As Wyclef Jean continues his protest through music for being denied his much to do about nothing unconstitutional run for Haiti’s presidency, which seems as if it has taken over his ego & self importance along with taking up the spotlight & global interest in Haiti; Haiti’s Boys -Haiti’s under-15 youth football team- have risen to the occasion in true leadership as examples of the type of Haitian spirit that is unselfish, unwavering & never defeated regardless of the obstacles placed in its path when it comes to truly unifying for Haiti. Where was the leadership of Wyclef as Haiti’s global ambassador who cares so much for Haiti’s youth in bringing attention to this great Haitian acheivement by Haiti’s youth instead of focusing his twitter & media platform on the demise of his presidential aspiration when the focus should be on how Haiti is moving forward & firm solutions for forward movement?  Haitians, 8 months after the most devastating earthquake in Haiti’s history have not seen much change nor many displaced Haitians returning to their homes, much like New Orleans, 5 years after hurricane Katrina with millions to billions of dollars given in charitable aid.

Wyclef has kept the spotlight of Haiti on him by contesting the validity of Haiti’s constitution in not changing the laws to suit his eligibility to run for president as he decides to sing in protest to the people of Haiti in the Creole language that he can not speak directly to them in conversation, arrogantly singing that the youth of Haiti are the ones who have lost by him being denied the right to run for president. If Beyonce can make a Spanish album then don’t be so surprised that eyebrows are raised & lips are “stripsing” for that musical effort in protest of something that you seem to feel entitled to strictly based on your celebrity.  Mr. Jean, just in case you are unaware, the youth of Haiti have won & have shown that they will continue to win with or without your presidency, so let’s move on & do the work that you promised to do with or without a seat at the presidential palace.

“How are you gonna be an effective leader, how are you gonna be inspiring the youth, if you’re telling them to forget French, forget Creole, speak English? That’s in their blood, that’s 200 years of culture. It’d be like Obama coming in and telling people to speak Cantonese.” READ MORE

Haiti’s under -15  team was put together only 6 weeks before they went in to fight for their spot at FIFA’S Summer Youth Olympic Games. Haiti’s boys secured their spot in the finals hosted by Singapore, surprising the world with little media coverage of the hope & can do attitude that Haitian youth are creating for themselves instead of waiting for some sort of rock starlike anomaly to come to bring them “Change they can Believe in” after many governments locally & globally have failed them for most of their lives. We salute & honor the youthfully large & empowering spirit of the Haitian Boys as they raise up their Silver medal- showing their fellow Haitians that nothing is impossible if you put in the work, fight the good fight & Believe!

“Haiti’s footballers, who travelled here to the inaugural Summer Youth Olympics cloaked in tragedy and sadness, are riding a massive wave of sympathy to stand on the brink of winning the most unlikeliest gold medal of these Games. The country’s boy’s footballers brought some much needed joy to their earthquake-stricken nation as they remarkably defied the odds to book their spot in the boy’s final with a 2-0 win over Singapore at the Jalan Besar Stadium last night. The Caribbean country made global headlines at the start of the year after a devastating earthquake ripped it apart and left their sports system, along with everything else, in tatters. With such utter devastation hitting their homeland, Haiti were applauded for simply turning up at these Games. Little was expected of them, especially after they lost their opening match 9-0 to Bolivia…..” READ MORE

“Instead of people crying in Haiti, which is all that has been happening for the last eight months, I hope what our boy’s have done out here has finally bought some smiles to people’s faces. It has been so hard for us and my team fought so well and I am very proud of them for that. We have achieved so much here but we wanted to go one better and bring the gold back to our country. We gave everything we could for ourselves and for the people of Haiti but Bolivia were simply better tonight. They have been together 15 months while we have been together for six weeks but that is no excuse and they deserved it. We have a silver medal and for that, we very are grateful and grateful to FIFA for letting my players come here and away from the struggle they face at home.”

“Haiti coach Pierre Sonche says his side’s march to the boys football final has brought joy to a nation still suffering. ”We can’t give money to our people back in Haiti, but at least I know they are very happy with this result and our campaign here in Singapore,” Sonche said after his team’s 2-0 win over Singapore…” READ MORE

“August 25 – A brave Haitian team could not secure what would have been a fairytale finish at the Summer Youth Olympic Games as they were soundly beaten 5-0 by Bolivia in the boy’s football gold medal match at the Jalan Besar Stadium here tonight. Bolivia had beaten Haiti 9-0 in the first match of the competition before the heroic footballers from the earthquake-stricken nation defied all expectations by storming through to the final to set up a second encounter with their rivals. But, the footballers from the Caribbean island, who have captured the hearts of the world with their unexpected success story in Singapore, could not produce another shock and were forced to settle for a hard-earned silver medal as Bolivia were crowned boy’s football champions…” READ MORE

“Now there will, of course, be people who lose interest in the race, who feel that they have no dog in the fight. I hope Wyclef Jean is not one of them. What he has promised to do before — create jobs and educational opportunities and inspire young people who have already lost so much to the earthquake that inspired him to run — he can continue to do through a reformed version of his Yele Haiti foundation and his music. As our roving ambassador, he can now do this more freely, without the statesman straitjacket and forced political lingo. He can speak directly to us and from his heart. He can console his young supporters and urge them once again to remain calm. And he won’t have to do it en francais. That could be his most important contribution yet to a country for which he has proven his love and devotion over and over again. What could be more presidential than that……? READ MORE

DOES ANYONE ELSE NOT SEE THE IRONY IN TALKING ABOUT LAWLESS HAITIAN LEADERS, WHEN ONE IS ASKING TO CHANGE THE CONSTITUTIONAL LAWS IN ORDER TO BECOME THE NEXT LEADER-HMMMM?

