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Re: Questions
Posted By: Eja In Response To: Re: Questions (gman)
Date: Saturday, 8 October 2005, at 5:21 p.m.
As Baba Ras Marcus would say, when we were coming up as youths, we had many beliefs and practices that we held on to with all our strength. But as we grew older and learned to listen more effectively to the greatest teacher, we started to leave out some of what we formerly believed because, we became better equipped to recognise the truth.
The three mixed race nations that I mentioned in my post were all colonialists. They were colonialists because they all lived at the top of systems where one culture ruled over the lands of another culture. Systems under which status was determined by what group you belonged to. In Rwanda/Burundi, the Tutsi ruled over the Hutu and the Twa. In what was later called northern nigeria, the Fulani ruled over the Hausa, the Nupe and remnants of the old kingdom of Oyo. And, in Ethiopia, the Amhara ruled. So, to say Ethiopia was a 'free country' is a relative statement. The people living in the lands belonging to the Afar and Oromo would probably argue that point with you.
Now, the ususal response at this point would be, "ah, tribal war! why are you talking tribal war?" Which is a question that is derived from a refusal to LISTEN to the word of those who have LIVED in a world. To dismiss aspects of African historical realities that do not fit in with some pre-concieved image is arrogance grown from the same tree the 'white' is swinging on.
But, I overstand what you are saying. However, I would say it explains the past better than it explains the present. None of us here were alive to be able to say what it was like in the world the day Haile Selassie was crowned. We do not know what it felt like to be an African on that day. So, we cannot look back at the men and women of those days and pass judgement on them according the expectations that we would have of men and women living today.
The questions I asked are directed at the ones living today. They cannot say "I worship Haile Selassie because his coronation makes me proud to be an African". Yes, he led the fight against the Italians, but, Amilcar Cabral gave his life to free his people from the portuguese. So, why is he not worshipped as Almighty God? Dedan Kimathi, Steve Biko, Walter Rodney, Patrice Lumumba, Malcolm X and Toussaint L'Overture. Where are thier worshippers? After all, like 'Jesus Christ', they were also crucified for our sake.
If you have a job to do, you need two things, you need the right tools, knowledge of procedure and the will to do the job. So far, we are yet to perfect our tools. The proof is plain to see, if we had perfected our tools, we would have started seeing evidence by now of progress made since, we know what we want and we have the will to do it.
The elders who initiated what we have today did not have access to the cultural and istorical archives that we do. So, we cannot scorn them for what they KNEW. They deserve the greatest honour for what they achieved in spite of the obstacles placed in thier way by demons. But, what they laid down is a FOUNDATION. The house is not yet completed and when you see a man telling you that four walls is all you need, that you do not need a roof or a door with a strong lock on it, know that you are talking to an accomplice of robbers.
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