|  |
Race and Gender, the big picture
Posted:
Sunday, August 19, 2001
( Akin-Rastafari
) As a brother said before, Racial and Gender issues are the two
interconnected issues that all people should be addressing. These are the
central issues if people are serious about, justice, harmony and unity. If
there are Rastafarians who feel that these are not core issues then I know
they are far from the path to consciousness. It took centuries to develop some
unsociable habits and everyone should give time to addressing these bad
attitudes. Rastafarians like any other group cannot unite unless they address
these issues as a collective and give adequate ventilation to better values
that respects all people, male and female, black and white, and all others
in-between.
You cannot respect people in ignorance of their history and without giving
proper recognition to their sufferings and struggles. As Africans we demand
this of all our oppressors and is in like manner some of us acknowledged the
shortcomings of many of our ancestors and the vile, contemptuous character of
many Europeans who contributed to the colonization of both people and minds.
It is with the understanding of better social values; some of us recognized
that the rights males fought for were equal to the rights and freedoms of
Women. Who can deny that Women were reduced to a life of servitude? This was
not done deliberately by most males but resulted from that lost of empathy
that came with the disconnection from a more natural way of life alongside the
loss of our African folk stories?
Who, other than those who know history from both the male and female points of
view can empathize with the whole human family? Absolutely no one!
We cannot take the position of not focusing on these things that deny freedom
of choice and by extension consciousness in favor of not rocking someone
else's poorly analyzed position. Some say lets not focus on the woman lets
focus on JAH, but in the mean time they condemned Europeans who were making
similar arguments.
Many Europeans were saying, lets not focus on the past lets look to the
future. Stop bringing up the injustices, lets move on, while they build
monuments and compensate each other for sins of the past. They dare not tell
that to the Jews who are trying to corner the world market on sympathy. Are
they the only ones who should remember the past and be compensated?
Today while the hearts of some Europeans are softening we see some Africans
have learnt well the language of their former oppressors. Today, even on this
message board, there are 'Africans' who are calling on other Africans to
forget injustices and focus on God/JAH.
Should a more informed person give way to such immaturity? NO! No, it is the
less informed that should give way to learning and sharing. A more informed
person, be he or she, Jew or Gentile, African or European, can assist in
shaping better values.
So brothers and sisters learn of the struggles of some Women and weigh their
words well. Leave out the corruption of misrepresentation and look at the
issue in the same way you were called upon to examine the oppression of the
Euro-centric system against Africans. It is these struggles, which gave birth
to the Rastafarian Movement.
If I am misguided in my belief that the Rastafarian movement could represent a
better standard and model for all mankind, then I humbly apologize.
_________________________________________________________
I's Open
( IanI ) Irie, Irie
Well said for true... and no need to apologize.
In all me years of reasoning and listening and meditations, one of the most
valuable lessons me learn is that no 'group' or 'movement' can organize
without Wisdom as them guide. And is true that not everyone in the 'group' is
of the same Awareness, the same consciousness. You see?
And this be where the issue of 'judgement' comes in. IanI must know right from
wrong in order to reach Awareness and Wisdom. And IanI must be able to look at
any given situation and determine it's correctness or it's folly. And so where
does this determination come from? If me look upon the oppression of the Queen
and say, "That no right!" Where has that Knowledge come from? Me
know in me very inner depths that it no 'right' to downpress any Life... but
to some, them no see that Fullness. Some a them just keep stuck pon one aspect
of a situation and don't bother to look no further. Them say, "Glory be
to God! Me see the Light!" But them only see the very distant pin-point
of Light and never trod no further.
Many have attempted to drag and pull those of little consciousness (kicking
and screaming at times!) into a greater Awareness. Wise words have been
written and spoken in speeches and recorded on tape in the great hope of
making others see. And often those wise words have been mis-taken and mis-used,
clung to in their mis-taken-ness, leading 'groups' and 'organizations' into
despair! More trivial issues become magnified and the Truth gets buried in the
rubble. This has become obvious, to those that look, in the Babylonian
'civilization'. Vanity and greed get the focus, while Awareness and Wisdom get
forgotten.
While I whole Heart-ily agree that knowledge of peoples history is an
important thing... me seen that even those without this education can reach
great Wisdom. Because consciousness comes from the Heart/Mind and one must
have the drive to seek it. And continue to seek it in all it's Fullness. Not
just be content to listen to others and 'follow', but to realize that the
Almighty has given all IanI this Wisdome and Knowledge, right here in the
Heart/Mind.
So, while I can look for right from wrong and determine the Truth, I must
never place no 'judgement' upon those that have not achieved a Higher
Awareness. If them wish to seek it and grow, then IanI can offer what Life has
come to teach. But if them no care and simply wish to live them life blindly
or to simply 'follow' without looking, then them Life will bring them their
just reward. IanI cannot force no consciousness upon them.
Them that know Rastafari are the One that ever-looking, ever-living,
ever-forwarding. And even if I no know you history, Jah give IanI that
Looking, the Awareness to realize Truth from falseness, and forward pon the
road of Love that leads to justice, harmony, balance, overstanding, honesty,
integrity, equality, co-operation and I-nity! And this is how me know a Rasta
when me meet One, and IanI I-nite in all the Joy of Living!
Me know suffering when me see it... me know oppression when me see it... me
know persecution when me see it... me know subjugation when me see it. But is
only because me Looking that me see! So, yes I, Akin-Rastafari! IanI MUST LOOK!
Throw off them blinders and seek Jah Guidance and all IanI Bredren and Sistren
I-nite in Awareness, with Joy and Harmony. Rastafari forward in I-nity because
of Love and Joy. When IanI have open I's, then I-nity is assured.
Give Thanks and Praises
Guidance and Protection
IanI Rastafari
Homepage | Reasonings | Features | Forum | Interactive
| | |
|
