Mother's Day--for Mothers Everywhere

(This post is my armchair attempt to help mothers around the world by prompting my readers to find more about issues facing women and children. My finances are limited–as I’m unemployed–but I have made small donations to honor my mother, my sister, my daughter, and my granddaughter. Please, if you can, donate to a trustworthy organization and help to make the world a better place. Many thanks to White African for permission to use photos from her blog--and also for the inspiration.)
　

In memory of my grandmothers,

Pauline Scheels Baneck and Lydia Filenius Wendt.

Dedicated to my mother, my inspiration, Lorraine Wendt Baneck.

Manchester, England (March 21, 2011)
Used with permission.

　
INVOCATION

Let us give thanks for our mothers, grandmothers, great-grandmothers,
and all our foremothers. And for their sisters and our sisters.

Let us rejoice in our daughters, granddaughters, and great-granddaughters. For the gift of motherhood is a gift we pass on with love in our hearts.

Let us laugh with each other, tease each other, hug each other.

Let us cry for mothers in mourning and for mothers looking for missing children. May they find comfort. May hope sustain them.

May we be inspired to do SOMETHING, be it big or small, to help hungry mothers, homeless mothers, poor mothers, mothers living in the midst of conflict and wars.

May abundant blessings flow to all those loving women who mother the motherless–to grandmothers and great-grandmothers, aunts, sisters, godmothers, foster mothers, big sisters, neighbors, and friends.


A DAY FOR ALL MOTHERS

May 8th is Mother’s Day in the US. Every day, as an American mother and grandmother, I so privileged. I am very lucky to enjoy the love and support of my own mother, nearly 88-years young. She always listens to whatever is on my mind (lately, she’s been hearing a lot about HistoryLynx). When I look into the faces of my daughter and grandchildren, who live about five minutes away from me, I know that they will carry on all the good things that GG has taught us.

For Mother’s Day I wanted to write something special. Day-after-day, reading the New York Times at breakfast, I encounter, however vicariously, how women much less fortunate than me are struggling just to survive. Mothers in Milwaukee, Detroit, and New York City, in Alabama, and in Libya, Syria, Ivory Coast, Zimbabwe, Afghanistan, Myanmar, Mexico (the list goes on and on). These are brave women, resilient women, stubborn women. I agree with the women who started the Mother’s Day Movement–"it is time for everyone to rethink this holiday and donate a portion of Mother’s Day spending to those less fortunate" (from their web site).

Whatever is happening around them mothers try to nurture and protect their children as best they can. Where conflict and violence are part of daily life–beatings, street violence, kidnapings, government crackdowns, arbitrary arrests, terrorist attacks, raids on villages, firefights, artillery shelling–mothers are risking their own lives for the sake of their children. "Women become restricted to their homes as they are vulnerable to attack, yet it is women who are expected to try to keep family and home running as normally as possible for the children. Finding food and fuel, trying to respond to health and education needs all become impossible" (See "Women, War, and Peace" in Resources).

It’s not easy being a mother in 2011. Mothers suffer as they protest–hoping to bring about better lives for their children. There is violence against protesters in Syria and in Uganda, the fighting in Libya and Afghanistan, the tense situation in Ivory Coast and parts of South Sudan, the crackdown in China, the detention of political prisoners in Iran and Cuba ... well, I could go on and on.

Manchester, England (March 21, 2011)
Used with permission.

　

Recently, in Misurata, a town under siege for weeks but now partly reclaimed by the rebels, a mother and her eight children returned to their home. After being occupied by Muammar el-Qaddafi’s forces it was in shambles. A house can be rebuilt but this woman is now carrying a double burden: her load is heavy because she must look after her children more or less on her own; and her heart is heavy because she has no idea what has happened to her husband’s–who taken away by Qaddafi’s men on March 20th (see Rovera in Resources). Her husband’s family will almost certainly try to help her but the resources of all families in Misurata are wearing thin--and those who might help the most are off fighting or injured or missing.

Did you know that in the Arab world Mother’s Day is celebrated on March 21st? It is always observed on that day but this year, with the lives of so many Arab women touched by the detentions, injuries, and deaths of their children (or the fathers of their children), the day had a sorrowful aspect. I suspect that mothers have been civilian causalties in Libya and Bahrain.  In Manchester, England, where the blogger "White African" lives, the local Libyan community gathered to remember those the who had died in the recent conflict, as well as those detained, and to honor their mothers. "White African" blogger was born to parents living in exile but her family roots are in Misurata. She’s the mother of a newborn so that made Mother’s Day special, yet under the circumstances even more poignant. Please take time to look at more of the photographs taken at that event (see Resources).

It’s not easy being a mother in 2011. Here in the US, where last month two series of tornados swept through several states, many families are reeling from the loss of their homes, livelihoods, and sometimes their loved ones. Other families have felt the impact of wildfires and floods. There is also the "terrorism" of life in certain neighborhoods in America’s cities– and the "violence" of poverty" and the scourge of drugs in both rural and urban settings. Every day mothers in America lose their children to the streets, drive-by shootings, drugs, and detention. Rates of unemployment and underemployment are still very high–foreclosures continue–more and more families end up sleeping in cars or homeless shelters.

It’s not easy being a mother in 2011. According to "Mother’s Index," the worst place in the world to be a mother is Afghanistan. Yemen is the also near the bottom. The other eight in the bottom ten are all countries in Sub-Saharan Africa.  In these and many other places in the developing world one of the most risky things a woman can attempt is giving birth to a child.  Recently, the need to reduce maternal mortality rates has been getting more attention in the media. The UN has included improving maternal health in its Millennium Development Goals (see Resources) and several international NGOs are working on projects to decrease the number of women dying in childbirth. See, for example, the efforts being made at the Nigerian hospital featured in the documentary, "Edge of Joy" (see Resources). Ele Clay, commenting on the film’s trailer, after it was shown on PBS NewsHour:

• "My special connection to this is a sister and brother-in-law who, for the last 30+ years have lived through this agony in southern Imo State. In the space of 12 months between November 1979 and 1980 they had received into their home, 13 newborns whose mothers did not survive the trauma of their birth for the same reasons being described in this film. Eziama Motherless Babies Home and Grace Hospital are now part of the solution, with a long, uphill climb ahead in their efforts to make a real difference in this rural community of thousands."

Also deserving our support are the organizations and women who mother the motherless. A reader in Uganda, responding to Kristof’s column (May 5th, 2011):

• "Thank you so much for continuing to inspire us to do more, Nick! We are gratified to be saving so many mothers through our "Keep a Mother Alive" program in Uganda. With the orphan population so frighteningly high in Africa, it's imperative to keep mother's alive. So many women who die already have several children they leave behind. It's hard to underestimate the vulnerability of an orphaned child--seeing the devastation in a child's eyes the minute a mother is lost has changed my life forever! God bless and save mothers, they have the power to change the world, and already have."

It is not easy being a mother.  Yet, as Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn have argued so convincingly, women are not the problem, they are the solution (see Half the Sky and related resources).  And we can be part of that solution. Then we’ll discover that "Mother's Day is a celebration of love – not only of family, but also of community, tradition, fidelity, and compassion; in short, it's a celebration of our noblest qualities" ( Madeleine Buckingham, President and CEO of Mother Jones).

That is why I’ve put together two sets of resources: a few informational, motivational items; and a list of organizations serving women and children. I haven’t included an activities section, but please share resources from this post with extra-curricular clubs, service organizations, church groups, book clubs, wherever appropriate. Also, consider how kids might get involved in service learning projects (next year at school or as members of youth groups, like the Girl Scouts).


RESOURCES ABOUT ISSUES: MOTHERS IN 2011　

Kristof, Nicholas D. "Beyond Flowers for Mom." New York Times (May4, 2011): http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/05/opinion/05kristof.html?src=ISMR_AP_LO_MST_FB

AUDIO SLIDESHOW: "A Powerful Truth." Narrated by Nicholas kristof. New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2009/08/20/magazine/kristof-audioss/index.html

"The Women’s Crusade." Excerpt from Half the Sky (see below). New York Times (August 23, 2009): http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/23/magazine/23Women-t.html#

• From a special issue of the NYT Magazine, "Saving the World’s Women"; links to other articles (all worth reading)
• Link to "A Powerful Truth" (see above)
• Link to "Women’s Work" (Video: 2:34 mins.)

Kristof, Nicholas and Sheryl WuDunn. Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women.  New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2009.

• Angelina Jolie: "Women facing poverty, oppression, and violence are usually viewed as victims. Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn’s Half the Sky shows that unimaginable challenges are often met with breathtaking bravery. These stories show us the power and resilience of women who would have every reason to give up but never do. They will be an inspiration for anyone who reads this book, and a model for those fighting for justice around the world. You will not want to put this book down." (From http://www.halftheskymovement.org/accolades).

