Being raised in the women’s movement and being a strong supporter of Hilary Clinton for president www.hillaryclinton.com “Equality” for me means equal pay, equal rights in our court, equal access to higher education, Title IX and more. In “Love Without Conditions” Paul Ferrini’s www.paulferrini.com expanded definition asks us to share everything. He says if you have more than the person in front of you, give so that you become equal. This is hardly imaginable to us, however, in Cameroon, Africa where I work this is common practice www.AIDSfreeAFRICA.org. I am not saying that everyone is equal and that there are no well to do people, but an amazing ease of giving and generosity is obvious. Orphans and other neighborhood children come to the house and are given a meal. Gifts we bring for our hosts are not kept but handed to the person who needs it most. Medicine is bought for a sick neighbor who can not afford it. People who work the farm give fruits and vegetables, roots and corn. People who have paid jobs buy salt and oil. The goods are exchanged and no one gets home empty handed. Some give more some take more, and every one sings and chants and yes, praises the Lord. The happiness in the room is overwhelming.

My hostess Eunice (third from left front row sitting) and neighbors enjoying gifts and each others company. Alakuma/Bamenda/North West Province/Cameroon/Africa. January 2007

Africa stores 2/5th of the world’s natural resources. There is no reason that the continent is as poor as it is. Creating “Equality” between the continents is not rocket science. We need to stop thinking of investing in Africa to make a profit for us in America or Europe and instead start investing in Africa with the goal to keep the profits in that continent otherwise we are perpetuating “Colonialism” via remote control. Columbia University Professor of Sustainable Development Jeffery Sachs en.wikipedia.org when interviewed for the July 2007 issue of Vanity Fair puts it succinctly: “We are talking about one percent of our income to avert calamity.” One percent is hardly asking for equality.