Subject: Re: African vs. European Society
Date: Thu, 19 Feb 1998 18:19:03 GMT

Gabrielle Theresa Daniels (gdaniels@taurus.oac.uci.edu) wrote:

: > Why is it that those with the most closed minds bray the
: > loudest and longest?
: >
: > <( remaining rant snipped )>
: >
: > : Wayne "I like the idea of improving the human race, not acting like
: > : animals squabbling over a bone" Johnson
: > : ciacon@ix.netcom.com
: >
: > How is saying... we are all the same, oppressor and oppressed
: > alike... going to improve the human race?

: Simply by acknowledging our common humanity and the fact that we are
: capable of doing the same odium.  No more or less.

As to being "capable" I do not necessarily disagree.
But if the oppressed considers himself just as odious as
the oppressor, and likely to do the same to the oppressor
if the tables were turned, then the rational and cynical
thing is not to resist the oppression: on what moral
basis does a thief object to the thefts committed upon
his person?

I see it as a moral duty for Black folk to resist 
racist oppression (white supremacy).  There is no
moral basis for such resistance if I consider that
there is moral symmetry between oppressor and oppressed,
whatever the capability may be in the abstract.

: Remember I said, *capable.*  I didn't say certain peoples *would.*

: Examples:

: World blinders about Bosnia.
: World blinders about the Tutsis and the Hutus.
: World blinders about the fate of the Jews in pre-war Europe and the
: condition of Palestinians now.
: American blinders about the Native Americans.
: American blinders about African Americans.

: That said, and *truly accepted,* we can then move on to other dialogues
: about stopping other sh*t dead in its tracks.

I don't accept that that kind of analysis, or lack,
takes us any further down the path of mental liberation 
that is necessary to resist our own oppression.

: ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
:                 "Divant camrades capabe largue quilotte.
:                   Divant tranzes faut boutonne cannecon."
: 			   (MAURITIUS Creole)
:           -Before friends, one can even take off one's britches.
:           Before strangers, one must keep one's britches buttoned.-
: ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
: Gabrielle Theresa Daniels++gdaniels@ea.oac.uci.edu++gdaniels@uci.edu
: =======================================================================

"If you do not understand White Supremacy
(Racism)... everything *else* that you
understand will only confuse you."
			--Neely Fuller

	 

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