By now everyone across the globe must have heard the name Fela Anikulapo Kuti, AKA Fela, AKA Black President. If you have not then maybe you are too young or just stuck under a rock. There is a new revival of Fela’s music, his words, his teachings & his revolutionary spirit springing up all around the world, cutting across boundaries of nations, race, class, gender & age. There are books being released, CD’s in celebration of his music by today’s artists whom he has influenced, parties around the world celebrating the blend of hi-life, funk & Jazz which created the beautiful powerful sound of Afro Beat, a broadway show on his life & music, art exhibits, countless documentaries and even classes in Universities based on the life & sound of the incomparable Fela Anikulapo Kuti. The spirit of Fela is alive & flourishing & it could not have come at a better time. The injustice, corrupt governments, reprehensible poverty in nations with abundant resources & the infiltration of new colonialism in the form of the demonstration of crazy,known as democracy, which he spoke & fought against, seems to be reaping its head everywhere- begging to be exposed & cut down by the many spawns & M.O.P soldiers of Fela spread throughout the world.

Fela Anikulapo Kuti is Africa’s champion, taking the baton from great Pan-Africanists & revolutionaries like Dr. Kwame Nkrumah toward finishing the race & battle for Africa’s true freedom in self empowerment, self sufficiency, self awareness, self preservation & finally releasing the chains of colonialism through continental equality & unity. Fela saw that Africa’s biggest problem in moving forward & achieving its contintental greatness was the silence, poverty, lack of education & ignorance of the people -so he created a movement of the people through the call & power of music.

Modern day Felas like Nneka, Wyclef Jean,  Dead Prez, Blitz the Ambassador, Sena, Antibales, Wunmi, Black Prophet, K’naan, Stephen Marley, Wanlov the Kubolor, Damian Junior Gong Marley, The Blk Jks, Mos Def, The Roots & of course the direct heirs, Seun & Femi Kuti amongst many others globally, are carrying the revolutinary mantle of Fela by showing the world that music is still a weapon to be used for the good of the people- waking up & raising up nations & the world- a never ending MOP- Movement of the people.

There is a new “Back to Africa” movement emerging globally, whether it’s big businesses seeking resources in Africa or Africans & Diasporans returning to their roots & finding a new sense of pride in being African. Fela’s movement of the people is back again with the fire burning hotter than ever, ushering in a new anti- zombie decade where information is power, knowledge is eternal & music is the weapon of choice!

PBS is true Global Fusion -Global Classroom- Support PBS & Public TV! Watch Black President Jan. 25th,2010 @10pm (http://www.pbs.org/opb/soundtracks/stories/black/) & Go to see Fela on Broadway in NY (http://www.felaonbroadway.com/)!

“There ’s so much hypocrisy & lies in education -we are not taught about what life is- education does not deal with the essence of life, tradition & culture & all those things that existed in Africa before that made the continent so pure & the envy of the rest of the world…now everyone wants to be European or American….America says jump, the whole world jumps- when America says shut up the whole world shuts up- when America doesn’t like you, you are finished….You say I don’t Take Risk?” Femi Kuti

“Music Is The Weapon of The Future..If You play With Music You will Die Young”

Wake up world- the spirit of Fela lives globally beyond genres, borders & styles- Music is the weapon of choice for the new decade of change agents & global leaders! Let’s get Globally Fused!

“Is either you stand for something or you stand for nothing. Haiti is the way it is by design. It can get better if we want, internationally. We can come in & help. It’s time we give Haiti a pass because Haiti deserves that pass” Wyclef Jean

I hate to bring in cynicism & pessimism during a time of tragedy, but the incessant hypocrisy & charitable profiteering that often comes during times of tragedy must be carefully monitored & called out, so we do not continuously see history repeated. Haiti needed the world’s recognition, love, concern & aid long before the earthquake. Haiti is the poorest country in the western hemisphere, but this was not always the case. Haiti was once one of the richest nations in the western hemisphere, built & profiteered off of the blood, sweat & tears of African slaves, who regained their freedom thru their struggle, fight, blood, determination, power & uprising in demand for their freedom!

Everyone is standing up for Haiti now, but where have they been all this time as the conditions & deaths of Haitians were mounting. Where was the clean water, food and charitable donations all this time, while Haitians were dying for years from malnutrition & forced to eat clay just to survive. The USA & many other nations of the world have blood on their hands & a role in the disastrous conditions which Haitians have had to endure for so many years because of political & economical motivation & greed. All these nations who have been complaint in turning a blind eye or aiding in the continued suffering of the Haitian people have an opportunity now to right their wrongs. Haitians have their own self to blame in their nation’s condition & demise as well, as their own brothers & sisters keep them from their freedom & civil rights- lacking the fight, unity, pride & leadership of L’Ouverture & allowing the separatist rule of their former colonizers to define their newly found freedom & goverance.

