6/3/06

Perplexed by the Ivory Coast clip for the world cup

This video clip frustrates me. On one hand, It celebrates events I can only be cheerful for: peace for a country ( Cote d'Ivoire) where I lived for awhile, the world cup of course with the voice of Bono in the background and a reminder for the one.org cause. The music is even judiciously picked (U2's classic: where the streets have no name). Ivory coast on the front scene, World cup, U2.....So I am happy, right? Not quite.
The message of the video is that thanks to the world cup, Ivory coast managed to broker a truce between the North and South feuding factions to support the national team...Huuum, I am all in favor of hyping up all-things-sports but isn't there something very wrong that in 3 years, only the world cup can bring peace in this embattled region ? There was no better reason than soccer to try to find a way to stop killing each other ? Other reasons such as...I don't know...increased orphans, dipping economy, human lives lost...you know...details.
This truce for World cup means either that the two opposite factions did not find any reasons to try harder until the mighty ball is rolling or that a soccer game is so important that it negates all what they were fighting for in the 1st place.....I am not sure which case is less idiotic....either way it does not picture the men in charge in Ivory Coast in a very flattering way. And we wonder why 1) outsiders don't take us seriously 2)women are worried about the overbearing place of sports in society. Well, at least, a truce was achieved so this is good news right ? Kinda like the hunter who shoots himself in the foot and is glad that he did not shoot his face instead.
Here is the video:


PS: Junior, can I invite myself to Miami for the NBA finals ? :) lucky SOB, I loathe you. :) Go Elephants for the WC !!!!
PS2: the other clip with people from all over the world playing and cheering is far more engaging and powerful

2 comments:

  1. Anonymous6:40 PM

    Lova, wrong link for the video ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  2. thanks marc,

    total brainfart on my part ! it's fixed now

    ReplyDelete