The 43rd President of the United States, George W. Bush, acknowledged the global impact of Dikembe Mutombo in his State of the Union address in 2007. Amidst the august audience at the Capitol, Bush lauded Mutombo’s journey from an NBA star to a naturalized U.S. citizen, inevitably highlighting his unwavering commitment to his native country, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and his inclination towards philanthropy.
The world grieved the demise of this sports and humanitarian crusader at the age of 58. Mutombo’s athletic exploits combined with his substantial contributions to the U.S., as well as his birthplace, engraved his name in the heart of many. The distinguished gentleman became a U.S. citizen a year prior to receiving the public recognition from President Bush.
Mutombo wore many hats; he was a notable figure in the basketball world and a philanthropist in the truest sense. In his home country, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, his hard work and dedication led to the establishment of a hospital and a school. His accomplishments and deeds were so far reaching to the extent that even the U.S president at the time, found it worth to acknowledge him.
In remembrance, The New York Times highlighted the moment of national recognition bestowed upon Mutombo. Before his acclaim as a global sports ambassador, he was an eager learner who gained an academic scholarship at Georgetown University. His love for linguistics and diplomacy led him to juggle both subjects as double majors, despite initially pursuing pre-med.
With the linguistic prowess to communicate fluently in five languages including French, English, Spanish, Portuguese and five native African dialects, Mutombo projected a classic example of living life to the fullest within just 58 years.
Contrastingly, the current GOP nominee appeared to take a different stance towards Mutombo’s motherland, painting the Democratic Republic of the Congo in a negative light during his campaign trails. One can only speculate on his knowledge about African nations, but his propensity for generating fear among voters by alluding to stereotypical African scenes suggest a clever tactic aimed at leveraging xenophobia and fear of the unknown to his advantage.
It is disheartening to hear the nominee presenting the inaccurate narrative that people from Congo, like Mutombo, are villains. In his own words during a campaign rally in Wisconsin, he amplified this notion by stating how many people are coming from Congo, but dismissively expressing ignorance about the country.
It seems as though the nominee has a penchant for expressing admiration towards countries like Norway and Denmark, while driving derogatory comments towards regions in the Middle East, Asia, South America, and notably, Africa. The consistent defamation of Haitian immigrants in Ohio and Pennsylvania by the nominee and his running mate, Ohio Senator JD Vance, stirs unrest within the communities.
Regrettably, the nominee’s divisive rhetoric is no longer subtle, but rather blatant racism wrapped in fear-mongering tactics. The rhetoric diverges from reality and truth, but it successfully keeps him in the spotlight.
Despite the counterclaims from Republican Governor Brian Kemp of the accused battleground state, the nominee insists that Governor Kemp couldn’t reach President Joe Biden. Evidently, the nominee’s primary goal is to frame his rival for the White House as incompetent, even going to the extent of derogatory name-calling that dismisses people with mental disabilities as mere subjects of ridicule.
The Vice President’s rejoinder to the nominee’s ill-conceived thoughts continues to irk him, as he appears to find solace in criticizing a woman of color. His actions starkly contrast with those expected of a presidential aspirant.
It’s notable that the nominee and his ally Vance are keen to portray America as fraught with unrest and crime, which diverges from FBI statistics showing declining crime rates especially in violent crime. Reports such as the one from the National Institute of Justice, studying data from the Texas Department of Public Safety, reflect fewer arrests among undocumented immigrants compared to native citizens.
While the nominee relentlessly vilifies minorities, women, underprivileged individuals and those with disabilities, the late Congo-born American citizen Mutombo is remembered by his kind gestures and benevolent contributions. By using the opportunities of his adopted nation, he gave back to society extensively. His love for America outshines those who are so eager to govern it, but yet fail to show as much fondness or understanding towards its diverse composition.