Ralph Bunche, 1904-1971

by cellomould 8 Replies latest jw friends

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  cellomould

  * Bunche was the first black person to win the Nobel Peace Prize, awarded in 1950

  * In 1927 Bunche graduated from the University of California at Los Angeles

  * At Harvard University, in 1934, he became the first African-American to earn a Ph.D. in government and international relations

  * He was one of Gunnar Myrdal's six staff members for the study of race relations that resulted in the monumental two-volume An American Dilemma in 1944

  * Bunche helped draft the trusteeship provisions of the U.N. Charter and assisted in organizing the Division of Trusteeship at the United Nations, becoming its director in 1947

  * That same year, he became secretary to the U.N. Special Committee on Palestine and acting mediator in 1948 after the assassination of the first mediator, Count Folke Bernadotte of Sweden

  * Bunche earned high praise from all quarters for his deft handling of the armistice negotiations that ended the Arab-Israeli conflict in 1949 and won him his Nobel Peace Prize.

  * He became the U.N. under secretary general in 1955 and directed U.N. peacekeeping missions in the Suez in 1956, in the Congo in 1960, and in Cyprus in 1964.

  and by the way,

  # It was not until the Voting Rights Act of 1965, signed by President Lyndon Johnson over 100 years after the Civil War ended, that it became illegal to stop Blacks from voting.

  cellmould

  * http://www.historychannel.com/

  # http://library.thinkquest.org/J0112391/myth_9.htm
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  Cygnus

  Kill Whitey!

  (first post since.. sheesh... who remembers?)
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  cellomould

  p.s.: who is your hero? (modern/historical/etc)
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  cellomould

  Re: "Kill Whitey!"...

  Did you notice that during the L.A. Riots of 1992 that white neighborhoods did not go up in flames?

  "Torching neighborhoods, looting businesses and assaulting passersby, the community found solace in a senseless bout of self-destruction."

  http://www.lafire.com/famous_fires/920429_LA-Riots/LATimes-2002-0429-0501/2002-0429_latimes_AnAnniversaryofSadness-Richardson.htm

  The whites living in neighborhoods like mine (Santa Monica) did not need to worry much about their property or lives being harmed. They simply watched on TV as the rioters shot themselves in the foot, so to speak.

  I have more to say about all this, but I would welcome any one else's comments too.

  cellmould
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  Francois

  I have frequently wondered why, when the black community is up in arms about something, they burn down their own neighborhoods, rob and loot their own stores, attack, injure, and kill their own neighbors, burn their own cars, etc., etc. What is that? I've asked some of my black friends, but they don't know.

  It might be because my black friends are those kinds of blacks that don't really exist. That is, they don't exist as far as the democrat party and the leftist press is concerned. They are upper middle class blacks; educated, intelligent blacks who live the American dream like everyone else. Ironically, they are the first to say, "We don't exist. If you're not dirt poor, illiterate, and criminal, the Left doesn't want to know you. The Left in this country needs the poor illiterate black on which it can base its social betterment and tax programs. They use us an excuse to tax the rich upper class back into the middle class as their Marxist plans demand. The Left uses us as meanly as any plantation owner ever did. And they don't want any black success stories. They need to keep us poor in order to use us."

  Interesting point of view, I thought. I'll bet the Left doesn't welcome it, but there it is.

  francois.
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  AGuest

  Dearest Franc... peace to you! Just so's you know... this is a bit of a long answer, so...

  You said:

  I have frequently wondered why, when the black community is up in arms about something, they burn down their own neighborhoods rob and loot their own stores, attack, injure, and kill their own neighbors, burn their own cars, etc., etc. What is that? I've asked some of my black friends, but they don't know.

  I have to say that you've been misled, Franc: when the black community engages in such a thing, they do NOT "rob and loot their own stores, attack, injure, and kill their own neighbors, burn their own cars." You've been misled by the media, I'm afraid.

  How can I say that? First, because, you see, they don't OWN any stores (except maybe liquor stores, and even that's "if-y"...). In LA, for example, the majority of the businesses owned during the Rodney King riots where owned by Koreans, Vietnamese, Chinese, Jews and Whites. And other than the sundry hold up from a druggie/junkie, the black community tends to highly regard whatever black-owned businesses it DOES have. (Note, though, that hold-up druggies are not always black - remember the girl from "Different Strokes"?).

  Second, the only time black folks kill one another is either crimes of passion (which white folks also commit), crimes of robbery (which white folks also commit), gang wars... and things like that... all which are also committed by white folks and the latter of which white folks USED to commit on a regular basis... and Asians and Hispanics STILL commit. Even the Russians have gotten in on that one (gangland violence). But black folks didn't know from gangs until the white NY/Chicago guys started. And when it does involve blacks, its because such crimes are committed by people who are more so criminals than black. They are criminals who just so happen to BE black.

  Third, the same goes for the white and other communities: most homocides are the result of someone from their own race - asians kill asians, hispanics kill hispanics, whites kill whites... yada, yada, yada...

