“It’s so amazing to me that so many of us speak of unity, yet we are to assume we know what is meant by unity and unification. The word is never clearly defined by the user. In the between time, there is a mean spirited tone to the discussion that should be avoided if we are truly in process of unifying. This is based on my own definition of the word.” Bro. Amenta
This is part of a comment by my Bro. Amenta on a previous post. He and I agree on the fallacy of black unity that is preached by the majority of Black people. At the very least, it’s a slogan of bygone days (during the activist stage of their life) or at the very most, it’s an intellectual talking point. Regardless, there is no real substance nor commitment to making this ideal a reality.
Furthermore, what does black unity really mean? I acknowledge it means different things to various people. For myself, there are some Black people I have no desire to “unite” with. In the words of Public Enemy: “a brothah ain’t a brothah just because of collah”… (I would add “sistah” too). The reason I have no desire to unite with certain Black people has nothing to do with their political ideology, or religion, or sexual orientation, or gender, or nationality, or “add in whatever”. It has everything to do with their character, sincerity of purpose and having the same goal (maybe different strategies) to empower people of African descent. I would much rather work to find common ground in an effort to unite with a Black conservative than with a White progressive. Working to unite with only Black people who believe as you do, whether politically, culturally or religiously, is neither work nor unity.
With all this in mind, I was not surprised by all the disparaging and demonizing comments leveled against the Black Republican speakers Arthur Davis and Mia Love, by some in the African-American community. I understand it’s all apart of the “Plantation” politics that the majority of African-Americans, who identify with the Democratic Party Plantation, are engaged in. However what I found troubling was some of the “mean spirited tone” of the attacks against Mia Love.
These two posts are examples of what I found utterly distasteful: “Women of color in a strange place” and “The questionable racial and ideological authenticity of Mia Love“.
Both articles stress the fact that Ms. Love parents were Haitian immigrants and one even falsely makes the point that she “represents the typical immigrant who came to America looking for a better life with her family”. The fact is that Mia Love was born and raised in the United States. However, by highlighting the nationality of her parents and by extension her heritage, both authors went on to use this fact to question her understanding, relating and empathizing with the so-called African-American experience. One went so far as to question her “racial authenticity”. Really!? This smacks of the “birther” arguments leveled against President Obama by the Republicans who question his American citizenship.
Both articles further makes the point that due to her Haitian heritage, Ms. Love has no understanding of the history of slavery that was faced by Blacks in America, and that the Black immigrant experience in America is so much different that the African-American experience:
“Ms. Love, in her mind, isn’t burdened by America’s sad history when it comes the blacks who were brought here under quite different conditions. So sadly she doesn’t even view herself as one of those American blacks.”
“The fact of the matter is that she is the only one of her generation in her family born and raised in these United States. As such, she doesn’t have a personal historical background as do the many black people living here descended from the slaves set free (on paper at least) by Abraham Lincolns’ Emancipation Proclamation a hundred and fifty years ago.”
The actual fact of the matter is whether you were born in Haiti, Jamaica or America and are of African descent, then we have this in common: we are all descendants of African slaves or servants of European colonialism. The actual fact of the matter is whether you fought for your freedom, granted your freedom or your freedom was proclaimed, today those of us of African descent worldwide have this in common, we are all under assault from White supremacy based capitalism and/or imperialism.
The actual fact of the matter is just because your parents were immigrants and you have a different political affiliation that most African-Americans, doesn’t make you any less “Black”.
Let me briefly discuss an aspect of the Black immigrant experience in the North America, whether in Amerikka or Kkkanada. Her politics aside, I can relate to Ms. Love in this respect. My parents came to Canada from Jamaica via England. I was born in England, spent some of my formative years in Jamaica, but I was primarily raised in Canada. My parents instilled these values in my sisters and I: take advantage of all opportunities available to you, but never depend on them to succeed. Regardless of whatever benefits government programs may provide or whatever obstacles society may put in your path, failure is not an option. Our success is dependent on the grace of God and on hard work.
Immigrants from the so-called “third world” have experienced that whatever programs their government provides to benefit the masses, they can be easily taken away by the next U.S. backed government or U.S. controlled international organizations such as the United Nations, World Bank and IMF. Therefore they are sckeptical of what they see as “government handouts”. They have also experienced that social capital, such as education and affordable health care, are not regarded as a “right” by the government in the country of their birth. You have to pay out of pocket to be well and for your children to get even the basic elementay education and most cannot afford either. Therefore, good health and education, especially having the opportunity to attend secondary school or college is the domain of the rich, the children of government officials… not the poor and certainly not the intelligent.
