I want to thank you for your comment’s. Let’s continue to grow and learn.
I want to introduce another film today. This can offer just one perspective on African Diaspora in South Africa. I personally couldn’t have made the journey without the support of the producers of the movie called, Blacks Without Borders. Thank you to Stafford & Judith Bailey.
I had several questions about South Africa and they put me in contact with other African Diaspora who are in the country or were in the country. My comments, questions, concerned, and pitfalls that I should avoid were answered.
I am still in contact with many of the people in the movie. They often call or write me just to see if I doing well or if I need anything. Many of them live in Johannesburg, South Africa, but I have been blessed to meet a few of them face to face in Cape Town, South Africa.
Please enjoy the movie (click on the image).
As stated in the earlier post, this is another viewpoint, but what I hope we can all do, no matter where you are from or who are, is to network with one another. We are all going to have different views, opinions, and aspirations, but I hope that we can elevate each other.
I am looking forward to see Lincoln, the recent film by Steven Spielberg. I want to see it for purely selfish reasons: I am a huge Daniel Day Lewis fan. He plays Uncle Abe and from what I see from the previews, his performance is spellbinding. Those who have followed along with me in this blogging journey from the beginning, know that I used to be a working actor (in what now seems to me like a “previous life”).
I was waiting to see it before writing a review, which most likely would have been from an afro-political rather than an artistic perspective. However I was watching Meet the Press on Sunday and the roundtable panel, which included the Obama apologist and MSNBC sellout Rev. Al Sharpton, were not only praising the film, but the nobility and sacrifice of Lincoln the man, in his fight to abolish slavery in Amerikka. Huh…I could see Sis. Deb shaking her head… and as we Jamaicans say… “sucking her teeth”… at the commentary (i.e. bullshit) they were spewing.
I recall that many, many years ago when I was a university freshman (in what again seems to me like a “previous life”), my final paper in my Political Economics course was based on the premise that Lincoln did not free the slaves for any noble or altruistic reasons, but primarily because he and the Northern industrialists knew that Amerikka could not reach it’s full industrialization potential with a slave based, agrarian economy dominating the South. Cheap labour needed to move North, while capital for industrialization needed to move South and the domestic consumer market needed to be nurtured. My thesis certainly wasn’t an original one, but as a young and very naive Black man living in Canada, who was just beginning to understand the “real” world and how it had been influencing my perspective about myself and those around me, this revelation was a part of the process I had been going through at the time: the stripping away of illusions and lies I had been told about “the good white people” like Lincoln and John F. Kennedy.
Now let’s fast forward to the present and speaking of Sis. Deb, let’s be clear. As I watched the Meet the Press segment, I was reminded of an insightful and educational article she did on her blog entitled: Lincoln, the resolute white supremacist — the Changeling’s “homeboy”? I encourage you to read the whole article, including the links… it’s fantastic! It portrays the real Lincoln… in his own words. Another excellent article was previously posted here by brothpeacemaker: Quotations from Abraham Lincoln.
I have come to understand and expect the behaviour of the dominant culture, like that of a drug addict, to constantly feed it’s white supremacy cravings, so as to satisfy its needs to feel superior to the “others”, while at the same time feel comfortable about their white privilege, through the guise of their (supposedly) noble endeavours and sacrifices for these same “others”. We can see this playing out especially among the so-called “White progressives and liberals”. It is their “White man’s (and woman’s) burden”! Hence, no character representing, nor a mention at all of Fredrick Douglass and his influence on Lincoln in the film.
This discussion brings to mind a portion of the lyrics of Fight The Power by Public Enemy, with a couple of minor revisions:
Lincoln was a hero to most But he never meant shit to me you see Straight up racist that sucker was Simple and plain Motherfuck him and JFK
“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.
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.”
“The difference that I’m noticing more now and it’s a perception which I’m sure can be debated but there is this extreme animus towards the various countries on the continent of Africa and their historical role in promoting the triangularity of the slave trade that culminated in a diaspora seriously adrift. We’ve encountered at times, a dismissive or condescending attitude towards American blacks by those who were born and reared in the various countries on the continent. This became painfully apparent when the dialogue about describing ourselves as ‘African-Americans’ became the topic on various blogs and if that is truly an accurate description. There seems to be a grace and forgiveness for those who provided a market (Europeans & western whites) for the selling and purchasing of human beings and also promoting one of the most virulent and devastating forms of slavery that the world has ever witnessed.”
Powerful commentary by Nigerian writer, poet, playwright and 1986 Nobel Laureate in Literature, Wole Soyinka, on Africa’s role in the slave trade and it’s consequences. These are 2 must read articles posted in the online magazine theRoot:
Allow me to present these questions to you directly:
1. What is your position, and more specifically, what do you suggest as an alternative to voting for the president, and
2. If you are a non-African American living in Canada, what dog do you have in this fight? What is your purpose of arguing that AFRICAN AMERICANS should not vote?