“The Haitian Revolution (1791–1804) is the period of violent conflict in the French colony of Saint-Domingue, leading to the elimination of slavery and the establishment of Haiti as the first republic ruled by blacks. Although hundreds of rebellions occurred during the slave era, only the revolt on Saint-Domingue, beginning in 1791, was successful in permanently abolishing slavery. The Haitian Revolution is the only successful slave revolt in human history, and, as such, is regarded as a defining moment in the history of Africans in the new world.
Although an independent government was created in Haiti, its society continued to be deeply affected by the pattern established by the French under colonial rule. The French established a model of minority rule over the illiterate poor using violence and threats. Colonialism and slavery were outlived by the racial prejudice that they had contributed to; the new post-rebellion racial elite (referred to as mulattoes) had African ancestry, but many were also of European ancestry as descendants of white planters. Some had received educations, served in the military, and accumulated land and wealth. Lighter-skinned than most Haitians, who were descendants mostly of former enslaved Africans, these mulattoes dominated politics and economics.”( Wikipedia)

We learned all too well from hurricane Katrina about profiteering thru tragedy & the horrors of continued racism & colorism. Millions if not billions in charitable donations were given by pulling at the heart strings & the basic goodness of human beings, yet years later many parts of New Orleans whose descendants are the same African slaves from Saint-Domingue/ Haiti, who later became American commodity thru the Louisiana Purchase, have been left in the same horrible conditions -some never to be able to return home because not much has changed in their condition. Who is really being held accountable for all the charitable donations that were given -money that is more than the net worth of some nations, yet thousands are still without basic homes & streets still have not been cleaned or returned to even just their old condition since 2005. I can not see myself ever donating to the Red Cross or even UNICEF because many of these huge global charitable corporations are just that corporations under the guise of charity-giving high paid salaries, spending ridiculous amounts on abundant bureaucracy & holding unprecedented power & access in governments, while giving a small amount of their charitable donations to the people who they are there to serve. I am not suggesting that anyone not donate to them -it’s up to each individual to do their own research & to go with their heart & gut. I am also not saying that these organizations have not or do not do good works, but I am just questioning “at what cost” & if the ends always justify the means.

There are plenty of grass roots charities that have always been there for the people, giving 100% or close to 100% of their donations in service of the people who they are there to serve. It goes beyond just the funding spent, but also the way the services are administered & the abuse of power wielded upon many places suffering from tragedy & a state of vulnerability. I question the charitable places & times where peace keepers become terrorizers & where charity comes at a high cost of freedom, civility & civil rights. This needs to be a new awakening for Haiti, a new decade of redefinition & taking back the dignity & triumphant freedom fought for, won & declared in 1804.

Big up & much praises to Wyclef Jean for being a proud good son of Haiti. Clef was there for his Island when the rest of the world turned a blind eye & governments could care less about the people of Haiti. Yele Wyclef! If you are going to donate to an organization donate to the grassroots organizations that are not motivated to move by government charter & power. Check out a few below.

http://www.yele.org

http://www.airlineamb.org/

http://www.fokal-usa.org/

http://doctorswithoutborders.org/

http://pih.org

“Not all aid organizations are created equal. If there are 10,00 aid organizations (pre-earthquake) in Haiti & Haiti is still 1 of the poorest countries in the world, then something’s wrong with the way aid is being administered”

Where was the aid at this time? Even today in The US if a Haitian flees their waters to reach Miami-around the same proximity as a Cuban-who has a way better life of basic civil services than a Haitian -they are sent back while Cubans are welcomed in with political asylum because the USA has no political or economic interests in Haiti -well at this time anyway! If we want to spread Democracy we have to live & practice democracy in pure & true sense

Aristide Claims U.S. Ousted Him
http://wap.cbsnews.com/site?sid=cbsnews&pid=sections.detail&catId=TOP&index=1&storyId=603498&viewFull=yes

Haitian Earthquake: Made in the USA
Why the Blood Is on Our Hands
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2010/01/14-13

Haiti’s poor resort to eating mud as prices rise
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22902512/

Haiti Food Crisis
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSWJmq4XC2s

Ira Kurzban 2-way – Haiti
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNCLaQUL7gk

The truth about the Red Cross
http://socialistworker.org/2005-2/562/562_04_RedCross.shtml

Charity Fails To Get A Grip On Criminal Scandals At Local Chapters
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/07/29/eveningnews/main516700.shtml

GERARD JEAN-JUSTE, 62-Priest Devoted Life To Haitian Refugees
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/05/28/AR2009052803839.html

Why We Are Partly Responsible for the Mess that is Haiti
http://www.hnn.us/articles/3694.html

The Haitian Revolution and the Forging of America
http://www.historycooperative.org/journals/ht/34.1/thomson.html