Comments on: New Development in Zimbabwe: Syphalitic leader Robert Mugabe claims only God can remove him from office.

By: Ian

Ian — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 10:11:26 +0000

The BBC reports (Sara’s URL above) that Africans find this “embarrassing”.I doubt there’s going to be much of a movement to run Mugabe out of town on a rail if this is the only reaction that rampant corruption, slaughter and mass intimidation can generate.

By: Sara

Sara — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 10:37:38 +0000

Tsvangirai’s outhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7467990.stm

By: Richard Parker

Richard Parker — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 00:39:25 +0000

Sara said: Americans are also more likely to care about human rights abuses if the victims share ethnic and/or religious backgrounds with them.Well. So is anybody.I’m a WAS (leave out the Protestant) European, so I’m a little bit concerned about the cultural and moral swamp my good American friends have got themselves into, with their God-driven president. I now travel with a very prominent Irish flag showing somewhere, and I have a handkerchief (or neckerchief, or whatever) that I bought in the Sulu Islands, South Philippines some time ago, with a US flag design, but strange black splotches.It took me some time to understand that they are supposed to represent bullet holes.I do hope, very much, that Americans wake up some time, before it’s too late, and realise that their constitution is being gutted, and that they are now reviled around the world.We like your Coke, and Hollywood (well maybe a bit) but we don’t like your goddam army, air force and navy interfering in our lives

By: MPW

MPW — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 11:50:12 +0000

“only God” can remove him from office

Well, exactly how “God” operates in the world is an ambiguous and long-contested matter. If God makes the electorate vote for Tsvangirai, wouldn’t that count?Oh, I keep forgetting… it’s only God’s work when something you like happens.

By: Sara

Sara — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 11:25:59 +0000

Americans are also more likely to care about human rights abuses if the victims share ethnic and/or religious backgrounds with them.Which is the only reason I can think of that Ethiopia's government* gets away with as much shit as it does...*which just 'swept' it's own local elections, by the way, to no one's surprise.When I first read about Tsvangirai's potentially pulling out two months ago my first reaction was anger against how he would let his supporters down if he allowed Mugabe to bully him around. But now, at this point, his supporters are being killed or otherwise silenced in such a way that even if he doesn't drop out, there won't be enough supporters left to put him in office by the time the runoff happens.

By: Barn Owl

Barn Owl — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 07:59:33 +0000

Can you tell just by looking at a photo? Because I knew this physician doctor guy who once commented about my syphilitic neighbor, based on observing her as she stood on the porch hollering at her husband.Perhaps not from a photo, but by observing someone's behavior, yes, I think it's possible. Syphilis causes a characteristic degeneration of the nerve pathways that transmit joint position and muscle length (as well as discriminative touch and vibration) sensory information to the brain-it's called tabes dorsalis. A person with tabes dorsalis might be able to stand steadily with eyes open, but will sway and fall over with eyes closed...there's a specific test (Romberg's) that neurologists use. In contrast, a person with a lesion in the cerebellum will usually be unsteady with eyes open or closed. So perhaps your physician friend noticed that the woman swayed or fell over when she closed her eyes while hollering.Are Zimbabweans lesser people than Iraqis?They definitely have lesser oil than Iraqis. Americans are also more likely to care about human rights abuses if the victims share ethnic and/or religious backgrounds with them.

By: Mike Haubrich, FCD

Mike Haubrich, FCD — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 06:42:32 +0000

That would be a rather interesting test case, I should think. If God stops the bullet, then Mugabe rules for life. If God doesn’t stop the bullet, Mugabe was lying and should be punished accordingly. I think it’s only fair.Hmmmm. So where is the indignation from the neo-Cons who claimed the War on Iraq was (sans WMD and ties to 9/11) to get rid of an evil dictator? Are Zimbabweans lesser people than Iraqis?

By: Peter Mc

Peter Mc — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 05:28:57 +0000

Someone should try an experiment, like seeing if a bullet through his head would remove him from office.I’m not normally in favour of shooting people, but in Mugabe’s case I’d make an exception and do the job myself.

By: Matt Platte

Matt Platte — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 01:43:06 +0000

By: llewelly

llewelly — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 00:51:50 +0000

Maybe you mean ‘syphilitic’? With an ‘i’ rather than an ‘a’?