Thanks, all.
Yerusalem --- I appreciate how you feel as it demonstrates the truth of my words concerning its being more devisive than healing. Please keep in mind though that I didn't post this for the purpose of causing dissention here on the board, but I'm trying to open a heart to heart conversation on the whole subject. It is a painful one, to be sure, but I feel that very few on either side truely understand the forces that came into play during this era, and that there will be no true healing until they do.
Metatron --- Special consideration, yes, but one must be careful in two manners: First, those who try to help others are usually astonished about how quickly their attempts at generosity transforms their beneficaries into enemies. Giving in a manner that won't do this is truely an art.
Secondly, even as Megadude points out, one must be careful that it doesn't reinforce the mindset that many have that keeps them in poverty. To do this successfully takes a great deal of wisdom and insight.
Megadude --- How true that is.
bigboi --- That is a beautiful quote and goes along with my impressions.
happyout --- While such a thought may not be very appetizing for you, this ugly old man felt like jumping up and down in happiness and then giving you a huge hug for your words. You've answered in exactly the manner that I was hoping that someone would do.
You see, while the words I wrote made sense to me, I had yet to get any input on the insights that I tried to put down. The reparation part was only a small part of it, and you went on to get into the real meat ond potatoes of the reasons behind the problem. A person can think he has all the insight in the world, but it means nothing until it is verified by those who have truly lived the life. What you've written has helped me far beyond the Section 6 that I wrote above. At the risk of boring everyone, I'm going to post another of the sections below in order to show you what I mean.
Again, thank you. You have given me a great deal of encouragement. My fondest hope is that someone somewhere will be able to find some comfort and encouragement in it so as to overcome this problem. The only way that could occur is for it to be accurate and true to life.
Teejay, my friend --- Thank you too. Please however, do not allow even a hint of defensiveness to enter your heart. I have no desire to do that at all.
As you say, these things are all in the past. However, the effects remain, and they will never be solved until we understand them. It is not easy to put such gut experiences into words, and it is your insight that can help me in this regard.
Even as you say, "Get over it." However it really isn't that simple. That trail needs to be blazed so that others can follow it. They need to be able to see that there is light at the end of the tunnel, as many don't, as yet.
Okay here is Section 4.
Racial Prejudice
William --- Here is the fourth installment, the first of the insets. Its dealing solely with one type of prejudice, your specialty.
Slavery and Its Effects
For all readers: Please remember that in dealing with a subject like this that it is necessary to speak in generalities. There are, of course, exceptions to all rules. Therefore, the forces that I speak of could perhaps be viewed as a type of "psychological pollution" that the blacks have been forced to live under, and that it, like air pollution, will be merely an irritant to some, but deadly to others.
That said, lets get down to business.
A REACTION COMMON TO ALL HUMANS
First, we are all humans. That means that regardless of whom we are, we tend to react similarly when confronted with the same circumstances. We are afraid of falling. We get mad when we are insulted, etc. etc.
We know what happens when children are told from childhood that they are dumb or worthless. They may hate the words and resent those saying them, yet subconsciously it has its effect, especially when it comes from an authority figure. The result is that it destroys their confidence, they are afraid to try, and it effects everything they do. In this way, the original accusations themselves are self-fulfilling.
We have seen the same thing in women down over the generations. They were told that such things as mathematics and science were things in which only men could excel and that they would be unable to grasp such concepts. This too came from authority figures, so most accepted it and didnt even try. The result was the same. Few women showed any skill in those fields and the resulting statistics seemed to re-enforce the original contention.
The same conditions that affect individuals or even an entire sex will hold true to an entire race, regardless of which race it is. Should a race be enslaved, treated like animals, told for hundreds of years and many generations that they are less than human, forbidden to gain the skills necessary to compete, and reminded every time they turn around that their accomplishments cannot hope to measure up to others, it would be rather nave to assume that simply giving them their freedom will cure the problem. They are going to look at this long history and, at least subconsciously, believe it. Why? Because, like everyone else, they are human.
THE JEWS EXPERIENCE
Sure, someone out there will object to this, claiming that the measure of a race can be determined by how well they handle adversity, and then cite the example of the Jews. In doing so, they are comparing apples to oranges, not because they are two different races, but because of the surrounding circumstances. Let me explain.