"Women, War and Peace." Amnesty International UK:
http://www.amnesty.org.uk/content.asp?CategoryID=10927

• Click "Background: Women and Conflict" (or scroll down to it)
• "Women become restricted to their homes as they are vulnerable to attack, yet it is women who are expected to try to keep family and home running as normally as possible for the children. Finding food and fuel, trying to respond to health and education needs all become impossible. "

"Champions for Children: State of the World’s Mothers 2011." Save the Children (Download PDF of 42-page report): http://www.savethechildren.org/atf/cf/%7B9def2ebe-10ae-432c-9bd0-df91d2eba74a%7D/SOWM2011_FULL_REPORT.PDF

• Includes "Mother’s Index" (Norway is in first place, the US is #31, and Afghanistan is last among 172 countries in the index)

Garner, Jennifer. "The Early Years Last a Lifetime." Save the Children:
http://www.savethechildren.org/atf/cf/%7B9def2ebe-10ae-432c-9bd0-df91d2eba74a%7D/SOWM2011_ESSAY_GARNER.PDF

"Yesterday Was Mother’s Day in the Arab World." White African (March 22, 2011): http://whitelibyanafrican.blogspot.com/2011/03/yesterday-was-mothers-day-in-arab-world.html

Rovera, Donatella. "Misratah: A City of Tears." Amnesty International (April 21, 2011):
http://livewire.amnesty.org/2011/04/21/misratah-a-city-of-tears-2/

VIDEO: "The East African Dairy Development Project." (Only 2:25 mins.). Heifer International: http://www.heifer.org/site/c.edJRKQNiFiG/b.6178483/?msource=kwg2401

• Many of this NGO’s projects benefit women, enabling them to better feed and clothe their children and to send them to school.
• If you love beautiful cows, you’ll like this video (the milk cans brought back memories of my girlhood on the farm in Wisconsin).

"Happy Ending for Cameroon Mom." Heifer International: heifer:http://www.heifer.org/site/c.edJRKQNiFiG/b.742199/?msource=kwg2401

VIDEO: "The Edge of Joy" PBS NewsHour (April 28, 2011): http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/world/jan-june11/edgeofjoy_04-28.html

• Efforts to decrease maternal mortality in a clinic in northern Nigeria
• CAUTION: shows blood of childbirth (view before showing in class or to young children)
• Listen for a Muslim perspective on the spacing of children as a way of preserving the lives of women and children.
• Documentary trailor also on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltzbwpA_TLA&feature=player_embedded
• For contact info (to show the film) go film’s web site: http://www.theedgeofjoy.com/index.html

VIDEO: "Peru Eyes Innovations in Rural Maternity Health." PBS NewsHour (March 31, 2010):
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/latin_america/jan-june10/peru_03-31.htm

VIDEO: "No Woman, No Cry." This documentary will be shown on the Oprah Winfrey Network, May 7th,2011 (9:30 EST).

• "[T]he powerful stories of at-risk pregnant women in four parts of the world, including a remote Maasai tribe in Tanzania, a slum of Bangladesh, a post-abortion care ward in Guatemala, and a prenatal clinic in the United States."

"Goal 5: Improve Maternal Health." United Nations: http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/maternal.shtml

• Click on "Fact Sheet" for a PDF with much information, including statistics

Kristof, Nicholas. " They Think They’ve Been Cursed by God.’" New York Times (February 25, 2007): http://select.nytimes.com/2007/02/25/opinion/25kristof.html?scp=3&sq=kristof%20edna%20adan&st=cse

• Column about both the Fistula Foundation and the Edna Adan Hospital
• Link to VIDEO: "A Fight to Save Mothers"

RESOURCES: ORGANIZATIONS

CAUTION: From comment by "Dim" in response to Kristof’s column (May 5, 2011): Great idea, but please donate to these wonderful charities DIRECTLY and avoid scams in the form of a middle man. For example, avoid Ebay Giving Works and MissionFish:

• MissionFish does no charity work of their own. It only serves as an online exchange between you and your favorite charity, nothing but a middle man.
• Takes a processing fee of 20% for a typical donation of $50 and 50% for a small donation of $1.
• Collected in fees between $20,000,000 and $40,000,000 out of $209,000,000 donated on EBay in the last few years.
• Consists of 15 people and is run almost entirely by software (e.g. do not expect them to return your phone calls).
• MissionFish does not move money directly to charity. This way you will be charged another fee as a seller by Paypal, also owned by EBay, so EBay also makes a cut on this.
• At the beginning of the process you will be given a deceptive message that 100% of your donation will go to the charity "less a small deduction to help offset charity costs". 20% is not a small deduction, it is stealing!　

Mothers Day Movement: http://www.mothersdaymovement.org/Mothers_Day_Movement/HOME.html

• "[F]ounded by six women who were shocked to learn that $14 billion was spent in the US in 2010 on Mother’s Day celebrations including flowers, cards and meals."

Shining Hope for Communities: http://shininghopeforcommunities.org/

• Mothers Day Movement’s designated NGO for this year’s donations
• Click "blog" to go to http://kiberaschool.blogspot.com/; many photos, including Kibera School for Girls activities
• Encourage students to view blogs posts and leave comments to give a boost to volunteers and students

Friends of Edna Adan Maternity Hospital: http://www.ednahospital.org/:

• Details of the hospital’s mission
• Map of Horn of Africa, showing Somaliland
• See also Kristof column (February 25, 2007), listed above

　
The Fistula Foundation: http://www.fistulafoundation.org/

• Map shows countries in Africa and Asia where work–click country for more info

Save the Children: http://www.savethechildren.org/site/c.8rKLIXMGIpI4E/b.6743707/k.219/State_of_the_Worlds_Mothers_2011.htm

• Purchase and donate a midwifery kit
• Learn more by watching the VIDEO (27:10 mins.)
• Click on "Essays" and "Stats & Facts" (lots of informative graphs)
• Stats & Facts for "2011 Mothers’ Index Rankings"
• Stats & Facts for "U.S. Development Assistance Saves Lives" (use this information to lobby for increasing foreign aid that benefits women)

　
Women for Women International: http://www.womenforwomen.org/

• Misson: "Women for Women International provides women survivors of war, civil strife and other conflicts with the tools and resources to move from crisis and poverty to stability and self-sufficiency, thereby promoting viable civil societies. We're changing the world one woman at a time."
• Go to "About" and scroll down to find out more about this organization
• To send a card to a special mother (by e-mail) and a donation go to http://www.womenforwomen.org/campaigns-for-women/mothers-day-2011.php?source=MD11TO

FINCA: http://www.finca.org/site/c.6fIGIXMFJnJ0H/b.6088193/k.BE5D/Home.htm

• Mission: "FINCA International provides financial services to the world's lowest-income entrepreneurs so they can create jobs, build assets and improve their standard of living. We target the poorest of the working poor: those who have the least access to services such as loans, savings programs, and insurance. Our clients include women, who make up 70 percent of the world's poor; individuals unable to find work in the formal sector; families displaced by war and internal conflict; the rural poor; and those affected by chronic poverty."

Habitat for Humanity: http://www.habitat.org/

• Active in most of the US and many countries around the world
• See "Where We Build" for map
• Donation page: https://www.habitat.org/cd/giving/one/donate.aspx?link=387&source_code=DHQOA1104W1009&askstring=1&tgs=NS81LzIwMTEgMTA6MDU6MzkgQU0%3d

Care: https://my.care.org/site/Donation2?df_id=9258&9258.donation=form1&autologin=true&s_src=17115680000&s_subsrc=mojo&JServSessionIdr004=p58md63kl4.app332b:
　

Heifer International: http://www.heifer.org/site/c.edJRKQNiFiG/b.183217/?msource=kwg2401#

• See "Our Successes" (http://www.heifer.org/site/c.edJRKQNiFiG/b.201453/?msource=kwg2401)

Pathfinder International: http://www.pathfind.org/site/PageServer

• Rating of "A" from American Institute of Philanthropy
• For map click "Where We Work" (most countries, including US)

　
For more organizations–with links to their web sites--check-out Kristof and WuDunn, "Do-It-Yourself Foreign Aid," New York Times (August 18, 2009): http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/23/magazine/23Women-sidebar-t.html?scp=7&sq=kristof%20edna%20adan&st=cse

　

Finland: The Mouse That Roared?

