Are you an American or are you pretending?

Red, white and blue, these colors are now linked to the collective consciousness as America’s colors. Now to anyone who studies history should be familiar with different cultures and societies use of these colors.  However this is not a point by point breakdown of these colors.  No, this is a question of loyalty.

          It is no secret that an atrocity was committed against our people on a global scale.  This unfortunately, in the realm of human experience is nothing new.  Our red brothers were systematically wiped out. 

The Kurds—gassed.  The”Jews” holocaust rings bells everywhere.  We also have “lesser” versions of this same phenomenon: discrimination against Muslims, Christians, Gays come to mind.  Sometimes—quite often actually—these expressions galvanize, unite a group of people to create various proactive measures to ensure this never happens again.

          In fact power grabs often occur after these life/civilization altering events happen.  So, where is our united, sustained effort to seize and hold power over ourselves?  From the time after the so called emancipation of our people, a dual consciousness, created by the divide and conquer tactics employed on the psychological battlefield, emerged. 

          On the one hand, we desired and made real a life in which we determined our own existence.  Then on the other hand we wanted to sit at our oppressors tables as equals.  In a way this was to be expected.  As a people something unique was forced upon us.  We were made out to be less than human, we had our story wiped out and replaced with a pale imitation of our true glory.  Our social system completely decimated, bombarded with images and words depicting us as inferior beings, so we latched on to the only image of success we had—our captors. 

          See we really have been tricked.  We have been played by one of the oldest psychological ploys in the book.  It is human nature to desire inclusion.  The group mentality is the reason why nations are formed.  From numbers arise strength, isolation breeds vulnerability.  Factor in this, for centuries we have been mocked, ridiculed, told our culture made us less than human.  We were defeated by an enemy with superior firepower, not intellect; only a nature more viscous than our own.  Once captured, each resistance was met with force.  Force of deed, force of words and force of polices conspired to drum any sense of self determination out of our people. 

          Of course such things are temporary and incomplete, and our struggle continues. Nat Turner transforming into Garvey and the like show our resistance to social engineering. 

Yet here we are, subject to laws restricting our right to self rule, while being held to standards of worth not our own.  See it clearly, by destroying the warrior class by incarceration, chemicals and separating man and woman in terms of solid values a void in our culture defense was opened. Simultaneously providing the bare necessities (and an opportunity for a few to achieve riches) –food, clothing, shelter, transportation, communication and outlets of entertainment-we slowly assimilated to the “American Dream”.

          So now here we are 2013.  Many of our brothers and sisters chase the American dream or the African nightmare.  European capitalistic dreams of wealth, status, and society have corrupted our people!  An authentic African society is the farthest thing from many of people’s mind.  Even the token Black Nationalist sentiment expressed by Booker T Washington, “In all things purely social we can be separate as the fingers, yet one as the hand in all things essential to mutual progress.” This small seed of a Nation built for us and by us has been mutated into a fake brand of co-operation between the human races.  How can we truly co-operate on an equal playing field when we do not speak our own language?  When we do not make nor enforce our own laws and customs?  How can we be equal when pertinent education regarding manufacturing, distribution and economics have been sucked out of our community? And we haven’t even touched on the disparity in political education!

          No, we must seek the root and be not afraid of the bitter taste of separation. A psychological trick being played on a socio-political economic stage is occurring now.  But let us backtrack for a little context. The Atlanta compromise, spoken by Booker T Washington, spoke volumes about the state of the African, then called Negro shortly after slavery.  Booker t was a brilliant man.  His ideas should continue to be studied and implemented. But he was just a man.  In 1895 he was lauded as the leader of the African –American masses.  This template of the dominate structure raising an “acceptable negro” as the spokesperson for our people continued for quite sometime. Indeed in more recent times, one needs to look no further than Jesse Jackson vs. Khalid Muhammad to see what is meant by acceptable vs. uncomfortable!

          In Booker T Washington’s case the psychological trauma of slavery can be seen all throughout his work.  Subservience, humility, and general policy of “don’t rock the boat” are key themes throughout his work; no fire, no anger, no real wish to separate and carve out a nation to rival our ancestors.  If I may, allow me to go slight off point; ask your brothers or sisters: Are you an American or a descendant of African born prisoners? Listen to the answers and don’t be shocked at what you hear.

          Now, the by product of generations of rape, literally and metaphorically runs deeps.  Deep within our genetic code, and deep within the recesses of our mind we know something is just not right.   We are not perfect, nor are we collectively without blame.  But the lack of desire to do for self does not balance well with the desire to adhere to the standards of people who are not us.  This is beyond color.  This is a matter of principle, of culture.  America and her allies are the worst hypocrites.  They profess equality, yet undermine any attempt at self rule.  Division, war and intolerance are the overt weapons of her polices.  A nation founded on the backs of the Original Man, the blood of humans cannot last.  African, wake up and claim your birth rite!

          A nation built by you, run by you for the benefit of humanity is our right to claim. The choice is yours.  So, in closing I ask that you study our story, their story and then answer this:  Are you really or an American or are you pretending?

          Peace.