So most children of immigrants are shaped by this message: you better work hard, maximize your opportunities, depend on your own knowledge, skills, abilities, most importantly resourcefulness, to get and keep what you have. Don’t put your faith in anyone or anything other than your God. Focusing on blaming the “white man” for all our ills as a community or as an excuse for your personal failures will get us nowhere… just do it!
One of the authors referred to Ms. Love as the “top token negro” in the Republican Party at the present time… which may be true, just as Barack Obama was at one time seen as the “top token negro” of the Democratic Party during their 2004 convention. Just like the Republican convention last week, the Democrats during their convention this week will parade their plantation negroes to the nation and the world, to extol the glory of their party and their presidential candidate. They will however trump the Republican’s “top token negro” with their own: Bill Clinton… and then by their close second… Barack Obama.
When you get involved in politics, align yourself with a political party and put your views, policies and platform out there as to be assessed and voted on, then they’re fair game to be discussed, debated, criticized and even attacked vigorously. Plantation politics aside, these types of attacks on Mia Love, by other members of the African-American community is neither constructive nor do they move us as a people towards real unity. What they are… in the words of one of the authors… “it’s serious House Negro behavior.”
I identify with many of your viewpoints. Both my parents were born in 1930, however my Mom born in West Virginia and raised in Jim Crow Dayton, Ohio had life experiences she was able to tell me that made me appreciate what I had. Being born in the 50s both my parents instilled me with “race pride”. Meaning that you had to be a credit to your race. None of your actions could embarrass Black people as a race because that’s how white people judged us. My Dad was born and raised in Harlem, USA but I can still hear both my parents saying I had to be twice as good as any white students and later white co-workers to get half as far. I suppose they were products of their generation, but I will say this I was never allowed to blame the “white man” for my failures in life. I was raised to be responsible and accountable. My parents always stressed education and finally at age 36 I went back to school to earn my BA. They believed education was the key to the ‘good life’. This was partially true, at least until the U.S. economy began to tank around 2006. Like many other Americans I was laid off and when I did find a job it was half of what I used to make. I have to admit I was disillusioned. I felt like the formula I was raised on of hard work and education was not working. Suddenly in my 50s I’ve had to reinvent myself. I also learned that even with letters behind your name you can still wind up in the Welfare/Food Stamp office. I’m not looking to any one party for “salvation” just the opportunity to climb back up the ladder and in less than 10 years retire and receive all those senior benefits that I paid into when I was young. I don’t know that any one political party has the answer but they’d better learn to work together for the betterment of the country and it’s citizens.
dancingpalmtrees…Your life story is one echoed by many of us born of those parents of the 30s, except (in my own case), unlike you, we were warned that the white man” would always blame us for any of our failures in life, regardless of how hard we worked. So, our admonition was to always do well, in spite of, and/or because of that known truth.
For me too, “They believed education was the key to the ‘good life’. This was partially true,” My issue as a grown woman now though is, the “education” upon which they insisted, rarely included anything about our Black selves — which, IMHO now, was to our detriment because overall, it created automatons, not critical thinkers. Out of what I thought at the time was a traumatic event (the divorce of my parents in the 6th grade), came the absolutely, life-changing and incredible opportunity to learn more about us, about me. In having to leave the segregated, Black Catholic school we’d attended for the neighborhoodpublic school, I was blessed with wonderful, young, Black, revolutionary teachers who made it their business to teach us from “whence we came, and of what we were made (unlike the Black order of nuns brought in from Baltimore). I fell in love with James Baldwin especially, along with all the great Black writers of his day, as a result.
“Suddenly in my 50s I’ve had to reinvent myself. “
Sister, trust me, that’s not a bad thing. I think you will find that, “stepping out on faith,” will get you closer to “you” than you think. I understand it’s scary, and hard and sometimes painful, but — I promise you, it’ll be way worth it! No, I can’t put food on your table, nor can I offer you an answer to your unemployment, but know that the foundation with which you were raised can, and will sustain you.
Peace…
I do have a job but I have to work tons of overtime just to be able to afford food, shelter & clothing. My father made it a point to teach me African American History. I was reading Langston Hughes and W.E.B. DuBois as a child. However no matter how knowledgeable I become about regarding the Black experience or the diaspora that does not really help me economically. I can’t eat history, it will not provide me shelter nor will it pay my bills.
