A Black Agenda Radio commentary by Glen Ford
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown "squirmed" as Brazilian President Luiz Inacio da Silva - "Lula" - blamed the global economic crisis on the "irrational behavior of some people that are white, blue-eyed" and "have demonstrated they know nothing about economics." And the non-white world cheered. Da Silva called for creation of a new, "London Consensus" at the G20 summit meeting - "an unmistakable slap at what was once called the ‘Washington Consensus' - an American euphemism for the days when Washington could impose its economic dictates on all of Latin America and much of Africa and Asia."
Lula Puts Blue-Eyed White Bankers in Their Place A Black Agenda Radio commentary by Glen Ford
“This crisis was caused by no black man or woman or by no indigenous person or by no poor person.”
It was a bunch of incompetent and irrational white guys with blue eyes that messed up the world’s finances, says Brazilian President Luiz Inacio da Silva. Universally known as “Lula,” da Silva was speaking directly to the face of one of those white guys, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, during the Brit’s visit to Brazil, last week, in preparation for the G20 economic summit. In telling it like it is to the leader of what used to be the world’s greatest white empire, Lula voiced the sentiments of most of the planet. Gone are the days when the non-white, non-blue-eyed vast majority of the world’s people could be considered part of the “White Man’s Burden” to rule as London, Paris and Washington saw fit. Rather, it is the banksters and their servants in the United States and the United Kingdom who have become a burden on the rest of the planet. President da Silva put the once supremely arrogant Aryans in their place, which is now located on the slippery slopes of decline – and the darker masses loved it. Not only have the blue-eyed bankers brought down their own house of cards, but they have shown themselves to be not nearly as smart as they thought they were – hardly worthy of lording it over anyone. “This crisis was caused by no black man or woman or by no indigenous person or by no poor person,” said Lula, as the Pritish prime minister squirmed. “This crisis,” he continued, “was fostered and boosted by irrational behavior of some people that are white, blue-eyed. Before the crisis they looked like they knew everything about economics, and they have demonstrated they know nothing about economics.”
“Lula was speaking Truth to what used to be hegemonic Power.”
Prime Minister Brown’s home country newspaper, The Guardian, characterized the Brazilian statesman’s remarks as an “outburst” – which was quite white and neocolonial of them. By using the term “outburst,” the paper inferred that Lula’s statement was emotional, rather than a serious, sober observation. In fact, Lula was speaking Truth to what used to be hegemonic Power. Big Boss Man ain’t so tall, after all. Lula said he was “not acquainted with a single black banker.” But there are a number of them here in the United States. Citigroup chairman Richard Parsons is a great friend of President Barack Obama – but then, Obama is friends with lots of bankers, so much so, he’s spending much of the country’s current and future wealth in an attempt to rescue them from near-death. The Brazilian said the developing nations are “determined to make sure the world financial system is vigorously regulated,” and that he wants the G20 summit to result in a “London Consensus.” That was an unmistakable slap at what was once called the “Washington Consensus” – an American euphemism for the days when Washington could impose its economic dictates on all of Latin America and much of Africa and Asia. The “Washington Consensus” was in tatters long before the current economic crisis; the financial meltdown removes the possibility of the United States resuscitating it. Lula’s frank and refreshing observation confirms that the sick and aging emperor – although not yet naked – is down to his last pair of drawers. BAR executive editor Glen Ford can be contacted at Glen.Ford@BlackAgendaReport.com.
Black Agenda Report editors Margaret Kimberley and Ann Garrison discuss the personal and institutional hypocrisy that allowed those who said, "All men are created equal," to be slaveholders.
The following article by Carlos Martinez, co-editor of Friends of Socialist China and author of The East Is Still Red, examines the most far-reaching changes to Cuba’s economic model in more than 60…
In this week’s segment, we discuss the status of talks between Iran and the U.S.
Ajamu Baraka is a Black Agenda Report contributing editor and Director of the North-South Project for People(s)-Centered Human Right
Navid Zarrinnal is an Iranian journalist. He joins us from Iran to discuss the fragile "cease fire," Trump's threats, the Strait of Hormuz, how Iran's defense capabilities have frustrated the U.S.,…
