A few thoughts. Having frequented, and appreciated this group for a couple of months, and having grown up in London during the 60s., these are my initial stream of consciousness thoughts: 1) There are a lot of talented and articulate Black people in the UK, and the Black diaspora with a UK connection. Keep on pushing and sharing your thoughts and stories. Ive learned from my interactions on this group. 2) There is an unrealistic focus on a nebulous, ill defined African and Black Culture. Black and African cultures are not monolithic. Is the culture of someone of Somali origins in Minneapolis, the same as someone from Trinidad living in London? Is the culture of a Black person in London similar to a Black person in Atlanta? Is common pigmentation a determinant of culture? 3) There is an excessive focus on past glory of Africans. As someone of African origin, I believe that Africans, are simply human beings, with characteristics common to all humans, of any origin. This means both good and bad characteristics. Humans, regardless of origin are not perfect. Kings and queens are the exception, we are not all descendants of Kings or Queens. In nature, there are usually far more worker bees than Queen bees. 4) Slogans and memes, are not reality. 5) Institutional racism exists. All people groups have challenges, ours are related to pigmentation. Life is not fair, and probably never will be. 6) There seems to be a deeply rooted pro atheism and anti Christian bias. Atheism leads people to believe in the superiority and advanced evolutionary state of certain people groups, and the corresponding inferiority of certain other people groups. Maybe thats why some people try to insult others by calling them monkeys. 7) There is a lack of critical thinking. Some people post things that are demonstrably untrue. Not unique to this group, but sometimes a quick check of the facts will help. 8) The reinforcement of the victim mentality. One of my pet peeves is that Black people are sometimes perceived of as being incapable of thriving in modern society due to some inherent defect. Some people unconsciously post things that reflect and reinforce this victim mentality. I appreciate the people who created this forum for interaction and in general view this as an important medium. I dont have all of the answers, these are just my personal, biased observations. We all have biases. Thanks for indulging me, and Never, Ever, Ever Give up on your dreams, or your pursuit of excellence, regardless of whether or not you agree with me. Im really a nobody, just some guy with an internet connection, sharing my imperfect thoughts. Peace
Posted on: Mon, 10 Mar 2014 00:57:48 +0000
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