  But in answer to your question, which I THINK really asks why do they do they destroy their own neighborhood(s) rather than another one (and I hate to say this, but your description of your black friends leaves me to wonder why they couldn't answer this question; if anyone could, they should be able to), the answer is quite simple:

  What they did would not have been tolerated in any other neighborhood(s) of L.A., for the California National Guard would have shot first, and asked questions later. Period.

  How do I know this? Because I personally know a former Captain of that guard... who was sent into the thick of it and commanded a platoon (or whatever you call them), and he told me his "classified orders" were: if they move beyond a certain civic boundary... shoot first, ask questions later. Why did he tell me? He is black.

  Regarding those folks who rioted: what truly did they do? Simply put, they protested. What did they protest? What THEY felt to be an injustice. True, they did not protest "peacefully," but then not everyone does, do they? The President of the U.S., in fact, calls himself about to lodge a protest... against Iraq, yes? Okay, so he calls it "war". But he is protesting Saddam Hussein's stand on a issue, yes? And he means to be heard, yes? Do you think he plans to go over there and peacefully demonstrate?

  Some folks, Franc, the U.S. President included, are of the mind that after a certain point peaceful protest will not bring the desired results. And evidently, those folks in LA thought peaceful protest would not bring them any desired results either (because, remember, the peaceful protests had already been mounted during all the time before the trial... by Congresspersons, as well as individuals in the community and the community at large).

  Apparently, the "voice" of their peaceful protest was not "heard". So... they felt FORCED to speak... LOUDER. And had they "protested" in such a way in any OTHER neighborhood(s) of L.A., more than buildings would have burned: many folks would have died... and not the non-black ones. You know it... and I know it. They (the rioters) knew it, too.

  I find it "funny" that people scratch their heads over the LA riots and the like... but don't blink an eye over the Middle Eastern conflicts: aren't THOSE people, Israeli and Palestinian alike... destroying their own neighborhoods? Didn't the Catholic and Protestant Irish destroy theirs? The Muslims and Serbs? Doesn't war... no matter how big the battle... intense the attack... or location of the strike... tend to destroy neighborhoods?

  White and other non-black Americans (and maybe even non-Americans) find events like the LA riots hard to understand, I think, because when THEY "protest"... they tend to go to OTHER neighborhoods and wreak havoc... leaving their own "homes" pristeen. They are even appalled when someone comes TO their "neighborhood" and launches a protest ("who do they think they ARE, coming over HERE?!) But LIKE America... people protest at whatever LEVEL they think they NEED to... to be heard. I can't imagine more than 1% of the black American population being surprised over what took place. I wasn't. I was hoping like HECK that a "just" verdict would have been returned, if nothing more... than to preclude what took place from happening. But even I knew better. There are just some things in this country that are a "given". What happened to Rodney King... and what did not happen to his abusers by means of certain citizens California, residents of Simi Valley... was one of them. The Federal system seemed to think differently, however... and the folks of LA who started rioting SHOULD have waited on that process. But for some folks, some things can't wait.

  Do I condone such protests? No, I don't. Not at all. Like I said, I think they should have waited and at least let the Federal prosecution of the violation of civil rights take place. However, I also don't condone the hypocrisy and double-standards that lead such people to believe themselves so devoid of HOPE... that they feel they have no other choice BUT to protest.

  Somewhere in this world... in this country... at any time... someone doesn't want to LISTEN... and act on what they KNOW to be right... and such things result. Earthling man... dominating himself... to HIS OWN injury... for it is NEVER just the one side that suffers. Never. BOTH sides... as well as those on NO side... pay the price. Always. Like the women and children who suffered at the hand of the Taliban... only to be annihilated by those claiming to "liberate" them from such ones. Yes, they indeed were "liberated"... but I don't think death was what they had in mind.

  Again, I bid you peace.

  A slave of Christ,

  SJ

  Edited by - AGuest on 3 November 2002 19:54:23
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  cellomould

  Francois,

  You have made some interesting observations. I would be, though, quite hesistant to shift the blame on the 'left' for trying to keep blacks illiterate and otherwise uneducated.

  Segregation is still a reality. Now, it is economic rather than primarily racial. In general, blacks are no longer excluded simply because they are black. But we are kidding ourselves if we don't recognize the effects of 100 years of bad social policy (~ 1860-1960). Blacks were excluded in those years from social and economic benefits, often in defiance of the federal government, simply because they were black.

  The fears held by whites were used to justify oppression and outright persecution of blacks.

  Then the results of such oppression and outright persecution (poor, illiterate blacks confined to black neighborhoods, where crime and violence became rampant) were used to justify continued fear of blacks.

  Your point about people needing a subservient and ignorant class of people well illustrates the fears of the white community in general. Would you agree that these attitudes caused the disparities we now see?

  In my opinion, one ignorant and uneducated class of people felt threatened by the opportunities and freedom available to another ignorant and uneducated class of people. So, like yourself, I don't place the blame among the rich and well educated. (Maybe the uneducated rich )

  By the way, if whites hadn't been quite as effective in exterminating and exploiting the Native Americans, don't you think people would fear them too?

