Racism and Distortions:Exposing White Supremacy

[Tyehimba]

Contrary to what the media often portrays, the large majority of white people are beset by superiority/racist complexes. The problem is that since it has become politically incorrect to be overtly racist, racism has taken on a far subtler edge than earlier on in history.  Hollywood portrays racists/White Supremacists as being profane, being armed with guns and as having swastikas tattooed on their arms and chests. This representation attempts to put across that it is only a few isolated whites are racists, thus separating the perpetuation of racism and white supremacy away from the general population, which in itself is far from the truth. Those who manifest their ignorance very overtly are easy to spot but those who come disingenuously with polished rhetoric of 'one love', ‘unity’ and 'we are all one people' are harder for the sleeping masses to spot. In spite of the proclamation by many Whites, that they are not racist, evidence to the contrary overwhelmingly exposes this charade. Whether people like it or not, racist/sexist superiority attitudes are imbedded and conditioned by media, family, friends, institutions, religions and the education system and thus racism and white privilege is the norm and not the exception.

Many Whites try to sidestep their complicity in the whole global system of White Supremacy, yet still continue to uphold and benefit from the plethora of white privileges that underlie the dynamics of White Supremacy. This automatic privilege and status given to White/light skin people is internalized and normalized by many, but to the non-whites who continually get the worse end of the stick, there is hardly any illusions about the existence of equality or justice. Unless Whites deal with themselves holistically, which involves them reasoning and coming to terms with their past misdeeds, the highest they can reach is to be patronising and subtly manifest their superiority complexes on those around them.

Centuries of existing in this Eurocentric framework has meant that the African psyche has been much bombarded by many false values and notions, and the resulting inferiority complexes has meant the perpetuation of ignorance, arrogance and racism. Thus, there are Black people (especially lighter skinned Blacks) themselves who have become neo-colonial agents of White Supremacy by perpetuating the principle of 'white over brown over black'. This reality has been very hard for Black people who are high up in this hierarchy of White Supremacy to come to terms with.  This Colourism among Blacks occurs along a wide spectrum of complexion/features, with those with lighter/whiter tones and more European features are given preferences while those closer to the other end of the spectrum that is those with dark skin/kinky hair are discriminated against. Thus the lighter skinned more European looking person is given preferences over the dark skinned, kinky haired African, who is often automatically hit with the worse that White Supremacy has to offer. This ignorant conditioning of ‘lighter/whiter skinned people are superior’ and more beautiful is very pervasive and reinforced constantly by friends, family, media and the education system.

Then there are those who prescribe the mindset of colorblindness to deal with the scourge of racism. This attitude represents real blindness as it is ignorant of the fact that race in itself is not the problem(does not cause racism) but rather ignorance. Thus, since people being of different races is not the real problem, then being colorblind won't solve racism, which is a manifestation of conditioned ignorance. People coming to terms with their own role in the global system of racism, gender discrimination, injustice and inequality, will be an important step in overcoming a lot of such societal ills. It is vastly erroneous to think that the ideals of peace, love, unity and equality could ever exist in the absence of truth and justice, which can only come as a result of reasoning through certain critical issues.


There are many Whites and even some Blacks who cannot understand how Black people could be angry at Whites for the centuries of slavery, colonialism, racism and outright brutality meted out to Black people across the globe. Anger in fact, can be legitimate response, especially given the history of Eurocentric oppression and the day-to-day reality of racism, media propaganda and miseducation that Blacks face presently and have faced for centuries. African people have a right to be angry just as they have a right to stand up against the continued Eurocentric hegemony and the blatant arrogance and ignorance of Western Civilization. Any attempt to stand against the Eurocentric mindset with its inherent characteristics of racism, gender discrimination and cultural chauvinism, is often deemed angry, ranting, racism, emotional, hateful and/or divisive. This conditioned response ignores the real issues and realities that Black people have to deal with from day to day and implicitly supports the status quo of blind faith, inequality, oppression and injustice that has become so acceptable.

Reasoning and resolution of such issues such as gender discrimination, racism, class and other social ills will benefit all, as slavery not only enslaves the slave, but also enslaves the slavemaster. Thus it in the interest of all humanity that these issues are deal with and not continually swept under the carpet and ignored, as is done now by those that hold power and perceive that the revelation of such truths will affect their greedy accumulation and monopolistic control of wealth, media and resources. The higher up the pyramid shaped social structure, the more motivated people are to maintain the current social order as long as it remains the source of, and reinforces their high societal status and false privileges. The knee-jerk reactions of those who have a vested interest in veiling the truth, or by those who are conditioned to blindly follow the status quo should in no way prevent the truths and legitimate experiences of many from surfacing and being discussed thoroughly in society. It is only when people realize that reasoning about issues such as race and gender discrimination is necessary and is not divisive, racist or irrelevant, that people can engage these issues and transcend them.