My reinvention consists of doing things I thought I’d never have to do to survive. Being degraded and dehumanized are not the reinvention I want. The price I’m paying is not worth it and believe me the cost has been and is very high. But it goes back to the point Asa made that Black unity is a farce. Just be down on your luck and see if any of your sisters or brothers come to your aid. People are only on your side when life is going well for you and you can do something for them. In this life we are truly alone.
” I do have a job but I have to work tons of overtime just to be able to afford food, shelter & clothing. My father made it a point to teach me African American History. I was reading Langston Hughes and W.E.B. DuBois as a child. “
My point was NOT, that reading Hughes and/or Dubois, or knowing African American History would sustain you — but rather that, those shoulders upon which you stood, who taughtyou about yourself would.
>”However no matter how knowledgeable I become about regarding the Black experience or the diaspora that does not really help me economically. I can’t eat history, it will not provide me shelter nor will it pay my bills.”
No, but knowing “whose” you really are might.
“My reinvention consists of doing things I thought I’d never have to do to survive.Being degraded and dehumanized are not the reinvention I want. The price I’m paying is not worth it and believe me the cost has been and is very high.”
Interesting….”things you thought you’d never have to do?” — as opposed to what? Doing what you’ve always wanted to do? Why? IMHO, being degraded and dehumanized should not be a choice of reinvention for anyone. Are you saying you had no “choice” in the matter? If so, that sounds more like somebody else reinventing you, than you doing it yourself. If you know the price is not worth it, why are you paying it?
“But it goes back to the point Asa made that Black unity is a farce. Just be down on your luck and see if any of your sisters or brothers come to your aid. People are only on your side when life is going well for you and you can do something for them. In this life we are truly alone.”
Sorry, I can’t agree with you there (though I’ve felt truly alone at one point or another in my life — I was not, I just thought I was). Depends on what it is, you want, or think you need (besides food, of course). That you think people are only on your side when you can do something for them says a lot about you as well IMHO. I could be wrong, but it sounds like an awful lot of pain going on there, Sister — pain and priorities. Try to be well…
Ah-h-h-h, Brother Asa…This is why I am glad to have made your online acquaintance! You make me think; you help me to “do my first works over,” as Baldwin reminds; and sometimes, you even confirm for me that I am headed in the right direction!
Here are two comments I made at Racism Review back in May, regarding Ms. Love (http://www.racismreview.com/blog/2012/05/16/i-might-look-black-but-i-aint-like-yall-utah-politician-mia-love/):
“Thanks for the great piece, Darron. You made all the points I had rolling around in my head except – it seems Black Mormons (at least those I know who’ve immigrated here from the Diaspora) unwittingly suffer what I can only describe as the same type/but different, Black American Post Traumatic Slavery Disorder, or Stockholm Syndrome, or whatever you want to call it that we, Black Americans do – namely, being a Mormon!
Now I don’t know Mia Love, or if she has, as you say, an “unconscious hatred for all things African American” but, I gotta say that being a Black Mormon certainly seems to, imply, as you say, an inordinae “degree of acceptance of white supremacist norms and values.”
Racism against Blacks in the LDS Church is well-documented in the History of the Church by Joseph Smith, himself – as well as in the Book of Mormon, their doctrines, covenants and “Pearl of Great Price” (probably won’t find much online what with Mitt running to be president “of all the people”). Brigham Young, their second “prophet,” had no-o-o love at all, for “we people who are darker than blue” either – just Google him in the “Journal of Discourses around volumes 7 – 10.
I watched an interesting documentary awhile back on the Documentary Channel entitled, “Nobody Knows – the Untold Story of Black Mormons.” It was quite illustrative. Not sure if it’ll be on again, but it’s worth checking out if it is.
Being “…unconscious of the white-black paradigm in this country” if we’re honest, is NO luxury for Black folk – from anywhere!
I see Ms. Love as another Condoleeza Rice, or a better example would be Colin Powell, son of Jamaican immigrants – and we know what viewing themselves “through the prism of a U.S. white lens” did for/to them!
I so agree with you that, “We are all the sons and daughters of former slaves; we share this fight together” – but sadly, the effectiveness of the divide and conquer of the white frame, coupled with our abject failure to study and recognize it – has, and continues to, successfully make “sharing the fight together” damned near impossible.
Thanks again for you insight…”
“@Blaque Swan…“Shouldn’t he have to talk about that?”
Yes he should, and at some point before November, he’ll probably be forced to – should be interesting, particularly since I suspect there’ll be a line-up of Mia Loves waiting in the wings to explain “how much things have changed.”
Actually, I’m thinking the MSM’s pushing her out there now is a part of that strategy (don’t know about you, but I’d be lying if I said I knew little, if anything about her until now!). If you believe in strategies that is. If not, just call it my little conspiracy theory. The Changeling’s now “I believe in gay marriage” announcement also falls in the same category IMHO.