(Here’s another Baltic-oriented post, but its purpose is much broader. By calling attention to a small country’s ability to "roar" and make the world listen, I’m making a pitch for bringing the so-called periphery into the mainstream. I encourage history teachers to use this example of a small country’s supersized ability to shape events--at a specific juncture when the global economy’s recovery is still fragile–to help students understand what we expect when we ask them to consider the "bigger picture," a.k.a. "the world historical context." For Finland’s place in the world economy see the sections on Nokia and Rovio in my ... post,"Thanks, Finland!")

INTRODUCTION

Finland held a parliamentary election on April 17th and the results have stirred up plenty of anxiety among Europe’s worry-worts, and in particular among bureaucrats in the eurozone (the seventeen countries using the euro as a common currency). All previous Finnish governments have been staunch supporters of the European Union. Until now the EU could count on Finland–but a new coalition government must be formed and it is expected to include the True Finn Party, which represents a decidedly anti-EU and Euro-skeptic bloc of voters.

The True Finn Party’s success at the polls indicates a weakening of support for the euro that, depending on what compromises it extracts during the coalition-forming process, may have a very negative impact on the soundness of the euro as a global currency. This is scary because what’s at stake, ultimately, is the future existence of a common currency zone in Europe. This shift in attitude in Finland comes at a critical time, when the terms of a bailout for Portugal are being negotiated. If Finland refuses to go along with the bailout, "the whole support mechanism for the euro could unravel" (1). And the worst case scenario (though rather unlikely) would be severe damage to the EU that might bring about its dissolution.

This election produced "a big, big bang in Finnish politics" (2). As predicted, there was a backlash against the three parties that have been running the show in Finland for decades. Since no party won a majority in Finland’s 200-seat parliament, the party with the most seats, the National Coalition Party (NCP),will need to form a coalition with parties that up to now have been in the opposition. The biggest loser, the Centre Party (whose leader is the current prime minister), had been a strong supporter of the EU. Now it will voice its support as the main opposition party. The True Finns came in third, with nearly 20% of the votes, giving them 39 seats in Parliament, but compared to their showing in 2007, this was a dramatic increase, generally seen as a sign that more and more Finns are having serious doubts about "the European project."

As soon as the election results were announced the leader of NCP tried to reassure his fellow Finns as well as the outside world: since Finns are such reasonable people, "solutions always will be found" (3). Given Finland’s tradition of conducting politics by consensus, it was hope that a coalition, based on compromises, would emerge. There will be compromises–but not on the issue of the Portugal bailout. Today (May 3rd) the breaking news from Helsinki is that the True Finns have rejected the bailout–and no way it could be modified to make it acceptable. Moreover, they are adamantly opposed to the creation by the EU of a "permanent stability mechanism" (i.e. bailout funding agency) (4). Evidently, the True Finns don’t think that jeopardizing the euro, in the long-run, might be detrimental to Finland’s national interests. (Yesterday I thought that perhaps EU and European Commission bureaucrats, as well as euro-leaning economists and financiers, had gotten too worried too quickly? I was wrong.)

The source of all this anxiety stems from the fact that in Finland (unlike other eurozone countries) the Parliament gets to vote on EU policies, including bailouts. So the True Finn Party, with its anti-European Union and especially its anti-euro position, could "roar" if it wanted–and sabotage a bailout.  Right now Finland’s pledge to the EU bailout fund is 8 billion euros. The fund total is 440 billion euros ($639 billion), but that amount is expected to increase and, if Spain and/or Italy had to be bailed out, it would have to increase substantially (5). Since any bailout requires a unanimous vote, Finland can effectively veto any proposal. Already, euro countries are thinking about how to get this roadblock. One path would be a series of bilateral agreements though a consensus

During the recent campaign the True Finns said they would block any bailouts. Nevertheless, speaking right after the election results had came out, their leader suggested that they were aiming at changing the terms of Portugal bailout–not totally nixing it. The outgoing prime minister, explaining that the bailout issue is too important for any interim government to decide, announced that he would not put it to a vote in Parliament. Moreover, the incoming prime minister also pledged to get push for tougher loan terms for Portugal. Since the EU wanted Finland’s position to be clear by May 16 (when euro zone finance ministers will be meeting in Brussels), pressure was building on the new coalition partners to resolve the issue. The True Finns still intend to join the coalition, despite their rejection of the bailout. Their position is totally in line with a recent poll in which nearly 80% of the party voiced opposition to loan guarantees (6).

When I first read about the possible European repercussions of Finland’s election--that a party coming in third in an election in a country of 5.4 million–could pose such a threat to the eurozone and perhaps even damage the global recovery--what leapt to mind was "the mouse that roared." This phrase comes from a 1950s satirical novel, The Mouse That Roared, with Cold War themes that were very relevant in the 1960s, when high school teachers encouraged their Boomer students to read it (7). The "mouse" is the imaginary Duchy of Fenwick, a tiny mini-state in the Alps that gets into a spat with the United States and then, with great bravado declares war. Amazingly, by accident, Fenwick’s invading army (a Field Marshall and twenty-odd men) lands in New York and obtains a mighty bomb. Thus, a tiny country manages to intimidate all other countries into accepting its terms (the inspection of all nuclear weapons, a ruse to effectively disarm them).  Today, it seems that Finland is roaring, in the context of increasing resentment in the euro zone, where economically stronger countries keen to impose austerity measures on those requesting assistance. 

Here’s my general point: Whenever a mouse roars, we ought to tune in and listen to the global channel–rather than dismiss that roar as background noise. We can tune in by asking: What is the global context? What is the "mouse" trying to accomplish by making such a racket? This applies to world history, too, where students taking the AP World History exam are expected to write about the "world historical context." . Whenever historians ignore a mouse that roared or simply do not hear it (because its roar is being drowned out by the roaring of history’s lions and tigers), we may miss a critical piece of the puzzle. This is a vulnerability in the field of world history--where, in my opinion, there is too much emphasis on the numerically, territorially, culturally dominant so-called "civilizations."

So Finland is roaring now--at least the Euro-skeptic portion of the electorate. During the campaign the True Finn message was loud and clear: Stop! We can’t keep bailing out the "squanderers" of the Euro zone (8). But most of those in charge of Finland’s industrial sector don’t agree. They argue that the country’s export-driven economy (one million jobs depend on exports) could be severely harmed by another financial crisis (9). And the Social Democrats (the other coalition partner), though they too would like to modify the plan for Portugal, have a record of strong support for the EU and the euro. Thus, Finnish pragmatism may still win out–if the new government decides, however reluctantly, that rescuing Portugal is in their own country’s national interest. Of course, the two coalition parties favoring a bailout would have to find additional votes–since the True Finns say they won’t vote for it.

Another aspect of the larger context is the anti-immigrant stance of the True Finns, a party perhaps better described as populist rather than right-wing party. Although name "True Finns" seems to echo claims made by the Tea Partiers in the US (we are the true Americans, the real patriots) and by the propagandists of Ivoirité (we are the real, natural-born Ivorians), I’d rather not (yet) jump to such a conclusion . From comments I’ve read I’ve gotten the impression that it is not a party of raving fanatics (aren’t Finns just too calm to rave?). It doesn’t seem so very right-wing by American standards (10). Yet, its stunning gains in this election suggest it may be another harbinger of a European shift to the right, motivated by concerns over immigration policy, the status of immigrant communities, and a failure to sufficiently integrate immigrants into the national milieu. To the extent that Americans are even aware of immigration issues in Europe, their attention is focused mostly on Britain, France and Italy (since the influx from North Africa is in the news). But debates about immigration policies are also a factor in the politics of Sweden and Belgium, too–indeed across much of Europe. As these debates continue, they bring forward nationalistic sentiments that seem to strike a chord with more and more voters (11). 

Well, if the right-wing mice raised their voices in the recent election, they were amplified by those of the Euro-skeptics (or vice versa). There are good reasons to think that much of this roaring was in two-part harmony. Just as certain right-wing voices in the US are typically raised in two (or three or four)-part harmony.

In any case the most immediate threat is to the proposed plan to rescue Portugal. Like Finland, Portugal is a small country and in other circumstances it might (or has) played the role of the roaring mouse. Alas, Portugal is in no position to roar back.

Portugal and Bailout Politics

Looking at a map of Europe, it is obvious that Portugal’s size and location put it on the periphery. Geographically, it is on the southwestern edge, a position that, back in the 15th century (when the Atlantic world was opening up), was an advantage. Compared to its larger neighbors Spain and France, Portugal is a relatively resource poor country (this partly explains why it took to the seas five centuries ago). After joining the EU in 1986, it received EU subsidies that transformed its economy. 

