Greetings Rob,

as three sixty has been saying this is a matter of pespective.

By way of analogy....

I get a guest lecturing person in to teach students about feminist pespectives of history. She is a fiery, take no prisoners type of person,
reminds me a little of Bantu-Kelani. Instead of the gentle introduction she is more for the slap in the face and wake up approach. And every time she does it she provokes a reaction not unlike yours from at least a couple of the male members of the class. Why? Because a whole slew of their cherished notions about the reality of the world are being questioned, and most importantly they are being held PERSONALLY accountable, merely by virtue of an accident of birth.

And that makes people uncomfortable to say the least.

We mostly get through our lives being able distance ourselves from the great evils of our time. The environment - well that is the fault of big greedy corporations, war - evil governments, patriarchy - older misoginist men, and racism - rednecks from other unspecific areas.... until someone points the finger straight at you.

What to do? Be honest with yourself. Have a big long think. Can you honestly say that you have gotten through your life without making assumptions about people based on their colour? Unless you are a particularly exemplary human being my guess is the answer is no, in which case you have some atonement to perform in order to preserve your honour and to be able to retain your humanity, seen?

And if the worst thing that you cop from reasoning here is a scolding, seriously, is that the end of the world. It is all part of the rough and tumble of the free exchange of ideas. Sometimes people will say things that you find hard to take, probably because you are forced to take abstract ideas personally. You need to ask yourself not 'why is this person picking on me?" but "why does this person believe this to be true?"

And hopefully figure out that just as there is more than one way to skin a cat, there are many ways of overstanding the truth, and a multitude of layers to the nature of the world that you inhabit. Sometimes learning about this can give you a few bruises. But when you are feeling particualrly sorry for yourself praise jah that no one is shelling your village, raping the women of your clan, that you have food, and that a huge number of your loved ones and friends are infected with death dealing diseases that, had you been born 10 000 miles further north, wouldnt kill you at all. As is happening in africa as i type these words.

love and life
paul