Idi Amin

We finally saw Last King of Scotland last night. Great performance by Forrest Whittaker but the movie didn't blow me away. For the gazillionth time, Hollywood decided that if they're going to tell a black story, they'd better tell it through the eyes of a white person so that audiences will be able to relate. Examples?

• To tell Steven Biko's story, do it through a white journalist - Cry Freedom
• Civil rights lynchings in the south? Go with the white cops - Mississippi Burning
• The first all-black regiment in the US Civil War. Let's go with their white colonel - Glory

And in the case of the Last King, the young, white doctor protagonist did not even exist in reality. The character is apparently loosely based on Bob Astles, who wasn't a doctor, and certainly wasn't a young, naive, puppet of Amin. He was 51 when he joined Amin and was a former soldier, political operative and wealthy businessman.

Last King alluded to the maribu storks, possibly the ugliest beasts on the planet, resembling dirty old flashers in overcoats. Kate and I spent time in Kampala separately, and we both heard about how the storks became ubiquitous in the capital during the time of Amin, as they feasted on the bodies of his slaughtered political opponents. You still see the birds, perched on nearly every lamppost in town.