The Fire Next Time

Chris Locke continues to impress me with his particular brand of high-wire[d] prose. His writing is entertaining, and often deeply disturbing. His ongoing reflection (in which the linked post is the latest entry) on eugenics, narcissism, Nazism and New Age "philosophy" captures those dual-carb-hemi-blown dynamics.

Today's CBO entry focuses on the continual viral foundry that is Africa. Read the post and it's hard not to wonder when, rather than if, Africa will spawn the next major challenge to public health.  This on the heels of this entry from global thinker Tom Barnett. Keep reading 'til the end, and you'll come to this bit, referencing a New York Times piece (reg. req'd, but hurry before it goes behind the charge wall):

So much focus on Avian Flu as the next possible great source of a pandemic, we tend to forget that a real pandemic needs a strange mix of disconnectedness and connectedness to unfold. A certain amount of disconnectedness is required at first to let the spread of the disease to take root without the system mounting a vigorous response, and Africa is the perfect place for that to occur, as the Core's pain threshold on that deep interior of the Gap is amply displayed time and time again on a host of issues and conflicts.

But once it takes roots, then you need just enough connectedness, and international air travel is just about perfect in that regard, for the disease to spread in a chaotic but path-dependent sort of way.

It bears watching in a way that Avian Flu does not, because SE Asia is connected enough to the world economically that a certain global response is guaranteed, if only by the locals' fear of losing business with the world. You don't get that sense with Angola, and that's when the fear creeps in.

Those two references reminded me of the James Baldwin book whose title is that of this post.  In it, Baldwin wrote of the history of American racial discord, and warned of the need to reconcile this schism, or face dire consequences. 

When I think of the overwhelming ignorance of/indifference to all-things-African by most Americans, (when is the last time you heard a serious public debate about intervening in the current Sudanese genocide?) I wonder how much can be attributed to our continuing inability to come to terms with our own intractable racial situation.  Problems of poverty, employment, crime, education, housing, healthcare all continue to haunt African Americans.  How much of an effect does this have on our public-opinion-driven national "policy" in regard to Africa? 

Whatever the source of our neglect, Africa now looms as a major source of potential public health and political crises.  Meanwhile, we debate the need for more faith-based judges in Federal courts. 

Scary.  Very scary.

Comments

[Kristin]

I think the only time Bostonians think of Africa is when they sweep the marathon every Patriots Day.

[Connie Sartain]

wow