Help me Morgan … Freeman
So it sounds like Arthur Mutambara has finally shown his true colours, and signed along with Uncle.
If you remember, there’s always been conspiracy theories about how the “Prof” was brought back to destabilise (successfuly) and divide the opposition MDC in Zimbabwe (effectively).
There were also a few questions asked when opposition leaders were beaten in police custody after the Highfield rally debacle … and the Prof was spared.
Now, I wonder if the rest of the breakaway MDC are uncomfortable with being viewed by the rest of the (sane) world as “sell-outs” to the cause. Don’t hold your breath.
At least Morgan Freeman’s still alive.
The MDC don’t exactly help their own cause on the unity front. It’s hard to think of too many things that the MDC stands for other than mainly being anti-Zanu. And that isn’t enough as a cohesive factor.
Wait a minute, how can you expect to know the MDC’s policy positions if you don’t actually check them out. Conversely, there isn’t any local media coverage of their policies anyway, but you have no excuse.
The problem here, I think, is the breakaway MDC are scurred of finding themselves illegitimate, a la Makoni and the Mavambo shit-house.
‘Wait a minute, how can you expect to know the MDC’s policy positions if you don’t actually check them out.’
What are you basing this assumption on? Last I checked, the local media was not the only source of news/policy info about the mdc.
I’m basing this on … “It’s hard to think of too many things that the MDC stands for other than mainly being anti-Zanu.”
Have you checked their website for any policy info? Cos first you say, it’s hard to think of anything they stand for.
Then in the next comment, you go ahead and imply that you DO have access to their positions, which validates my saying that ” … you have no excuse”.
So … what, you’ve READ their policies but it’s hard to think…” of them? Enlighten us.
“Morgan Tsvangirai has requested time to reflect and consult,” Mutambara told reporters. “Three times he agreed to this one aspect and three times he changed his mind.”
Really, Arthur? And what exactly is this “one aspect” that you have so willingly jumped to agree to without consultation?
Have you tried going on to their website recently. Half a gazillion pages have been taken down. If you were to take a random sample of 10 people who voted MDC in the past, how many of them would be able to give you concrete policy details? It’s the same reason that the people refused the referendum way back when in 2000. Not so much because they were fully au fait with its contents, but it was a anti-government/zanu vote. how many people do you know who actually read more than the distilled version of events simplified to a few main points. A lot of people don’t do detail, kungofunga bedzi hondo ye sadza.
So what’s your point? Because it’s no use invoking random and unsubstantiated statistics to push an argument. Weren’t we talking about you?
These “lot of people” who don’t do detail? Actually, if you remember the referendum was conducted after extensive countrywide consultations, and the opposition of your “people” to the proposed constitution was well-documented, with all papers (if I remember correctly) widely documenting the results of this process, and of course the Daily News crying shrilly about the issues at hand.
So don’t appropriate the opinion of “the people” when you can’t base an argument on it. Do YOU do detail? If not, why not? If so, why? And from where?
697 754 or roughly 54.7% of the votes were NO votes with over 1.3 million votes cast. The constitutional commission held 5 000 consultations over a 2 month period. For a document of national importance, that is hardly extensive. And the final (apparently heavily doctored) document was not widely distributed either. The final draft was submitted to the president in December 1999 and the vote conducted in February 2000. In an attempt to sway voters to the yes vote, more public meetings were held in the urban areas, which obviously would have reached a select few, and ironically, the most no votes came from the urban areas. In contrast, the Irish, a population of just over 3 million had nearly 3 years in which to vote on the EU referendum, and even then, the average person still didn’t really know what the vote was about. That seems to be the role of the advocacy groups. And as for the newspapers, each has its own agenda to pursue. The news is delivered with its fair share of commentary, in the case of the Herald, outright propaganda.
I am one of the ‘people’. Not so keen on detail unless it furthers my own cause. One of the reasons I was the queen of the Cliff notes in high school. Just give me the bare bones and my imagination will fill in the rest.
So based on the votes cast and the (unknown) number of people who attended the consultations, you can categorically conclude that “a lot of the people” didn’t have detail? puh-lease.
And rationalising your own thoughts and projecting them onto a significant portion of the rest of the country is unhelpful, sister. It’s like Cheney saying it was in the interests of “the American people” to bomb Iran. Uhm, no. Ask them, don’t project your own opinion.
And being one pf the people does not make you a valid sample. It makes you a voice, one of many but still valuable.
I bet I can more easily find people who didnt know more than voting no about that draft constitution than you can find people who did without even breaking a sweat. Out of curiosity, how many of those meetings/consultations did you and yours go to?
We are all victims of other people’s vagaries and whims i.e. people projecting their opinions. It’s like the one guy said, when I want your opinion, I will give it to you. Our lives are shaped by other people articulating positions and they either resonate with us or not.
