I had big plans regarding this day, the beginning of Black History month. Had all sorts of ideas floating around my head the month preceding this. Now that it's actually here, I am at a loss. I want to speak to so many issues, but they are all so convoluted and twisted up inside me. So many emotions vying for page time. For now I will just say that there is still a lot of work to be done towards civil rights, and the struggle for equality. This fight does not end at our borders though, it extends across the entire globe. I hope that you all will join me during this next month in observing the essence of why these days have been set aside, and in discussing the ways that we can help restore balance to our family.
I know that Black History month is about commemorating the heroes of our past, and praising their efforts. I know too that it's set aside to honor their sacrifices so that we never forget exactly what they were fighting for. But when I see a video like this, it reminds me that what we are celebrating is distinctly American in scope, and that all these problems still exist in our world! I know that there are those who will accuse me of being naive in thinking that there will ever be an answer to humanities woes, and I know also that others will discredit my sentiment by pointing out that I speak from a position of privilege. Bottom line is, so long as anything on this blog causes you to think.... mission accomplished.
Blogs to Explore
- A Slant Truth
- Automatic Preference
- Can't See the Forest
- Caught In the Stream
- Climate of Our Future
- Deep Thoughts
- Deregulated Thought
- Electronic Village
- Empathy
- Eric Stoller
- Frozen Truth
- Gazing Into the Abyss
- Goodness Graciousness
- I Am Inspired
- Kellementology
- Looking Beyond the Cracked Window
- Midlife: A Journey
- mnemosyne
- Mother Anarchy
- My View of "It"
- Nourishing Obscurity
- Ole Blue the Heretic
- Peace Garden
- People In the Sun
- plezWorld
- Professor Zero
- Rainbow Friends
- Sunrays and Saturdays
- The Absent Mind
- The Field Negro
- The Francis L. Holland Blog
- The Free Slave
- The Intimate Side of Capcity
- The Liberal Journal
- The Naked Soul
- The Rich House
- The Thoughts
- Thinking Girl
- Unsane and Safe
- Wonderland Or Not
- Word Up
- Write For Life
- Writer's Blog
- Writing Under a Pseudonym
- Yo-Yo Philosopher
- Zuky
Zeitgeist
12 comments:
Hi Dave,
I do know what you mean about having so many thoughts that at times they're in a jumble, so they go unexpressed or I write about something that isn't as weighty.
Yes, you always make me think. No question.
As for speaking from a position of privilege, we can only be who we are and commit to learning and understanding. We can never be anything we are not. If we are faulted for that, or called naive, so be it.
Is our learning and quest for understanding for ourselves or for those we're trying to understand...
I think that in the 21st century, any solutions tackled from a nationalistic perspective are doomed to fail. Your previous post about each of us being cells in a larger organism was right on. Our task is to heal not just the wounds of our own past, but the hurts inflicted on all of humanity and the planet ... usually in the name of maintaining that privilege. After decades of building ourselves up at the expense of others, it's time to use our stores of wealth, talent and creativity to do some really great things.
They were having inter-tribal warfare, we enslaved them for profit, they rebelled, they assimilated.
Kelly,
Good point. It's just,... it can be frustrating when your words are trivialized based on demographic assumptions. The most insidious aspect of that is revealed when I sit here feeling the need to add in a disclaimer. How much more self-defeating can I get? I am prejudging myself!
I am having a very difficult time grasping privilege in a relativistic sense. It's a strange marriage of status to enjoy the privilege of a Prince globally, and to be merely a Pauper at home. What does one do with that? What are the responsibilities? I don't actually have enough capital that I could effect any real change abroad, and I don't have enough status to effect any real change here at home.
So I blog.
Your advice really hits the spot, and you've given me much to consider.
Regarding your question, I think the answer is both: because I can't understand myself until I'm able to understand others, and visa versa. After awhile the two become linked.
Fran,
I'm in total agreement. Open the coffers, release the floodgates. What good does it do to amass this much fortune at the expense of others. It's a flawed design destined for failure. We create animosity and hatred among those we "use," and we already are seeing the results of that!
We know this to be true! Just look at how many stories (or actual accounts even) that have been written through the ages of power hungry people attaining the level of power and control that they sought; only to be consumed by fear and paranoia that they would somehow lose it.
Such a level of influence and control is addicting. Once your on it, you don't care what you have to do, who you have to hurt, in order to keep getting it. Or so I imagine, I can't speak from experience.
James,
Assimilation is a dirty word in my vocab.
There is always the problem of only being able to be who we are, and I for one believe one must understand oneself before one can understand others.
We have no control over those who want power, we can only make power less palatable by helping to empower the people. We obviously have a long way to go, look at us here,,,,the people in this country have themselves lost a lot of power over the last twenty years, due to ambivalence and having been lulled into a state of satisfaction by those who are in power.
In most cases your own house must be in order before you can attempt to bring order the the homes of others.
I fro one can't understand why potable water worldwide is not an issue which is being dealt with on a much larger scale, it would take care of a large percent of the health problems, some of the conflict and even help in the quest to eradicate poverty.
It is hard to face the huge flaws in this human race we belong to, and for those who have children and do nothing, one has to wonder, what will they tell their children about why they did nothing and will the future children even care.
Dave,
Completely off topic, but I just tagged you with a meme. I hope you don't mind ... it's a pretty simple one:
From the Heart
Cooper,
As always, you bring great wisdom to the discussion. I agree, and I don't re: the house must be in order at home first. It goes back to the cyclical argument of you must understand others, to understand yourself and visa versa. If we look at the world as one complete organism, we need to approach fixing these problems in the main, from the larger perspective.
It's hard to know what to try and work on, really. It's like if your house was hit by a tornado, in looking at the rubble, what do you choose to clear first?
If you have children, and you don't address any of the issues, you're a total loser in my opinion. But the real losers are the children.
Fran,
I'll check it out! :)
Dave J...U inspire cuz U. REALLY. GET. IT!!!!
"...what we are celebrating is distinctly American in scope..."
((((((BIG HUGZZZZZZ 2 YA, Bruh)))))))