Yes, the Jews have been treated terribly down over the centuries, but their situation was entirely different in these major ways: They were all truly of one race, complete with the same religion, the same traditions, and the same history. (Im aware of the different branches of Judaism and in the larger scheme of things, that doesnt make much difference.) Their excellent skills in commerce were so important to them that it was their salvation in the lands where they were almost universally unwelcome. Commerce became, in essence, their country, a country without land but wherein they could dwell and feel at home. Traditionally, they were experts in achievement, were expected to achieve, and anyone who didnt was a disgrace. Knowledge and education were paramount.
To recap, they had all of these sources of strength in common:
a. The same religion and history.
b. The same customs and traditions.
c. The knowledge that they can compete and succeed, and their peers expectations of their doing so.
d. The opportunity to gain the education necessary to do it.
e. Strong family relationships.
THE BLACKS EXPERIENCE --- VASTLY DIFFERENT --- WITH DIFFERENT RESULTS
The blacks had none of this. They came from many different tribes, all with their own languages, customs, traditions and religions. They were brought over against their will, alone. True, there were other slaves on board, but few knew each other or were allowed to do anything to help or comfort one another.
They were further fragmented upon arriving, as they were sold to different masters. Then there was the matter of time, for the slaves already there would have long forgotten the old ways of doing things, if they even had the opportunity to know them in the first place. Worse, they had long since lost hope and wanted no part of anyone who might stir up trouble and make things even more oppressive.
Then they were systematically denied everything they once knew relating to their original languages and customs. Anything from which they could gain any confidence or ability, especially education, was forbidden, and in some instances, even music. (The history of the Jamaican drums is fascinating.) These conditions were carefully maintained and for very good reason. The blacks outnumbered the owners and the owners were all too well aware of what could happen if the slaves were not kept helpless and cowed. They knew what happened in Haiti.
Perhaps even more devastating was that the normal relationship between men and women was destroyed. While upon the slave ships the women were segregated from the men and the ships crew had free access to them. Later, they too were sold to the highest bidders and scattered in all directions. Should families be allowed to form, they never knew when they might be torn one from another due to being sold to another owner. At times the women were used as breeders and/or mere playthings for whatever males that desired them, of any color. (Anyone ever read "Mandingo"?)
In summary then, we have three monumental factors that we must consider in order to gain any understanding of slavery and/or hope to find any solutions to cure the evils that are left from it. They are: (a.) A gigantic and all-pervasive inferior complex that is imposed upon the victims of it, (b.) The careful systematic eradication of any source of strength from which the victims might gain benefit, and (c.) the damage done to the man/woman relationship.
The very institution of slavery could not exist without those three conditions. Yet they are also factors that many if not most people forget to take into consideration, and I am including both blacks and whites here.
A COMPLICATED SITUATION
Next, most people think of this situation in simplistic terms, i.e., the white race against the black race. The reality was much more complex.
In the north were whites like Levi Coffin, who hated slavery and wanted it ended regardless of cost, and others who knew it was wrong, but were not willing to sacrifice to achieve it. Others didnt care, as it wasnt their ox that was being gored.
In the south were those who knew it was wrong but were afraid to speak up or were unwilling to relinquish the economic benefits of it, knowing that it would be the end of their comfortable way of life. Others liked their sense of power, their ability to act like gods over other people and to bend them to their every whim. There were also those who honestly believed due to the science and statistics of the day that blacks were indeed inferior and that they could not survive without the white mans benevolence.
And then we have the blacks themselves. Some, like Harriet Tubman, would gladly do anything to gain freedom, and to help others get it too. But a far greater percentage had long since given up hope and resented anyone stirring up more trouble. Others, like a pet bird let out of its cage for the first time, were frightened of freedom and wanted the security of those bars to keep the world at bay. Why? Because they knew that they were woefully unprepared to compete in a dog-eat-dog world. (We see this same phenomenon today in Russia. Though hating Big Brothers regimentation with a passion, yet many miss the relative security that they received from the cradle to the grave.)