JB you have to accept a large crumb of truth in Elle’s position here. Most people care not for the whole and complete truth but rely on bits and pieces of info picked up from their favorite sources in combination with their own preconceptions… I can very unscientifically but accurately state that most people who voted MDC don’t know their policy formulations in and out.
Anyway that being said Arthur is a fucking case study in divide and conquer through ego enlargement. He’s finally important as a sell out just like Simba.
I really should stop typing as I’m drunk and in America.
Oh but I’m meeting Obama at his wee convention next week in Denver, I’ll give him your regards…
Wey hey Anonymoush (sic), how did you manage to jump on the Democratic convention bandwagon?
I accept that it’s *possible* kuti people don’t analyze all policy before picking a side. What I don’t accept is the sweeping assumption of “most people”. That’s blatant lying, you can assume what people’s positions are but can’t “accurately” state anything. Lol.
Tell Barack I said wassup china, he sold out on the FISA immunity issue but otherwise, he’s awesome – give ’em hell.
And bring me back one of those blue t-shirts.
But that is what most of our lives are about, operating on assumptions. You most of the time have limited information so have to try to guess the rest. In a relationship, you assume your partner is in it for the long haul. In the workplace, you work on the assumption that your employer is going to pay you for services rendered (a fallacy if ever there was one), on the sports field you work on the assumption that that your teammates are in it for the good of the team and will do everything in their power to win it (unless the betting syndicates have got to you first). Accuracy. We are constantly bombarded with evidence of misspeaking and retractions and lapses in judgement and downright falsehoods and tortured wringing of hands confessions that accuracy is not top of the list of determining factors.
This argument is getting nowhere 🙂
Agree to disagree?
“In a relationship, you assume your partner is in it for the long haul” No i dont, and she must be out of her god damn mind if she thinks i’m in it for the long haul
“In the workplace, you work on the assumption that your employer is going to pay you for services rendered.” Thats ok coz my employer pays me on the assumption i’m actually rendering valuable services
“on the sports field you work on the assumption that that your teammates are in it for the good of the team ” nah, i assume they either in it for their own good to get that lucrative contract (occasionaly this ends up being good for the team too)
Anonymous. Again all based on assumptions.
JB, agreed. I was running out of facetious arguments anyway.
This is all very boring. Elle you sound like a Simbathiser. Yes referendum was mainly about no vote but that was ages ago. Also there are lots of peeps who vote just to be anti zanu but you have lots of options Muvambo/Kusile/New Dawn, Zanu PF (Arthur Mutambara faction), PUMA, Super Zapu, UPP and all the other idiots.
The truth of the matter is that peeps are definitely keen for a change. MDC with all its warts has given peeps a rallying point. Their manifesto and campaign material have clearly laid out their policies. Can send you something in Nipponese.
Anyway the big challenge on this weekend. Please bring a pie baked with humility – I am sure Minnie can be of assistance. All you Rustybookers be prepared for a new look on Monday.
Zanu PF (Mutambara) – BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA, nice one BD. For once, made me laugh.
As for this weekend, I hope your signage people are on alert, ready to make that big-ass banner saying “RustyGate.org” dude. Be afraid.
So Kirsty Coventry just broke another Olympic Record, in her 200m backstroke heat. Fucking awesome.
The semi-final is tomorrow, early morning – like 0420 or something here. Go Kitsy, our son of the soil!
but playing second princess after breaking all those records can’t be any fun. 1 world record and 2 olympic records and the others keep besting her. Vane midzimu yavo chifanonamatirai mwana kuti awanewo medal ye goridhe.
Was reading that that Phelps oke consumes an average 12 000 calories when he is in training. That is like the food consumption of a whole third world village somewhere.
And there will apparently be no SADC meeting for certain jenturumenz as their passports have once again been seized. Freedom of movement is purportedly enshrined in the constitution.
Oh yeah, MT and them were told they were on “a list”. Pamwe it’s the infamous no-fly list yekuAmerica, we don’t know.
uhh..did i hear my name somewhere up there. i’m still reeling from the debate between JB and Elle with a nice agree to disagree conclusion.
Oh, they’re always nice to each other eventually lol.
I am fast losing hope… JB I am in Stockholm… serious tall blondes here!! Myb I shld jus stay here.. because Zanu PF(M) maone!
Elle anonakidza cos she’s the only person I know more stubborn than I am. She can also support her arguments with points (valid or otherwise) and some pretty convincing rhetoric.
But she eventually figures out that she’s wrong.
Ooooh Sweden china, bring me one of those when you come back to Africa!
LOL JB. I wouldn’t use the term ‘wrong’, it’s a woman’s prerogative to change her mind. There is a difference 🙂
Tibvire apa. Unonyepa 🙂