The Poetry of Ruth - Pg 10
As we look at the power of words in action
"Word" defined - something that is said,
a written or printed character,
or combination of characters representing a spoken word.
Take note - the pen (the instrument to write a word)
IS indeed mightier than the sword.
And words do hurt.
The power of words in defining a philosophy to conquer and empower
brought the words "white" and "racism"
into play.
Racism is defined
through the concept
of a white ideology -
"ideology" - set of beliefs,
body of concepts,
theory, dogma, program,
rationale,
ethos,
political philosophy.
The word "idealogy" was originally part of the vocabulary of the French Revolution,
first appearing in print in 1706...
stemming from the word "idea" -
deferred as a view, sentiment, opinion,
belief,
conviction,
thought,
mental picture,
insight, interpretation, impression, conception,
intimation.
With the letter "L" the word becomes "ideal" -
optimal goal,
ultimate aim,
objection,
highest goal.
With the "ism" we get "idealism" - wishful thinking,
persistent hopefulness,
utopianism.
During the period under the rule of Constantine (306-337 AD),
he ordered Christianity to become the religious dome.
Laws were adjusted in accordance with Christian notions
in order to support the hierarchy.
Christianity reached England in 596 AD
when Augustine arrived from Rome.
White superiority reared its ugly head with the rise of the religious divide,
the split between the eastern and western churches,
and further division in central Europe.
An Anglo, Saxon, or Jute is described as
those who came to England in the 5th Century AD.
Webster describes them as - Any member of the Germanic people that inhabited and ruled England from the 5th Century to 1066.
Anglo-Saxon is defined as denoting non-Celtic settlers in England;
but now more loosely denotes any people or their descendants of the British Isles.
The "idea" of white as in "man"
arose in the 19th Century with the "WASP" - the white Anglo-Saxon protestant -
originally described as one of northern European,
esp. British stock and a protestant background,
one often considered to be a member of the dominating and most privileged class.
(The insect - "wasp" - is described as a slender bodied winged insect related to the bees and ants with biting mouth parts, and in females, a formidable sting.)
The events that were to transform
the concept
of race
involved the discovery and exploitation of the western hemisphere
by people of European origins.
The major period of European overseas exploration began in the late 1400's,
and increased contacts with people of different cultures -
"race."
We can trace
the concept
of "race" - groups which are generally believed to share a selected number of genetically determined traits.
Early writings trace
the concept
from the advent of the Renaissance period
when the concept
began to take shape.
The concept
of categorization of people in terms of race never occurred in early writings,
including the scriptures.
With "Social Darwinsim" (1859) -
(the belief that societies are and should be organized as a struggle for survival of the fittest),
The concept of racism
spread rapidly during the late 19th Century and this idea appears to have been eagerly embraced by whites.
The concept
of Darwin's idea of progress meant control over the world.
So the white man's ideology justified the conquest of Africa and other nations.
Experts have not discovered any scientific basis for claims of
this concept
of superiority
and there has been no scientific proof that African people are less intelligent
or inferior humans.
In fact
anthropoligist reject
the concept of race outright.
Defining race differences has been a tool of the white man
as a weapon
to elevate him in power to rule
under his psuedo-christian facade
to conquer land and people,
to dispel,
delete
denounce,
deny, divide, diminish,
disenfranchise,
discard.
And by definition,
to ultimately dominate -
through exploitation,
extermination,
suppression,
fabrication,
industrialization,
secularization,
socialization,
institutionalization,
and justification -
by re-defining a nation.
It was in the early- to mid-1700's when the first American dictionaries were prepared.
Words defined by Webster's dictionary were produced in 1828.
And by definition
it was decided -
by re-defining,
you can change a peoples' description
and draw a line
_____________
between black and white (Indian-red; Asian-yellow).
Take away the name "African;"
Take away the "national identity;"
Take away the "birth place;"
Re-define with words that bind,
and re-fine with the unidentifining words of no distinction marks.
And subjugation is masterful.
When we look at the defining words
for black and white,
we see the words for "black"
are most assuredly those cast in the
negative light.
The dictionaries define words for "black" as -
ebony, raven, sable.
In describing a person we get -
negro, colored, dark-skinned.
Also, to mean -
black outlook,
grim, dismal,
calamitous,
dim.
And as for his look -
sullen, hostile, dark, furious, angry, threating.
It was also decided the heart of black means evil, wicked, bad, nefarious.
In defining "white" -
we see -
ivory, pearls, alabaster,
cream colored, translucent, milky, chalky, bright light,
illuminated, snow white, fair.
Other defining words are -
colorless, pale, pallid, blanched, bleached, ashen, pasty, ghostly, cadaverous, bloodless,
sallow, gray, leaden.
Dictinaries define the word "white" representing the "Causasian" as -
optimistic, sunny.
"White," as in reputation, is seen as being pure, spotless, unblemished, unstained, chaste,
undefiled, virtuous, clean.
Note the antonym of white -
harmful, corrupting, sinister, malicious, vicious,
venomous, destructive, evil wicked, bad, notorious!
UNBELIEVABLE!!!!
Here is how a "white lie" is defined -
harmless, unmalicious, innocent.
Webster states - Caucasoid people "are those marked by upright, fairness, square dealing, straightforward, and kindly, outstanding, righteous."
Webster defines Black man - "An evil spirit, bogeyman, devil" (I thought he was red!).