At the end of the day, I’m with Ms. Kimberley over at Black Agenda Report: http://blackagendareport.com/content/freedom-rider-non-campaign-2012 (gotta love that pic!)- I believe both situations, as campaign issues, are mere dog whistles to distract the masses away from the issues the “real” power brokers don’t want “we the people” to seriously consider.
And the beat goes on…”
I feel the same about Mia Long as I do about the Changeling; their negation of our ” Blackness” (not African-American-ness, because I never do the hyphenated thing), in collusion with white supremacy is a direct affront to all of us.
As for immigrants having a different approach to “government hand-outs,” I can understand the reasoning and, quiet as it’s kept, Black folk used to feel the same way — that, “failure is not an option.” I know that’s how my grandmother and mother raised us. I think where we’ve gotten caught up, has a lot to do with your Tim Wise link above, believing that so-called emancipation gave us the “same” (there goes that word again!) “rights” as e’rybody else because after all — that’s what all the fight and death was about! And as such, the assistance given poor whites (who incidentally, make up a much larger percentage of those receiving “hand-outs”) should be made available to us as well. But, as you said in that post, and I concur, there is no “same” (even though America would like all the world to think there is, hence their always painting of us as just lazy and shiftless which, even today, is far from the truth).
Black as we ALL are Brother — we, each have been shaped by different messages at the end of the day (which in my little, conspiracy-theory mind, has been no accident). Black Americans particularly, have been hamstrung IMHO, by not getting out of America to see the depth, breadth and richness of “whence we came.” Based on my own experience, I can speak to the immense growth that brings. A part of that Black American experience is sadly, that we’ve been “kept” (or kept ourselves, in the hopes of being the “same”) from that. My goal, for whatever time I have left (“when shock comes calling,” you definitely think about that kind of thing), is to do something about that, because we Black Americans need to know that, in unity, we are way more than what they’ve told us — and what they’ve told us to be.
“I so agree with you that, “We are all the sons and daughters of former slaves; we share this fight together”
Sis. Deb, there is so much that is similar in our experiences as people of African descent worldwide, that one would think it would be much easier for some of us (not all of us)… at least the best of us… to unite and share this fight together. You hit the nail right on the head and through the wall: “but sadly, the effectiveness of the divide and conquer of the white frame, coupled with our abject failure to study and recognize it – has, and continues to, successfully make “sharing the fight together” damned near impossible.” Damn near impossible but not hopeless… lol!
The Christian church (regardless of denomination) and it’s relationship with Black people has been a troubled one. The Catholics and Protestants invaded and depopulated Africa of it’s people and resources with the blessing and collusion of their Churches. Hence many Black people, including Black Mormons, have internalized “an inordinae degree of acceptance of white supremacist norms and values.” Therefore, the Mormon church is no better or worse than any other denomination… just a different set of white supremacy based paradigms. I have an uncle who is a staunch Catholic. He has a picture of a long blond hair, blond beard, blue eyed Jesus with the “sacred red heart” on the chest, displayed prominently in his front hall. It’s the first thing you see when you enter his house. Many years ago I asked him “who’s the white hippie in the picture?”. He went ballistic! lol! Needless to say, I’m not his favourite nephew. lol!
Regardless of your denomination or religious beliefs, if the God you worship doesn’t speak to your condition and empower you to overcome your struggles, as an individual and as a people, then it ain’t your God your worshipping…it’s someone elses.
Blessings!
“Damn near impossible but not hopeless… lol!”
I can only hope that you’re right!
I didn’t mean I had a problem with her religion, because as you say, the same troubling issue resides with all of them. I brought out the Mormonism because it was one thing he author hadn’t touched on, and to get to exactly the part you pulled out, that her Mormonism implied an “inordinate degree of acceptance of white supremacist norms and values”
“Many years ago I asked him “who’s the white hippie in the picture?”.
ROFLMBAO! That was TOO funny, Asa!
Regardless of your denomination or religious beliefs, if the God you worship doesn’t speak to your condition and empower you to overcome your struggles, as an individual and as a people, then it ain’t your God your worshipping…it’s someone elses.”
Totally agree, which is why I remain in, what I call, a “crisis of faith” to this day (which is difficult for an ex-Southern Baptist/Catholic). But once I knew, that the inhumanity of slavery existed merely as a capitalist enterprise with full papal blessings and, in collusion with those European/western Asian moneymen (now calling themselves Jews), along with those good fellows from the Anglican/Protestant Church who gladly and greedily commissioned and steered ships like “The Good Ship Jesus??!!” (originally called Jesus of Lubeck), to these shores, loaded down with people who looked like me — I had to step back and away because that WAS “someone else’s.”
