Hello Komboa, All !
I am sorry that you seem to misunderstand me.
I am plainly and simply against racism perpetrated by either black, white, red, brown, or yellow men or women.
I do not feel that hatred of any man for any other man based upon either man's skin color should be encouraged or inflamed or used to political advantage.
By anyone.
Arguments about social injustice and what parts of it may or may not be based upon race travel up and down the timeline history of humanity, and cannot be reasonably applied without looking at the recent historical events in the broader context of all of human history so that the true meanings of the lessons of the past may be read.
There is no injustice that can be cured by warring and hatred, only more injustice can be obtained in this manner, and the tarring and feathering of the race of WHITEMAN in the name of black (or other) social justice WILL NOT lead to justice, but only to more hatred. What is so difficult? First tolerance, then maybe love your neighbor.
Do you see yourself as a warrior who is justified in using any means to achieve his goal?
Then I submit to you that as a wise general you would choose the strategy that, when travelling through unknown territory toward your objective, do not alienate and verbally / emotionally attack every white man you pass by.......
By preaching hatred you create your own enemy. I am not your enemy. Yet by painting me with the WHITEMAN brush, and practicing hateful rhetoric upon WHITEMAN, you make me appear to be your enemy. To say nothing of the LESS sympathetic more "mainstream" white person's feelings upon hearing your rhetoric.
Racism as a personal feeling or an overt act is not subjective or difficult to see.
Oppression based upon race or class (which often appear to be nearly the same) should be ended. Society should be radically changed. Current political structures are apparently beyond redemption.
You compare me to "conservatives" yet in my personal philosophy I am in some ways more radical than even perhaps, you............. yet I stand radically opposed to your use of racially charged rhetoric in your support of your cause. If this cause is truly anti-racist it must not stoop to the use of racist and racially inflammatory jargon in it's attempts to counteract the institutionalized blend of racism / class oppression that corporations and governments are increasingly applying to all men, not just to black men. I agree very strongly that all attempts to disenfranchise, murder, or steal land from any person or group of people should be opposed by all men of conscience.
I just believe that warriors in the cause of justice must act in just ways, and take care that they do not find themselves inadvertently contributing to the problems they wish to cure.
Aloha, Dave. Think for Yourself. Question Authority
~ Globalize Consciousness Localize Economies
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Computer Dave" Hartley (808) 879-7997 email: [log in to unmask]
Interests: Computer/Telephony Integration, Windows NT, Web Publishing,
~~ Alternative Medicine ~~ www.Eckankar.org ~~ www.healing-tao.com
-----Original Message-----
From: x342398 [SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Tuesday, August 12, 1997 6:56 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Cc: Recipients of conference
Subject: Re: Racism -- corporate tool? (long)
Hello Dave:
The argument that folks are just using racism for some tactcal or
nefarious advantage is not only a true racist argument, but one designed
to slander activists. It is thoroughly disreputable and social
conservatism of the worst sort. It is what the right-wing Republicans and
Democrats are saying as they cut the budget and reverse civil rights gains for
Black/non-white workers, accusing them of "racism against white people"
and other nonsense. This is not and never has been the case. This is white
supremacist philosophy and obfuscation.
It means to me that no rational discussion can go on with you around
this matter without defensiveness, name-calling or scapegoating. I will
thus give it up.
Komboa
On 10 Aug 1997 [log in to unmask] wrote:
> From: Dave Hartley <[log in to unmask]>
> Subject: RE: Racism -- corporate tool? (long)
>
> Hi Michael, All !
>
> The quote inaccurately attributed to me below is actually attributable to :
> DDeBar [[log in to unmask]]
>
> AND, for the benefit of clarity in terms of what I SEEM to be saying I HAVE said as simply as possible in english:
>
> Racism is the judging of a man's abilities or cultural tendencies based upon the color of his skin.
>
> I am not an active participant in any way in perpetuating racism, indeed in my personal life, as I have written at a little length (rant [ ? ] ) my experience is to the contrary.
>
> Many of those in the activist arena seem to be perpetuating and attempting to use to political advantage: racism.