Tyehimba

[kristine]

Tyehimba I like this post

In my mind the solution is reversal..and the only way we white ones can do this is to work within the white system to break it down..the same way the information perpetuating racism is being fed so must the opposite come forward...One of the ways racism/sexism is perpetuated is person to person, generation to generation of misinformation and ignorance...

As white ones continue to seek conciousness to end the cycle of white supremecy thru racist/sexist propoganda the information must be carried forth into the white population..It will do no good for white ones to continue to evolve if it does not produce works..

I can continue to try to convince Black People that I get it while continuing to perpetuate the very thing but to what good?...So with that in mind I will tell the tale of a friend of mine...And although he is a white racist/sexist male I do call him my friend because truth be told his views were formed and perpetuated by this very machine of white supremecy which blinds so many to a delicate comfort level..and the man himself is not a bad person he just has a hard time thinking for himself...for the good of humanity...after all the system is good to him..for now..

This whole friendship evolved from my refusal to do a job which I did not feel comfortable doing..I had a choice go to work with George or look for another job...Since I had been unemployed for a few months even George looked good as an option compared to being out of work...again...

His views to me would have been intolerable at one time ... as our time together reveals he has as much to teach me as I him...I have the opportunity with him daily to fine tune my ability to pick up on the subtleness of racism/sexism which can so often slip by..and also to examine my self as well...His obvious becomes my chance to see if the same exists within me in a less obvious way...will I ever help him change his mind...time will tell..every once in a while I catch him hearing me..as time goes by I notice more of this type of thinking/these types of people coming my way and it is up to me to try and make a difference...within..

At this point I do not KNOW the solution on a large scale nor at this point do too many because if they did certainly none of this would still being going on...any suggestions?

[Tracey]

Yes. Start with thy Self. The only way anyone can be a vehicle for change is from the inside out. It does no good to harbor ideals yet lack the necesary experience to carry meaningful actions through. This is like a clanging gong. Something we see ALL the time..people spouting empty rhetoric with no idea how to implement what they speak. This is why one sees and hears lots of talk with no subsitive actions..only wheels spinning in the mud.

"One of the ways racism/sexism is perpetuated is person to person, generation to generation of misinformation and ignorance"...

And this attests to just how powerful one person can be. They can affect change one way or the other...to the greater or lesser of humanity's legacy. Once ones begin to consciousnessly develope and become aware of the many injustices seen..it behooves each one to start looking within their own selves to see how each contributes to the status quo. WE can only truly change ourselves...but in doing so, we also possess the capability to stir up huge ripple effects. Sometimes one never knows who's at a point of real and true receptivity, and is paying great attention to what ones are doing. That is why doing ones' best in ALL things is very very important..as there are indeed many effects to what one consciously and unconsciously does.

My experience is that doors open and opportunities always avail to do more...to affect more..but...one must first be grounded in their true center to really speak from authority and be a true mover and motivator for change on a larger scale.

In reading one of the online chats from Mutabaruka's site...this piece  really spoke to me...it is in reference to the poet...but it also applys to so much more...

"the poet must not put himself in the place of a Christ a prophet or a politician. the first thing is to express your feelings and your ideas about a given situation, you should not try to write poems to change things, you should write poems to express your ideas. The thing about my ideas is that it opposes the system so it would appear that I am deliberately sitting to write to oppose the system but it is my ideas ."   Mutabaruka

What this said to me...and which seems to apply here, is to express from your own true Self. Not to set out to change the world with a preformed set of ideals...No. But in expressing from the true Self...whatever that may be...will indeed serve it's rightful purpose and be a deliberate action towards serving the higher objective of one's true call..which might indeed appear to be in opposition to the system and status quo simply by nature of being true to one's authentic Self.

[kristine]

At this point I do not KNOW the solution on a large scale nor at this point do too many because if they did certainly none of this would still being going on...any suggestions?  


"Yes. Start with thy Self. The only way anyone can be a vehicle for change is from the inside out. It does no good to harbor ideals yet lack the necesary experience to carry meaningful actions through. This is like a clanging gong. Something we see ALL the time..people spouting empty rhetoric with no idea how to implement what they speak. This is why one sees and hears lots of talk with no subsitive actions..only wheels spinning in the mud. "


I still do now see this addressing the problem on a larger scale as how do you see massively getting white people to know themselves..

