Please note Sis Destee, that I had previously copied and pasted your original questions so it will slightly differ to a few of your recent changed questions.
Sister Soulosphy ... i've noticed, felt even, your disappointment in the community of late. I'm sorry that we aren't all that you think we should be. I'm sorry that our people aren't all that you think they should be. I wish i could promise, guarantee, immediate action regarding both of these things ... fixing them both so that they suit you perfectly ... but that is beyond my control.
The reality of the situation, from my point of view ... is that we all simply are not at the same place. The recovery process for some, will take longer than others. Keep in mind too, that not all of us are privy to the same information, and even when we get it, it usually takes some time to seep in ... as its usually contrary to all that we've been conditioned to believe.
It's not just one of us this way, but many of us.
With this in mind, i think we have to be patient with each other's slow pace. Many generations have gone into making us this way, having us think and behave as we do ... and it may take a few to get us out of it. I know it's hard to be patient when babies are dying, Brothers are mistreated at every turn, all of the hardships and struggles Sisters face alone ... it's hard to say that we must be patient ... but what else can we do?
Indeed. We are all not at the same place, you’re right, and I think sometimes my impatience gets the better of me and forgets to take such things into consideration. It has taken over 400 years to condition us to the state of mind to where we are today and it will take a while before we get there, but I’m hoping that we will get there eventually before its too late. But just because we’ve been made this way do we have to stay this way?
I think it's careless to overlook the great contributions toward our collective well being, that are being performed on a daily basis, integral to the whole, that you may not even be aware of. The Sisters that are helping each raise babies, and keep them safe. Brothers helping each other stay alive another day. The kind and encouraging word that helps another simply make it through the day, so that they may grow stronger and lead. There's so many examples like this i could mention, that you seem to be counting as nothing. The kind of things that take courage, when you only have a little bit for yourself, but are willing to share it with another Sister or Brother ... that's courage in my eyes.
Are we all cowards? I'd not label us that, and would only consider one a coward, if they said they were.
LOL @ U. Just because I did not mention the things we have done does not mean I am overlooking them. I like the way you take things and turn into something else. I could have done a thread about all the things we have done but I didn't. It seems the way I have written this is like I am overlooking such feats. But not all. No way do I overlook or dismiss such. It depends on the way we weigh things up. I'm not saying that we haven't done anything of value per se, but we could do more. This thread is basically asking are we cowards in the way that we are not motivated enough to fight for our right to self-determination and that includes taking control of our own minds and the minds of our children.
I do not consider myself a coward. Do you consider yourself as one?
The majority of the American and European population are cowards - scared of our own freakin’ shadows. Right now I’m driven by Love which stems from my frustration of my people and our dire situation. Do we think that this is going to go away? Do we think that by sitting in chat rooms and on cyber forums things are getting done? We need ACTION. We need to be actively involved in our communities or wherever with those of like minds and hearts - kudos to those who are active in this respect.
It's about each and every one of us, individually doing what we feel must be done, to move our people to higher ground.
Individually? It is because of individualism and separateness… We have been so hard-wired into living this way of individualistic lifestyles, division and separation that many of us have even become loners. We’re not supposed to be alone. That's not how our people initially functioned. The Universe is merely a reflection of our consciousness and the division and disunity that we witness with our people is the disunity within ourselves manifesting as our European ways & thoughts of separateness that we’ve embodied in our psyche. In his book ‘Philosophy and Opinions', our great Ancestor Marcus Garvey says,
“The evil of internal division is wrecking our existence as a people…” (pg.22). And again, another great Ancestor Amos Wilson says
“…European history’s principle function is to first separate us from the reality of ourselves and separate us from the reality of the world; to separate us from the reality of our history and to separate us from its ramifications…” (‘The Falsification of Afrikan Consciousness’ -pg. 24). So forget individuality…it ain’t about ME, it’s about WE.
Have you done some courageous act ... vs ... a cowardly one?
Oh, believe me, I’ve done both cowardly and courageous. I’m a fire sign (but tempered by water) but still I thrive on action and activity. I’m like the devils advocate, if there’s no agitation then sometimes I’ll create one or two...lol.
What would constitute courageous, in times such as these?
Knowledge of self. This is where real revolution begins. Revolution does not necessarily mean to take up arms and take control of a government but to overthrow a slave mentality and take control of ones mind.
Back in the day when our ancestors were enslaved, they kept their spiritual traditions and culture and harnessed spiritual forces to aid them in their slave revolts. Almost every slave rebellion involved Afrikan spiritual practices but we in the Diaspora refuse to have any knowledge of this aspect of our own history. I’m not saying that we should begin an insurrection but I just wanted to show here how much Afrikan spirituality played a major role in the preservation of African culture and knowledge and how much we have forgotten and disregarded our own history and this has been the cause for certain states of affairs with our people. It is said that, "
He who forgets his past is likely to repeat it."
We are what we think and many of us continue to think like the oppressor and creating our reality. The masses are stuck into believing that this western European way of existing is the only way of living because this is all we know, but moreso, this is all that we care to know. Marcus Garvey also said
"God never cursed you, you cursed yourself. If the Black man fails, it is because he failed to realise & discover who he was & what he was."
"
African-Americans have not yet learn that no other people have continued worshipping another's God, especially their slave master's god or gods and freed themselves from cultural and physical genocide. Why should Africans and African-Americans be the only exception to this historic reality?" Dr. Yosef Ben Jochannan
What do you suggest we do Sister ... take up arms and go fight the enemy?
LOL, not at all (but it’s a thought though). But our Brothers are too busy checking out skirts to notice the real issues going on with our people. The majority of our Brothers remain as little boys because we no longer have any rites of passage. Our sisters are too busy immersed in vanity. As a people, we have no allies, no military, no organisational communities etc and how long would it take us to acquire such in order to defend ourselves? Well, I think we’ve perhaps left it too late now anyways. Or maybe not. If the world wasn’t so racist, maybe we could have had China or Russia have our backs. What part of Africa has nuclear weapons? South Africa? But hey, I’m not about world war but if we had to then so be it. The only thing that we do have is our minds (well at least a few of us anyway) and we need to use it to acquire knowledge of self for our survival.
Tell us what it is we should be doing ... what you are doing ... lead the way Sister.
What we should be doing is as I always say, seek knowledge of self. The only thing against us right now is ignorance and it is due to this lack of knowledge of self why we in the Diaspora are in such dire straits.
"Look at you....chasing your tail....running after the dollar bill as if it's going to solve your problems personally or collectively as a people. 'Black America' is in the top 10 list of richest nations in the world. Still....look at us. Disrespected, mistreated and down trodden to say the least. Why? Because we don't study our past and present to create a better future with our resources. We have to study our history....It's mandatory." (Lloyd "Amen-Ra" Spivey)
You are **** right to ask me what am I doing. I can’t be expressing all that I have in this thread and not expect to be scrutinized somewhat.
So what am I doing? Well, it is said, those who have suffered are able to heal, and I really believe that to a degree. I am about truth more than anything else and I volunteer my services as an energy therapist to work with sisters - young and old - who are termed by the state as “schizophrenic”, as well as with brothers and sisters who experience depression, suicidal tendencies or loss of mental energy. It is because we take on European definitions of so-called illnesses that we don’t have an innerstanding of who we truly are or how we function as human/divine beings. Every ailment we have first must begin in the auric field (spiritual self) of our being before it can actually manifest in our mental and physical body.
But as my paid work I facilitate workshops to re-educate the minds of our youth in schools through poetry and song but at the same time I have to be subtle or I can’t work but I am able to give them certain knowledge of self.
PEACE!
