President Clinton's extended African tour elicited both praise and criticism from young Americans of African descent. Some welcome the attention to a part of the world often ignored in the US media; others see the president's mission as an echo of colonialism. PNS commentator Andrea N. Jones is a member of "Brave New Word," a PNS-based coalition of writers in their twenties.

Young Americans of African descent I know have decidedly mixed feelings about President Clinton's tour of Africa, the longest tour of his presidency.

Many have come to feel a strong connection with Africa in recent years and expressed this by learning and using African languages, dances, and dress styles. Many say these efforts have been met with scorn by mainstream America, especially in a time when multiculturalism is becoming a bad word.

This is why Ali Bruce snickered at the numerous images of Clinton and Hillary dressed in the colorful garb of Senegal. Bruce, a 22-year-old student at San Francisco State University who belongs to the political party Social Action, says "When the president goes to Africa it suddenly becomes important, but when Africans in this country look to Africa and Afrocentricity all we get is slander."

Some young blacks were impressed with the fact that Clinton chose to tour Africa. Ife Thomas, 21, a journalism student at American University in Washington, D.C., gives Clinton credit for involving people of color in his political agenda. His trip to Africa helps to symbolize that spirit to her. "I'm glad he's making sure that Africa is seen as part of the world." She noted approvingly that the trip brought Africa -- usually ignored -- into the daily news.

J.R. Valry, 20, president of the Pan-African Student Union at San Francisco State University, has noticed a buzz on the campus over Clinton's tour of Africa. But he is convinced that Clinton is on a mission that will not benefit the people of the continent

"Africa has to be recolonized," Valry offers. "Clinton's trying to get the African Trade Bill passed, which is basically NAFTA for Southern Africa." If passed, Valry believes the trade agreement would slow down African domestic markets while tariffs on American goods would be lowered.

"Clinton going to Africa is like Nixon going to China -- he's just opening it up for trade," comments San Francisco high school teacher Drew Gauldin, 27. "The trip was designed to enhance economic relationships with countries that fall into line with U.S. foreign policies for the continent of Africa."

Gauldin is among those who believe that U.S. policy makers have put too much faith in increased trade and in privatization as a way to provide solutions for Africa's poorest population. "At no point do I believe that Clinton has the interest of Africans who are still suffering from the legacy of colonization at heart."

Others in America's young African-descended population noted that several times on the tour Clinton came close to apologizing for slavery's devastating affect on Africa -- closer than he has come to apologizing to the 30 million descendants of slaves raised in the United States. Many younger members of this community find apologies hold very little relevance. "Don't apologize with your words," says Valry, "do it with your actions -- but that would break the whole economic system."

U.S. TV viewers watched crowds of Ghanaians mobbing the president. But there were many Africans we didn't see who held Clinton's visit in a cynical eye.

For instance, Uganda's first lady called on the people to clean the street along Clinton's route and electricity was turned on, in some cases, for the first time in nearly ten years. This led James Tumusiima, a commentator for the Ugandan daily "The Monitor" to observe, "As for us laymen and women, we are excited mostly by the work going on in the city because it affects us more directly than anything else."

Many African descended people in the United States did get a glimpse of Africa through Clinton's visit. But many of my generation are unwilling to see Clinton in a more positive light despite his appeals to the African people. Another African descended San Francisco teacher, Scientific, 24, saw Clinton's outfits as part of an African infomercial. "Clinton is going to wear the garb to get the resources that he wants," says Scientific. "Africa has every mineral resource in the world."