"I am not a politician but a professional soldier. "
-Idi Amin, quoted in "When Illness Strikes the Leader: The Dilemma of the Captive King, by Jerrold M. Post, Robert S. Robins
(above) Forest Whitaker plays Idi Amin in the 2006, award-winning film, "The Last King of Scotland," based on a novel of the same name.
Idi Amin has been portrayed in at least nine films and twelve books since his "Autoportrait", in which he played himself. Sometimes, he is depicted as an African Hitler, and in others he is an amiable, murderous buffoon. In the image above, he is shown with some of his approximately 30-45 children. In real life, one of his sons, who describes Amin as a loving father, is on a mission to explain some of his father's faults and give his side of the story. Although he has yet to make any significant change in the public's opinion of Idi Amin, it will certainly be interesting to see if he eventually does. Does Amin really deserve all the bad publicity, or is there another side to him?
I have chosen the letter "F" to represent Idi Amin. Possible interpretations such as "ferocious" and "father" came to mind when the letter was chosen, although there may be others.
Blackwatch was chosen because it is the most well-known Scottish tartan and Amin was depicted wearing it in the film, "The Last King of Scotland". I haven't seen any actual photographs of Amin in his kilt, but am guessing that this was his tartan of choice.
The letter "F" is two-toned like Amin's personality. One side of him is charismatic and effervescent, a pure white, and the other side of him is deadly, which is why I accented the "F" in red.
"Sometimes people mistake the way I talk for what I am thinking."
-Idi Amin, quoted in in "Leaders and Their Followers in a Dangerous World", by Jerrold M. Post
