Peace,
This blog was originally titled “Patriotism is not Logical”, but as fate would have it, prior to my posting, a “controversial” video by Dallas Mavericks Forward, Josh Howard was released.
“The video, from Allen Iverson’s event, shows Howard, as the national anthem is being sung, saying: "'The Star-Spangled Banner' is going on. I don't celebrate this sh*t. I'm Black!" The ESPN site goes on to write “some viewers may find content offensive” prior to playing the video excerpt.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3592734
The viewers that were offended by the video clip were most likely offended due to their lack of understanding. How could he feel like this? How dare he disrespect his country? Allow me to express the sentiment regarding patriotism for the “Black” man living in the United States of America.
We are the illegitimate sons of America. Being born in America but of African lineage our view of America is often formed by personal experiences and observances.
Many of us with the sense to read material apart from the standard school curriculum presented to us, have read of the savage treatment of our ancestors forcibly taken from their homeland and stripped of their culture, mores and everything that made life worth living.
They were forced to build up a country that did not and does not give them the respect of equality. They were duped into believing that they were freed by the “good master” as slavery transitioned into sharecropping.
We have sat at the feet of our elders and heard stories of the Jim Crow era where the same savage man responsible for the enslavement of our people added further insult to injury by showing total ungratefulness to the architects of the very nation that they so arrogantly boast the superiority of.
This period was a psychological attack on our people as they were digging themselves out of the worst holocaust (Maafa) known to the planet? They were demeaned and made to believe they were inferior as whites were viewed as the superior culture to be emulated.
Despite these actions our people continued to press forward fighting forcibly and passively for civil rights. Various terroristic organizations performing under the guise of the C.I.A. and F.B.I. co-opted their progress through the systematic assassination of our leaders and the placement of provocateurs in our organizations of progress. As various movements that instilled pride and self sufficiency in communities of color crumbled they were then attacked with biological weapons placed within our communities in the form of drugs. These drugs disabled the masses of the disenfranchised as they attempted to escape, albeit momentarily, from the grim circumstances that they found themselves in. The arrival of drugs was looked upon as an opportunity of financial gain for young men seeking to care for their families although it simultaneously destroyed the community at large. While looking to find a way out of desolate conditions our status worsened as our communities became entrenched in bloodshed and violence.
Our people continue to fumble about attempting to gain footing in a country that has repeatedly shown through action their true feelings towards the Original Man demeaned into servitude in the wilderness of a foreign land.
I observe television shows, movies and other popular forms of media support the superiority of one culture while demeaning all others.
Despite these experiences, there are still countless people of color hoping for change we can believe in. We understand when Michelle Obama stated that she was proud of her country for the first time in her adult life.
We want to peacefully co-exist. We are not a savage people. An examination of the facts demonstrate the true identity of the civilized. A historical examination will also demonstrate who has repeatedly exhibited the most uncivil behavior known to mankind.
If the Original People of the world were to react with the same savagery shown repeatedly throughout history by whites, what would the result be?
How grateful you must be that we remain pacified by the various trivialities we enjoy as we blindly go about our day yearning desperately to experience the love of America. How grateful you must be that the true realities of history have been clouded behind conspiracy theories and classified documents. How grateful you must be? Because if the truth was to be revealed to the Original People here in this country and throughout the world at large what would the end result be?
In the critically acclaimed movie ‘Higher Learning’ two “African American” students have a conversation surrounding patriotism. The character Fudge, played by Ice Cube offers conscious guidance to Malik, played by Omar Epps, surrounding his place in society.
Fudge: “Check out this situation…you at a football game, thousands of people there …all of them white… the American Flag is right above your head… they about to play the national anthem…all of these people turn around and look you dead in your eye…what do you do?
Malik: “I stand up… you know I probably be so embarrassed I stand up …you know what I’m saying
Fudge: “So they got you running for the school huh”
Malik: “Yeah partial scholarship”
Fudge: “And if you don’t run you don’t you don’t get no tuition”
Malik: “That’s the way the system goes”
Fudge: “Run nigger Run!”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Xu2HhgmgIk&feature=related
This conversation is an excellent representation of the conflict felt by countless “African Americans”. Many of our people are tired of the “that’s the way the system goes” attitude. We are tired of running a race without destination. We are tired of wearing “the mask that grins and lies” (Paul Lawrence Dunbar).
As Coach Boone states in ‘Remember the Titans’ “I don’t scratch my head unless it itch and I don’t dance unless I hear good music”
This sentiment cannot be understood by those “offended” by Howard’s statement as if they have the right to be offended.
I view the world through open eyes.
The truth is a light to those who can see.
If your eyes were closed
Allow the truth to hurt them until they adjust.
I bid you farewell in the same way I greeted you.
Peace.
Manu Perspective
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GOOD STUFF: This makes us think
This writer grew up in an era and attended public schools where between 8:15am and 8:30am every morning the principal of the various schools I attended would come on the public address (PA) system and recite “The Pledge of Allegiance” over the intercom and it was mandated that each student had to stand and place their right hand on their heart and turn towards the U.S. Flag which hung in every classroom and recite The Pledge of Allegiance. “I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands: one Nation under God, indivisible, With Liberty and Justice for all.” and verbally recite this along with the principal. We also had to sing "My Country, ‘Tis’ of Thee.” This writer can not say that over the many years of going through this morning classroom ritual that it made me any more or less patriotic. I would later come to understand that this was an early form of conditioning our young impressionable minds, but even back then in elementary school I was questioning why we had to stand each morning to recite these words over and over again. My teacher would only say that we were Americans and it was important that we demonstrate patriotism and loyalty to our nation at all times.
Patriotism is defined as “a proud supporter or defender of his or her country and its way of life.” Patriotism is imbued in the poor and the ignorant while the rich and super Elitist is the beneficiaries of war that is fought by the proletariat in order that Elitist may continue reap the spoils of war from every corner of the earth. The DeBeers, Henry Kissinger, Rothschilds, and Rockefellers they do not believe in American patriotism or any other nation’s patriotic viewpoint. Their definition of patriotism do not allow room for critical evaluation and assessment of America’s social order and there has always been an internal movements to stifle debate; because true debate would prove to be counter productive to their goals and objectives. American patriotism is structured upon lies, half-truths and deceptions in order to inculcate the deepest sense of loyalty, fidelity, devotion, etc., to their schemes and condition the masses to never question their motives, which are based on the accumulation of wealth and power by any means necessary.
Stay Awake Until meet Again,
Fahim A. Knight-EL
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