Brad and Angelina’s Baby Lucky To Be Alive

This article, which appeared on the website of the right-wing Fox television news station in the US, has prompted outrage and disgust among Namibians as well as non-Namibians living in Namibia: * Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s new baby girl, Shiloh, is lucky to be alive. ROGER FRIEDMAN

The infant mortality rate in Namibia, according to the CIA’s website, is 48,1 deaths per 1 000 live births. In 2003, 21 per cent of Namibians died of AIDS.Women are only expected to live to age 42 in Namibia.Men aren’t expected to live past their 44th birthday.I was in Namibia 18 months ago, on the Chobe River dividing that country and Botswana.It’s quite a distance from the Atlantic Ocean “luxury resort” where Pitt and Jolie have been camped out.Their resort, according to its website, has seven rooms.The place I stayed, Chobe Savannah Lodge, was just as “luxurious” with a few more rooms.The accommodations are beautiful but very simple, with netting over the beds to ward off mosquitoes.There’s no TV, Internet, or air conditioning.In fact, when I asked the manager at Chobe Savannah about the Internet, he replied: “I might be able to hook up a computer to a cell phone.But why don’t you have a drink and look at the elephant standing behind you?” But let’s not make any mistake here: any pregnant woman in Namibia would trade just about anything to have her baby in the United States.And not to disparage other parts of the country, but the hospitals where Pitt and Jolie probably would have had Shiloh—Cedars Sinai in West Hollywood or New York Presbyterian in Manhattan—tops in the world.A Namibian mother could not even fathom the care she would receive in either of those places.Have they ever seen a Brad Pitt or Angelina Jolie movie? It’s unlikely.They have little electricity outside the “luxury resort.”The CIA fact book says that 34,9 per cent of the population lives on US$1 per day (about N$7) and 55,8 per cent live on US$2 (about N$14) per day.There’s a 35 per cent unemployment rate.There may be one movie theater, but there is no record of the Pitt-Jolie action pic ‘Mr.& Mrs.Smith’ having played there.DVD players are nearly non-existent, since a TV would be needed.Few residents – mostly visiting white people and the scattered “wealthy” – have satellite dishes.So I can only imagine what the Namibians who’ve been pressed into service for this birth are thinking (and not saying) to Pitt, Jolie and company.”Stupid Americans” comes to mind.”Patronizing Hollywood stars” is another.But Namibians are too polite to say such things.They have more important issues on their minds.A response from a reader directed to Fox News: Ignorance is rifeDear Editor of Foxnews, Mr Roger Friedman, the writer of the titled piece (printed alongside) should be shot! Okay, well at the very least, sued.I have rarely seen such a flagrant misinterpretation of facts.I am a foreigner living and working in Namibia and it is sad to see that the achievements of this little known African country is undermined by Mr Friedman’s determination to “sell” news.Yes, Namibia has one of the worst cases of HIV infection in sub-Saharan Africa, but guess what, they are dealing with it.While no one wants any child to die, please note that Namibia’s infant mortality rate is one of the lowest in Africa and indeed many parts of the world.DSTV, the largest (digital-satellite) network in Africa, has almost 30 000 subscribers in Namibia.This is in a country of less than 2 million people.Match that to the number of people in the USA with cable relative to population size.OneAfrica (a commercial free-to-air television channel) has double that number of viewers.The national TV station, NBC, reaches over 90 per cent of the population with a presence in every region.Telecom, the national telecommunications company, has a presence in over 80 per cent of the country.MTC, the GSM provider, has a presence in almost every region of this vast country.Electricity is available in places no one lives.Much more galling is Mr Friedman’s insinuation that Namibia is so poor that even a hotel could not afford internet/tv/airconditioner! Come on Mr Friedman, talk to your travel agent! Namibia’s tourism industry is one of the most vibrant in Africa.Many visitors come to Namibia for peace, and a taste of the wildlife.Hotels understand this, which is why many cater to the needs of visitors who wish to escape their frenetic, bluetooth-controlled lifestyle.This might account for why the manager of the hotel Mr Friedman stayed in enjoined him to stop worrying about the Internet but rather take the time to look at the elephants! But of course, this irony was lost on Mr Friedman.Indeed, Mr Friedman did not even feel stupid as he wrote this considering the fact that the hotel owner not only had a computer and a cell phone, but he was able to connect them! How many UN-labelled “developing countries” can boast of this? Lastly, most trivial