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If a Tree Falls|in a Forest|& No One is Around to Hear it| Does it make a Sound?
Self preservation is said to be the individual human’s strongest instinct. Self preservation, no doubt supersedes, humanity or the preservation of mankind. Perhaps this circuitously is the reason for ethnicities and nationalities. More importantly, and more recently, perhaps this is the establishment of race. In as much as it is individual human instinct, creating a collective group only betters individual chances of survival via the strength of a collective group instead of individual strength.White America’s “white” privilege system, with all its obvious biases and fallacies, when dealing with people who are non-white, is present as a means of self preservation of the “white race”. Why would I change a system that is beneficial to me in every aspect? Why face the challenge of having an “equal playing ground”, so to speak—where no one is suppressed at any level that you are not suppressed and no one, on either side, can yell excuse, inequality or discrimination? This would surely threaten the place white America has “preserved” for itself and its future generations.
This would basically mean that one is, on no level, any better than the next, at the same level being that these levels are not biased in anyway. It is a fight to keep the truth a lie, and consequently a lie the truth, from those who are truly, on every aspect an equal (which is everyone non white), at bay from knowing that equality or tasting the savory reality that one may or may not know exist but never experienced. Hence the phrase, “If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound? ”
The subjective answer is “No, because no one heard or saw it.” The more obvious answer is Yes. Do things exist and happen that we do not see, hear, or experience? Everday. Does that make it non existent because one has yet to experience it and/or maybe never will? Only in one’s “little world” who would probably argue control of the universe and those things seen , heard, and experienced within it are the only things that exist, and yet even that universe exists only in one’s mind. Back in reality, the tree fell with or without anyone’s permission or awareness through hearing, seeing or otherwise and it, of course, made a sound like any other tree would if someone was standing by watching. By my never seeing or hearing of anyone dying of AIDs, it does not invalidate the existence thereof.
Perhaps, all in all, they are the weaker group, yet because of obvious advantages merely based on being “white”, their dominance prevails but it prevails only in the light of the obvious advantages. Furthermore, the lack of adversity faced, given more time and weight to a better establishment. Ex—slavery, discrimination, genocides is really not a part of their history because they were often on the giving end, instead of the receiving end.
Instead, the opposite of adversity by acquisition via at the expense of others has been the foundation on which they stand: exploitation of others, universalism, “white” privilege system, and the European catholic standard of beauty.
Ultimately, it makes a clear way to victory. In almost every circumstance of exploration and invasion, the history of the people they (whites) “conquered” was destroyed or claimed as their own and left future generations of the “conquered” people subjected to whatever imaginative fairytale they thought to tell them. In the process, claiming themselves (whites) as the victors in every major historic finding and scientific light. What other proof do they (the people conquered) have that anything else existed? Again, we encounter the tree that fell while no one was around.
It’s not at all rash to think that “their” story, the “conquered” people, became literally “his” story, white people, and “his” story is a fabrication of what “their” story actually surrounds.
This, in turn, has made many, who have white skin, or close enough to it, embrace universal whiteness—perhaps another attempt at self preservation as well. One may argue that there are as many blacks, and people of color who enter the US/Europe as there are people who are passed off as white regardless of origin, and strictly based on skin color. Of course, this is a fact. However, I would ask one how many of these people of color or these black people (African, Latino, Indian, Arabs) would actually take the same route as say, the Irish, to be “white” for preservation, but for the before mentioned to be “black” in the same light? Almost no one and this is because of the advantages I have already mentioned. Most would rather assimilate by the standards of “white” for preservation as well, in spite of their own cultural beliefs and ethnicities. So, indeed, race appears to have the superseding power over ethnicity and nationality.
Perhaps, even, this is the same “logic” as to why some “white” Americans refuse to vote for Barack Obama. Although he is mixed, many adhere to the one drop rule, espeically considering the fact that he is married and has children by a black woman.
Obama’s|Overt|Truth
So, some African Americans are offended ( most notably Jesse Jackson) because Obama is not a descendent of slaves while others think he’s an African immigrant and yet “talks down” to the descendents of slaves. First of all, the man is NOT an African immigrant. Since when did the constitution allow immigrants to run for presidency?
To an African, because Barack’s father is African, they will consider him African as well, but the fact remains he’s only been to Africa a few times in his adult life, probably knows little to nothing about the culture….defiantly hasn’t been submerged in it. Perhaps the fact that Obama is faring so well now, is the only reason why some Africans even claim him as their own. Moreover, sounds like he’s more/less an African American since he doesn’t know his culture etc….not to mention the fact Obama considers himself African American.
The point is that his father was an African immigrant, not Barack, so calling him an African immigrant is a bit rash and arbitrary. He is not the descendent of slaves, but if that’s all that makes an African American an African American then there are many things seriously missing.
Obama is affected by the same issues black America is affected by. He spent most of HIS LIFE fighting for black people. Even though he went to an Ivy league school, white America still saw him as black and most likely as a black descent of slaves, not knowing his background. Let’s face it, if you didn’t know his background, you would too.
His children and wife are African American; why shouldn’t he be concerned or have a voice in such issues? Even if someone white said it, as long as they understood the implications, historical aspect of it, and presented some solutions, why would someone be offended?
I’m African American and I am not offended at the things Barack or Cosby says; they both speak truth. That’s all I’m interested in, and that’s all anyone should be interested in who maintains a progressive mindset: truth and solutions.
People who are offended, this is what you are telling me:
It’s OK to wallow in your own mess and be aware of your own spiraling demise but when someone who is not in that mess, even though indirectly affected, points it out, then the problem is the person who pointed it out instead of the mess that you are obviously in
—that’s not forward thinking, not unless, of course, you enjoy the mess you’re in.
It’s one thing if what he said was wrong on a contextual basis or if what he said stemmed from his not understanding something and misinterpreting it, but then again….there is no misinterpretation.
Those who were offended were just upset that he said anything at all not because of who he was, or how he said it (Bill Cosby). All the before mentioned seems just an excuse. Frankly, I feel those who are offended by people who tell the truth are pusillanimous, especially when they are taking no progressive moves to make a change —because the truth often hurts.
It doesn’t matter who said what, when they said, or even where. What matters is if what they said is true, and indeed, it is. It’s the problem, itself, one should be concerned about; it shouldn’t take anyone else to point it out, let alone be criticized for it.
One has to want better for themselves in order to take action and be better; this silly bickering about who said it is useless; what will we, as a people, do about the problem? I’m not saying it will be easy or that we couldn’t use some help, but I am saying that we stop thinking someone will come save us from ourselves; think pro-actively.
Discussing something very irreverent to the problem is obviously discussing issues outside of the problem. While everyone is pointing fingers, no one is concerned about solving issues–childish thinking. Get out of the cyclic mindset, it makes me dizzy.
Like Amel Larrieux sings in “Get Up”, ” I know you’re down. When you gone get up? I see you’re down. When you gone get up?”
You know, meanwhile, while we are discussing people’s mere offences to Obama’s overt truth, where is their “offence”, action, and outrage to the fact that black America is suffering from poverty, HIV, broken homes, rapid abortion rates, high crime rates, drug abuse, etc.? No where in sight.
These are issues, that simply need to be addressed and if it takes someone like Barack (an outsider) or Cosby (an insider saying the same thing) for people to actually start caring, become pro active and cease the passiveness, then I hope they as well as others continue to.
Lastly, Jesse Jackson is not a black leader——he’s just a damn fool and obvious joke.
indigoblu
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