I worked on my father's farm today, cleaning timothy, and as I often do while doing farm work, I thought about all the reasons I want to grow most of my own food, and be as self-sufficient as possible. I was reading a National Geographic article today about sugar, and our national addiction to it, and how Europeans got the taste for sugar. The article also talked about the Caribbean islands became slave islands, with the slaves growing sugar for Europe.
When I was in Malawi, I saw the modern day sugar slaves. Although not technically slaves, the people I saw lived like slaves, while growing sugar cane for Europe consumption. Malawi will never be free of debt owed to England, from infrastructure England decided to build in Malawi when they had Malawi as a colony. Also, a corrupt government in Malawi means people don't get anything for the taxes they pay. Anyway, I find it ironic (and also cruel,) that Malawians are still growing tobacco and sugar for Europe despite the fact that they are technically free, and while they grow the cash crops tobacco and sugar, their children starve.
I'm getting sick of living in a world where white people get more and more obsess, get diabetes, get sicker and sicker, off of food, sugar, etc., grown on plantations where black folks live a life of hell, and their starving little babies suck on sugarcane endlessly, trying to satisfy their hunger.
When people lie and say children are starving in Africa because of drought, overpopulation, war, or any of the other things they say, it is because they don't want the weight of guilt on them. The truth is, children are starving in Africa so we in affluent counties can eat candy and smoke cigarettes. The world is cruel, and often, the truth is hard to face.
Why do I want to grow my own food? Because I've seen babies in Africa going hungry. If I can depend more and more on the resources I produce myself, I will not have to buy resources shipped from plantations in far away places, where slaves work to grow things for me.
I want to create a world where nobody slaves for anyone else. I want to create a world where all people are viewed as equals, and therefore, resources are shared equally, among all of us.
I want to create a world with no more starving babies.
Who is with me?
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