Race..so now what?
Posted: Monday, June 14, 2004

Taken from a reasoning on Rastafari Speaks Message Board.
The threads for this reasoning are linked here

by Ayinde

"… interracial relationships are a great tool to break down racism" [sic] - Ras Adams Simeon

Ras Adam said: "robert raskind, a white anmerican, is down in jamaica tell the people of the land to forgive whitey for the past so the healing can begin. i guess he figures the apology reparing is not going to be coming any time soon and so let jamaicans be the bigger person and say i forgive you and tsrat the healing to move on"

If he had come to me with that, I would have frankly told him that he should spend the rest of his life fighting for reparations to be paid to Blacks. He should work hard and give every cent he earns, in excess of what he needs for basic survival, to Black groups. He should go and try to change the conduct of Whites. I would not let him feel that 'sorry' was good enough while he is still in a position to receive unfair privileges.

Ras Adam said: "so where do we go now? whats next?
i dont have the answer. i am just dialoging."

I rather suspect that the way you embraced Rastafari never allowed you to consider these very serious issues or to relate to better-informed people.

Ras Adam said: "because despite race being a construct, it exisits because we are all still under its spell its hypnosis. it is real because we perpetuate its lies. because we have race check boxes on applications it is an unfortunate reality. i am now white like a piece of paper but i am called white and right or wrong thats societys way right now. so to that i say anyone free to mix and mingle with whomever absolutley. humanity loving humanity. beautiful. and if you have adopted your oppressors policiies of bigotry segregation seperation superiority. sorry for you. I understand why we have these reactions reflexes, but hopefully we can elevate and forward humanity one day. p.s. there's no S on my 1st name. ADAM."

I am not under any spell about race. I understand it quite well, and most people who do are less likely to fall prey to the many deceptions that result from racism. They can always watch out for all the varying levels of unfair privileges that are associated with it.

You can mix with whomever you wish, but the fact still remains that you are still more than likely to be treated better than Blacks based on your skin color. That is what you carry around every day, and no matter how many Blacks you feel that you embrace, you will be still accorded unfair advantages in this White system. So simply feeling that you are different does not change the system. When there is equal opportunity for all then there will be no race issue. It is strange that you do not like Blacks to take this into account when dealing with you. You expect Blacks to be colorblind in a white system that is unfair to them. Unfortunately for you and for others, some don't challenge you on this often enough, especially as you are involved in Black affairs. 

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