  AGuest,

  I enjoyed your comments about 'protest' in the Middle East. That was a very interesting way to look at it.

  Thanks for your replies,

  cellmould
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  bigboi

  have frequently wondered why, when the black community is up in arms about something, they burn down their own neighborhoods, rob and loot their own stores, attack, injure, and kill their own neighbors, burn their own cars, etc., etc. What is that? I've asked some of my black friends, but they don't know.

  That's bullshit. By that I mean the entire statement, especially the part highlighted.

  Basically all the the riots that have happened in inner cities have one common denominator, the police. Police have been harassing, assaulting and killing blacks in urban communities for decades.

  That's why the community in South Central blew up the way it did. For once they had it on videotape. A man on the ground surrounded by cops getting the living shit beat out of him and they still got off. Rodney king is an asshole, no doubt, but that still doesn't give the police the right to beat him or any other asshole. Police are supposed to be trained professionals. IMO, there's no excuse for a cop to lose their cool under any circumstance and violate the rights of a fellow citizen.

  IMO, there's no community of ppl in this country that are as objectified and condescended to as black ppl. I'm sure we bear the brunt of the blame for this portrayl of ourselves because we simply haven't consolidated ourselves and lack most of the bonds that unite most communties today. However, the level of condescension sometimes presented about important issues that affect some of our fellow citizens and in an indirect way affect us also borders on willful, shameless, ignorance.
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  AGuest

  BigMan... peace to you, boi!

  I would to add to your statement:

  I'm sure we bear the brunt of the blame for this portrayl of ourselves because we simply haven't consolidated ourselves and lack most of the bonds that unite most communties today.

  that while that is quite TRUE... that is not ALL of it. There's more to it than that. There is a great deal of that "somebody's got 'ta be on 'da bottom" thang going on among(st) us; you know it and I know it. That old "the only way to feel 'good' about oneself is to perceive oneself as 'better'... and others as 'less' melarkey (The WTBTS is REALLY good at that!) And yes, this can be found in ALL cultures, true, but of all of the bad things our folks picked up... that thinking HAS to be the worse of it.

  And why do it to our own people? Think about it... can some of us really convince ourselves that we're "better" than anyone of another culture? Not if you perceive that you and your people are already the "lowest [men] on the totem pole". And what contributes the MOST to that perception? Skin color? Nope. Education? Uh-uh. It's hair. You know it... and I know it. Every other culture on this planet has straight... or straight-ish hair. And every other culture can wear their hair they way they want to: long, short, curled... or as most, in its NATURAL state. Whether it's blonde, brunette, black, sandy... whatever. EVERY other culture. But only we... the negroid race (which includes to some extent aborigines, etc.) have "kinky" hair... which also tends to be short... in a society where STRAIGHT hair (not the "fashion" of straight hair, but hair that has a straight pattern overall) is worshipped. And, lawd, don't LET it be an afro... and if an afro, don't LET it be big! Why? Scares the HECK outta folks! Even though it is the "natural" state of our hair, you can only get away with it if it's short. But our hair don't natually hang down to our butt... unless we straighten it. That's UNnatural... but... it ain't so "frightening".

  (And if anyone says, "Well, what about Africans," I would have to respond, "What about them? Are they much better off, considering apartheid only recently removed... and the rate of AIDS, poverty and overall mortality? MUCH more money coming out of Africa in the way of diamonds, coal and oil... than going IN...) I digress.

  So, among our people it HAS to be another one of YOU that's on the bottom... because to your way of thinking, which thinking society manipulated you into thinking almost every way possible... everyone ELSE... is "above" you, including others of our kind... and usually it's NOT the one with the least European coloring, and NOT the one with the least European features... but the one with the nappiest hair... that gets relegated to the bottom. That's the one they show on TV all the time ("OJ? No! He COULDN'T have... he's SO good looking!" - Not saying he did... just speaking on why some folks wouldn't have believed it anyway...)

  However, the level of condescension sometimes presented about important issues that affect some of our fellow citizens and in an indirect way affect us also borders on willful, shameless, ignorance.

  And I have to say that I used to think like you, that the level of condescension actuals goes a bit beyond willful, shameless, ignorance. But I have since learned that perhaps it is borne of a much lower "level"... one even lower than fear. And that is... contempt. "Them" for "us"... and "us"... for "us" as well as for our individual selves. But truly, it's all we know, isn't it? For it was all that was ever truly taught us, by our parents and our parents' parents. For it was what THEIR parents were taught... and taught them.

  True, some of us have managed to see above that "smoke", but not enough of us. Not enough of us have learned (for I cannot say we could ever be taught)... to love... ourselves... so we could love... each other. Not enough of us. And what we all see... is the result of that. And... like any "war"... it hurts EVERYBODY.

  Okay, I've had my say on this... peace to you (and what's this I hear about you having your own "Board"?! Um-hmm, yeah... I see... okay...)

  SJ, a slave of Christ who has the freedom to state my "I was born before the Civil Rights Act and went to school during the 60's" personal opinion, memory... and view