My Millennium
It is a historical day in the Wonqette household. I finally won an argument. I laid down my case, argued it passionately, presented evidence and bara-bing, Master of the Domain conceded. What have I been doing wrong all these years?
The issue at hand was going back home to celebrate the Ethiopian Millennium. I had always been uneasy about it… contributing to the grand pretence of normalcy. But I went along with it and we were going to take this year’s fall vacation in
But I am my father’s daughter. So instead we, along with a few friends who have decided to do the same, are donating the money to homegrown micro credit outfits.
posted by ET Wonqette at Tuesday, July 31, 2007
14 Comments:
Help clarify what you are sying,
are you saying you have postponed your travel to Ethiopia and decided to donate your travel expence to the Credit firm? I think this is a noble cause if my understanding is correct.
I am late in welcoming you back, Wonquette.
My two cents:-
I have not been back to Ethiopia in 20-something years. Last year I decided to go back for the Millennium. What can I say? My blinders are made out of fortified Teflon. What my friends and I have decided was to make sure we don't patronize any- ANY- TPLF owned businesses. (Is that even possible at this stage?) Is there a list out there we can use?
For those of us going back, is there some volunteer work we can do so it is not just three weeks of partying?
Metti
ere qoy, "fall vacation"? how many vacation do you take, girl?
i'm staying put. things are likely to go "boom" because kbur teqlai mnister is pissed.
Weradoch ... you are no better than the moron Shaleqa Egeles and Dr. Entinas who are spoiling the struggle for freedom and demecracy. It doesn't matter whether you have been outside Ethiopia for twenty or forty years. Going to Ethiopia at this time, whether you plan not to attend a party or avoid a TPLF-owned business, shows how selfish and superficial you are. What exactly have we achieved in 2000 amet other than being an example of everything gross and backward in the world? Go and enjoy yesewu chigrina ena sekoka ... maferayawotch!
Welcome back & good job Wonqitu!
In the mean time, without costing you too much and without being bothered with a thinking that your money is going to end up in the pockets of the tyrant and his repressive machine, come & join Ethiopians/Ethiopian-Americans, when we celebrate our proud heritage in Washington D.C. between Setpember 8-12. You will not miss the fun as there would be plenty of activities for adults as well as children including parade, musical gala, rally for a democracy & good governance etc..
'Little Ethiopia' restaurants and 'AZMARI BETS' are not Sheikh Alamoudi's Sheraton, but will make sure that you get the feeling that you are back in the motherland & guarantee better Ethiopian ambiance than the snob atomosphere at the Sheikh's compound. Who needs '50 cents' & Beyonce to celebrate the proud Ethiopian heritage after all?
Click on Ethiopian Millennium in D.C. to check on the latest development about the planned celebration.
Dear Wonq,
If you do not feel like accepting the invitation of the anonymous above, you are more than welcome to join us in Josi (South Africa) on the same dates where the theme of the celebration is the "African Millenium", Madiba would most likely light the millenium flame. We promise you a true African celebration with lots of music, sport.
Selam Wonquette and a belated welcome back to you. I congratulate you on your sound decision not to contribute to TPLF coffers by participating in the millennium (Yemaynegaw Lelit) hoopla. If SA is too far and DC to familiar, you can try beautiful Seattle. They are also planing a millennium bash back there. here is their link: http://www.ethmillennium.com
.
Was feeling your soft heart but not with your one sided trendy attitude.
With you on this one for the real responsible action.
Cheers
Wonk a very good decision!
Ethiopia is not a country that should celebrate a tycoon financed extravaganza while the majority of its citizens are leading a miserable life.
Beyonce,50 cent etc are lined up not for average Ethiopians.They are mainly directed for the young ethiopian diaspora they desperately want to be ATCHAFARI of TPLF.
They want us to celebrate like the previous ones tried in 1984 for their tenth bloodied Revolutionary anniversary.They like the current ones didn't want any body to mention any thing about hunger,disease,poerty,war etc.
History is repeating itself.
To Masinqo's post,
Simply u asked if there is a list of TPLF owned businesses (with proof.) A very very very good question. Can a list be made and distributed? Maybe the owner of this blog can bring it up to the population.
You want list? List of TPLF-owned businesses so that you can avoid them? What can I say, you are all potetic and we know it all you are going there to party. Don't try to cover up your very low moral stand and attempt to convince readers of this blog that you are making the right decision in going there to celebrate tyranny in the name of "Ethiopian Millennium". Whether your blinds are made of teflon or your brain is stuffed with cheap burger, STFU and go as we know you are going there to party while millions of people are suffering under an ethnic junta.
Oh, weizerit masinko:- You asked for some volunteer work that you can do while you are there for three weeks. Well, how about feeding the tens of thousands of people on the streets of Addis who have nothing to eat or drink? how about visiting thousands of people in various prisons (or concentration camps)? how about helping hundreds of thousands of people who suffer with HIV/AIDS infection? how about visiting hundreds of families whose loved ones have been murdered in a broad day light by those "animals" in a uniform? The list goes on ... I shouldn't be wasting my time telling you what to do as the fact that you asked such a retarded question shows that you are perhaps out of touch with the realities in Ethiopia. Once again, I wish you a happy millennium celebration of sekoka & chigir!
What a waste of literary ability....
Uh. . . what is the real idea behind this Ethio-millemium ? What I saw on the Ferenj one Seven years ago and what I can remember now is the Y2K issue (or was it 2KY?).
Let get for real, okay?
Who is going to be making the money, uh ?
Helping Ethiopia has always been a dream which never came true. Remember Idget-Behibret campaign? And they were less than 60 000? And that was the total number of college students and high schoolers above 10th grade and their teachers.
"Asheweyna malete lezemachwa ihite...Adbar yiqebelachihu wegen yidegifachihu...indeshegnenachihu bedesta behota iniqebelachihu" remember the songs?
Yonas Lemma and Yonas Kifle were showing what Iranian students and Tanzanians did in similar efforts on "yewettatoch kifle gize" in between the Jackson 5 music videos and local bands who only wanted to play american soul music and local body builders and their banana eating contests and heavy weight boxers like Getatchew Tibbo on Ethiopian television.
"Idget-Behibret" was brainchild of Professor Mesfin Woldemariam and an extention of "yefidel serawit" and based on tradition of "yeskawt serawit" which had many chapters all over Ethiopia.
There were BABUR and ETUMELAMICHIE girls' soccer teams 35 years ago and many "yebego-adragot dirijit" mostly led by women everywhere. In 1975 most Ethiopians thought Ethiopia would get rid of poverty in less than ten years. Now poverty is more powerful than ever in 2007.
"Idget-Behibret" and the DREAMS like land to the tiller and food for the hungry and teaching adults to read and local medical facilities for the sick and local schools for kids in each and every Ethiopian village...but the fact that prostitution of the mind and body and on loyalty to political party on top of admiring foreign things while pretending to like own things...I should stop here.
We should separate ourselves from the past and build a new Ethiopia with justice and equality to all Ethiopian citizens. Dreamers like Professor Mesfin Woldemariam and Dr. Berhanu Nega and the tens of thousands of freedom loving well-educated Ethiopians who genuinely love to see a free Ethiopia won't have any problem showing us the way; and the determination of leaders like Muluneh Eyoel we need to have.
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