"White" imperialism...

[catalystONE]

Hello everyone. Im not a rasta in any way, I am white and a huge reggae fan. Im intrested in different cultures and politics in general so thats how I stumbled upon this site. One carrying theme Ive noticed on this board is one that keeps saying how whites should be constantly appologising for what our ancestors have done. This makes me mad. Im not mad because I dont believe the whites of today are responsible for the attrocities that were carried out during the colonialist times and times of slavery and imperialism in Africa and else where, on the contrary, I think white people whos ancestors had a hand in the raping of a whole continent should come to terms with that fact! What makes me mad is that the generalisation of "whites" is used without any concideration. I myself come from Finland, a European nation that had no part what so ever in colonising Africa or enslaving the African people. Finland has never had slavery or a colony anywhere in the world. Infact, we were colonised by greater powers in a similar fashion as Africa, yet not as cruelly. Finland was colonised by the Swedish empire and the Russian empire, both looked at Finns as an inferior race. Thus when the term "white" gets irresponsibly thrown around in the context of past colonial exploits I get angry because I know for a fact that my ancestors had ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with the attrocoties and pillaging that took place. I do however understand that a certain imperialsim still haunts africa and it is the western world who remains the exploiter. Although Finland is one of the most fair nations that accept many refugees and work with fair trade, I know we are not doing what we should be doing to help our fellow man. I have no predjudices against anyone (as naive and pretentious as that sounds) I have grown up in various countries with a variety of people. If this sounded like a racist hate mail Im sorry. Im not racist in any way. Im just another political corectness supporter (not to the extreme however). I dont see why I have to deal with the attrocities someone else has done. I am not trying to shift the blame eiither, im not trying to wash my hands and I admit there is more I could be doing to help those in need and help tare down the machine of oppression that has its claws firmly wrenched over the world. Any responses more than welcome, I would love to hear peoples opinions on this matter!!
PEACE!

[Rootsie]

"Apologizing" suggests that white imperialism is a thing of the past.

Whites have to 'deal' because we benefit directly from white supremacy past and present, whether we like it or not.

As for blacks telling us what we have to do, it's our arrogance that makes us so resistant. I think it's amazingly generous of them even to bother.

And whatever blacks tell us or not, we should want to be engaged with these matters because in the end it is about our moral and spiritual health. Our full humanity.

Rootsie

[catalystONE]

so did you even read my post? I think you should read it one more time with an open mind...youre whole argument is based on the fact that appologising implies that the matter is a thing of the past. Perhaps I wasnt clear enough, even though I feel "appologising for what our ancestors have done" was very clearly focusing on that single point of history. The rest of the post clearly states that I understand the problem still exists, amongst whites as well as blacks. I just dont think the over usage of the term "white" is accurate and destroys a lot of very interesting and truthful insight on our current problems on this board. I appologise for my defensive mindset in advance however as it is ingrained in my psyche and I am trying to destroy it, not through the rastafari way but through Zen and meditation which is ultimately the same.
Peace
Please dont try and correct me but teach me instead...

[Rootsie]

I have never in three years heard an African ask for 'constant apology' from us on this forum.  In fact if it were simply a matter of 'sorry' that would be pretty great for us, wouldn't it...Unfortunately it's not. So I repeat in slightly different words: As long as whites benefit directly from the global monster of White Supremacy, race and history must be matters which constantly engage us if we are to claim our full humanity.
Now I will bow out of this and give room for Africa to speak, if it feels to...

[catalystONE]

I completely agree with everything in that post. I just find the term white used to make unjust generalisations...Im not here to argue, Im not against you.
PEACE!

[jemba]

The European don’t owe as an apology, you should not apologies to any Nubian or try to help us. We must get ourselves up of our butts, no one else can get Nubians out of this situation we put ourselves in but Nubians them selves.  

[Oshun_Auset]

, no one else can get Nubians out of this situation we put ourselves in but Nubians them selves.  

[jemba]

We have had many opportunities to liberate ourselves in the past but a phew individuals keep on opting for corruption instead. Just take a look at Afrika there are many countries with no Europeans in the land, just a phew corrupted individuals on a pay role, even though they are manipulated those individual are still the same colour as you and I, so it gose to show the mind set of the people that are in those countries.
If we are in this situation it’s because we have let go of our old ways and exchanged them for new ones. The chine’s and Indians have had exactly the same encounter with the Europeans and so have the Japanese and the Arabs, but they still have their way of life intact “how comes.”  

[Oshun_Auset]

We have had many opportunities to liberate ourselves in the past but a phew individuals keep on opting for corruption instead. Just take a look at Afrika there are many countries with no Europeans in the land

Where's that?

just a phew corrupted individuals on a pay role, even though they are manipulated those individual are still the same colour as you and I, so it gose to show the mind set of the people that are in those countries.

So what a few elite do makes it all our fault? What about the initiators...They weren't African.