Bros. Asa, you speak in a disparaging manner of democratic plantation politics, however, Mia Love was there espousing and embracing the plantation politics of the Republican Party. I’m not impressed with either plantation. There is this thing with black conservatives that somehow they and the latter party are the only ones who have “values”, determination and the goals of pulling themselves up by their bootstraps. People who align with the democratic or green parties value family, hard/smart work ethics but there is still a compassion for those– who due happenstance or other traumas need assistance. Many people of color who come to this country and make it and do well are able to do so because of the social movements of progressive blacks and some whites in this country.
Many continued to struggle and work for a better day and still made their viewpoints known. There is this view that they only whined and complained–which is and incomplete view of the struggles of black Americans.
Most people have a combination of conservative and progressive ideologies.
I’d be more impressed if Mia Love was an independent with her conservative views than being the spokeswoman for the Republican Plantation elite.
Steven Biko said that ‘”Being black is not a matter of pigmentation – being black is a reflection of a mental attitude.” We’ve been betrayed and oppressed by black people as well. Made so clear by your recommendations on Wole Soyinka’s essays and his book, “The Burden of Memory, the Muse of Forgiveness.” and other historical and current events. So if I don’t think that a black conservative or for that matter a black progressive is working towards the well being of other oppressed folks or those on the margins; they will not get my support. Period!!!!
~Peace~
“Bros. Asa, you speak in a disparaging manner of democratic plantation politics, however, Mia Love was there espousing and embracing the plantation politics of the Republican Party. I’m not impressed with either plantation.”
Sis. Carolyn, the point of my post isn’t about Mia Love’s politics. As I stated above, attacking her politics is fair game. The point is that questioning her racial authenticity and citizenship because of her politics is just as ignorant as questioning the authenticity of the birth certificate and citizenship of Obama because of his politics. The point is that both political plantations employ the same tactics and rhetoric. You may not agree but in the case of Ms. Love, I find it more despicable because these types of attacks come from other Black people to benefit their white master’s political plantation.
“There’s no difference between the two U.S. political parties, except one is more direct in their tyranny against the most vulnerable amongst us. The other hides behind pseudo-liberalism…” Ezili Dantò
The Democrats are under this illusion that they are in some way morally superior to the Republicans. Sure the Democrats will offer Black people more crumbs, but they know that’s all it takes (plus a black face doesn’t hurt) to mesmerize and buy their loyalty… and votes. For Black people, this makes Obama and the Democrats not the lesser of two evils, but in the words of Ezili Dantò, “a more effective evil”. Read her essay here.
“Steven Biko said that ‘”Being black is not a matter of pigmentation – being black is a reflection of a mental attitude.” We’ve been betrayed and oppressed by black people as well.”
Regardless of their politics, I don’t question the “blackness” of Obama or Love… whatever that may mean. For me that is a futile discussion. However, I have no doubt though that they have no commitment whatsoever to the interests of Black people at home or abroad. Sis. Deb sums it up well: “I feel the same about Mia Long as I do about the Changeling; their negation of our “Blackness” (not African-American-ness, because I never do the hyphenated thing), in collusion with white supremacy is a direct affront to all of us.”
Be blessed.
Bountiful blessings to you as well. I believe we are all in the same chapter on much of this discussion; different points made to keep us critically thinking about these issues as well as clarification of our viewpoints. These forums also allow us to share the wisdom of our ancestors and current thinkers throughout the diaspora!
To Bro. Asa and the others, thank you for AfroSpear and Deb, as a result of your comments on this website; I was introduced to “Let’s Make It Clear”. Listening….Reading….Sharing…Doing. That’s what it’s all about!
BTW Asa, I love Ezili Danto…She is FYAH!!!!
Long live the AfroSpear…It is not for the faint of heart, but truly for the heart of all our people’s uplift!
Peace!
You have written an excellent article here. You exposed a habit of some Africans in America to dismiss the experience of Africans without America, and I admit that it’s an annoying habit sometimes fielded against me–as son of immigrants.
But there’s more to it than meets the eyes. As it were, Africans in America are not familiar with the experiences of Africans without America. In fact, the other day, an African within America was asking where the Africans in Canada were when Africans in America were protesting for their Civil Rights. I’m not kidding you.
