# Idi Amin Deathwatch and Condolence Thread **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [July 21, 2003, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idi-amin-deathwatch-and-condolence-thread/189916 "2003-07-21T14:31:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2003, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idi-amin-deathwatch-and-condolence-thread/189916/61 "2003-07-22T15:07:38Z")
“My name is Idi Amin Dada! That’s two I’s, a D, and a gun HaHa!” Can’t remember where I heard that one. If I believed in a burning Hell, he would get my vote for admission. Hell, I’d even contribute to the ticket price! Thank you very hard. ---
**Author:** ![yojimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yojimbo/32/232_2.png) [@yojimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yojimbo)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2003, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idi-amin-deathwatch-and-condolence-thread/189916/62 "2003-07-22T15:38:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by minega \* > \*\*For those who don’t know about Amin’s most famous speech, here is a link- warning: You will crap in your pants with laughter. > [http://www.fortunecity.com/campus/books/845/idiamin.htm](http://www.fortunecity.com/campus/books/845/idiamin.htm) \*\* Warning: No comment on **minega** but if you’re in work you may want to dodge that link. I got ACCESS DENIED probably because it contains hatespeech. As for Amin. I wish there was a hell so that fucker could roast. ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2003, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idi-amin-deathwatch-and-condolence-thread/189916/63 "2003-07-22T16:28:19Z")
[Here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=193742) is the thread in which there were severe chastisements against those who “celebrated” Thurmond’s death. It is, according to a number of posters to that thread, horrible and disgusting to be happy that _anyone_ has died no matter how awful a person they may have been in life. I don’t see the same parade of the indignant trooping through this thread wagging their fingers at those who are saying exactly the same things (in some cases word-for-word) about Idi Amin that got them spitting tacks when said about Thurmond. I find that odd. ---
**Author:** ![Zenster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/cdc98d/32.png) [@Zenster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zenster)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2003, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idi-amin-deathwatch-and-condolence-thread/189916/64 "2003-07-22T16:29:25Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Collounsbury \* > Well, no, but then America is not, unlike sub Saharan Africa, largely seen as a mono-racial entity … “[L]argely seen as a mono-racial entity” by whom? As you protest sweeping generalizations, you simultaneously make them. Rather dilutes your often well informed messages, old bean. My family was entertaining Johannes Massai, nephew of Ethiopia’s prime minister, back in the early 1960s. I’ve corresponded with and had many friends from around the African continent and cook some of its dishes as well. I celebrated the downfall of South Africa’s disgusting apartheid and have had to educate many people I know about the Hutu and Tutsi slaughter. **Collounsbury** , your incessant railing turns what could be truly important mentoring on your part into a one-trick-pony act. ---
**Author:** ![Uncommon\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Uncommon\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncommon_Sense)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2003, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idi-amin-deathwatch-and-condolence-thread/189916/65 "2003-07-22T16:52:36Z")
Nah, the cites OK. I.T. must have screwed up at your place. Anyway, here is a sample of the speech. The end actually. \*\*“Thank you very hard an we shall collide everywhere else in internal.” When the Queen later asked the journalists present what on earth Amin had said, they replied that it was in a language similar to English, but that was all they could say. "\*\* ---
**Author:** ![armedmonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@armedmonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/armedmonkey)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2003, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idi-amin-deathwatch-and-condolence-thread/189916/66 "2003-07-22T17:03:05Z")
**Cowgirl** , fuck off. I grow tired of your schtick. Every time I read one of your posts, it is a kneejerk accusation at somebody. This is the first time it was directed at me, but it is annoying no matter who it is directed at. **Collounsbury** , I can be more civil to you than I was just to **cowgirl** ; let me address something specific. > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Collounsbury \* > \*\*All well and fine, however I agree with Cowgirl. > > \ > > All in all, while Africa is not a happy continent, sweeping generalizations based on the 50% that is truly down the crapper is not particularly fair and does bring with it a hint of that old racism, for the 50% that are not doing … well terribly. \*\* Judging by the above, it seems that you agree with me rather than **cowgirl**. I was specifically addressing the reputation of an entire continent. _The reputation_. Yes, it’s a big place with some idyllic parts, but the OP states _“the reputation of Africa”_. If 50% of the continent is down the crapper, it makes the whole place look bad. Therefore, it seems as if you agree with me. The place has the reputation of “not a happy