On all sides were the opportunists who didnt give a damn about right and wrong, but eagerly sought weakness of any kind, on any side, in order to exploit it for their own profit. Indeed, slavery itself is easily demonstrated to be a product of opportunism rather than the hatred of one race against another. Consider these points:
a. Slavery has existed in all eras of world history ranging from Biblical times up to and including the present time.
b. Nearly all cultures have been guilty of it in one form or another. It has been found from the arctic to the tropics. (Ever read the story of the Great Slave, the one for whom that huge lake in Canadas northern territory of Mackenzie is named?) It has been found in races of all colors and regions, including the "Long Ears" enslaving the "Short Ears" on Easter Island, to mention only one of thousands of instances.
c. It has also existed within races, such as the African blacks capturing and selling other blacks to the slave traders; within religions, such as the Israelites holding other Israelites as slaves (Exodus 21:1-11); and even within families. (Look at the instances in Southeast Asia where parents will sell their daughters into sexual slavery.)
There are two points here. The first is that all of these ways of thinking and acting are not a function of race. They are common to people --- all peoples. Regardless of race or anything else, we will find these kinds of personalities everywhere.
The second is that all of these forces were present then, so regardless of what theory we wish to present as to the "real" reason that the Civil War was fought, we are going to find evidence for it.
HATE? I DONT THINK SO.
There is one more thing that should be added to this pattern. It is as I mentioned in a previous section, that hate is little more than a function of fear. It is human nature to hate that which we fear. I see very little hate, in the true sense of the word, in most of the things that are happening in our society today, although I do see a great deal of fear and the POTENTIAL for hate. I also see a lot of earnest people doing all they can to express things as they appear from where they stand. They are legitimate opinions and should be addressed as such.
In any event, to try to eliminate hate without eliminating the fear that creates it makes about as much sense as trying to dry the bottom of the sink while the water is still running.
The one major exception to this would be if one were to use "hate" in the sense of having a deep contempt for and a habit of undervaluing other human beings. Used in that manner, then the opportunists are definitely guilty. Their hatred, however, is directed toward anyone who is weaker than they are, regardless of color or any other distinction. AND, their conduct would tend to color other peoples attitudes too.
SOME APPLICATIONS
That said, lets see if we can overlay this pattern on some of the things that are happening in our society today.
First of all, many of those who promote the socialistic dogma being applied now in the United States are the equivalent of the carpetbaggers of the last century. They are opportunists who gleefully take advantage of other peoples misery in order to make profit and/or exploit them in a manner that will help them gain more power. That their programs never have and never will work is no accident, for they are designed to be precisely that way. To divide and conquer, to encourage rot from within, to weaken society using any means available in order to reduce it to chaos so that no one can prevent them from taking over, is the modus operandi theyve used since the beginning of their existence.
Of course, no society would tolerate such a thing if it were done openly. Therefore, they must disguise such things under fine sounding phrases and policies. This way they rope in the gullible and inexperienced, who then take up the cause and become their "cannon fodder". These are then sacrificed to the outrage of a maligned public while sympathizing with them for the "persecution" they are receiving for standing up for what is "right".
Even their "solutions" are designed to fail. A very small illustration would be something that happened a few years ago and that many probably remember. We were all being encouraged to conserve water and told to put bricks in the toilet tanks so that it would take less water to fill them. Also, replacement valves were made with the standpipes shorter than the originals for the same reason. However, most toilets were carefully designed to use a certain amount of water, so the end result was that many dont flush adequately with the lesser amount of water. Therefore, two or more flushes are necessary where one used to be enough. That takes MORE water than was used to begin with.
Sure, thats a very small item and I do not mean to imply that our toilets dont work properly due to some "Commie plot." But I do mean to say that this kind of sloppy mentality is encouraged and when it is utilized all over the whole of society in a thousand different ways, it can have a profound effect.
These people will deliberately keep blacks ignorant and in need in order to enhance their own standing and power.
But now lets apply this same pattern to the political right.
When a people (regardless of race or any other distinction) have been so systematically stripped of all dignity, self-respect and self-confidence, and all resources to gain such, then to merely give them their freedom and their women and assume that is going to cure the situation is nave, to say the least. To do so, at least in some instances, puts them in a worse position than they were before, if for no other reason that the former slave owners no longer have a financial interest in their wellbeing. If they starve to death, so what?
In this case, the southern economy was devastated. Everyone was starving and there was no money anywhere. There were no food stamps in those days and no other forms of safety nets to catch people facing disaster. It was every man for himself. Meanwhile, they were being inundated with swarms of vultures in human form.
