"Pain, disappointment, anger" – I hung out this past weekend with some African diplomats, health care professionals, educators, and others who are trying to build stronger, more lasting bridges between folks on the African continent and those of us of African descent who live everywhere else on the planet. Clearly, Bro. Prez has some serious fences to mend with many African countries.

They’ve got "beef" with Bro. Prez, in no particular priority: (1) he attempted to cut George W. Bush’s signature program, the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), that has saved millions of Africans from dying of AIDS (Bro. Prez wanted to cut funding increases); (2) a misunderstanding/disrespect of African culture (particularly Bro. Prez not visiting his father’s grave during family trips to Africa); (3) no personal contact with high-level African diplomats (they had George W. Bush’s cell phone number, but can’t contact Obama); (4) using predator drones to kill terrorists, while killing entire families in the process; (5) killing Muammar Gaddafi, a highly respected member of the African Union (Europe’s counterpart is the European Union).

Bottom line is that Africa’s leadership, and many Africans "on the street," believe Obama is distancing himself from his African side in an effort to stay in favor with White America. Not much different from what I’ve heard in the barbershop...more on this next week.

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