continent” (to put it mildly) where a good number of the nations are doing absolutely terribly, as you have acknowledged. To talk of generalization being a bad thing is a bit thick headed in this case. A reputation _is_ a generalization. **Cowgirl** read far too much into my post, and I fear she may have dragged you a bit down that idiotic, jerky-kneed path. **Zenster** , I am familiar with the oft-pitted **collounsbury**. The windbag does not offer important mentoring, especially not here. It’s the same old “generalizations are a bad thing” song and dance we see everyday on this board. There’s an element of truth to that position, of course, but sometimes it’s just being argumentative - especially when applied to what would be better described as “grouping”. Hell man, it was your grouping Uganda and “the image of Africa” that started this whole mess :). ---
**Author:** ![minega](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac91a4/32.png) [@minega](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minega)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2003, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idi-amin-deathwatch-and-condolence-thread/189916/67 "2003-07-22T18:09:03Z")
Yojimbo… You have a filter that forbids you from reading anything that might have hate speech? Dammn, thats tough! Though honetsly the speeches were pretty lame. To be honest, i didnt know those kind of filters even existed! Ive always thought of filters vis.a.vis booty, but hate speech filters…now that is interesting. As for Amin, his family had appealed to the Ugandan government to allow him to return, but there is fat chance of that. I agree the bastard deserves a vey slow death. ---
**Author:** ![Zenster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/cdc98d/32.png) [@Zenster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zenster)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2003, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idi-amin-deathwatch-and-condolence-thread/189916/68 "2003-07-22T18:37:28Z")
Nothing can be taught without generalizations. ---
**Author:** ![cowgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8c91f0/32.png) [@cowgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cowgirl)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2003, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idi-amin-deathwatch-and-condolence-thread/189916/69 "2003-07-22T19:59:22Z")
> [@](#): > > I’m coming down on this because it seemed that you and cowgirl (well, especially cowgirl) were quick to come up with a racial explanation for a regional misunderstanding. Fer chrissakes. How is what I said “a racial explanation”? > [@](#): > > hateful ignorance and thinly-veiled racism is what I said and I will stand by it. I gave you an example of your ignorance (the sex-with-a-virgin will cure AIDS myth) because I thought that was what the board was for; **Coll** explained why that’s somewhat hateful. I didn’t challenge you directly on the rest of your post (“pygmie eating child warriors,” “man-made famine”) but it was just as worthless. And your response is profanity? And **I** ’m the knee-jerker? And what regional misunderstanding are you talking about? That Africans have brought about the AIDs crisis, as well as famine and war, by themselves? This may be the reputation that has penetrated your own skull: please don’t try to pass this off as anything other than posturing. > [@](#): > > Cowgirl, fuck off. I grow tired of your schtick. Every time I read one of your posts, it is a kneejerk accusation at somebody. This is the first time it was directed at me, but it is annoying no matter who it is directed at. Letsee some examples of those kneejerk accusations. I don’t believe I accused you of anything - there is a difference between spouting racism and being racist. You are no more racist than me, or than anyone else. But I stand by my assertion that what you said, by painting an entire continent with the broad brush of (blissfully) ignorant generalization, is racist. **Zenster** is right, nothing can be taught without generalizations. But we must remain aware of the limits of these generalizations, and that they have the power to hurt as well as to help. ---
**Author:** ![DeskMonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f14d63/32.png) [@DeskMonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeskMonkey)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2003, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idi-amin-deathwatch-and-condolence-thread/189916/70 "2003-07-22T21:02:30Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Otto \* > \*\*[Here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=193742) is the thread in which there were severe chastisements against those who “celebrated” Thurmond’s death. It is, according to a number of posters to that thread, horrible and disgusting to be happy that _anyone_ has died no matter how awful a person they may have been in life. > > I don’t see the same parade of the indignant trooping through this thread wagging their fingers at those who are saying exactly the same things (in some cases word-for-word) about Idi Amin that got them spitting tacks when said about Thurmond. > > I find that odd. \*\* What does it matter? Because someone states their belief/opinion/thoughts on a subject, they must forevermore restate it whenever it comes up? But I knew someone would bring it up. And I knew it would be in a poking-with-a-stick sort of way. For the record, I don’t think people should take joy in someone’s death. Not even a rotten, evil scumbag. I’m not going to argue about it, so I guess I shouldn’t even have bothered posting this, but I couldn’t help myself. I guess I just wanted you to know that I still stand by what I said in the other thread. You seemed to really want someone to respond about it, so I figured I’d oblige. I’m not sure if you expect people to recant their opinions on the matter, or post the same exact stuff they did in the Thurmond thread, or what, but perhaps “been there, done that” would be a fitting resolution to this conflict you seem to be so bent on rehashing. Besides, the guy hasn’t even died yet. (See, as you asked, I never mentioned that Amin’s reign of terror was unmatched by Thurmond’s and I didn’t even ask for a body count of all the people each of them slaughtered so we could compare. Yay me ;).) ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2003, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idi-amin-deathwatch-and-condolence-thread/189916/71 "2003-07-23T00:32:54Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by cowgirl_ > Letsee some examples of those kneejerk accusations. I don’t believe I accused you of anything - there is a difference between spouting racism and being racist. You are no more racist than me, or than anyone else. But I stand by my assertion that what you said, by painting an entire continent with the broad brush of (blissfully) ignorant generalization, is racist. Could you expand on this a little? Because as it is now, it makes absolutely no sense at all. I wasn’t previously aware that someone could spout racism without actually being a racist. How does that work? And I, too, am curious about the almost total absence of the “Every human life is sacred” brigade. If a principle is worth standing up for once, it’s worth standing up for a thousand times. Getting all indignant about Strom but letting Idi slide smacks of hypocrisy to me. ---
**Author:** ![Zenster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/cdc98d/32.png) [@Zenster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zenster)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2003, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idi-amin-deathwatch-and-condolence-thread/189916/72 "2003-07-23T00:50:46Z")
**Miller** , a person can spout racist slogans without being a racist. It only requires for you to do something even more vile than being a racist. You need only be so ignorant that you do not even think out the drivel you are spewing. ---
**Author:** ![Truth\_Seeker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5fc32e/32.png) [@Truth\_Seeker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Truth_Seeker)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2003, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idi-amin-deathwatch-and-condolence-thread/189916/73 "2003-07-23T01:08:41Z")
cowgirl said: ## quote: ## WOW. where to start. This kind of hateful ignorance and thinly-veiled racism may have something more to do with the negative image of Africa than any one of its dictators. > [@](#): > > _originally posted by Collounsbury_ > \*\*All well and fine, however I agree with Cowgirl. \*\* Well, actually, no, you don’t. Generalizing about Africa as a whole (or a hole) isn’t racism, thinly veiled or otherwise, since every “race” lives in Africa, sometimes in the same country. If I say, “Africa is a screwed-up mess,” would my racism be directed against Egyptians? Sudanese? Congolese? South Africans? But, of course, you know this. I see in a later post that you make reference to “sub saharan Africa.” While sub saharan Africa is, I suppose, largely “black,” the original comment was directed to Africa as a whole. > [@](#): > > ## \*\*First, Africa is a big place, children, and just because you never hear about the sleepy parts muddling along doesn’t mean that rampant stereotypes are all correct. > > - > - > > All in all, while Africa is not a happy continent, sweeping generalizations based on the 50% that is truly down the crapper is not particularly fair and does bring with it a hint of that old racism, for the 50% that are not doing … well terribly. \*\* The sad fact of the matter is that the “bright spots” in Africa are only bright in comparison to the stygian darkness of the rest of the continent. Take, for example, Senegal. While Senegal may be better off than many other places in Africa, it still has a _ **48%** _ unemployment rate and a 40% literacy rate. This can only be counted a “success” in the sense that they don’t have a 48% unemployment rate _and_ gangs of crazed thugs roaming the countryside lopping off people’s hands at random. On all objective measures (e.g. GDP per capita, literacy, unemployment) _Bangladesh_ is doing better than Senegal. Look at one of Africa’s biggest successees, Botswana. Botswana, by dint of sound policies and not much else, has transformed itself from one of the poorest countries in the world to a middle income country (per capita income of about 8k) with one of the highest and most consistent growth rates in the world. But at least _one out of three_ Botswanans has HIV/AIDS. As far as looming disasters go, it is almost impossible to come to terms with what this really means. Unfortunately, conditions in Africa have, for the most part, deteriorated substantially over the last forty years. From north to south, almost every country in Africa has serious problems that would make it a certifiable basket case were it located almost anywhere else. There are many underlying reasons for these failures. The lingering effects of colonialism bears some of the responsibility as does lingering guilt over colonialism that allows some African governments to get away with things that would never be tolerated had they occured anywhere else. PC foolishness also bears some of the blame, especially when wrapped up in the “soft bigotry of low expectations.” There is nothing the slightest bit racist about calling a spade a spade and demanding that African governments get their acts together, even if this involves cracking heads together. The world – especially those countries who donate foreign aid, owe it to the people of Africa. I, personally, would love to see the world get serious about bringing a bit – just a bit – of stability and order to some of Africa’s most desperate people. The world ought to start in Liberia and if that involves unilateral military action by the U.S. then so be it. The pointless horrors in West Africa have gone on far too long already. Oh, and on the whole “should we celebrate his death?” thing, the proper response, in my opinion, is that it is a real shame that Idi Amin was such a thoroughly deranged person. I’m not happy that he’s dying, just sorry that he caused so much grief while living. Even offing Sadaam Hussein or ObL isn’t something to be happy about, it’s just an unfortunate necessity. We may be relieved that they’re finally gone but we shouldn’t ever be happy that it was necessary to kill them – sort of like Old Yeller. P.S. The Coalition just confirmed that they nailed Uday and Qusay today. Yay! ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2003, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idi-amin-deathwatch-and-condolence-thread/189916/74 "2003-07-23T01:53:31Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by Truth Seeker_ > There is nothing the slightest bit racist about calling a spade a spade and demanding that African governments get their acts together. Although I’m familiar with the non-racist origins of that phrase, this was quite possibly the worst possible sentence in which to use it. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2003, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idi-amin-deathwatch-and-condolence-thread/189916/75 "2003-07-23T02:30:01Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by DeskMonkey \* > **What does it matter? Because someone states their belief/opinion/thoughts on a subject, they must forevermore restate it whenever it comes up? But I knew someone would bring it up. And I knew it would be in a poking-with-a-stick sort of way.** I don’t think you’re getting Otto’s point, which I took to be that Otto was thinking that a lot of the people who posted to the Thurmond dead thread actually liked and approved of Thurmond but knew better than to try to defend him on his own “merits” so they settled for chiding folks for mocking the dead. That’s why you’re seeing no posts about not mocking Idi Amin in death – nobody here LIKES Idi Amin (that we know of) so nobody will even chide people for gloating over the prospect of his death. But people DID like Strom Thurmond, they just weren’t willing or able to defend the old sack of shit directly. In short, I think Otto had a pretty good question, there. ---
**Author:** ![Zenster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/cdc98d/32.png) [@Zenster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zenster)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2003, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idi-amin-deathwatch-and-condolence-thread/189916/76 "2003-07-23T02:37:19Z")
Great post, **Truth Seeker** , even with the “spade” catchphrase. After all, it comes from playing cards. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2003, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idi-amin-deathwatch-and-condolence-thread/189916/77 "2003-07-23T03:14:05Z")
I will happily celebrate his death. The reason I believe in the death penalty is that the best contribution some people can make to society is to stop living. If only he had realised this himself before coming to power. ---
**Author:** ![Truth\_Seeker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5fc32e/32.png) [@Truth\_Seeker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Truth_Seeker)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2003, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idi-amin-deathwatch-and-condolence-thread/189916/78 "2003-07-23T03:48:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Miller \* > \*\*Although I’m familiar with the non-racist origins of that phrase, this was quite possibly the worst possible sentence in which to use it. \*\* Oh my goodness me! By all means, let’s pander to boorish ignorance rather than use a variant of an expression that has carried the precise meaning I wished to convey for at least 2500 years. I suppose I could have called a kneading-trough a kneading-trough but that wouldn’t have had quite the same punch, would it? At least **Zenster** was less niggardly with his praise. BTW, **Zenster** , AFAIK, it doesn’t come from playing cards, it comes from a 16th century mistranslation from Greek into Latin. ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2003, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idi-amin-deathwatch-and-condolence-thread/189916/79 "2003-07-23T04:13:09Z")
2 Questions: When and why did he drop the **Dada** and was it true that at one point there were so many bodies floating down the Nile River (?) that the crocodiles couldn’t eat them all as they passed? Q ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2003, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idi-amin-deathwatch-and-condolence-thread/189916/80 "2003-07-23T04:16:31Z")
You could have called a hoe a hoe, but that would have made matters even worse. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idi-amin-deathwatch-and-condolence-thread/189916.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idi-amin-deathwatch-and-condolence-thread/189916.md?page=5)