The Education system here in America excludes the experience of Africans without America entirely. Most Africans in America are shocked to know that their history does not begin with their enslavement.
Though, for the most part, I find the comments fielded against immigrants and descendants of immigrants are a generational commentary. This latest generation of Africans in America are much less divisive to the point of unity with even Europeans in America, a much different conclusion.
You highlighted an excellent idiosyncrasy of Africans in America. The solution is to educate on the worldly experiences of Africans. You already appear to do so, with your more global interests; though by and by the Africans in America are not independent in whom influences them.
This is why Malcolm X highlighted the situation in the media’s manipulation of the Congo in his life. When 19 European pilots were captured, the Africans in America were sympathetic, but when thousands of Africans were bombed by these pilots, the Africans in America were careless. As it were, we’re not in control.
Although, in my point of view, you’re reading the pseudo-learned and making generalizations thereupon, when in actuality the ignorant of America is more plentiful than the pseudo-learned. When Africans in America vote for Democrat, it has little to do with the candidates and more to do with the party; it’s something we do every two or four years then we return to the ups and downs of life. It’s really not as serious, for Europeans or Africans, as some would lead you to believe. Most people in America didn’t hear Mia Love. Maybe 99% of Africans in America don’t know of her.
I think we all are shaped by the American experience, and specifically the Black experience here in the U.S. Unfortunately all too often people either come from the islands, the continent or we who have been here all along believe that we do not share a common past, when in fact we are more alike than we even know (Asa made a similar comment above). The comments taken from the blog posts Asa posted are examplary of poor education shrouded in eloquent script. It is quite obvious to me these writers have no sense of true history and rely on stories and fables. The story that those of us, here in the U.S. alone, can claim this infamous badge of honor called “descendants of slaves.” Ignoring entirely the historical significance of the Haitian Revolution and its impact on all slave holding countries in the Western.
I am not so quick to say that we all come from the descendants of slave. Not all melanin rich people enslaved during that time period. We have examples of free black people and people of colour throughout our history, many of whom were slave holders themselves. Black slave owners not withstanding, we should take a look at the Comite Des Citoyens 1891 in New Orleans.
This American experience also involves people of the Caribbean and almost as deeply as people that have been in the “States” since they can remember. In fact one of the people that founded the Comite Des Citoyen in 1891 was of Cuban and Haitian parentage, Rudoffe Lucien Dedunes, then on to Marcus M. Garvey, Kwame Toure and Shirley Chisholm. Yet, as the peoplation of Caribbean people came into the States many were affected by the war on poverty and in fact lived much the same way as most black people in the U.S. I personally know them that collect welfare, food stamps, W.I.C. and whatever else. Truly for those that went on to greater endeavors were affected by those of a certain time period and not soley the lifestyle of the Islands.
As alluded to above, people born during the time period seemingly from 1900 to 1940 appear to be of the same spirit whether born on the islands or in the States seemed to maintain the ” “failure is not an option.” mindstate. Somewhere along the line probably during the war on poverty we allowed our minds to be turned to a “someone owes me” attitude. But, we allowed it. Thus so many of our children whether be from Caribbean heritage or from the States the result is the same after living here over time. Living here, if one is awake and aware is a constant battle to maintain one’s ability to live outside of the rhetoric and noise that can lull you to sleep
I looked into the Arithmetic, because 99% may seem bizarre. But there are more than 300,000,000 American people. Roughly 1,000,000 voted in Utah in this last Congressional election. So that’s 1/300 Americans vote in the Utah race. Of these voters, maybe 3/10 do not vote down party line (for President). But for Congress, maybe 1/10 do not vote down party line. So maybe 1/3000 Americans voting in the Utah race would care who Mia Love is.
There are African people outside of Utah who would critique Mia Love. Sure; but most should not care about Utah’s congresswoman, as most do not even know their congresspeople. But as far as the African people making up the Utah voting population, it’s estimated that 95% of Utah is “White.” Therefore 1/20 people in Utah are “Black.” But of these maybe 1/2 vote due to age or interest. So about 1/120,000 Americans voting are Africans in Utah who would care who Mia Love is.
I hope that, that helps.
Bro. Amenta…I am not so quick to say that we all come from the descendants of slave. Not all melanin rich people enslaved during that time period. We have examples of free black people and people of colour throughout our history, many of whom were slave holders themselves.
I’m doing a little research on that as well because my home of SC also had it’s share of “free Blacks” (well, as free as they were allowed to be which required they behaved like our alabaster brethren). Still digging.
