All Eyes on Zimbabwe

The Constitution grants citizens of the United States freedom of expression and the right to vote, among other things. These privileges are seen as the building blocks for achieving the American Dream -- yet, on the other side of the world, people in Zimbabwe hope to do something that many Americans take for granted: choose their next president.
Robert Mugabe has used intimidation and violence to govern this African nation since 1980, when he rose to power. During this time, it has seen an increase in human rights violations along with a decline in its economy. This scenario is all-too-familiar throughout the continent, whether it's in Rwanda or Sudan. The impact of colonialism isn't limited to being mistreated by foreign entities -- such abuse can also be homegrown.
In recent years, Zimbabweans have used their voice to express their unhappiness with Mugabe's regime -- despite threats of vicious beatings, false imprisonment, or being forced from their homes. After winning the general election on March 29 -- but failing to secure the majority vote -- Morgan Tsvangirai was set to face Mugabe in a runoff election on June 27 until he withdrew his name from the ballot five days earlier. (The systematic killing of Tsvangirai supporters over the course of three months prompted him to denounce the contest as "illegitimate.")
The low turnout proved that democracy won't happen overnight. Given Mugabe's "victory," it's ironic that he sees the international community as a threat, since he believes that "only God will remove [him]" from office. Well, God has spoken ... and He said it's time for new leadership in Zimbabwe.

Father Figure

Archie Bunker. Cliff Huxtable. Homer Simpson. These television icons have little in common, but they share a bond as members in the fraternity of fatherhood -- along with the man I call Pops.
Like those fictional characters, my father was a working-class man who always put family first. He took pride in playing an active role in his children's lives, and he inspired me and my three brothers to become productive members of society. In an environment where Black men are often pigeonholed as deadbeat dads, Pops' presence was instrumental in my evolution from a girl to a woman.
As the only daughter in the Davis household, I was the apple of my father's eye. I'd rummage through his closet looking for money -- usually pennies -- without consequence, and mock his status as patriarch by calling him 'Old Buzzard.' In return, he'd pinch my cheeks and address me as 'Subject.' My brothers thought I was a spoiled brat because I took certain liberties in my relationship with Pops, but the truth is he and I had such a close bond because we're both Capricorns.
Growing up, my father encouraged me to pursue my dreams -- even if he didn't share my passion for writing. And he didn't hesitate to offer me advice on navigating life's ups and downs -- even when his opinions were unsolicited. While Pops possessed many attributes, he wasn't without his shortcomings. His gruff demeanor made him a difficult person to please, and his stubbornness was at the root of many arguments between us. Nevertheless, I love him because I know he has my best interests at heart.
Relationships between men and women may be complicated, but the bond I share with my father is simple -- as in simply amazing. I can't think of a better way to spend the third Sunday of June than paying homage to Pops, for he's the most important male figure in my life.

Politics As Usual

The Democratic National Committee's decision on May 31 to allow Florida and Michigan delegates to cast half a vote at the party's convention this summer isn't about preserving democracy -- it's about undermining the process.
When the aforementioned states conducted their primaries before February 5, they did so in violation of party rules. Their eagerness to influence the outcome in what would become a historic race between Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama for the nomination led the DNC to strip their delegates of votes at the August 25-28 gathering in Denver. By reversing itself on this issue, Democrats appear to be more divided now than ever before ... and what makes matters worse is they can't reassure the public that a similar crisis won't happen in the future.
Watching the primary (and caucus) season turn into an overblown soap opera is bad enough, but seeing the DNC destroy itself is truly heartbreaking. This compromise doesn't unite the Democrats -- it moves them one step closer toward disintegrating. Clinton isn't doing herself or the party any favors by trying to secure delegates she agreed to give up when the DNC handed out their punishment against Florida and Michigan. In fact, her efforts to win the nomination by any means necessary make Niccolò Machiavelli look like Mother Teresa.
Changing the rules after the game has started casts a cloud of suspicion over the results, and that goes against everything democracy is supposed to represent. Having all of the delegates' votes count equally is a matter of fairness ... but when you break the rules, you must suffer the consequences. If party officials in Florida and Michigan had held their primaries as originally scheduled, they wouldn't be in this predicament.
When it comes to politics, Democrats and Republicans enjoy playing the blame game with each other. This time around, though, the DNC has no one to blame for this fiasco but itself.