This is my lucky day, because I've just discovered that even the King of Kings of Africa has his own blog. And it's pretty great. Unfortunately, like many a blogger, the wacky dictator seems to have lost interest and hasn't posted much lately; his most recent item is a peculiar 2007 call for an international ban on machine guns. ("Wisdom, concern for humanity and humanitarian considerations all demand the elimination of machine guns." True dat.) But nothing competes with his amazing 2006 diatribe against World Cup soccer:
First, beware the deadly diseases caused by The World Cup. Medical research has proven, and will prove further in the future, that those who have football (soccer) mania, and those addicted to the game are most at risk of psychological and nervous disorders. Those disorders in turn are the leading causes of heart attacks, strokes, diabetes, hyper-tension and premature ageing. Human physical activity has diminished due to the over-use of technology. People have become more lethargic, lazy and obese....
Second, beware the hatred, enmity and racism generated by football (soccer).
The person who came up with the original proposal had hoped for the opposite effect. If he were alive today, he would be the first to propose the abolition of The World Cup.
He had hoped that it would create harmony among peoples and would provide them a degree of relief. What transpired however was the spread and deepening of hatred even among friends?.... The World Cup has tuned into an economic venture of exploitation and blackmail instead of being a venture for sports and entertainment....
The World Cup has strengthened the extreme right and the racist tendencies in the world. The irrefutable proof of this is the fact that the associations that support sports clubs are racist associations of the extreme right. Where is the conscience of the world?
This tirade continues along class lines, evolving into theory about FIFA discriminates against poor nations that lack fancy soccer stadiums by denying them the chance to host the World Cup. Why, you might even say that Qaddafi thinks that soccer explains the world. Great dictators think alike.... (I kid, Frank, I kid!)