I was in a debate on an African American Facebook page about Barack Obama and the upcoming US 2012 presidential elections after I had posted this insightful article by Black Agenda Report: “Tired Old So-Called Leftists Give Same Old Excuses For Supporting Obama in 2012“. Of course the Obamabots (one in particular) took exception to the article and my continual opposition to the presidency of Obama. Par for the course, the strategy of “killing the messenger”… since it’s impossible to discount or refute the message… was employed by the Obamabots. Those in opposition to the Obama administration are termed “ignorant, turncoats, snitches and yes… Herman Cain!” (that last one really hurt, ’cause I consider myself much better looking than Herman…lol!)
The fact is though, I don’t take it personally. First, I am fully aware that there are two political plantations in America that most African Americans have enslaved themselves to. These “Plantation Negroes” would gladly give their lives (and some do) to defend their white master’s Democratic and Republican plantations to the detriment of their own self-interests as a community. Second, I’m not an African American, so I have no allegiances to either plantations, nor do I have an emotionally distorted/biased attachment to Obama just because he is Black.
Therefore in reality I have no “dog in this fight”. To be honest, I do get a somewhat juvenile guilty pleasure in riling up the Obamabots (especially one in particular), so whenever I get an opportunity to do so, I will post an anti-Obama article and he always takes the bait. Regardless, the fact is I do expect Obama to easily get re-elected. Why not? Under his administration, the rich have gotten richer, poverty levels are at an all time high in America, and American Corporate Imperialism continues to be expanded and entrenched militarily throughout the “Black and Brown world” unabated… by the 2009 Nobel Peace Laureate. Other than cosmetic and media manufactured differences, both Obama and Romney are pretty much the same guy. Obama has clearly stated that he is not the President of Black America, however his actions are clear that he considers himself the President of Corporate America, Hispanic America, Jewish America and Gay America.
I was asked the above questions by an admitted Obama supporter on the Facebook page. These are legitimate questions that I am happy to answer. In regards to the first, the plantation negro only envisions two choices. If you don’t reside on one plantation, then you must belong to the other. If you don’t support Obama and the Democrats, then by default you must support Romney and the Republicans. However, I do see other alternatives.
One is not to vote for either party. Both political plantations are corrupt and under corporate control, so they are in no way committed to serving the interests of the majority of the electorate… and African Americans in particular. It’s also counter-productive (as well as foolish) to take the approach to vote for the lesser of two evils. In the words of WEB Dubois: “I believe that democracy has so far disappeared in the United States that no “two evils” exist. There is but one evil party with two names…”
However, if one does believe that engaging in the current political process is the only avenue to address African American concerns, then why not field your own candidates under the banner of your preferred political plantation to influence your party and government policies for your own self-interests… sounds familiar? Whether their power was real or perceived, the handful of elected “Tea Party” legislators have been able to influence the policies and direction of the Republican Party, as well as that of the Obama administration. For as long as they have been around, why hasn’t the Congressional Black Caucus been able to have this type of impact within the Democratic Party, nor with the Obama administration? Could it be they are in reality just a group of “Plantation Negroes” whose purpose is to be stooges for the white masters of their Democratic plantation? If so, then they all need to be replaced. They are the real “turncoats and snitches”!
A third alternative is to get off the plantation altogether and research the policy positions of third party and independent presidential candidates. During the 2008 presidential campaign, if I was an American, I would have voted for Cynthia McKinney and Rosa Clemente of the Green Party. Interestingly, when I discussed with the plantation negroes who were going to vote for the then presidential candidate from their Democratic plantation, Barack Obama, the idea to support the McKinney and Clemente ticket… a Black and Hispanic woman whose political platform and policies were more in line with their interests, they all had the same response: “they won’t win”. Well that’s the classic American attitude… it’s not about principles… it’s all about winning!
The second question posed I find interesting. Isn’t it ironic that an American would ask what is my “purpose” in expressing an opinion on their electoral process!? Since World War II, which country has interfered most in the electoral processes and outcomes of African and Caribbean nations!? Which nation has continually assassinated our elected leaders that they couldn’t control and rigged elections to install the ones they could? Which nation has financed armed rebellions against our democratically elected governments, destabilized our countries economies, sponsored sanctions and embargos against our nations, vetoed United Nations efforts for our empowerment and encouraged our genocide by deed or silence? All for the purpose of corporate greed! The good ole USA! So let’s see if I understand this correctly: it’s quite alright for Americans to interfere in our political affairs abroad, but we… those of African descent in the motherland or diaspora… have no right to offer any opinion nor criticize your corrupt, corporate driven political plantation system? Such is the audacity of the plantaion negro.
