What is your most important word with the letter A? America, Africa, Antarctic? Anxiety, anger, aggression? Automobile, A-bomb, armchair? AFRICA is in my reflections because it is (for me) a reminder to basic feelings: to love colors, dancing, strong emotions. It’s sad, that Europe is blocking boat people, who had the personal courage to escape from bad African conditions, trying to immigrate to Europe. What a loss of chances, to change European lifestyle by learning to express more emotional responses. I adore the “Ladysmith Black Mambazo” project by Paul Simon, who worked together with South African musicians.
title=”Cayuco con inmigrantes (Boat with subsaharian immigrants, instant arrival to Las Palmas – tugged & scortted – on 29/05/2006). Photo by Miguelángel, on Flickr”
related:
https://flickrcomments.wordpress.com/2011/12/25/the-a-archive/ 20 “LIKE”s
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https://flickrcomments.wordpress.com/2012/01/06/weekly-photo-challenge-a-archive/ 27 “LIKE”s
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P.S.:
What is the most important word with the letter “A” in your mind?
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Ladysmith Black Mambazo (Photo credit: annaberthold)
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Flickr Comments 
Love Ladysmith Black Mambazo music!
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Lovely photos and video clips too! I haven’t drafted an A photo but I have a U photo which I’d be publishing on Tuesday (tomorrow). 🙂
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Lovely ship, indeed. Colorful..
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Wonderful video!
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As a native Mississippian, I love anything that celebrates Graceland! I also feel that your choice of using Africa for the “A” word is filled with grace! For joining together to express deep emotions held in common with your brothers and sisters through music is an act certainly filled with grace!
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great post on Africa frizz, love the music!
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A very thought-provoking piece (as usual), Frizz…
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Perhaps, if the corrupt governments of the countries these poor boat people are trying to escape would do the right thing, rebuild their infrastructure, and manage their IMF loans better, we won’t have situations like this. Of course, we must also address the ways some of those European nations collude with despots on the continent… Ah, a topic for another day!
My dear Frizz, this is far more complex than welcoming or not welcoming people on a boat. Yes, it is tragic and yes, for the sake of compassion, accommodations ought to be made but, the problem is deeper, systemic, and complicated by greedy global players in the mix. Until those conditions are addressed this will continue to happen.
My post on A Helping Hand is a reminder that helping our fellow man is important, however, it also points out that greed is a deterrent to that premise… and sadly, there’s plenty of greed to go around in our world. So, so Sad…
Good job!
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you know, what you’re talking about – coming from Africa to England, then emigrating to the USA – I adore your courage, Eliz!
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Good post and question. Hmmm…the question requires more thought.
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