and yet telling of the complete ignorance of Mr Friedman is this: Namibia boasts at least four cinemas that I know of.There is the Atlantic in Swakop, not far from where Baby Jolie-Pitt was born.But there is also the Ster Kinekor theatre complex which as I write this is enjoying a huge turnout for the viewing of ‘The Da Vinci Code’, ‘M-I-3’, ‘Tsotsi’, ‘Ice Age 2’ and ‘X Men 3’ – Yes sir, we have that here too.And for the record, just in case somebody is ripping off the makers of ‘Mr and Mrs. Smith’, in all my time of living here, I have not seen a movie that ran for so long in one theatre.’Mr and Mrs. Smith’ not only played in our cinemas, it enjoyed a run of almost two months! Further, in my time here, I have yet to find a single Namibian woman who wants to have a child outside of this country.Why would they? Indeed, the norm is that Namibians living abroad tend to come home to give birth.As a media practitioner myself, I find it shocking that Mr Friedman relied on the CIA factbook even when it has been proven that the information from this organisation is both unreliable and many times untruthful a la Afghanistan and Iraq.Even more shocking is that Foxnews did not cross-check this story.Lastly, Mr Friedman, a lot of Namibians and indeed Africans are saying “stupid Americans” as you have suggested.But it is not for the reasons you allude to.Rather, we call you stupid when we read pieces such as yours that perpetuate the myth that we are backward, AIDS-ridden, war mongering and poor.Even when the reality stares you in the face that this is not true, you refuse to acknowledge it because it fuels your ego and sense of being.After all, if we are not poor, where would your aid go? Wouldn’t America’s unemployment rise even higher from the number of consultancy jobs USAID will not be able to hire out? Wouldn’t musicians and actors have one less PR platform to walk on? And most of all, wouldn’t you, Mr Friedman, end up being irrelevant since the truth will be out and you obviously cannot write about that? Again, let the record show, Namibians welcome and love Angelina Jolie.We appreciate that someone cares enough about us to come here and share such a precious gift as childbirth with us.We need more people like Ms Jolie, for they prove that our continent is one of hope.I pray that Mr Friedman will not only be sued but fired from his job.He is an irresponsible journalist and one who does not deserve to work in your esteemed organisation.Enough said! Femi Kayode, Windhoek You can express your views to Fox News at the following e-mail address: foxlife@foxnews.com Please be honest, concise, but restrained and polite.We’d appreciate copies, of course …- From Fox News, Monday, May 29 2006In 2003, 21 per cent of Namibians died of AIDS.Women are only expected to live to age 42 in Namibia.Men aren’t expected to live past their 44th birthday.I was in Namibia 18 months ago, on the Chobe River dividing that country and Botswana.It’s quite a distance from the Atlantic Ocean “luxury resort” where Pitt and Jolie have been camped out.Their resort, according to its website, has seven rooms.The place I stayed, Chobe Savannah Lodge, was just as “luxurious” with a few mor
e rooms.The accommodations are beautiful but very simple, with netting over the beds to ward off mosquitoes.There’s no TV, Internet, or air conditioning.In fact, when I asked the manager at Chobe Savannah about the Internet, he replied: “I might be able to hook up a computer to a cell phone.But why don’t you have a drink and look at the elephant standing behind you?” But let’s not make any mistake here: any pregnant woman in Namibia would trade just about anything to have her baby in the United States.And not to disparage other parts of the country, but the hospitals where Pitt and Jolie probably would have had Shiloh—Cedars Sinai in West Hollywood or New York Presbyterian in Manhattan—tops in the world.A Namibian mother could not even fathom the care she would receive in either of those places.Have they ever seen a Brad Pitt or Angelina Jolie movie? It’s unlikely.They have little electricity outside the “luxury resort.”The CIA fact book says that 34,9 per cent of the population lives on US$1 per day (about N$7) and 55,8 per cent live on US$2 (about N$14) per day.There’s a 35 per cent unemployment rate.There may be one movie theater, but there is no record of the Pitt-Jolie action pic ‘Mr.