Plus, the whites now were even more afraid. Economically devastated, their culture shot to hell, and they themselves being vulnerable to the ravages of the opportunists: they had sound reason to be paranoid. Would the blacks now use the opportunity to get revenge? Many undoubtedly blamed the blacks for the war anyway, which is not rational, of course, but is altogether quite a common human reaction.
Consequently, in yet again a perfectly common human reaction, the whites tried to control that which they feared. Ergo we have the Jim-Crow laws and the KKK. Sure enough, they were largely successful in maintaining the conditions that had made slavery possible. They managed to keep the illusion alive that the blacks were inferior and kept them demoralized and fragmented enough that they could not gain enough power to be any threat.
Thanks to these influences, then, even though they were no longer owned by someone and were legally free, the worst parts of slavery still existed and have existed right up to the civil rights movement. In some ways, its still here. Heres how:
a. Perhaps the most insidious and all-pervasive aspect of it was the damage done to the man/woman relationship. When women learn not to have faith in their men, the men, already feeling guilty, withdraw emotionally if not literally. This becomes a vicious circle, getting worse with each spin. Soon the guilt disappears and they merely prey on one another. When children are born into such a situation, they soon learn the same ways and thus it gets to be part of their inheritance and is passed down from generation to generation.
It is thanks to that factor that we now have so many unwed mothers and fatherless kids in the black community. And we can witness this same mechanism doing the same thing RIGHT NOW in the white communities thanks to the excesses of the womens lib movement, the results of which are only beginning to become apparent.
b. But following hard on the heels of that would be the institutionalized inferiority complex mentioned above. One manifestation of that could be the lower SAT scores in the schools for the blacks. "I cant, so why try?" feeling, which is rationalized by the "they wont let me succeed anyway, plus thats white mans knowledge and I dont need that" philosophy. This negatively affects their entire lives, chopping them down before they even begin, and it too is passed on to their children as another part of their inheritance.
These things devalue a people in their own eyes.
Its no accident that drugs take a higher toll or AIDS is wider spread in the black community, and that more often than not it has been the result of blacks exploiting other blacks. Those perpetrators have no respect for their own people, and even the victims themselves care less about their own wellbeing due to the factors mentioned above.
Look at the harsh way that some black rulers abuse their subjects, like Papa Doc did in Haiti or Idi Amin in Uganda. They appear to have proven to themselves that they were indeed equal to anyone, yet they have nothing but contempt for the stock they came from.
Why did such an incredible author as Alex Haley die without the recognition from his own people that he deserved?
But keep in mind that this is not a black phenomenon. The Australians rarely speak of their history and seem to have little pride in it. Why? Because the continent was originally one huge penal colony, and many are their direct descendants. It is eye opening to read the Introduction to Robert Hughes book The Fatal Shore.
Even those blacks who succeed are left with a shaky, insecure feeling, knowing how far theyve come and how fragile it all is. With the drumbeat of statistics constantly throbbing in their ears showing the differences in achievement ("The Bell Jar", wasnt it?) or the higher crime rates, or the squalid conditions in the inner cities, its a kick in the belly, for what answers do they have to that? They know those are facts, but few know how to explain it, not because they are dumb, but because a leaf in a windstorm finds it hard to get the big picture and/or find the right words.
TO SUM UP:
Can they do it? Can they compete? You bet, but only if they can gain the self-confidence to try.
A few years ago, a national sports figure said something to the effect that blacks were so successful in sports because they were better designed genetically for it. Theres a much better reason.
Water, when allowed to do what it wants, will flow gently to the lowest spot and then stand there. But when its put under pressure, it will squirt out of any hole possible in order to get away from it. That earlier generation of athletes like Jackie Robinson, Hank Aaron, and Kareem Abdul Jabbar convinced the younger generation that it is possible to escape and it galvanized them. Like that water, they come out of that escape hole with incredible energy, and the additional energy is what makes them excel. One of the most incredible examples of these is the young man by the name of Muggsy Bogues, a midget of a man succeeding in a game and world of giants, in spite of all the odds.
William, no progress in race relations is ever going to be gained without recognizing, understanding and utilizing these factors.
I also hope that this will shine a little more light on the reason that the Blacks and Jews have reacted so differently to their respective adversities.
In the next section, Id like to take this up again, but narrow it down even more. Ive mentioned the critical relationship between men and women, and how that relationship is crucial to ones innate strength. Im dedicating all of the next part to that one thing alone. In this way, it will be the "inset within an inset."
Till then,
Tom
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