If you have not seen this series yet, you be the judge. Here is Part 5.
Also, one our dearest and nearest followers "Simone", made an important point which we agree with... check her comments after the jump.
"What exactly is needed to be scene from this footage? I have to say that I am bit put off from this "documentary". Was this suppose to educate people about the war, about the country today??? This is not a "Guide to Liberia."
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What exactly is needed to be scene from this footage? I have to say that I am bit put off from this "documentary". Was this suppose to educate people about the war, about the country today??? This is not a "Guide to Liberia." Although I am not Liberian, I worked there during this past summer and just got back from vacation there (last week to be exact). Furthermore, I have studied this region as a part of my graduate studies. I take issue with the host portraying Liberia as some sort of cesspool of prostitution, cannibalism and civil violence. First, Prostitution and civil violence occurs all over world, including the US (i.e. DC in the summer). Also, the war ended in 2003 and the Liberian government as well as its citizens are struggling to rebuild the country. Focusing on the war is no longer relevant or helpful to the discussion of Liberia today.
I am not saying that the effects of war should be ignored, but I offer this... I spent the majority of my time in Nimba County (Ganta to be more specific), which was the main fighting ground for LURD (rebels funded by Guinea & ECOMOG) and NPFL (Charles Taylor's government forces or rebel group... depending on how you look at it) during the second civil war. While I was there, I met with people who returned home to (physically) rebuild their homes, who worked with NGOs to disarm, demobilize and reintergrate ex-rebels (most of whom were children) and who produced radio programs to promote free and fair elections. I feel that this documentary is an insult to those Liberian citizens. From what I can find on the web, this documentary came out in late 2009. At this point, I can say without doubt, Liberian citizens are more concerned with the country's development... like getting running water and electricity throughout the country (fyi, most of Monrovia now has electricity), not on who ate who 7 years ago.
In Pt. 8, the host identifies Liberia as a "heaven and hell scenario". Who is he to say what is heaven and what is hell??? I guess if I spent most of my time in the projects of NYC or DC, I could say the same thing... While in Liberia, I stayed in Monrovia and Ganta. I didn't live in the expat community. I lived with families were by no stretch of the imagination well off, but who were never downtrodden or weighed down by the effects of war.... or poverty, for that matter. They were people just living their lives and that made them even more beautiful and loving, but the documentary seems to just gloss over that aspect of Liberia. It's there though, in the background... in the young man hanging out his laundry, in the women in church, in the children walking past the camera to go about their business. That's the Liberia that I know and love. Lastly, I implore you to check out Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's critique of the singular perspective by clicking the link below:
http://www.ted.com/talks/chimamanda_adichie_the_danger_of_a_single_story.html
She is much more eloquent in explaining the problem with 'documentaries' such as the one included. Just to clarify, my issue is with this inaccurate "Guide to Liberia", not the blog... Still love you like cook food :o)....
I agree with you simone...These folks at Vice think this shit is a joke.
I agree. The host is crooked.
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