To often conscious/semi conscious white people want to avoid interaction with covert white supremist by waiting until they are fixed..what better way to test the waters of the knowledge ones are gleaning than give it a try...

I no longer have the luxury of staying in the Safe harbour of Love so generously given to me by Black People ... unless I start to use the tools which have been given to me to try to change the white supremist system any time the situation arises...otherwise I am telling those around me through my inaction that it is okay and it is not...

[Tracey]

Indeed...it is not. Which is exactly why it is good to be able to examine the Self first and contrast it within relation to those around utilizing the tools gathered from developing one's conscious awareness. To know, and not do, is what directly contributes to the stagnant inactivity that keeps ignorance alive and well.

To often conscious/semi conscious white people want to avoid interaction with covert white supremist by waiting until they are fixed..what better way to test the waters of the knowledge ones are gleaning than give it a try...

Agreed.. working within one's present environment is a great place to test the waters from what one comes to know.

In reference to the statement quoted from the previous post was an observation to what is seen amongst the many Whites who come onto this forum spouting much idealistic rhetoric without seemingly possessing the inner experience to back up what they claim to know as truth. Rastafari then, becomes nothing more than a smoke screen to hide their own complicitous natures. And though many have the desire to be 'down with Black folk' and are drawn to Rastafari for whatever reasons, few seem far from willing to look at the racial dynamics that contributed its profound affects within the history of the movement that gave rise to it in the first place.

It is interesting to observe how many Whites staunchly continue to defend their 'one love' rhetoric while bashing the significance of how their racial identity grants them certain status and priviledges in spite of their efforts to disassociate themselves from it. Many live under the dillusion that because they choose to live a simple life and and deny some of the excesses their middle classs lifestyle grants them that that gives them a green card into the house of Rastafari. It is taking on all the externals...the looks..the lifestyle..the music...the rhetoric. Yet without properly acknowledging their own personal and collective history by taking responsibility for what that means in terms of how that has contributed to who they are and how they think...they come off like a clanging gong...got all the words, style, and looks..without the proper inna substance that gives resonance and tone to the bell.

Time and time again the pattern for how Whites come onto the scene reveals the very essence from Tyehimba's very enlightening post...

Many Whites try to sidestep their complicity in the whole global system of White Supremacy, yet still continue to uphold and benefit from the plethora of white privileges that underlie the dynamics of White Supremacy. This automatic privilege and status given to White/light skin people is internalized and normalized by many

many simply refuse to see this..

Unless Whites deal with themselves holistically, which involves them reasoning and coming to terms with their past misdeeds, the highest they can reach is to be patronising and subtly manifest their superiority complexes on those around them.

And this is what is seen and comes off badly when Whites refuse to look at themselves in light of their history..

Then there are those who prescribe the mindset of colorblindness to deal with the scourge of racism. This attitude represents real blindness as it is ignorant of the fact that race in itself is not the problem(does not cause racism) but rather ignorance. Thus, since people being of different races is not the real problem, then being colorblind won't solve racism, which is a manifestation of conditioned ignorance. People coming to terms with their own role in the global system of racism, gender discrimination, injustice and inequality, will be an important step in overcoming a lot of such societal ills. It is vastly erroneous to think that the ideals of peace, love, unity and equality could ever exist in the absence of truth and justice, which can only come as a result of reasoning through certain critical issues.  

Yes...this is where the rubber meets the road. By reasoning through these critical issues.. looking at one's Self.. acknowledging "conditioned" factors..studying and learning how collective history has contributed to ones' personal history, can truth finally meet justice and work towards getting to the other side of ignorance..one person at a time.

[Tracey]

This article is from "Rasta Speaks" and is quite significant to this reasoning here...

http://www.rastaspeaks.com/Rasta/history.html
~

The Importance of History

Your history is your genesis. It explains to you how you came to be WHO you are, and WHY you are WHERE you are today.

Proper historical reflection shows the reasons you developed your particular view of the world. It explains how you developed your outward physical characteristics. It allows you to appreciate your own views and the views of others that may seem different to yours.

Knowing your history alongside developing your character brings your personality into alignment with your self. This way you become more confident in expressing your own views and ideas and you become more receptive to learning from others.

By cultivating the healthy habit of constant reflection, you are less likely to repeat past errors.


The majority of people pay more importance to how people look than the quality of their character.

All people today need to be well informed about their history. This includes the historical migrations and the colonization of people, which led to the differences in skin color, hair type, body type, language and attitude.