Is the Portuguese economy really facing a severe crisis? Taking into consideration how quickly Portugal emerged from the financial crisis of 2007-2008 (largely explained by the fact that its banks had not sponsored a housing boom), it is puzzling to see what has happened to its credit rating. With a level of accumulated debt below that of Italy, why should Portugal (and not Italy) have its rating downgraded to the point where its government has had to ask for relief? And, though its budget deficit has been revised upward, to 9.1% of GDP, it is still below that of several other Euro zone countries. Robert Fishman has pointed a finger at speculation and the bias of market fundamentalists among bond traders and credit analysts (12). In any case, the Portuguese sovereign debt crisis might have been prevented (or forestalled) by an EU bridge loan but no EU country was interested in a bilateral loan. The European Cental Bank might have averted a panic by quickly buying more Portuguese bonds.

When Portugal requested assistance from the EU on April 6th, it became the third country to do so, following Greece and Ireland. The European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund are also participating in the rescue, in the form of loans, for which the estimate is 80 billion euros ($118 billion) over three-years. What brought Portugal’s sovereign debt crisis a tipping point was an impasse in Parliament, reached when a much needed austerity package was voted down for the fourth time. The Socialist government of Prime Minister José Sócrates fell and an election was scheduled for June 5th.  But the Social Democrats, who are expected to head a new coalition, also accept the need for deficit-lowering budget cuts (13).

For Greece, Ireland, and now Portugal, aid in the form of bailouts is alarming because it can become a "debt trap." Tough terms, forcing a government to drastically cut spending, can make it impossible for a government to generate growth and so "the pile of debt gets bigger with every passing day" (14). If a country uses it own currency, it can escape by devaluing it. Members of the euro zone do not have this option.

UPDATE: Yesterday (May 3rd) Portugal agreed to an a plan, for aid amounting to 78 billion euros ($116 billion), with terms more favorable than expected (and less onerous than those imposed earlier on Greece and Ireland). Outgoing Prime Minister José Sócrates, pleased with the longer timetable for cutting the deficit, called it "a good deal that defends Portugal" (15). Opposition parties will have to endorse it, but since the terms are reasonable this should not be a problem. The European Union must also approve the plan, which will be discussed at the May 16^th meeting. The major obstacle will be Finland, Europe's roaring mouse.

During the bailout negotiations, a critical issue was whether the donors will allow Portugal to defer the targets being set for cutting its budget deficit. Such a deferral would mitigate the economic impact of the necessary austerity measures and, since drastic cuts in both Greece and Ireland have seriously damaged their economies, there are good reasons for agreeing to more lenient terms. In addition, it was feared that harsh terms, stimulating a flow of money out of the country, would lead to the "Zombie bank" phenomenon. This has already happened in Ireland, where investers are putting money in safer external banks because they suspect that the Irish government might suddenly secede from the euro zone (16).

Anxiety and resentments over member countries debts, deficits, and stagnant or shrinking economies will continue to plague the euro zone.  The governments of Greece and Ireland, although they have received bailouts, have almost no cash to spend in ways that would help to grow their economies. And there are large deficits and weak economies in several other euro zone countries, particularly Spain, Italy, and Belgium. As Tyler Cowen points out, "All the ways forward look ugly" (17). But choices must and will be made. Will those choices bring forth new growth, stagnation, or a new economic crisis? What’s at stake is the viability of the European Union.

Other Examples

Are there other recent or historic examples that fit the "mouse that roared" scenario? Finding these might be a challenging assignment for students in economics and history classes.

In the euro zone, the governments of Slovakia and Hungary are also critical of bailouts, both passed and pending. Exploring their positions would fit well with any discussion of the True Finns rejection of the Portugal plan.

A closely related topic would be the 2008 Irish referendum in which voters rejected the EU’s Lisbon Treaty, deemed critical for European integration. Since all 27 EU states had to ratify it–before it could be implemented–and Ireland was the only country where ratification depended on a public vote, Ireland’s voters had great leverage. When the Irish anti-EU faction roared, there was angst in Europe. But a second Irish referendum passed late in 2009 and the Treaty came into force on December 1, 2009 (18).

A 2009 editorial in the Washington Times identifes another credible example–this time from Central Asia (19). This region’s spinoff republics (formerly part of the Soviet Union) seem remote (to most Americans) but very occupy strategic positions. From an American perspective its geopolitics are tied closely to the Afghan war, extending southwards to Pakistan and India, but Russia and China are players, too. Kyrgyzstan is one of the regions’ spoorest countries. In 2009, when the Kyrgystan mouse roared, the big lion blinked. That lion was the US, stunned when the Kyrgyzstan government decided to close the US air base at Manas, from which the US was ferrying troops and supplies to Afghanistan. It was fairly obvious that Russia--concerned about American influence in its backyard-- was the instigator here, having just agreed to provide Kyrgyzstan with a $2 billion aid package. In subsequent negotiations the US agreed to pay a much higher rent and to call the base a "transit center" so it remained open. The Kyrgyzstan mouse, with some help from the Russian bear, got a very good deal.


ACTIVITIES

Some of these topics, such as the mock meeting, would be suitable post-AP exam projects (AP World History, Ap/European History, AP/Economics).

EXPLAIN how a parliamentary system works and why Finland’s political parties must now form a new coalition.

RESEARCH: Can you think of other mice that have roared recently? How about historical examples?

SHOW the video "Portugal Seeks E.U. Bailout" (only 2:15 mins.) to introduce the bailout topic and its importance in the larger context of the European debt crisis. Then READ/DISCUSS Erlanger’s article about "Europe’s ‘Debt Trap.’" Why are economists pessimistic about the ability of Europe’s weaker countries to grow their economies? What does Erlanger mean when he says "We have a banking crisis interwoven with a sovereign debt crisis"?

READ/DISCUSS: Students read Cowen’s article about "Zombie banks." ASK: Why does Cowen think creating the euro was a mistake? Does he make points that Finnish voters
　
DISCUSS news articles that link Finland’s recent election results, the Portugal bailout negotiations, and the implications of both for the well-being of the euro zone.  EXPAND the this discussion by asking students to imagine how Finnish voters from different parties might respond to views of Erlanger, Cowen, and/or Fishman in their respective articles.

GEOGRAPHY of European Debt: Send students to "Debt Rising in Europe" to do map work or answer questions based on this set of interactive maps (see Resources). Begin by having students use Map 1 to make two lists: 1) EU countries in euro zone; 2) EU countries not in the euro zone.

RESEARCH: Students (individually or in small groups) research the economic health of countries that are key players in the European debt crisis, their policy options with respect to bailouts, include the option of remaining or exiting the euro zone. Then hold a mock meeting of the European Commission in Brussels, with students representing different countries, to discuss policy issues and options.


RESOURCES: FINLAND

Helsingin Sanomat-- International Edition: http://www.hs.fi/english/

• Short, easy to read news articles–in English
• Archive is excellent resource for all kinds of information about Finland!
• Click "Old Archive" and go back to 2000, then "Old Daily Archive to go back to September 14, 1999

"True Finns Reject Portugal Bailout." Helsingin Sanomat (May 3, 2011):
http://www.hs.fi/english/article/True+Finns+reject+Portugal+bailout+/1135265848625

"Poll: Portugal Bailout Splits Finns." Helsingin Sanomat (May 3, 2011):
http://www.hs.fi/english/article/Poll+Portugal+bailout+splits+Finns/1135265848718
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-13107620

"Truly Amazing." The Economist (April 18, 2011): http://www.economist.com/blogs/newsbook/2011/04/finlands_election

"A Suomi Shake-Up." The Economist (April 20, 2011): http://www.economist.com/node/18587287

"Eurosceptic Parties Make Gains in Finland." news24 (April 18, 2011):
http://www.news24.com/World/News/Eurosceptic-parties-make-gains-in-Finland-20110418#

"Finland Leads Rise of the Fair Right Across the EU."
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/economics/8458477/Finland-leads-rise-of-the-far-right-across-the-EU.html

• Recommended for its SIX links to other articles about the European debt crisis
• Link to blog of Carl Bildt (Sweden’s foreign minister)

Daley, Suzanne and James Kanter. "Finland’s Turn to the Right Sends Shivers Through Euro Zone." New York Times (April 21, 2011): http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/22/world/europe/22finland.html?ref=europeansovereigndebtcrisis

FEATURE FILM DVD: "The Mouse That Roared." (Walter Shenson; Jack Arnold; Roger MacDougall; Stanley Mann; Peter Sellers). Culver City, CA: Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment, 2002, 2003. (Also check the Internet Movie Database: http://www.imdb.com)


RESOURCES: EURO ZONE AND THE PORTUGAL BAILOUT

European Commission: Home: http://ec.europa.eu/
English Welcome: http://ec.europa.eu/index_en.htm