These descriptive words were designed as an evil effort
to manipulate and pollute the mind
by erasing,
disgracing,
debasing,
and defacing history's legacy.
I personally combat this ugly rat!
I attack
with my own bat
and smack
the hell outta lies spread as fact!
I attack
with the words used for these years of racial discrimination
used by those who practice racism with the word -
"ignorance" -
defined as backwardness, confusion, mental darkness, unawareness,
a person who is shallow,
irresponsible,
asinine
and stupid.
I combat this evil practice with representative words to define "Black" -
rare (as in "black diamond),
unique,
great worth,
black represents strength - a strong force,
powerful,
enduring,
penetrating,
class, elegance, grace,
fierce,
magical,
warm, generous, compassionate,
hip,
stylesetter - trendsetter,
spiritual,
genuine,
depth - the deepest waters,
"in the black" - profit,
sweet (as in the sweetest fruit).
Once something is written or spoken and enters the atmosphere, it cannot be erased.
but you can correct it,
you can confront it
by writing and speaking in response to it.
Let's take the conqueror - England's Cecil John Rhodes.
This member of the "master race" - as he called the white race,
left a legacy that consisted of murder, bribery, theft, deception, coercion and corruption, annihilation, amalgamation and manipulation
in order to steal a mass fortune from South Africa's diamonds and South Africa's gold
in his pursuit of power and control.
The English plan for South Africa was to steal it's diamonds and gold,
and to end black self-sufficiency by confining rural Africans to tribal reserves,
and the institution of taxes (on a hut, on labor to whites).
Cecil Rhodes "ideas."
Cecil Rhodes, along with Barney (Isaacs) Barnato and Albert Beit,
came together to take 90% of the world's diamond stake -
through the De Beers Mining Company.
And neither was called a rake,
or seen as a snake.
The De Beers Mining Company still hold a monopoly of the world's diamond production and distribution.
Another act of his lust for power and control was to rename "Great Zimbabwe"
to that of "Rhodesia."
"Great Zimbabwe" was an ancient city believed to be the location of the biblical region,
"Ophir," site of King Solomon's mines.
Magnificent palace temples were built at the time of the first great "Shona Empire" (the "Mwena Mutapa Dynasty").
By changing the name of that great African civilization - (so named in honor of the African leader, also called "Great Zimbabwe") to that of "Rhodesia" in honor of Cecil Rhodes, a British imperialist, erased the face which graced the place -
to erase, to cover, to hide it's great history.
Cecil Rhodes made this statement,
"Africa is lying ready for us. It is our duty to take it for white men and their families."
"Cause we know, if you don't have a history,
you have no place of position.
If you don't have a name,
you have no identity.
If you have no land,
you have no bargaining power."
And so, all the essential elements of "apartheid" in South Africa were set by Cecil Rhodes.
Stereotypes
and refined identities
have been, and are
perpetuated through words
in newspapers, magazines,
television, and movies.
"Disney" is a prime example -
by continually creating characters
that continually emphasize other races as the hero child prince or princess.
But in no instance has Disney ever created a hero character who is represented as a black child prince or princess.
Man was indeed created to be
"masterful human beings."
Created by the Master Craftsman;
created in His and Her own image;
created to rule the earth;
created to be masters of our fate;
created to be decision-makers about our individual existence;
created to be masters of the universe;
created to the glory of God -
not to the glory of one man "kind."
The history of living is "one history" and each component interconnects with the other
and leads us to higher learning.
The lessons of and in history are to lead us to our "master" potential throughout the universe.
Yet we are still wallowing around
on earth making a mess of things,
and we know - the chickens always come home to roast. It's their nature.
As it is our nature to be survivors.
We have survived (us Black/African folk).
We are surviving.
We will continue to survive.
And from the dust we shall rise.
Postscript: Cecil Rhodes' Will provided for a scholarship fund -
the renowned "Rhodes Scholars."
Some defining words for scholar are - wise man, man of letters, intellectual, learned person, academic specialist.
To reiterate - some defining words for ignorance" are - mental darkness, unawareness, unenlightment,
want of perception,
lack of knowledge or education,
lack of learning,
obliviousness.
Final note - By accepting the position of "black" - a "color," - as opposed to being a "nation" -
of a "nationality," we have further empowered the position of "white."
For the battery to work, and the object to operate, it must have a negative end (-),
and a positive end (+). Otherwise it is powerless.
So, with all the fine definitions I've listed for the color black, I do not choose personally to be described as such. It is not my nationality.
Perceptions of identify are the footstools to stand atop in gaining and/or re-gaining respect for oneself and for one another.
I am Ruth... the pen speaks
"We hold these truth to be self-evident that all people are created equal."
"There is no respect of persons - no partially - no favoritism - with God. He has no favorites."
(Eph. 6-9)
Why Hate
Hate is
innate -
inherited, inborn, inbred
reflecting -
imaging, sending back, reproducing,
revealing, expressing, presenting,
exposing, thinking...
out
upon
what grows inside
the heart
mirroring -
modeling, patterning, impersonating
showing
what is seen
drawn
in the pictures
on the looking glass
behind eyes
seeing -
regarding, spotting, taking in, sighting,
viewing, perceiving, glimpsing,
envisioning, fathoming, gazing
out
the window
through
the images -
ideas, semblance, copies, appearances,
concepts, likeness, facsimiles, depictions
of the innor
core-
center, crux, nucleus, sum and substance
of the inner SELF -
individual being, mind, soul, psyche,
spirit.