As I discussed in my previous post: “African American Arrogance“, those of us of African descent outside of the USA are painfully well aware that “Black Americans are still Americans”. Mostembody the American imperialistic worldview and display their American arrogance in their dealings with other people of color. It is therefore no surprise that African Americans make up a significant portion of the US armed forces and have no problem doing their patriotic duty by invading and killing other Black and Brown people for the glory of American Corporate Imperialism. In fact, the first commander of AFRICOM, created by President George W. Bush on the recommendation of then Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, to militarily recolonize Africa for American interests, was an African American, General William E. “Kip” Ward. See also:
These two African Americans, “Plantation Negroes” from opposing political plantations, have this one thing in common. They are both warmongers who brought death, disease and destruction to the nations of Black and Brown people in the name of American Corporate Imperialism. Isn’t it also ironic that African Americans fear that voter i.d. laws are a strategy being employed by the Republicans to deny them of their right to vote, while these same African Americans are literally the foot soldiers of the American strategy to deny those of African descent worldwide, the right to vote for the governments of our choosing. The chickens have indeed come home to roost.
Therefore my answer to the question: “What is your purpose of arguing that AFRICAN AMERICANS should not vote?”, is the same as the (African) American soldiers and military helicopters I saw as a boy growing up in Jamaica, engaged in a supposed “drug war” against the supporters of the anti-US and pro-Castro political party, for the benefit of the pro-US government. I do so because I can.
Most of you have not provided any logical arguments refuting that assertion. Instead, many of you have resorted to ad hominem attacks. It is easy to call me “Negro pseudo intellectual” and “only a mouth”, question my level of activism and make disparaging remarks about African Americans. It is far more difficult to challenge my argument. I challenge you to debate me on substance.”
@Ana..I did not “deny that some blacks have been and are the enemies of other black people”. In my article, I condemned Joseph Kony and called for him to be brought to justice. All groups, including black people, have their traitors. I never said or implied that the victims should wait. I said that Africans should and can solve their own problems. Anson Asaka
Brother Anson,
First, I had made it quite clear in my previous post that the article and term “Negro pseudo-intellectual” wasn’t directed at nor a personal attack against you. I also directed you to analyze my definition and clearly stated: “My definition is above and if you personally don’t fit into that category, then it doesn’t apply to you.” However from your above statement: “It is easy to call me “Negro pseudo intellectual”, I can only surmise that you did analyze my definition and have determined that you do fit into that category. I will therefore defer to the substance of your superior logical argument and surrender that point to you.
Secondly, I did read your well written and well researched article explaining your position. Interestingly, I found it ironic that all the sources you used as the substance of your logical arguments were taken from “western organizations”, as you previously branded Invisible Children. You freely quote Wikipedia, ABC News, Washington Post, Christian Science Monitor, Council of Foreign Affairs, Amnesty International and the Wall Street Journal. You are correct that I didn’t challenge or debate you on the substance of your argument. However, if I ever do wish to challenge or debate the substance of logical arguments based on an eurocentric point of view, I’ll find a white man to debate with… and not one of his black surrogates.
Thirdly, I have observed that when those of African descent outside of the USA, don’t conform to the narrow-minded beliefs, opinions and logical arguments of our African-American brothers and sisters… and have the audacity to be critical of your arrogant view of the world, you make accusations that we “make disparaging remarks about African Americans.” I have discussed this attitude before in my post and adjoining comments: “African-American Arrogance”. I invite you read the post. You may learn something about people of African descent who are not African-Americans. You may also learn something about yourself.
Finally, your above comment has inspired me to analyze the issue of the miseducated Negro pseudo-intellectual. I observed on your blog that you proudly disclose all your educational achievements. It’s impressive and I sincerely congratulate your academic successes. I am constantly teaching my son that education is certainly a powerful and invaluable tool for our people… if it is utilized as the foundation for action and enlightenment! However for the miseducated Negro pseudo-intellectual, education is the basis for inaction and narrow-minded thinking. For the miseducated Negro pseudo-intellectual, education is ghetto-ized into a quest for the debate of logical arguments to quench the thirst of the eurocentric fed ego. For the miseducated Negro pseudo-intellectual, education is not seen as a resource to turn viral awareness via social media into action, but as a tool to be wasted in another viral bitch session.
These two African Americans, “Plantation Negroes” from opposing political plantations, have this one thing in common. They are both warmongers who brought death, disease and destruction to the nations of Black and Brown people in the name of American Corporate Imperialism. Isn’t it also ironic that African Americans fear that voter i.d. laws are a strategy being employed by the Republicans to deny them of their right to vote, while these same African Americans are literally the foot soldiers of the American strategy to deny those of African descent worldwide, the right to vote for the governments of our choosing. The chickens have indeed come home to roost.