International Monetary Fund: http://www.imf.org

European Center for International Political Economy: http://www.ecipe.org/

Times Topics: Euro: http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/subjects/c/currency/euro/index.html?scp=3&sq=cowen%20euro%20vs%20invasion%20zombie&st=cse

Times Topics: European Sovereign Debt Crisis (2010-)
http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/subjects/e/european_sovereign_debt_crisis/index.html?scp=2&sq=cowen%20zombie%20banks&st=cse

VIDEO: "Portugal Seeks E.U. Bailout." Reuters Business (2:15 mins). New York Times (April 7, 2011): http://video.nytimes.com/video/2011/04/07/business/100000000763313/portugal-seeks-eu-bailout.html?scp=2&sq=portugal%20bailout&st=cse

NYT INTERACTIVE: "Debt Rising in Europe." New York Times (December 20, 2011):
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2010/04/06/business/global/european-debt-map.html?ref=global-home

Erlanger, Steven.  "In Portugal Crisis, Worries on Europe’s ‘Debt Trap,’" New York Times (April 8): http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/09/world/europe/09portugal.html?scp=1&sq=erlanger%20debt%20trap&st=cse

Minder, Raphael. "Bailout for Portugal Will Put Politicans in a Vise." New York Times (April 10, 2011): http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/11/business/global/11iht-bailout11.html?scp=2&sq=minder%20bailout%20vise&st=cse

Cowen, Tyler. "Euro vs. Invasion of the Zombie Banks." New York Times (April 16, 2011): http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/17/business/17view.html?scp=1&sq=cowen%20zombie%20banks&st=cse

Armitstead, Louise.  "Finland Leads Rise of the Far Right Across the EU."  The Telegraph (April 18, 2011):

"Bailout May Ease Portugal Budget Targets, No Consensus Yet." Reuters (May 2, 2011):
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/05/02/portugal-bailout-idUSLDE7410U420110502

Shorto, Russell. " Marine Le Pen, France’s (Kinder, Gentler) Extremist."
New York Times Magazine (May 1, 2011): http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/01/magazine/mag-01LePen-t.html?scp=2&sq=shorto%20russell&st=cse:

NOTES

1) Fredrik Erixon, director of the European Center for International Political Economy, as quote in Suzanne Daley and James Kanter, "Finland’s Turn to Right Sends Shivers" (April 21, 2011): see Resources.

2) Jan Sunderland (University of Helsink), as quoted in Louise Armitstead, "Finland Leads Rise of the Far Right," Telegraph (April 18, 2011): see Resources. Confirmed by the observation that it is "a watershed moment in Finnish politics" (news24). To make this post more accessible to students (who might be overwhelmed by too many names) I refer to political parties rather than their leaders. Timo Soini, head of the True Finns, is described as charismatic and fairly moderate relative to others in the party.

3) Quoted in news24 (April 18, 2011): see Resources.

4) "True Finns Reject Portugal Bailout," Helsingin Sanomat (May 3, 2011): see Resources.

5) "Political Situation in Finland Problematic for EU," Helsingin Sanomat (May 3, 2011):
http://www.hs.fi/english/article/Political+situation+in+Finland+problematic+for+EU/1135265848913

6) Terhi Kinnunen, "Finland PM-Elect Says 5 Days to Decide On Portugal," Reuters (April 29, 2011): See "Poll: Portugal Bailout Splits Finns," Helsingin Sanomat (May 3, 2011): see Resources.

7) Leonard Wibberley, The Mouse That Roared (Boston: Little, Brown, 1955). Used paperback editions are still widely available. Translated into Korean (2005, 2010 editions) and Romanian (2009) according to information at www.worldcat.org. DVD of the 1959 movie (see Resources). Also check public libraries for older VHS videotapes (early 1990s). Christopher Segal, The Mouse That Roared (1963), a stage adaptation of the original novel, appears in searches and bibliographies.

8) See news24 (April 18, 2011); also Armitstead, Telegraph (April 18, 2011); see Resources

9) See news24 (note 3).

10) See Historylynx post, "Birther Bigotry–in American and Ivory Coast" (April 29, 2011). Also based on reading online comments, especially on Armitstead, Telegraph (April 18, 2011).

11) Armitstead, Telegraph (April 18, 2011); Daley and Kanter, "Finland’s Trun to Right," New York Times (April 21, 2011); Russell Shorto, " Marine Le Pen, France’s (Kinder, Gentler) Extremist," New York Times Magazine (May 1, 2011); see Resources.

12) For comparative data, based on 2009 figures, see "Debt Rising in Europe" (esp. Maps 2, 5, 6), New York Times (December 20, 2010): see NYT INTERACTIVE in Resources. Steven Erlanger, "In Portugal Crisis, Worries on Europe’s ‘Debt Trap,’" New York Times (April 8); Robert Fishman, "Portugal’s Unnecessary Bailout," New York Times (April 12, 2011); also David R. Cameron’s letter-to-the-editor rejoinder to Fishman, New York Times (April 18, 2011): http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/19/opinion/l19portugal.html?ref=europeansovereigndebtcrisis; see Resources

13) Raphael Minder, "Bailout for Portugal," New York Times (April 10, 2011):http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/11/business/global/11iht-bailout11.html?scp=13&sq=minder%20portugal&st=cse

14) Erlanger (see note 12).

15) Raphael Minder, "Portugal Agrees to a $116 Billion Bailout," New York Times (May 3, 2011):

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/04/business/global/04portugal.html?scp=1&sq=minder%20portugal&st=cse

16) Tyler Cowen, "Euro vs. Invasion of the Zombie Banks," New York Times (April 16, 2011); see Resources.

17) See note 16).

18) Tom Peterkin, "EU Referendum: Ireland Rejects Lisbon Treaty," Telegraph (June 2008, 2010): http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/2122654/EU-referendum-Ireland-rejects-Lisbon-Treaty.html

19) "Editorial: The Mouse That Roared," Washington Times (February 11, 2009): http://www.washingtontime.com/news/2009/fed/11/the-mouse-that-roared;  "In Reversal, Kyrgyzstan Won't Close a U.S. Base," New York Times (June 23, 2009):
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/24/world/asia/24base.html?ref=transitcenteratmanaskyrgyzstan

Birther Bigotry--in America and Ivory Coast

(This post is longer and more opinionated than usual. I couldn’t resist the temptation to expose Birtherism for what it is–a tactic born of bigotry rather than a genuine concern for authenticity. It surely appeals to xenophobic and racist residues in corners of the American psyche. Yet, it is insightful to examine similar forms of bigotry in other societies, where such bigotry also intrudes and taints politics.  I'm still working on the Resources and Notes sections.)

INTRODUCTION

Birtherism in American political discourse is not unlike debates about who is or is not a citizen in Ivory Coast or other countries where citizenship is contested. This discourse draws on deep-seated ideas about who really "belongs" and thus serves to label those who may--or may not--play the game of politics. Of course, defining the criteria of citizenship is an essential element of any political community, pre-dating formal, written constitutions.

Citizenship is always and everywhere a construct. People define and construct citizenship to meet their needs in a particular setting. They set out criteria that must be met and list the rights and responsibilities of citizens. Who are these people? It depends. It depends on wielding power (even in a democracy, for the wishes of the majority require the ability to enforce–no enforcement, mere words on paper). Citizenship may be constructed inclusively, by casting a wide net; or exclusively, by tossing some residents out of the net.

Both the US and Cote d’Ivoire have substantial immigrant and migrant communities. In America, legal immigrants may follow a well-defined road to citizenship, but the undocumented, even those brought here as minors, face deportation. The American electorate’s interest in immigration policy is often focused on access to jobs for citizens versus non-citizens. In Africa discussion often revolves around access to land–as well as jobs. In both the US and Ivory Coast the label "not a citizen" excludes those so labeled from voting and from holding political office. And in both countries the issue has impinged on those aspiring to the presidency.

Birthers in American Politics

The 2012 election cycle began in the US as soon as the polls closed on election day last November. In the field of dreams that Republicans are running in, it behooves a potential presidential candidate to stand out from the crowd. So along came real estate tycoon Donald Trump, tooting a tune he hoped would inspire a host of "birthers" to jump on his bandwagon. It’s a tune borrowed from the 2008 campaign–when anti-Obama activists claimed that Barack Obama was not born in the US–another way of saying he was not eligible to serve as president. This was the beginning of the Birther movement.

Trump’s strategy worked. A recent poll by Public Policy Polling Gallup puts him at the head of the parade of possible Republican candidates, with an especially strong showing of 37% among self-identified Birthers (1). On Wednesday, he was in New Hampshire testing the waters when President Obama announced the release of the long form of his birth certificate. Naturally, Trump kept tooting, taking all the credit for pushing the president into doing so: "I’m very proud of myself because I’ve accomplished something nobody else has been able to accomplish" (2).