& Mrs.Smith’ having played there.DVD players are nearly non-existent, since a TV would be needed.Few residents – mostly visiting white people and the scattered “wealthy” – have satellite dishes.So I can only imagine what the Namibians who’ve been pressed into service for this birth are thinking (and not saying) to Pitt, Jolie and company.”Stupid Americans” comes to mind.”Patronizing Hollywood stars” is another.But Namibians are too polite to say such things.They have more important issues on their minds. A response from a reader directed to Fox News: Ignorance is rife Dear Editor of Foxnews, Mr Roger Friedman, the writer of the titled piece (printed alongside) should be shot! Okay, well at the very least, sued.I have rarely seen such a flagrant misinterpretation of facts.I am a foreigner living and working in Namibia and it is sad to see that the achievements of this little known African country is undermined by Mr Friedman’s determination to “sell” news.Yes, Namibia has one of the worst cases of HIV infection in sub-Saharan Africa, but guess what, they are dealing with it.While no one wants any child to die, please note that Namibia’s infant mortality rate is one of the lowest in Africa and indeed many parts of the world.DSTV, the largest (digital-satellite) network in Africa, has almost 30 000 subscribers in Namibia.This is in a country of less than 2 million people.Match that to the number of people in the USA with cable relative to population size.OneAfrica (a commercial free-to-air television channel) has double that number of viewers.The national TV station, NBC, reaches over 90 per cent of the population with a presence in every region.Telecom, the national telecommunications company, has a presence in over 80 per cent of the country.MTC, the GSM provider, has a presence in almost every region of this vast country.Electricity is available in places no one lives.Much more galling is Mr Friedman’s insinuation that Namibia is so poor that even a hotel could not afford internet/tv/airconditioner! Come on Mr Friedman, talk to your travel agent! Namibia’s tourism industry is one of the most vibrant in Africa.Many visitors come to Namibia for peace, and a taste of the wildlife.Hotels understand this, which is why many cater to the needs of visitors who wish to escape their frenetic, bluetooth-controlled lifestyle.This might account for why the manager of the hotel Mr Friedman stayed in enjoined him to stop worrying about the Internet but rather take the time to look at the elephants! But of course, this irony was lost on Mr Friedman.Indeed, Mr Friedman did not even feel stupid as he wrote this considering the fact that the hotel owner not only had a computer and a cell phone, but he was able to connect them! How many UN-labelled “developing countries” can boast of this? Lastly, most trivial and yet telling of the complete ignorance of Mr Friedman is this: Namibia boasts at least four cinemas that I know of.There is the Atlantic in Swakop, not far from where Baby Jolie-Pitt was born.But there is also the Ster Kinekor theatre complex which as I write this is enjoying a huge turnout for the viewing of ‘The Da Vinci Code’, ‘M-I-3’, ‘Tsotsi’, ‘Ice Age 2’ and ‘X Men 3’ – Yes sir, we have that here too.And for the record, just in case somebody is ripping off the makers of ‘Mr and Mrs. Smith’, in all my time of living here, I have not seen a movie that ran for so long in one theatre.’Mr and Mrs. Smith’ not only played in our cinemas, it enjoyed a run of almost two months! Further, in my time here, I have yet to find a single Namibian woman who wants to have a child outside of this country.Why would they? Indeed, the norm is that Namibians living abroad tend to come home to give birth.As a media practitioner myself, I find it shocking that Mr Friedman relied on the CIA factbook even when it has been proven that the information from this organisation is both unreliable and many times untruthful a la Afghanistan and Iraq.Even more shocking is that Foxnews did not cross-check this story.Lastly, Mr Friedman, a lot of Namibians and indeed Africans are saying “stupid Americans” as you have suggested.But it is not for the reasons you allude to.Rather, we call you stupid when we read pieces such as yours that perpetuate the myth that we are backward, AIDS-ridden, war mongering and poor.Even when the reality stares you in the face that this is not true, you refuse to acknowledge it because it fuels your ego and sense of being.After all, if we are not poor, where would your aid go? Wouldn’t America’s unemployment rise even higher from the number of consultancy jobs USAID will not be able to hire out? Wouldn’t musicians and actors have one less PR platform to walk on? And most of all, wouldn’t you, Mr Friedman, end up being irrelevant since the truth will be out and you obviously cannot write about that? Again, let the record show, Namibians welcome and love Angelina Jolie.We appreciate that someone cares enough about us to come here and share such a precious gift as childbirth with us.We need more people like Ms Jolie, for they prove that our continent is one of hope.I pray that Mr Friedman will not only be sued but fired from his job.He is an irresponsible journalist and one who does not deserve to work in your esteemed organisation.Enough said! Femi Kayode, Windhoek You can express your views to Fox News at the following e-mail address: foxlife@foxnews.com Please be honest, concise, but restrained and polite.We’d appreciate copies, of course …- From Fox News, Monday, May 29 2006