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It is heartening to see growth and change when someone can see a bigger truth. This is the true meaning of reasoning, different opinions being put forward, discussing an issue critically with a means to finding the greater truth therein.
Nyambala in many ways I agree with you. It is posts like the ones you quoted above
“Black supremacy is racism and a dead end”
”And do not tell me, you have no money to fly to Africa! Then sell the computer in front of you!
And stop to think in colour!”
“When a white person becomes a Rasta he is wiped clean of all whitness meaning way of thinking and accepts the truth about himself that yes he is from Africa”
that are the very reason why we say that racism is something that needs to be FULLY reasoned on and understood. Those lacking the necessary experience with racism and the issues confronting Africans everywhere are ill-equipped to truly understand and lead black movements. And yes! Rastafari is a BLACK MOVEMENT this is not to say that it, or any other black movement, religious or otherwise excludes non blacks, but thier primary motivation always has been to bring about the liberation of African people at home and in the Diaspora.
Where does this then leave whites or others who wish to assist or be a part of the movement? They need to first properly reason and confront their own privilege before any contribution they FEEL they are making is anything more than lip service. It is convenient for many whites to hold on to the spiritual/religious aspect of Rastafari because it is in this aspect that they can ignore many hard-core socio –political issues that fester in our society precisely because many choose to ignore them.
Furthermore I find the tone of the above posts that you have highlighted to be offensive and insulting. With all due respect, and to quote sister Kelani you do not go to the hosts home and insult him / her, by the same token do not come into a black movement and then attempt to determine the way black people deal with their own issues. In all things there is an order. There are a wealth of posts on this board that have dealt with issues such as these, I suggest that ones who wish to really learn about their own privilege investigate them.
The key to reasoning is REASON! Examine what you are thinking critically from the point of your own privilege in whatever way it manifests itself. White’s and near whites have their own role to play and they MUST come to the table as who they are legitimately and not as hippie types paying lip service to real issues by stating glibly that we are all African anyway. As you rightly claimed Babylon soldiers ARE seeing colour, as are many in our own ranks. To claim that colour or race does not matter in A BLACK MOVEMENT is a plainly dishonest assertion lacking in integrity
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