What's this all about?

The US constitution states clearly that only a natural-born citizen may serve as president. Early in the 2008 campaign questions were raised about the eligibility of both candidates and certainly there was nothing improper about asking and verifying. For John McCain, born in the Panama Canal Zone, this was settled quite readily. For Obama, born in Hawaii, it became a cause cél bre among right-wing conspiracy theorists. The Obama campaign had posted his Certification of Live Birth (a copy certified by the State of Hawaii) on its web site, but the birthers questioned its authenticity. Even after meticulous investigations by reliable fact-checkers, the birthers kept repeating that it was a fraud (3). They demanded that Obama release the longer document, the one signed by his mother and the attending physician at the hospital. In Hawaii this document is retained by the Department of Health, which does not normally issue copies to anyone.

So, an issue settled for nearly everyone BEFORE election day in 2008 did not go away. But it did recede into the background--until Trump decided to revive it. Trump was planning to send his own sleuths to Hawaii since he preferred to ignore what sleuthing parties had discovered there in 2008. He also relied on the evidence of a telephone interview with Obama’s Kenyan grandmother (actually a co-wife of his deceased biological grandmother), an elderly woman who stated emphatically that "he was born in Hawaii, the state of Hawaii, where his father was also learning there" (4). Now he’s indicated he’ll go after Obama’s academic credentials and transcripts.

Will the release of the long form put an end to birtherism? According to a Fox News Poll conducted earlier this month, about one-quarter of all voters and one-third of Republicans believe that President Obama was not born in the US. A Washington/ABC poll obtained different results–with only 10% of respondents admitting to suspicions about Obama’s place of birth. It seems likely, however, that a cohort of die-hard birthers will remain unconvinced. (5)

Why Birtherism?

Where did this notion come from? As the Democratic primary season intensified in 2008, a faction of Hillary Clinton’s supporters began kicking around (in e-mail exchanges) doubts about Obama’s citizenship. When these got out, they were picked up by conspiracy theorists on the right, but Jim Geraghty, a conservative blogging at the National Review, refuted them and asked Obama to release his birth certificate. After the certificate was posted in June 2008, however, it failed to satisfy those who simply rejected it as a forgery (6).

During the 2008 campaign the anti-Obama crowd, searching for a way to undermine his candidacy, left no stone unturned. They alleged that Barack Hussein Obama was not a natural-born citizen and made other false allegations, such as insisting that he was a Muslim. For a certain portion of the electorate the possibility that Obama might become president was an anathema. If they could instill the notion that he was not a "real" American, perhaps they could prevent that from happening. More reecently, a major peddler of the birther doctrine has been Jerome Corsi, whose new book, Where’s the Birth Certificate?, is coming out in May (7).

Intensity of belief in the Birther doctrine varies–and so do the types of people who are drawn to it. That said, Trump was astute enough to see that Birtherism would attract Tea Partiers and hard-right Republicans–the kind of voters who turn out disproportionately during the caucus and primary season in certain key states (e.g. Iowa). Trump, speaking before Obama released the long form, claimed that "People love this issue especially in the Republican Party" (8). Moreover, several states were working on legislation requiring candidates to verify their citizenship–by providing a birth certificate or acceptable substitute document (9).

As President Obama pointed out on Wednesday, the "silliness" of Birtherism is a diversion, channeling attention away from America’s real problems. For a couple of weeks the Republican establishment has been making a similar argument–that birtherism draws interest away from core issues, like the budget and deficit. Mitt Romney, who believing that Obama had passed the citizenship test, clearly wanted to focus on the economy (10). However, for far-right ideologues getting angry voters riled up over an allegedly fraudulent birth certificate is a safe tactic, a welcome diversion. They don’t want the unemployed, for example, to think too much about why the economic recovery is so slow or why there are corporations that do not pay any taxes.

What the Birthers did was to create a proxy, a stand-in for the fears that some Americans have about people different from themselves. Obama, the son of a white woman and a African man (who was not a citizen, not even an immigrant), was an exotic individual. His full name was very strange and so his detractors repeated it constantly; his middle name was recognizably Muslim though he claimed to be a Christian. Opportunistically, Trump pandered to these xenophobic and racist undercurrents. Though Trump presents himself as a tolerant fellow, he has referred to African Americans as "the blacks"–as if they are a homogenous group (11).

It’s sad but true, the playing field of American politics is full of operatives without any code of ethics whatsoever. There are plenty of ideologues, ready and willing to make patently false claims--if doing so serves their interests. These operatives attract the "fact-free" crowd. (Ironically, so-called conservatives will blather on about the moral decrepitude of post-modernism, yet feel no obligation whatsoever to consider "facts" when the facts refute their argument.) This FACT-FREE-ism means that no one will ever convince the true-blue "Obama-haters" that Obama is indeed a natural-born American.  For them Corsi’s word is inerrant, infallible, as good-as-scripture. And they are open to the wildest of conspiracy theories when trying to explain away whatever doesn’t fit their entrenched views. A few might go as far as asserting that Obama’s grandparents, with clairvoyant foresight, must have planted his birth announcement in a Honolulu newspaper in 1961 so that when he ran for president he could say that he was born there!

What lies behind Birtherism is a crude form of bigotry. Labeling a politician "not a natural-born American" is code for "not sufficiently American" or even "unAmerican". Aside from that, racists can be found in the ranks of the Birthers. If you doubt that, take a look at the Orange County (California) Republican mailing in which Obama’s face was surimposed on a chimpanzee or signs that have appeared at Tea Party rallies (12). And remember, perceptions count in politics.  So, regardless of whether racism is a factor, if Latinos and African Americans view Birther allegations as racist, Trump’s trumpeting has surely alienated them. In Al Sharpton’s words: "A lot of people see it as racism. Even when you achieve what people felt was unachievable, you still have to prove you are qualified. That’s how a lot of us read it" (13). 

So, how many Americans consider Trump a serious candidate? Isn’t this just another Trump publicity stunt? According to a recent poll, 60% of Republicans don’t think he’s serious about running. Last week Karl Rove, not exactly an un-ideologue himself, called him "a joke candidate". And here’s the kicker, even Michele Bachman is convinced that Obama was born in Hawaii. Nevertheless, while Trump’s critics were worrying that his birther position was turning off swing voters and giving ammunition to the Democrats, Sarah decided to toot right along with him (14).

Birthers in Ivory Coast

Since 2002 the people of Ivory Coast have experienced intermittent political conflict and violence. Now, after weeks of political tension, followed by a short civil war, President Alassane Outtara must gain control over the six militias that, on his behalf, ousted former President Laurent Gbagbo (on April 11, 2011). Almost immediately an old feud between two politically ambitious warlords--Ibrahim Coulibaly and Guillaume Soro–re-emerged as a flashpoint. Although President Ouattara had ordered the militias back to their barracks, he had also decided that Soro’s troops would form the core of a new national army.

Coulibaly died in Abidjan on Wednesday night. Ouattara had been expecting him to come to his headquarters--to pledge his loyalty–but Coulibaly told reporters that Soro’s forces were preventing him moving safely within Abidjan. Now Soro is claiming that his rival committed suicide. The evidence, photographs of a badly beaten Coulibaly, suggests that he was beaten and then shot–an apparent assassination. On Wednesday UN peacekeepers had been sent to disarm Coulibaly, but when he refused they left. Later, Coulibaly’s stronghold was attacked by Soro’s forces. Given Coulibaly’s history of plotting coups (a successful one in 1999), it is not surprising that Soro would view him as a threat. Also, Soro may have perceived (correctly) that Ouattara was them off against each other. (15)

The situation remains extremely tense. How will Coulibaly’s passionate supporters in Abobo (a suburb of Abidjan, home to many civilian protesters against the Gbagbo regime) react to the loss of their hero? Will Ouattara cease to trust Soro? Will other feuds break out to test Ouattara’s presidency?

The news is somewhat better on the economic front. As soon as Gbagbo was gone, France and the European Union pledged $840 million in aid to restart the economy. With banks about to re-open, with sanctions lifted so that exports of cocoa may resume, the economy should start growing again in the second half of 2011, and possibly rise to a 6% growth rate by the end of 2012 (16). There are no guarantees, however.  High expectations, combined with instability if Ouattara is unable to manage the militias, could put the recovery at risk.