It is because of these primary differences that most people do not appreciate each other, or take the time to learn from each other. If people were socially educated, "mixed people," like everyone else, would know how they fit in.

Most mixed people today were born out of colonization and they readily accept the side of their heritage that is either "wealthy" or white, preferring both wealthy and white, while denying themselves the opportunity to learn from other important aspects of their heritage. Others, in their haste to claim an African persona, dismiss the white aspect of their heritage and remain unbalanced.

The question of mixed people fitting in usually comes up when there are discussions relating to Africans and their experiences. Mixed people often exhibit a fearful response to the thought of identifying with poor people or with what is portrayed about Africa and African people.

'Fair-skinned mixed' people suffer the same effects of long term alienation from themselves that middle-income whites and all wealthy people do. They can start informing themselves of all the various cultural viewpoints, and develop a sound moral character so that they too can identify with all people irrespective of race. All people, with the exception of those who are consciously developed, suffer from self-alienation.

The answer to the question, "Where do mixed people fit in?" is the same as for all other people. They can be EVERYWHERE, OR NOWHERE, DEPENDING ON THE CHOICES THEY MAKE. They can develop and become free, or remain ignorant and complain.








 

[Tracey]

I still do now (not) see this addressing the problem on a larger scale as how do you see massively getting white people to know themselves..

Yes. It is an exercise in futility to think that Whites could ever make willing the way to truly come to know themselves..particularly on a massive level. For to know thyself requires in depth honesty and a willingness to examine socially conditioned attitudes and behaviours that are only seen when held up to the light of Truth.

Here in lies a huge obsticle for many Whites. For the question is...how can one truly come to know themselves when living in a continual state of denial?? Because of how we've had to distort our historical truth in order to justify our means we've had to manipulate the truth in order to give creedance to, and making sense out of, our ever present guilty consciousnesses.  

Our history was founded on lies..( deep down we know this) and until we as a collective people are willing to atone for past misdeeds (irregardless of wether we directly had a hand in it / for we still directly benefit from them) we will never get to the other side of human justice..we will always have to side-step the issues... and therefore, sidestep the true path back to our authentic selves.

What I have observed with this sidestepping is a disassociation or disconnectedness from our collective truth, because the truth reveal too much of what most would rather not own up to, much less even acknowledge that it even exists. So instead of claiming our own culture and taking pride in our own heritage...we disconnect and try to adopt and borrow from others as our own. We want to skip over huge aspects of our history in an attempt to reclaim the more purer aspects of our own ancient primordial Selves.

However, there is a problem with this. And that is that it takes the proper order from which to discern history out of context by denying and disassociating ourselves from many parts of it. This leaves huge gaps in our history that MUST be atoned for...and if WE in the PRESENT generation are unwilling to accept responsibility for WHAT WE NOW KNOW...we will never FREE ourselves from the parts of our history that KEEP PERPETUATING THE LIE and therefore shackle it to us like a ball and chain that we keep dragging around from generation to generation. Only the ball (lie) keeps getting bigger and bigger each time it completes a human cycle. It is this ball that IS our obsticle. And try as we may..there is NO getting around it.

The only way I personally see dismantling the interior of the White Supremacy system...again is to start with Thyself. Becoming aware and acknowledging the Truth as seen is a huge first step to better educating and informing one's soul and mind. Therefore, in the midst of relating to ignorant people, one can then speak from the center of their core/truth and ripple the effects. We cannot force our truth onto anyone who wishes not to hear it...but there are those who's ears are cocked and are seeking answers to questions that burn inna their soul to know who they are in this world around them. And to them that seek with an honest ear will indeed HEAR the answers that WILL come their way from those who share their piece of the collective human puzzle.

We no longer need to accept fragmented, disjointed, distorted pieces of our history/identity/selves. When now lie before us all the tools necessary to reclaim the Whole of who we are..from Alpha to Omega and EVERYTHING in between.

..correct information.. honesty...and yes Kristine, action are key

[Rootsie]

We do the things we do because we know they are the right things to do. The best we can do is to become examples for others by the very details of how we live. We skip quickly to the idea of moving the minds and hearts of many before we have made the appropriate refinements in our own lives. Since we have not done that yet, how can we know how powerful that can be, and ultimately, how many will follow the example?

[Tian]

 Greetings

Thanks Tyehimba for the opening post, I fully agree with what you write.

Like Kristine and Tracey said, I also think that we as white people need to start with educating ourselves, then using that knowledge to educate other whites. It is our role in the global struggle against imperialism to break down white supremacy from within our own societies.

