Pan-Africanism : Is Smokey Robinson African?

[Queenie]

Hello theiiz and welcome!! I'm not sure I understand your question. What seems to be the concern that you have and by "we" I assume you mean African Americans? Help me to understand your point.

Peace!

 

[Phenomenal Flow]

I DIDN'T CARE TOO MUCH FOR SMOKEY'S POEM. MOREOVER, THOSE WHO MAKE FUTILE ATTEMPTS TO DISCONNECT AFRICAN-AMERICANS FROM AFRICA ARE SIMPLY MISGUIDED. MY FIRST THOUGHT WAS SMOKEY MUST HAVE BEEN TALKING TO HNIC WARD CONNERLY. BUT THEN I REALIZED SMOKEY HAS HIS OWN ISSUES.

ANYWAY, THE FACT REMAINS BLACKS IN THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE ARE STILL GENETICALLY CONNECTED TO THEIR RELATIVES IN AFRICA...WHICH MAKES US AFRICAN-AMERICANS. WE ARE DECENDANTS OF AFRICANS. PERIOD. I KNOW THIS PAINS THOSE WHO ARE SO FAR ASSIMILATED AND WHITEWASHED TO BELIEVE OTHERWISE, BUT DENYING THE TRUTH WILL NOT ERASE THE FACTS.

THE LAME EXCUSE "BLACKS IN AMERICA DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT AFRICA" OR "WE DON'T SPEAK ANY AFRICAN LANGUAGES" IS BASELESS. TRUE, MANY BLACKS HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO CONCEPT OF AFRICAN CULTURES, LANGUAGES AND RELIGIONS...BUT COMMON SENSE WOULD SUGGEST REASON BEING IS DUE TO THE FACT WE WERE SEVERED PHYSICALLY AND PSYCHOLOGICALLY FROM ANYTHING AFRICAN WHEN WE WERE BROUGHT TO THE NEW WORLD IN BONDAGE. IF WE WERE ABLE TO RETAIN OUR CULTURES, LANGUAGES ETC., WE WOULD NOT BE HAVING THIS DISCUSSION TODAY. JUST BECAUSE WE WERE FORCED TO LOSE OUR IDENTITY DOESN'T MAKE US NON-AFRICAN.

WHEN A CHILD IS ADOPTED IS HE/SHE LESS GENETICALLY CONNECTED TO THEIR BIOLOGICAL PARENTS? OF COURSE NOT. SO FOR THE LIFE OF ME I CAN'T UNDERSTAND THE JESTURE OF SMOKEY'S POEM AND THOSE LIKE HIM WHO CHOOSE TO ENGAGE IN SEMANTICS.

 

[panafrica]

Africa is in our Blood!!! Well said Phenominal Flow

 

[Queenie]

Welcome, welcome, welcome Phenomenal Flow!!! That was a phenomenal response and it rings loud and clear of what I believe is true. Thank you!!!

Peace!

 

[pocotouro]

smokey was exactly on the mark with his poem. there is no greater nation in the world than america. granted america is not perfect, but she is much closer than anything else out there. many of us have been duped into thinking that we are not entitiled to all of the rights and responsibilities that come with being an american.