Black People : Challenging The Term - White Supremacy

[FaithSoulSistah]

ok, how do you do that?

Well the first step is not to elevate the enemy to a supreme group of people. This is the exact same lie that they themselves perpetuate. If supreme is the absolute highest point of achievement, you are openly stating that you are subordinate to the "supreme" group and are simultaneously implying you will always remain so because they are naturally "supreme" to you. Now as I stated earlier, I have begun to say "system of racism". This is the truth; they have instituted a system of racism against melinated people. I also don't like the the term "non-white" because I think it does the same thing. This is empowering to the enemy too because it focuses on the enemy rather than us. It elevates white to being the most important/relevant with everyone else as a nonentity. How can we think about revolution speaking and thinking this way?

Now I realize we cannot sleep on the enemy. But we have to begin to think about how the words we use can have an adverse affect on our thoughts and subsequently our actions.

 

[kemetkind]

Well the first step is not to elevate the enemy to a supreme group of people. This is the exact same lie that they themselves perpetuate. If supreme is the absolute highest point of achievement, you are openly stating that you are subordinate to the "supreme" group and are simultaneously implying you will always remain so because they are naturally "supreme" to you. Now as I stated earlier, I have begun to say "system of racism". This is the truth; they have instituted a system of racism against melinated people. I also don't like the the term "non-white" because I think it does the same thing. This is empowering to the enemy too because it focuses on the enemy rather than us. It elevates white to being the most important/relevant with everyone else as a nonentity. How can we think about revolution speaking and thinking this way?

Now I realize we cannot sleep on the enemy. But we have to begin to think about how the words we use can have an adverse affect on our thoughts and subsequently our actions.

I like your thinking FaithSoulSista!

 

[Edward Williams]

[What is bothering me is the term empowers whites and portrays a sense of powerlessness for blacks. White supremacy=whites are supreme.

It all boils down to what is meant when a person says "supreme". You gotta take it to the definition.

Supreme:
1 : highest in rank or authority

2 : highest in degree or quality

Who gave you those definitions?

Now if you want to spur change in our community, is it really wise to attempt to do so using terms which may produce defeatist thinking? This can make matters worse instead of better. Sure you will have enlightened people, but at the same time also may cause them to give up

That is the reason you have to do 4 basic things;

(1) Say what it is the white people who practice racism (white supremacy) are doing against us.
(2) Say how it affects us.
(3) Say what it is that we must do to counter what they are doing.
(4) Explain in detail how it works and what the result will be.

It is what they are doing against us and our refusal to tell ourselves the truth about it and do something (counter-move) against what they are doing against us that keeps subject to them. This is a reason I say "supreme" is positional. And they can be moved from the position they're in.

I was listening to a clip a member posted of Neely Fuller and I had to turn it off. The question was asked can you implement a system of justice w/o begging the white man. He said no, you had to ask them because they control things. (Those are not the exact words, but you get the picture) Now this to me is very defeatist. How in the world do you expect the ones who intentionally implemented an unjust system to turn around and willingly dismantle it? This is foolish thinking, imo. Now granted I did not get through his entire response. But if we sit around waiting for white folks to change things for our benefit, they will never get changed. WE are capable of changing our collective condition. And THAT needs to be communicated to people. Time out for begging whites to stop being unjust, unfair, etc. It's time for us to devise a way out of this. All else is futility, imo.[/B]

I agree. Here's the thing about listening to Fuller or anyone...you have to test everything you hear to see what works for you. Fuller says you should do three things;

(1) Ask for what you should be given
(2) Accept what is granted
(3) Compensate for the difference

This appears to mean different things to different people. I agree with the logic of it but when it comes to producing a SYSTEM of justice there are a whole lot of things we can do to force the people who have the most power to do what they should be doing. I made a list of all the things I think I need to do in order to produce a SYSTEM of justice on this planet and the list of things I can do, that do not directly involve asking anyone else for anything, is a lot longer...a lot longer...than the list I have of the things I need to do that involve asking other people for anything. In addition to that, the list I have of thing I need to do that actually involve white people is a very short list.

I don't say we need to ask white people for things I say we need to correct our own behavior...and correct it to the point we force everyone else to get in line or get run over...and counter-racism will help to do this. It is not the end all but it has its place and it is a very important place in that we are in a SYSTEM of racism (white supremacy).

 

[FaithSoulSistah]

I like your thinking FaithSoulSista!

Thank you brother.

 

[FaithSoulSistah]

It all boils down to what is meant when a person says "supreme". You gotta take it to the definition.


Who gave you those definitions?
An online dictionary.

That is the reason you have to do 4 basic things;

(1) Say what it is the white people who practice racism (white supremacy) are doing against us.
(2) Say how it affects us.
(3) Say what it is that we must do to counter what they are doing.
(4) Explain in detail how it works and what the result will be.

It is what they are doing against us and our refusal to tell ourselves the truth about it and do something (counter-move) against what they are doing against us that keeps subject to them. This is a reason I say "supreme" is positional. And they can be moved from the position they're in.

That all sounds great, but it is not at all what is implied by the term "white supremacy". And what specific things are we to do to change it? If it involves trying to convince whites to change, then it is really useless. What are some of the counter-moves, in brief?


I agree. Here's the thing about listening to Fuller or anyone...you have to test everything you hear to see what works for you. Exactly and the term "white supremacy" doesn't work for me. And I believe it really will not get the desired result from the masses either. Fuller says you should do three things;

(1) Ask for what you should be given
This sounds like a plea to whites. We have been doing this already for a long time, with little to show for it. This is NOT working.
(2) Accept what is granted
(3) Compensate for the difference
This is what we should focus on, imo.

This appears to mean different things to different people. I agree with the logic of it but when it comes to producing a SYSTEM of justice there are a whole lot of things we can do to force the people who have the most power to do what they should be doing.
Such as? We are collectively poor in terms of financial wealth. What are we gonna force them to do? Our biggest priority should be economic empowerment. And we can do this w/o begging or trying to force them to give us jobs by patronizing black businesses and creating more black businesses/jobs. We do not circulate our money within OUR community. This needs to stop.

I made a list of all the things I think I need to do in order to produce a SYSTEM of justice on this planet and the list of things I can do, that do not directly involve asking anyone else for anything, is a lot longer...a lot longer...than the list I have of the things I need to do that involve asking other people for anything. In addition to that, the list I have of thing I need to do that actually involve white people is a very short list.

I don't say we need to ask white people for things I say we need to correct our own behavior...and correct it to the point we force everyone else to get in line or get run over...and counter-racism will help to do this. It is not the end all but it has its place and it is a very important place in that we are in a SYSTEM of racism (white supremacy).

Again I am not in opposition to enlightening our people about the system. But I do take issue with some of the terminology because I believe it is counter-productive.

FSS