I read a lot of commentators and there are currently 3 people I would love to meet. These are people I respect for their opinions, not that I agree with all that they believe, but I applaud them for not being slaves to the groupthink of their respective communities. I would considerate it a privilege to be able to sit with them and exchange ideas about a variety of topics. These 3 are David Brooks, a columnist with the New York Times (the most pragmatic person I regard), Professor Cornel West (the most truthful person I respect), and my current favorite, Womanist writer and poet Kola Boof (the most real writer I admire).
I love me some Kola Boof. I ordered her autobiography ”Diary of a Lost Girl” and am anticipating getting right into it. I have been reading a number of her essays at Womanist Musings and I want to share a few I found tantalizing:
- Dishonesty about Race – an American Social Reflex
- Banned by Black Men
- How to Make Generations
- Why I Love America
Asa, this was the first time I have read anything by Kola Boof and I find it quite interesting. Especially the honesty about race post. I even think people have a real issue in this country (U.S.) with honesty in general. Too many people are too comfortable with euphamisims, and thoughtless retorts. Ask someone how they are doing and they say fine when they are really hurting. It’s polite to say fine rather than the truth. I know, if you tell the truth and say I’m dealing with pain then the questioner will say “I didn’t ask for all of that…” Contradictions? Didn’t you do a post on contradictions?
Additionally, most people are happy with the stereotype about race. Happy, with the usual accepted “truth’s” about slavery. Tell someone there were white slaves and they will think they are correcting you by saying “you mean endentured servants.” Tell them the reason they eat chitlins is because some of our ancestors wanted to emulate massa, who came from a heritage/culture of eating faggots, haggis, pig belly and pig feet (Germans say pig knuckles) and they want to correct you by saying “nah ole massa took the good part of the pig and left you the intestines.
I appreciate how Kola spoke about the rampant colorism/racism that exists in the Arab world and the fetishism of black women. I had no idea of that being the case, but I’m not surprised. I guess that explains all the hits I got from my dark skinned women post a while back.
Her comments about Arabic racism and then even black on black “racism” were on point. Too often we black folks across the diaspora don’t seem to have a problem bashing each other, nation to nation, then cry foul when “THE WHITE MAN” says anything racist. Hmmm….
Then when she spoke of herself as the ultimate fetish because she speaks arabic fluently, but can turn on the African American sister-girl vibe. Wow, a very interesting position and perspective. I suppose all that she “represents” might be too much for certain kinds of foolish men to resist.
As she said about herself the truth is stranger than fiction–her life experiences seems unreal. But I believe her. What’s the most strange and interesting of her stories is the relationship she had with Osama bin Laden–the one story no one believes is even possible!
Imagine, people of the world defend the hated Osama against having had a sexual relationship with this woman because she’s black! Which puts her in the eninviable position of having to defend herself against those who say she’s lying by speaking of such a situation. What can be more strange?
What I appreciate most about Sis. Kola is how she fearlessly, skillfully and honestly challenges the groupthink beliefs of whatever community she is identified with, whether it be the Black American community, the American community, the African community, the Arab community, the Muslim community or the Feminist community. For her, the objective of her discourses is not based on engaging in an intellectual exercise but in unapologetically relating her own real life experiences, which shapes her beliefs and opinions. That what speaks to me.
I relate most with her comments regarding the fallacy of Black unity. Like her, my experience… even within this minor, marginal forum… is that those who are most vocal preaching about Black unity are the ones who are most zealous about censoring voices that don’t conform to their beliefs or worldview… or they are the most sensitive to any opposition or challenge to their beliefs/opinions and take it as a personal attack and say, “fuck it and fuck you all I’m outta here!”
Talk about “contradictions” my brother Amenta… you been here with me from the beginning… tell me if I’m lying!? (For months I have been meaning to do a post on this fallacy of black unity… soon though.)
So I am not surprised Sis. Kola is demonized and vilified by certain segments of the African-American “intelligensia” due to her diverse beliefs and opinions. She doesn’t confine herself to their narrow-minded worldview. There is a lack of appreciation that those throughout the diaspora don’t conform to one type of perspective, albeit the “American” perspective. Therefore a Black person who questions or challenges any belief, opinion, perspective or actions of a community or person within the diaspora… like our Sis. Kola and Bro. West… is painted as either a traitor, mentally ill, or is seen as engaging in petty motivated attacks on that particular community or person. This is the tyranny of groupthink… which passes for unity but is actually manipulative conformity. Sis. Kola addresses this so brilliantly.
As I said above: “I love me some Kola Boof!”
Yes Asa, I have been here and I have seen what you have seen and read what you have read. And, I surely know and feel what you are saying. I, like you have thoughts swirling in my head about the so called Black unity. This coming U.S. election will show us some truths.
“There is a lack of appreciation that those throughout the diaspora don’t conform to one type of perspective, albeit the” American” perspective.Therefore a Black person who questions or challenges any belief ,opinion, perspective or actions of a community or person within the diaspora…, is painted as either a traitor,mentally ill,or is seen as engaging in petty motivated attacks on that particular community or person.”
“This is the tyranny of groupthink…which passes for unity but is actually manipulative conformity.”
The descendants of the Anglo Saxons living here in the United States brilliantly understood that other ethnic whites would come in with new ideas,actions,beliefs and perspectives and add to the pool toward the development of this nation.
Sometimes I listen to some of the conversations on the web and I hear this silly sense of entiltlement such as “We have been here first, we are the descendants of the slaves who were brought here, therefore we are supposed to be the first in everything.You newcomers are supposed to follow us.”
It is amazing how the Christopher Colombus complex designed by whites when dealing with non-whites, has been passed down to black people to use against other blacks.
They have forgotten that any black person born in this country, regardless if their ancestors are from the South,Africa the Caribbean or Latin America, has the same rigfhts under the U.S. Constitution.
And some of us cannot be boxed in or fall into any line of formation waiting for instructions from a group leader telling us to make a turn or move. The sad thing is those who don’t fall into the group think are accused of being traitors,enemies,imperialists,UncleToms and even ostracized.
It is amazing too how there is a male and female component to the group think. And anyone who falls out of the line is accused of: “they believe they are better than us.” LOL
And some powerful black people are sophisticated and savvy to use this mentality to prosper while stepping or ignoring other blacks just to curry favor with the powers that be.
Whenever I observe an individual, I always ask, who are they catering to?
Few individuals are really free to speak their minds or act and not show some type of partisan towards a particular group.
As much as I admire a famous talk show host, I have watched her invite every princess from around the world to her show and throw praises on them for something.
This woman would not invite a black princess who was born in Panama because most likely, this act would offend her white female friends, who make up the bulk of her audience. Not that Princess Angela of Liechtenstein would attend or is interested in being on her show anyway.
Black women in this country have been boxed into a tight area, and often with the complict of black men and women. The black woman narrative is supposed to be about pain, suffering and feeling insecure and less as a woman.
Any black woman who does not fall into that worldview is seen as : “She thinks she is better.” I tell women from the Panamanian community and black women as a whole not to fall into any of this groupthink foolishness. I believe we(women) are free to write our own story and take charge of our own destiny.
But sadly, most of the time I pretty know how many black people are going to react or respond.The vast majority of black people are predictable. And predictability means lack of freedom. I admire Kola Boof because she thinks outside the box. The key word here is Freedom.