In the background is the lingering suspicion that President Ouattara is a political interloper--despite being the internationally recognized winner of last November election. In the past Ouattara’s political rivals, in addition to pointing the many years that he spent working outside the country, have alleged that his ancestry is insufficiently Ivorian. The extent to which this old allegation might complicate Ivorian politics going forward is uncertain. If people become disillusioned with Ouattara–especially if the economic recovery stalls–the ideology of Ivoirite might rear its ugly head once again. Dissidents or opportunists seeking to discredit Ouattara might try to resuscitate Ivoirian "Birtherism" (just as Trump has revived its American counterpart).

The Politics of Citizenship

Alassane Ouattara says that he was born in Dimbokro, Ivory Coast on January 1, 1942 (17). But his father, as a civil servant in the French colonial administration, was assigned to a post in Upper Volta (now Burkina Faso), and so Ouattara’s upbringing has cast a non-Ivorian shadow. As as a young man Ouattara participated in scholarship program in which he was classified as Burkinabe rather than Ivorian. He is also said to have had a Burkinabe passport (18). Yet, none of this personal history prevented President Houphouet-Boigny from appointing him prime minister in the early 1990s.

The matter of Ouattara’s citizenship became an issue in the aftermath of the first multi-party elections in 1990, followed by the death in 1993 of the President Houphouet-Boigny (the country’s first president). As politics became more and more contentious, three nodes of party-based power emerged. What had been Houphouet-Boigny’s party split into two factions: one led by President Bedie,, the other by leaders who asked Ouattara to be their candidate in the next election. The third party was that of Laurent Gbagbo.

As Abu Bakarr Bah points out, conflict in Cote d’Ivoire since the mid-1990s has swirled around "contested citizenship claims" (19). To understand how this came about it is necessary to explore the setting in which different ideas about citizenship evolved. In Cote d’Ivoire that setting includes the French colonial period, the nationalist movement, and the thirty-three year presidency of Houphouet-Boigny–as well as the politics of the recent past.

In most African societies, despite much mingling and mixing of populations across ethnic and linguistic lines in the past, "belonging" is not simply a matter of having been born at a particular place. When it comes to feet on the ground, certain families belong to a place more than others because accorded a special status as "owners of the land." In precolonial times families of high status may have had oral traditions recalling how their ancestors had travel from one place to another, where they settled among those already living there. Yet, even where the newcomers dominated politically, they often recognized the ritual authority of those claiming descent from the land’s earliest inhabitants. Lately, a growing sense of autochthony, translated into modern settings where immigrants and refugees are a significant proportion of the population, has been receiving scholarly attention (20).

French colonialism, with its emphasis on assimilation (for a few), divided the indigenous peoples of its colonies into citizens and subjects. Since most Ivorians were subjects, nationalism may be analyzed as a movement to claim (reclaim) citizenship (21). When nationalist leaders tried to assert overarching national identities, they were often frustrated by persistent local identities. In Cote d’Ivoire, where immigrants make up about a quarter of the total population, an Ivoirian resident may be an immigrant but share an ethnic identity with non-immigrants. The result is a politicization of citizenship, which becomes "a struggle to assert local roots in political and social matters, and exclude outsiders" (22).

Bah sees a very negative legacy in Houphouet-Boigny’s "fuzzy citizenship policies," which had allowed immigrants to pass for Ivorians and thus participate in politics. This made any attempt to exclude them a source of resentment and anxiety. The situation was further complicated by migration within the country and the flow of people from rural areas to the cities. These migrants were often only loosely tied to their ancestral villages. Of course, many elderly people had no proper documents at all.

President Bedie, who desperately wanted to retain power, regardless of the cost, began promoting Ivoirite, a highly divisive doctrine. Bedie and his party claimed that only those born in the country, whose parents were also born there, were real Ivoirians. This definition of citizenship favored southerners at the expense of northerners because the latter were susceptible to being identified as migrants, due to ethnic and religious ties (northerners, like many migrants, were Muslims). It became the basis of laws passed in 1994 and its criteria of citizenship were adopted in the 2000 Constitution, which was designed intentionally to exclude Ouattara from the office of president. Stubbornly, Ouattara maintained that he was Ivorian, born in the north, to parents who were also Ivoirian.

Like the Tea Party activists in the US, the propagators of Ivoirite saw themselves as genuine patriots. But northerners greatly resented Ivoirite’s "anti-foreign" rhetoric and, with some justification, viewed it as a code for what was obviously an anti-immigrant and anti-northern agenda. Many northerners found it difficult to obtain the necessary certificates of nationality because they could not back up their claims with "a statement of origin issued by a committee from their village of origin" (Bah). For Ivorians needing to prove citizenship it was more difficult to obtaining the required documents than it was for Obama (who did, however, need a waiver from the State of Hawaii to secure the release his long form birth certificate).

Northerners grievances, political rivalries, and the aftmath of the 1999 coup ushered in a period of conflict in Cote d’Ivoire. Guillaume Soro, explaining why he became a rebel, emphasized the xenophobic character of Ivoirite (23). International efforts to bring the warring factions to the negotiating table did lead to a series of agreements but did little to resolve the central issue, determining the criteria of citizenship.

Finally, in 2007 the Ouagadougou Agreement addressed the question of how those Ivorians who did not have proper documents could obtain certificates enabling them to receive national identity cards. It set up a system of mobile courts to issue substitute birth certificates to those whose births had not been registered. An individual could go to a hearing at his or her place of birth (when the mobile court was in session there) to seek confirmation from the community. Otherwise, the Agreement recognized an existing nationality law whereby a citizen was any person with at least one Ivorian parent; a person born in Cote d’Ivoire to unknown parents could also claim citizenship. There would be no special criteria pertaining only to presidential candidates. Since Ouattara met the general criteria, he could be a candidate in the forthcoming election (though President Gbagbo delayed the election until late in 2010).

Reconciliation and Democracy in Cote d’Ivoire



It is easy for pundits to say that reconciliation should be President Ouattara’s priority. That he thinks it is important is beyond doubt (one need only listen to his speeches). But national re-integration won’t be easy given the violence of the last few weeks and festering reports of abuses by militiamen. Astutely, Ouattara has pledged to investigate any atrocities, regardless of whose side the perpetrators were fighting on (24).

Alassane Ouattara, having acceded to the presidency to which he was duly elected, must now govern as the president of all the people, yet he will have to balance the interests of northerners with those of southerners. In addition he will have to contend with long-standing ethnic and religious differences–and with the ethnic and religious similarities that connect Ivoirians with the migrants who live among them. As a Muslim and a northerner, he will have to convince skeptical Christians and southerners that he is acting in the best interests of all Ivoirians.

Legally and constitutionally, Ouattara has a ready-made foundation for nurturing democratic institutions in the Ouagadougou Agreement. Its implentation set the stage for last November’s election. Ouattara will be inaugurated on May 21^st and the political process will go forward. The prospects for a democratic outcome will depend largely on the ability of the people of Cote d’Ivoire to imagine themselves as belonging to an inclusive (albeit diverse) nation-state.

RESPONSIBILITY OF TEACHERS

Social studies teachers in the US are too often intimidated into ignoring issues that, if they could only bring them up, would breathe life into lethargic classes. Devising ways of teaching how to think critically–about issues that matter, controversies that consume us–about lies that politicians may be tell us–is a risky part of the job.

One strategy is to put an issue into a much broader perspective (then narrowing that perspective as time and other factors permit). Begin by signaling that the more inclusive topic is citizenship. Affirm that deciding who is or is not a citizen is not only a legitimate task, but a necessary one in a democracy. Introduce the conflict in Ivory Coast over the last decade as an example of what can happen when citizenship criteria are unclear or discriminatory. Also acknowledge the OK-ness of "the need to verify" (after all, verification builds trust in the long run).

If you wish to continue with a deeper treatment of the Birther movement, I recommend starting with the resources available at the Politifact and FactCheck web sites. Another good place to begin is Jonathan Capehart’s Washington Post blog (go to the Blog section, click on "Post-Partisan," search "capehart trump") because his posts contain lots of links and embedded video. Talk about how investigators have examined the documents and found them authentic. Discuss the need to evaluate not only the evidence but the arguments based on it. Explain why it is prudent to consider the probability of any convoluted conspiracy theory. Point out that since no one can verify personally each and every relevant fact about every contentious issue, we all rely on experts. Therefore, it is important to vet and evaluate the people whose expertise we trust. And, in the Info Age it is very important to ascertain the reliability of sources available on the Web.

ACTIVITIES

DISCUSS: In CIVICS/GOVERNMENT class talk about why any nation’s constitution needs to state very clearly who may claim citizenship. What criteria are often used to define citizenship? How does the US constitution define it? ASK: Should citizens (in our country, in any country) be put into different categories (such as natural-born citizens, naturalized citizens, or dual citizens)?

ASK: In a democracy should any citizen be permitted to run for any political office?

