Dear American People, About Cecil The Lion

The biggest news around the world last week was that a beloved Zimbabwean lion, Cecil was killed for sport by an American dentist from Minnesota, Dr. Walter Palmer. Palmer left America and flew down to Zimbabwe where he allegedly paid $50,000 to some hunting locals to help him acquire the right permit(s) to hunt. They lured Cecil out of the national park with a carcass, shot him with a bow and arrow, then tracked him and killed him. And beheaded him, too. The world – and by that, I mean America – exploded.

Google Cecil The Lion and over 116 million results come back. Cecil was no ordinary cat. He was a 13 year old lion and star attraction at the Hwange National Park. Cecil was a beautiful lion with a black mane. I dare to say that he was fashionmister with that ombre hair he had going for him. Girls have to dye their hair to get that same look. His was natural! Cecil was beloved.

When I first heard the news of Cecil being killed for sport by an American (Dr. Walter Palmer), I was angry. I was angry because this was an African lion — killed on African soil — illegally. And it was for sport. Not like maybe the hunter was hungry and dying and desperately needed something to feed himself. Or at the very least, that it was done to make some money. But no, Walter Palmer killed Cecil for fun. I am yet to understand why anyone would want to kill animals for fun, but that is beside the point. We’re not talking about swatting house flies or setting mouse traps. We’re talking about killing animals. Our (African) animals. I may not be Zimbabwean, but I felt disrespected. However, I was angrier because we (Africans) let it happen.

But my anger was nothing compared to the Americans. So angry have the Americans been that I have been really confused. Is it still the death of Cecil the lion they’re mad about? Why is so much care and attention given to the lion when half the affection is not shown to the people of Zimbabwe and Africa? Do all of you “protesters” even know where Zimbabwe is? Are you aware that it sits on that continent – Africa?

Being outraged by the death of Cecil the lion is all fine and well, and I’m sure you’re well-meaning, as usual, but are you aware that human beings are being hunted in your country? You worry about Cecil’s cubs, and you fear that other lions will traditionally kill off his cubs to become the leader of the tribe, and really, your concern is cute. But what about all the fatherless children in America who will never know their father because someone decided to take their life? Dr. Walter Palmer paid $50,000 to kill Cecil the lion, but how much did the American murderers and slaughterers pay to hunt and capture their prey?

This post is not directed to White people (which is why the post is titled Dear Americans, not Dear White People). It is directed to all American people because I see ridiculousness on all sides. It is an exercise in futility for the Black community to protest and riot about the death of fellow Black people due to police brutality and then refuse to discuss and acknowledge that there is indeed a Black on Black crime problem. It is also an exercise in futility for the White community to chant that all lives matter when we can all clearly see that some lives don’t matter. The existence of one does not absorb the other of its guilt.

Some celebrities have also joined the fight against the murder of African lions. How many of these people showed such solidarity against the murder of their fellow human beings? There is an African adage (you know I love to speak in proverbs) that says, “When two elephants gather to fight, it is the ground that suffers.” While the Black and White people are fighting over this and that, the children are dying. Physical death is not the only kind of death, and sometimes, other deaths are worse because in physical death, you feel no pain after the death. American children are growing up with no faith, no moral values, and no sense of right and wrong (because everything is good and okay now), and their understanding of a hero is Bruce Jenner. Meanwhile, the enemy lurks and plots against us.

Take a look at these pictures below:

Look at that foolish woman holding up a sign and saying she’s Cecil. No, ma’am, you are not Cecil. Have you fathered cubs? Do you roar? Do you have a brother named Jericho? Do you live at the Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe? Better yet, do you even know where Zimbabwe is? Have you hunted and torn an animal with your paws and teeth? Have you ever been lured by carcass? Is there any chance that you might be lured by carcass? Have you been shot with a bow and arrow and then shot with a gun and beheaded? Is there any chance that an American dentist might hunt you down for sport? So, no, ma’am, you have never been, you aren’t now, and you will never be Cecil.

And look at this stupid meme that has been making its rounds on the web. Cecil will forever be in “our” hearts. Our, who? What about the 9 human lives that Dylan Roof took? Are they in your hearts, too? What about the thousands of men who have given their lives to protect this land? Are they in your hearts? What about the firemen, the policemen (the good ones, of course), the nurses, the teachers – all who were killed in the line of duty? A person has the time to post this meme on their Instagram, but go through their pictures and there would be zero pictures of dead human beings who did not have to die.

Jimmy Kimmel got emotional while talking about Cecil the lion, and I still don’t know why. Excuse me, sir, what is crying you??? Now, thousands of dollars have been donated to that website that Jimmy sent people to. Where is the money going? Will the people of Zimbabwe benefit? Where’s the fund raising and tears for the lives – Black and White – that have been lost on this land? Where is the love for the Zimbabwean people who have lost their lives to lions and other wild animals? I am so irritated.

As an African, I have a deep concern for my continent. It troubles me that our lions used to be around 200,000 a century ago and have now gone down to about 30,000. It troubles me that animals like Rhinos and elephants are going through a steady decline and might soon be extinct. But as an African, I am also aware that sadly, the slaughter of our animals isn’t even our biggest problem.

How many African people die of hunger? How many African girls are raped and killed with absolutely no accountability? How many girls are sold into early marriage? How many Africans are murdered by their government? Shall we talk about mass graves? Shall we talk about our patriarchal society and the laws that repress our women? No, this is not to imply that Africa isn’t beautiful, or that the people aren’t good, but to remind the world that we (and them, as a matter of fact) actually have bigger problems.

One thing is for certain: Cecil the lion was a damn beautiful cat. He was big and majestic and royal. This is why Africans have so many proverbs with lions. Ironically, there’s a proverb that says, “Until lions have their historians, tales of the hunt shall always glorify the hunter.” The tale of this hunt does NOT favor Dr. Walter Palmer. He’s being hunted.

P.S. Just for fun, if you Google Sandra Bland, about 57 million results come back. America the Beautiful. Keep doing what you are doing. You are on the right track!

P.S.S. Cecil the lion has a wikipedia page. I won’t bother searching, but he probably has social media accounts because who doesn’t want to see Cecil the lion’s selfies?