I also think that to really understand the depths and reach of white supremacy, we can learn much from the Black experience. At least that is true in my case. I have learned a lot from people on this forum, and lately I have also been reading a lot of African scholars like Frantz Fanon, Cheikh Anta Diop, Marimba Ani, St. Clair Drake, Peter Rigby, Na'im Akbar. Still waiting for books by Amos Wilson, Marcus Garvey and Dennis Forsythe.

I am now trying to put this issue on the agenda here in Norway, starting in my own environment at the university.

I am writing my thesis on the topic of mental slavery, or the colonization of the African mind by imposition of European culture. Here, I am drawing on the Afrocentric perspective to criticize and attack the system of white supremacy and its cultural imperialism.

I am also using the fora available to me to write articles, and present the critique on the Eurocentric world view. One problem I have encountered here is that anthropologists and students of anthropology look at this as a theoretical topic, possibly implying that it is only of academic interest. Here in Norway, it often seems as if the sufferings of other people (to which we contribute in our ignorance) does not exist! But I have also discussed this with a few people who really care and were willing to listen.....

Then I realize how little anthropology has developed with regards to cultural relativism. Every time I read the famous quote by Clifford Geertz: "From the native's point of view", I wonder if anthropologists are fooling themselves.....

I have always hoped to use anthropology as a way of seeing Western culture from the outside, like looking in a mirror, seeing ourselves through the eyes of others. I guess there are others who see it that way as well, but the dominant discourse is always about criticizing other cultures instead of our own. And the focus is always on the others, when it should be on ourselves. I guess most Europeans are scared of the monster that would appear in the mirror, so they turn away instead.....

Tian

[FYAHMAN]

As an anthropoligist Iself can certainly agree. But I dare say that this process actually started in Europe with the Romans; and we had the intolarance of the (Africans) Maribout Almorivids who were religeous extremist; along with theTurks and the final development of the Norman French in the conquest and holding of territory by using forts, enabling the most stringent development of industrial plantation slavery;which we observed over the last five hundred years; with the advent of the European; the bible in one hand and the gun in the next. A LIVING SCOURGE OF IMANITY.




N.B.  If you know history; it goes beyond saying that Europe have solved their problem of landlessness and lack of food through the invation,robbery and genocide of other peoples. Hence, it was'nt strange What Hitler did; it has been happening. It's just that he did it in Europe to Europeans with such mechanical efficiency; at that time in history.      

[Ayinde]

A little about the Almoravid movement found on the Net.


http://www.wsu.edu:8000/~dee/CIVAFRCA/ALMORAV.HTM

Ghana was the most powerful empire in Western Africa, but it was not an Islamic kingdom. By the 900's, Muslims controlled most of the desert oases along the commercial routes; because of this economic power, they were able to force the king of Ghana to divide his capital city into two distinct districts, one for Muslims and one for non-Muslims.

The Almoravid movement began among the nomadic Berbers, or Almoravids, living in the desert north of Ghana. They were fervent Muslims and they declared holy war, or jihad, against the kingdom of Ghana. The Almoravids pushed Ghana over the edge, for the kingdom had for a couple centuries been close to collapse because of the spread of the Sahara desert and the overuse of agricultural land. The Almoravids so weakened the Ghanaian empire, that it finally collapsed as individual tribal groups and chieftaincies seceded.

The story of the Sudanic empire, though, still had life in it. In 1224, one of the chief that had seceded from Ghana, attacked the capital city of Kumbi-Saleh and seized the royal family. He didn't last long, though. A mere ten years later, a legendary magician and a royal hostage named Sunjata overcame the usurper and began a new empire: Mali.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

http://www.bartleby.com/65/al/Almoravi.html

Berber Muslim dynasty that ruled Morocco and Muslim Spain in the 11th and 12th cent. The Almoravids may have originated in what is now Mauritania. The real founder was Abd Allah ibn Yasin, who by military force converted a number of Saharan tribes to his own reformed religion and then advanced on Morocco. After his death (c.1059), Yusuf ibn Tashfin and his brother Abu Bakr came to power. Marrakech was founded in 1062 and was the center of a powerful empire. Called by the Moors in Spain to help stem Christian reconquest, Yusuf entered Andalusia and defeated (1086) Alfonso VI of Castile. He later subdued the local Muslim rulers and governed Muslim Spain and N Morocco (Abu Bakr ruling over S Morocco). The dynasty also pushed south, destroying the ancient state of Ghana. The Almoravids were rough and puritanical, contemptuous of the luxurious Muslim courts in Spain. Their rule was never entirely stable and in the 12th cent. was attacked by the Almohads, who finally (by 1174) won both Morocco and Muslim Spain.