RESEARCH: Why did framers of the US constitution decide to limit the presidency to only "natural-born" citizens?

READ news a article reporting on Republican politicians who have repudiated Birtherism. DISCUSS why they have taken this position. Then ASK why some Americans of voting-age do not believe that President Obama was born in the USA and is therefore a "natural-born American citizen."

WORLD HISTORY or COMPARATIVE GOVERNMENT class: Discuss how colonialism and the ideology of nationalist movements shaped constitutions in place at the time of independence in Africa (or India, Indonesia, Cambodia, Surinam).

GEOGRAPHY: Locate birthplaces of Obama (Honolulu) and Ouattara (Dimbokro, Ivory Coast). Younger students: find Hawaii and Ivory Coast on classroom globe.

　

US RESOURCES

"Born in the U.S.A." FactCheck.org (August 21, 2008; update November 1, 2008): http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/born_in_the_usa.html

"Birthers Not Persuaded by Cetrificate of Live Birth." Politifact (April 29, 2011): http://politifact.com/truth-o-meter/article/2011/apr/27/birthers-obama-certificate-live-birth/

• How die-hard birthers are questioning the long form certificate
• Links to 7 previous discussions/ratings of birther claims

Serwer, Adam. Birther Lexicon: http://prospect.org/csnc/adam_serwer_archive

Wallsten, Peter and Krissah Thompson. "Top Republicans Try to Scotch Birther Theories." Washington Post (April 19, 2011):

Capehart, Jonathan. "Trump’s Disgusting, Dangerous Dance with Birthers." Post-Partisan [blog]. Washington Post (April 7, 2011):

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-partisan/post/trumps-disgusting-dangerous-dance-with-birthers/2011/03/04/AFB83ZvC_blog.html

• Link to full audio tape of interview with Sarah Obama (the president’s Kenyan "grandmother"); links to Alex Koppleman’s two Salon posts, refuting birther claims derived from this interview
• Includes image of the "Certification of Live Birth"

Capehart, Jonathan. "Going Ape Over Racist Depiction of Obama." Post-Partisan [blog]. Washington Post (April 19, 2011): http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-partisan/post/going-ape-over-racist-depiction-of-obama/2011/03/04/AFvrOs5D_blog.html

Remnick, David. "Trump, Birtherism, and Race-Baiting." New Yorker (April 27, 2011).

Shear, Michael D. "Obama Shows Birth Certificate, Citing Silliness," New York Times (April 27, 2011);

Vogel, Kenneth. "Wild Theories of ‘Obama Nation’ Author." Politico (August 13, 2008):

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0808/12526.html

IVORY COAST RESOURCES

Facebook: Alassane Ouattara: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Alassane-D-Ouattara/27643460621?v=photos#!/pages/Alassane-D-Ouattara/27643460621?sk=info

"Timeline." Euronews: http://www.euronews.net/2011/04/04/a-timeline-of-main-events-in-ivory-coast-since-the-presidential-election/

　

Bah, Abu Bakarr.  "Democracy and Civil War: Citizenship and Peacemaking in Cote D'Ivoire."  African Affairs 109/437 (2010): 597-615.

Geschiere, Peter, and Stephen Jackson.  "Authochthony and the Crisis of Citizenship: Democratization, Decentralization, and the Politics of Belongong."  African Studies Review 49 (2006): 1-7.  Abstract (only):

Marshall-Fratani, Ruth. "The War of "Who Is Who": Authochtony, Nationalism, and Citizenship in the Ivorian Crisis." ASR 49/2 (2006): 9-43.

"Ivorian Warlord’s Death: Suicide or Assassination? AP (April 29, 2011).

NOTES

1) Public Policy Polling: reported by Jonathan Capehart, "Going Ape Over Racist Depiction of Obama," Washington Post (April 19, 2011);

PPP press release (with details/analysis): http://www.publicpolicypolling.com/pdf/PPP_Release_US_0414925.pdf

2) Jeff Zeleny, "On Trail Trump Basks in Spotlight" New York Times (April 27, 2011):

3) Obama’s birth in Honolulu was confirmed by the Department of Health, State of Hawaii, and verified by the Registrar of Vital Statistics. See Resources for "Born in the U.S.A." FactCheck.org (August 21, 2008; update November 1, 2008); "Birthers Not Persuaded by Cetrificate of Live Birth." Politifact (April 29, 2011). 

4) See Jonathan Capehart, "Trump’s Disgusting, Dangerous Dance with Birthers," Washington Post (in Resources); includes links to Koppelman’s Salon posts, revealing how the tape has been misused and manipulated by the birthers.

5) For earlier polls see Capehart, "Trump’s Disgusting, Dangerous Dance" (note 4).

6) Ben Smith and Byron Tau, "Birtherism: Where It All Began," Politico (April 22, 2011); a very concise overview of how the Birther movement evolved.

7) Corsi, notorious for spouting invective and inventing conspiracy theories, was a co-author of Unfit for Command, the 2004 Swift boat attack on John Kerry. In 2008 he wrote The Obama Nation, a much disputed battering of Obama, but did not mention the birther conspiracy. See "MMFA Investigates: Who Is Jerome Corsi, Co-Author of Swift Boat Vets Attack Book?" Media Matters for America (August 6, 2004): http://mediamatters.org/research/200408060010; and Kenneth Vogel, "Wild Theories of ‘Obama Nation’ Author." Politico (August 13, 2008): http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0808/12526.html

8) As quoted ...

　

9) "Birther Bill Backers: Release Overdue." Politico (April 27, 2011):

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0411/53812.html. Gov. Bobby Jindal (Louisiana) has stated that he would sign bill addressing both age and citizenship and applying to all federal candidates. Recently, Governor Jan Brewer (Arizona) vetoed a bill requiring presidential candidates to prove eligibility by submitting a birth certificate or specified substitutes.

10) Michael D. Shear, "Obama Shows Birth Certificate, Citing Silliness," New York Times (see Resources); Peter Wallsten and Krissah Thompson, "Top Republicans Try to Scotch Birther Theories," Washington Post (see Resources). Rommney, a former governor of Massachusetts, ran in the Repubican primaries in 2008; see Politico: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0411/53073.

11) Eugene Robinson, "Donald Trump as GOP Hopeful: Take Him Seriously." Washington Post (April 18, 2011):

12) Jonathan Capehart, "Going Ape Over Racist Depiction of Obama." Washington Post (April 19, 2011).  Includes a copy of the image.

13) As quoted ...

14) Jim Rutenberg, "Poll Finds Lack of Passion for ‘12 Republican Field," New York Times (April 22, 2011). Rove ... Bachman, on ABC’s "Good Morning America" program, reported in "The Caucus," New York Times (April 20, 2011). For Palin see video clip embedded in Jonathan Capehart, "Palin Joins Trump’s Birther Madness," Post-Partisan, Washington Post (April11, 2011):

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-partisan/post/palin-joins-trumps-birther-madness/2011/03/04/AFip4xLD_blog.html.

15) "Ivorian Warlord ‘Beaten, the Shot,’" UKAP (April 29, 2011); "Ivorian Warlord’s Death: Suicide or Assassination? AP (April 29, 2011). See the second of these for background about the Coulibaly/Soro rivalry. In January Coulibaly began attacking Gbago’s forces–when Ouattara was still reluctant to use force. This suggests that Coulibaly saw himself as having leverage with Ouattara (but also explains the move by Soro against him).

16) Katrina Monson, "Ivory Coast: Prospects Amid Strife," Financial Times (April 28, 2011): http://blogs.ft.com/beyond-brics/2011/04/28/ivory-coast-prospects-amid-strife/

Ange Aboa and Loucoumane Coulibaly, "Ivory Coast Cocoa Trade, Banking Poised to Restart," Reuters (April 26, 2011):

17) As reported on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Alassane-d-Ouattara

18) Krieger/Crahan [Google], 180:

19) Abu Bakarr Bah, "Democracy and Civil War" (see Resources). An excellent academic resource that has enhanced my understanding of recent Ivoirian history and politics (and from which I have drawn material for this post).

20) See the African Studies Review 49 (2006), esp. Ruth Marshall-Fratani, "The War of "Who Is Who": Authochtony, Nationalism, and Citizenship in the Ivorian Crisis" (pp. 9-43).

21) Mahmood Mamdani, Citizen and Subject: Contemporary African and the Legacy of Colonialism (Princeton University Press, 1996).

22) Geschiere quote

23) As reported in Bah, "Democracy and Civil War," p. 604, footnote 34.

　

24) "Alassane Ouattarar’s Presidential Claims Overshadowed by Ivory Coast Mass Killings," Reuters. Access at http://huffingtonpost.com/2011/04/08 ...