Somewhere along the line probably during the war on poverty we allowed our minds to be turned to a “someone owes me” attitude. But, we allowed it
I think, as I said somewhere up-thread, it has a lot to do with us having believed them — that after all that fighting and dying, we would be treated “the same,” or “equal” (though that was never the intent).
But I can’t lie, I still believe we’re owed (BIG!) for our sweat, tears and back-breaking work that not only built this damned country, but enriched those of all the “usual suspects.” But not by way of this “entitlements” BS they’re throwing around here in the U.S. now to try and make us feel less-than, nor by the measly pay they mete out on the Continent, nor those Clinton-backed” homes (and I use that word loosely) sure to kill more people than they save in the Caribbean — they owe us ALL reparations, comparable to what our labor has produced.
When Cotton (the fabric of our lives) was King, there was nary a white person out in those fields bringing in those bushels (Hell, at one time, SC provided the bulk of the cotton for the entire country!); look at how they’ve benefitted from our cuttin’ all that cane in the Caribbean; look at how they continue to rape the Continent of all its precious metals (and still using Black bodies to do it); look at the cocoa industry in Cote d’Ivoire (again using Black bodies to harvest); We did all that work — and got nothing. Oh I know getting “repaired” economically, is a very, very long shot, if at all — but we don’t even demand it!
Okay, really sorry y’all, I know I went completely off-topic for a minute there — but damn! How twisted is it that we’ve been convinced that all of our contributions to <their livelihoods means nothing but crumbs for us??!! :-@
{end of rant}
Living here, if one is awake and aware is a constant battle to maintain one’s ability to live outside of the rhetoric and noise that can lull you to sleep.”
You ain’t never lied! And (it seems) not only here, but everywhere we are!
Once again Deb you are 100!!!! They do owe us and even for more than picking cotton or ‘cane. There are those of us that don’t allow this to be our motivating factor or should I say none motivational factor…
Here is a link that may help you on your dig;
http://www.essaysinhistory.com/articles/2012/98
This was once removed off the internet, but I see they have brought it back. Here are a couple more;
http://are.as.wvu.edu/minges.htm
http://americancivilwar.com/authors/black_slaveowners.htm
“BTW Asa, I love Ezili Danto…She is FYAH!!!!”
She is one serious and conscious sistah! Ironicly (not really though) like Mia Love she is of Haitian heritage.
(Yeah, I’m full — again!)
Do drop in anytime! I am humbled by your graciousness in accepting the fact that we are all trying to do the very important work of learning to take care of, and have love for, one another through “Listening….Reading….Sharing…Doing.” Because, as you said, “That’s what it’s all about!”
Sis. Carolyn…Thank you for visiting “Let’s Be Clear” (I knew what you meant!!)
My Brother Amenta…Thank you for standing with me (I tend to get a little “warm” sometimes when I think about all of this sh*t).
First of all, I’m right there with you on Ezili Danto. That sister ain’t no joke! And, Yes!; “Long live the AfroSpear!” This place that Asa’s created has been, for me, a refuge of real-talk, loving solidarity and most importantly, KNOWLEDGE in a world of batsh*t crazy! I mean that with all my heart…
I don’t even know how I can begin to thank you for those links!! Brother, they were wa-a-ay more than a “help” — they were flashing beacons of light! The first was full of names, places and facts that I knew, along with plenty information I didn’t (I have family at home who are still members of Morris Brown A.M.E. Church! And I’ll bet you a nickel they have no idea of Morris Brown’s commitment to true “Black unity!”). I am a direct descendant of the Gullah people of two of the Sea Islands of SC and grew up “south of Broad” in Charleston! It made crystal clear, a lot of the “whys and wherefores” of my becoming!
I’ve been working on another post — no tellin’ when I’ll be done with it (Asa can attest to how I am!) — and this little tidbit at the first link will be very helpful:
“In 1820, the South Carolina state legislature passed a law which made manumission of slaves illegal except through legislative action…In 1841, South Carolina’s legislature passed an “Act to Prevent the Emancipation of Slaves.” This law was to root out slaves who were owned by family members or white guardians and lived as if free. It was also to prevent slaves from inheriting property. But, as before, partially by free African-American legal ingenuity and partially by white tolerance, free African Americans circumvented the law.”
