR WITH-IN!

I have to borrow some lines from my previous post and it should serve as a disclaimer for my postings.

As always the intent of this and many other writings in this blog (ethiomind) is just to unveil the age old question that boggles my mind every single day as I go through my life’s journey while living my mark behind.

Especially living abroad, due to economical reasons ONLY! (No matter how many do not admit it –), raising the very foundational identity questions meteyek is more and more relevant.

Also as always, if you think this doesn’t apply to you, then you are right it might not apply to you. But, if you think this might apply to you then you are right it directly applies to you.

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The beggar mentality of Ethiopians is such a complex fact that the so called ‘well off’ individual are also fall in this category.

It is a known fact that Ethiopia is the poorest of the nations that cleaved/depended in the western charity just to survive. For a given country, not being able to sustain the survival of its people should be heartbreaking and it is sinking to the bottom of its existence. We can not go any lower than that. I don’t want to throw some political jabber and economical analysis to defend otherwise or give a fake reason why this has been happening.

It is quite clear that the level of begging differs, for the desperate creature who crawls in the streets of Addis and each major city – this seem to be the only solution. For the political leader who begs the extension of his western donation/IMF funding to sustain the so many ‘supposedly’ budgets, this is a way to guarantee his survival.

For the greedy crook who made himself rich through corruption and blood money, this is a way to sustain his pseudo class and forged riches.

The common ground is that they all are beggars who are ensnared themselves with the serious of choices. Some might say that “no! We Ethiopians are guest loving, sharing, very caring people by nature. We Ethiopians are the most God fearing society with lots of promises in the face of the earth. But, this government, this leader, this person’s misdeed, this … that … them… caused us to be who we are”.

Then I firmly disagree with this notion. Begging is a state of mind and THAT IS IT! It is true that the government, this leader, that leader,… etc might have a role to play in the degradation of our generation.

A leader who can only see his muscle and believes that he can play a role of God amongst the poorest of the world, he himself is deluded and of course mentally impoverished. A real enlighten political leader, religious leader, social leader or leader wanna be” should focus on empowering his own soul then bring empowerment to the people around him/ or whom he claims to lead.

What is even worst is that the so called ‘intellectuals’ choose to indulge themselves in the sophisticated economical and political game that they are causing more pain than harm to the impoverished souls of Ethiopia.

The era, where we blindly claim in the past power and try to convince the world we are ‘something’ we “have” something - is long over. Unless we proof it, we are the poorest of nations – who can’t live a day with out our ‘begged’ bread like an insulin for a diabetic person.

Empowerment begins form self, he/she who is NOT mentally free from the snare of poverty, can not able to help others break the strong yoke of poverty and lack.

I will continue to blog more, but we have famous quotes like : “nuro kalut, mekaber yemokal” … or does it really? not for me! and I dont' call that L-I-F-E.

I believe that there is a bright solution if we admit our stance and willing to do something about it!

So, the thing about ETHIOPIA being "left behind" - PART II

Being left behind, in many readers sight has an implication of retardation or a sign of weak spirited or a sign of un-ability to cope with or even worse some might claim it being lazy.

The thing about Ethiopia is a bit different. From the angle I’m approaching my country’s alignment at the rear gate of the world civilization; the reason can be one or many of the above elements.

The first, and the most demeaning notion we Ethiopian’s have is our inability to see our ‘real’ stance.

We have many proverbs and sayings that imply a REAL overall growth is succeeded by a reflection of self. መጀመሪያ የዓይንህን ጉድፍ አውጣ! (first take out the Pillar from your eye.. before...)

But, we choose not to do an iota of self examining. As I had mentioned this fact repeatedly, I still find myself falling back to this reality. We need to stop pretending to be who “we are not” and accept who we are. Or be able to see where we stand.

Now, the real retard really is someone who ‘chooses’ to be blinded by a ‘false self exaltation’ that is blanketed by a history that neither he relates nor that might not even be true ( at least partially).

History is a great legacy to have in the package. He who doesn’t know where he came from or where he belongs is a confused may. But, a man who doesn’t know where he stands and where he is going is deluded- and that is worst!

So we, Ethiopian’s, decide which direction we are heading, as an individual or as a whole country. Towards the future or … rehearse the same old “empty pride of history” that doesn’t fill our stomach?????