From Shithole to Trumpland

By: Ernest Makulilo

Narrated by: Bill Franchuk

On Thursday, January 11th, 2018, behind a closed-doors meeting, our President Donald J. Trump made a comment on immigrants coming from Haiti and African nations as people from “shithole countries”. It was all over the news especially on CNN, MSNBC, NBC News, NPR, and so many other channels. African news networks also went on discussing this, and generally it broke the internet. Social media became mainly a battleground for people who support and those who oppose.

For years, African countries have been referred to as developing countries, the Dark Continent, peripheral, Banana Republics, third-world nations, and so many other words. These terminologies have been used from grade school to universities, and all these terminologies have been “designed” by Westerners to categorize and group these countries into one box, and to deny them certain privileges and/or rights. CNN and other western media use these words which are very offensive and derogatory every single day especially when talking of economies and democratic tendencies in Africa. If not being a hypocrite, why those networks tell Africans that Trump called you “shithole countries” and telling them it is a bad word and offensive while same networks still using similar words, just different wording to those countries? And why African countries get upset with one word as offensive and derogatory but “accepting” all other words of similar meaning and implications? Is it because CNN said so?

Personally, I have seen and experienced those extremely dirty, shabby, and unpleasant places in both African countries and here in the United States. There are so many places you cannot even imagine you are in America, apart from being “fooled” with nice pictures on the internet and the media. There are so many rats in New York City around the subway just like some slums in some parts of Africa. There are so many unpleasant places across the United States where, if you take a picture, no one will ever believe you that you’re in America. Each country on the planet has parts of shabby, extremely dirty, and unpleasant places, at the same time, you’ll find beautiful places and things to enjoy in that particular area from the people, culture, and environment.

If I were to do it over, I would still like to be born in Africa. I liked my childhood upbringing, cultural values, respect, and everything prepared me to be an outstanding human being. In short, I would never change I think. I would live there and still relocate to another place, it’s all because God created human beings and gave them the Earth, and not a specific country. I’m a citizen of the planet Earth and will do everything to help to make it a better place, and leave a legacy to the new generation too.

©2019 Ernest Boniface Makulilo (P)2019 Ernest Boniface Makulilo