My family, on my mother’s side has property on one of the island that was once a plantation with an interesting “emancipation” story of sorts, that falls smack dab in the middle of the two incidents above. Briefly, the mistress of the plantation received it from her father on the occasion of her marriage to a wealthy landowner from Scotland (she brought the land; he brought the “gift” of slaves, so the slaves were now hers). The wife had only one son and she died immediately after his birth in 1835. In her will, she left the slaves to the newborn baby! According to state law, neither her husband, nor anyone else could work or touch them until the baby reached majority (21 years old) and could come back and do it himself. The husband buried the wife in front of the doorway of the house, packed up the baby and went back to one of his plantations in St. Helena. The slaves lived freely and “peaceably” on the plantation for 20 years, “almost the way they lived in Africa” — according to a descendant’s oral history, transcribed and put into a book by a local white historian still living on the island today. I know –- ignorantly, WE were too busy ” movin’ on up” to pay a-damned-ttention and do it ourselves back then. The 1st link goes a long way to explaining why though. After the Emancipation Proclamation, a co-op was formed into which my great-great grandmother contributed and the land was purchased for about $6,000 (she didn’t get the promised 40 acres and a mule, but she did alright — and bought her own damned mule!).
The 2nd link is most instructive. I knew of the relation between Blacks and Native Americans in SC, but not to this extent! My grandmother told me once, that my mother had “marked my older sister (by 9 years) after one o’ dem Injuns” (because she had that “good hair,” about which Chris Rock made that stupid-assed movie); I thought she was talking about “West Indians,” many of whom were brought to the Sea Islands from the sugar cane fields in Barbados by the English. Now I’m not sure, given the 2nd link! (And yeah, I believed her — because I didn’t know my sister and I had different fathers, both of them Black, until I was 12 or 13!)
The 3rd link is crazy! In the mid-60s , there used to be Black TV show on Channel 5 at home called “Jump Time,” modeled after American Bandstand to which my sister was allowed to go with her friends. It’s host, was (as we used to say) the light, bright, damned-near white, Arthur Ellison! I’m sure with some more digging, I’ll find that he’s related to the William (April) Ellison at the link!
Thank you so much Amenta for these links. They give a long list of books that I will be spending the next few months reading. Only five of my grandmother’s 15 children, of whom, my mother was the oldest, are still alive (we all thought it was 19 until Ancesry.com). I divide them by “shifts” because that’s how she had them (my uncle and I were born the same year, three months apart!) — all of them working the fields on the island (and some of their children, including yours truly, at one time or another as well). I depended mostly on their memories to gather the stories once I got some damned sense! But these books and links will help me immensely!
Peace and many blessings family…
Peace to you Deb. Glad to be of service. The relationship between “Native” Americans and “Africans” is much more extensive than most of us know. There is so much information concerning the selling of “Native” Americans into the Caribbean, more than 10,000 per year for several year, from Charleston, SC and St. Augustine, FL. I have been exploring this from some time. Even at the end of the first essay link the black people of Charleston talk about where they will go to avoid being consumed by the Civil War and they decide to go to Haiti.
Another interesting character to research is Walter Ashby Plecker.
“There is so much information concerning the selling of “Native” Americans into the Caribbean, more than 10,000 per year for several year, from Charleston, SC and St. Augustine, FL. I have been exploring this from some time. Even at the end of the first essay link the black people of Charleston talk about where they will go to avoid being consumed by the Civil War and they decide to go to Haiti.”
It just boggles the mind doesn’t it? LIke I said in the Lincoln post, I might’ve been tempted to take that damned cash were I alive back then and hauled a**!!
So Plecker was responsible for he “one-drop rule??” Wonder if the fight not long ago between Cherokees and Blacks about who was a Cherokee and who was not incorporated any of Plecker’s arguments? (Lawd, I’m tired! Does divide and conquer ever NOT work?!)
Thanx again, Man…
Dividing the country?Yeah.
I imagine Mia Love does not know the real definition of divisions. I wonder what she thinks of Mitt Rodney’s clear example of creating divisions with his unscientific explanation of 47% of the population not paying taxes and depending on the government.
Iam also very surprised at the media for not taking him up on those ostentatious and fabricated numbers.
The U.S. media is one of the least free media in this world.
It seems to me that many people today have a problem understanding simple mathematics: divisions, addition, multiplication, subtraction, percentages….
For a politician and a presidential candidate to suggest that 47% of the
American population are not paying taxes, shows a clear sign elitism,ignorance , lack of intelligence and being very far removed from reality.
And for Mitt Romeny to suggest that if he were a Latino, he would be doing much better in the polls, denotes a hidden sense of entitlement, call morning
It is ironic that some of the very things elitist, dividers and arrogant individuals belive in, represent clear exnmples of their own traits.
Until we are able to have honest and intelligent discourse in this country, we will always end up with street hustling politicians, high on chicanery .
It is time for a change. Time to create a real new alternative such as a brand new political party.