If we are in this situation it’s because we have let go of our old ways and exchanged them for new ones. The chine’s and Indians have had exactly the same encounter with the Europeans and so have the Japanese and the Arabs, but they still have their way of life intact “how comes.”  

Let go, exchanged? More like had them beat out of us...and forgotten.

Colonialism elsewhere wasn't as harsh as in Africa. What other peoples had there population depleted for centuries by chattle slavery? Similar maybe...exactly the same no...and therein lies your answer to "how come".

[jemba]

I am no trying to say what they did was correct, but we forget about why we are in this situation in the first place. Nothing on this earth happens by an accident, if diego kao accidently found the kongo empire wiles he was on a trip around the world and the GAY king Alexander the not so great concurred an Egyptian civilisation which was far superior to the Greeks. Then we have to see that we did something wrong and we are paying back for what we did, great civilisations don’t sink or disappear just because of a natural accident. There is always an explanation to what happens with everything that goes on.

[jemba]

How comes in most afrikans countries when a president dies, he is always replaced by his son, don’t tell me the people do not have a choice on who to pick as president, afrikans in afrika and out have to wake up. It s about time Nubians stop acting like they have never done nothing wrong in the past, you reek what you saw, what comes around goes around, what ever you do comes back to you folds stronger.

[Ndugu]

I registered for the sole purpose of responding to this post. I find it very selfish that this person’s emotions are most negatively affected NOT by the atrocities and their effects committed against African people, but by the tainting of the image of whites not responsible. He is not disgusted at the realities of African poverty and misery as much as he is angered and disgusted that some whites are incorrectly labeled as responsible when they are not…particularly himself and Finnish peoples. Does he actually believe that the suffering of these whites to be greater than the suffering of the African to the degree that it SHOULD anger him more?

The fallacy of his reasoning is born from that of composition. He has confused his insecurities with Africans intentions, for what is true for the whole is not necessarily true of its parts and what is true of parts is not necessarily true for the whole. If I say that "the forest is green", does it therefore mean and connote that "EVERTHING in the forest is green"? Saying that the forest is green is different from saying that all things in the forest are green. Saying that white people are responsible for colonizing, enslaving and exploiting Africans does not mean that ALL white people are guilt of this. Ergo, saying “white people” is a distinction and difference from the qualified ubiquitous “all white people” statement or proposition.

Furthermore, just because the Finnish people did not oppress black people does not mean that they would not have if they had the power or opportunity to do so. The fact you present is not necessarily a testimony to the haracter of you or your people as much as it is a testimony of your lack of opportunity and power as a people. True, the Finnish people never took part in the exploitation of black people, but is it not also true that they and YOU have never taken part in helping black people either? How many troops did Finland send to help stop the genocide in Rwanda? How did the Finnish people intervene in the wrongs committed against Africa by other European nations? Ok…so the Finnish people never participated in helping to knock down the African…but where is your participation to lend a helping hand up to the African today (not that we are asking for it..)?  

Whether this person realizes it or not, his attitude suggest that he is part of the problem. His deep emotions are reserved for saving the image and reputation of “neutral” whites, not the suffering and effects to African people from the known activities of other whites.

GET A CLUE!!!

[nefertiti]

Blessed Love ones and ones.....

Just a quick reply to the finnish man....words are symbols -"white", like "black"  is a state of mind, a philosphy a mind set of sorts,,,, a DIE-Vision,   KNOW Yourself and stop looking for correctness in poli-TRICKS.  

IMPERIALISM is a "white" thing that politricks throughout I-story has used as DIE-VISION ...separate Truth from justice and love from life.

If u did not /do not or will not do harm, then why do u need to defend the color of your skin?  

look within u to know that answer and get over the madness or anger or rage of defensiveness and do something positive for ur self based on what u know to be is LOVE.

LOVE is the only law to obey
Rasta far i   means NO FEAR
Haile I Selassie I is power of the trinity.

Oh by the way, blessings and thanks for the little history of Finland....another "nation" that has been divided and ignored by white imperialists, just as Ireland.

Realise that the same forces that dowmpressed finland actually took a map of the African continent and INTENTIONALLY cut up Africa like a cake at the  Berlin conference, without one african person at the table.

So LIVE UP in whatever way u see as love.

OME LOVE ONE AIM ONE DESTINY
 

[Get4RealMen]

Hello all races and human beings

I agree with jemba all races are equal and racism can come both ways from whites or blacks. You are just ignorant if you can’t get 4real and adjust to modern times
The past is the past so let’s adjust to the present people.

[preach]

Hello all races and human beings

I agree with jemba all races are equal and racism can come both ways from whites or blacks. You are just ignorant if you can’t get 4real and adjust to modern times
The past is the past so let’s adjust to the present people.

I hate statements like the above. It is not easy to forget a wound if you have visible scars. Everyday of my life I witness the ramifications of slavery. Why don't you get 4real and skip the utopia crap.