> The end does not justify the means.
> One cannot cure injustice by inflaming racial hatred.
> Injustice exists, has always existed, will continue to exist under any continuation of current cultural paradigm..... the cure for injustice is to inhabit another plane of existence. For those of you who are materialists: death.
> Life is not necessarily fair. Did your God promise you that life would be fair?
> Mine promised me an opportunity to grow in experience and into a spiritual viewpoint.
> Before anyone says I seem to be saying injustice is ok, keep your seemings off of me.
> I am deeply committed to changing the dominant paradigm.
> Change arises through consciousness.
> >From spirit to mind, from mind to outer reality.
>
> Guilt? I wash my hands of it. It is counterproductive.
> I accept no racist concept of my guilt as a white man.
> I categorically deny any such guilt and further clearly state that it is RACIST to attempt to apply this guilt to me based upon the color of my skin.
>
> The guilt of history or culture is not mine, I disown any that you would put upon me.
> The concept of the taint of living in a world where injustice has been status quo for all of time is tantamount to the christian concept of original sin.
> I deny and disown this concept.
>
> To remain mired in feelings of hatred or oppression hobbles the human spirit and empowers no one.
> If you would act in the highest interest of your fellowman, act to liberate his consciousness from such feeling.
>
> Every person has the sole responsibility, knowing or unknowing, for his/her own thoughts and emotions.
>
> I advocate embracing this truth in full knowing, choosing not to hate, empowering others to this knowing ability to choose;
> it is only by moving out of the state of hatred and into the state of compassion that hatred will cease to exist.
>
> Advocating the racist hatred of the white man as a means of gaining political power is a crime against responsible consciousness.
> Where is there an individual man who cannot understand that hatred begets hatred?
>
> I take no other issue with activism, indeed I applaud and will offer my support to any effort to reverse the trend of domination or attacks by corporations and governments on the freedom of self knowledge and self determination of humanity which can be undertaken and promoted in a non-racist, non-hate-based manner.
>
> I will not, however, stand by and see the circle be unbroken without attempting to change it.
>
> As MichaelP has said: "only the victims can make the decision that such memories should be forgotten and the slate wiped clean."
>
> A victim requires a perpetrator.
> Maintaining one's state of consciousness in the victim role disempowers the "victim" and fixes the "perpetrator" in a state of power.
> The victim is by definition powerless in the face of overwhelming power.
> Moving out of the state of consciousness of "victimhood" allows the INDIVIDUAL to responsibly choose a more proactive state of consciousness.
> It may not be possible to alter the past, but it is within the power of each individual to alter the hold of the past upon his/her consciousness.
>
> Humans must learn to come together in responsible conscious agreement of their power to affect change, if change is to occur in their favor.
>
> Wealth, corporations and their governmental edifices will continue to exploit any weaknesses they can, and one of their prime directives is to divide and conquer.
>
> Let us foster, to the best of our conscious ability, an end to the division.
>
> An end to hatred. An end to war. An end to any new aggression or injustice perpetrated against humanity by wealthy humans.
> A beginning of humans seeking their joining together to create and empower new paradigms for new civilization.
> Redress of past history may be beyond reasonable conception, but if undertaken in the highest interests of all humans, is a worthy goal, and may possibly be best undertaken in the attempt to completely supplant the current dominant cultural paradigm with New Civilization emerging paradigms.
>
> Aloha, Dave. Think for Yourself. Question Authority
> ~ Globalize Consciousness Localize Economies
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> "Computer Dave" Hartley (808) 879-7997 email: [log in to unmask]
> Interests: Computer/Telephony Integration, Windows NT, Web Publishing,
> ~~ Alternative Medicine ~~ www.Eckankar.org ~~ www.healing-tao.com
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: MichaelP [SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: Sunday, August 10, 1997 5:44 AM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Racism -- corporate tool? (long)
>
> On Sat, 9 Aug 1997, Dave Hartley wrote:
> <Correct me if I am wrong, but you must be aware of the history of white
> people in Hawaii, yes? Even though Hawaii is now our 50th state and all
> that, isn't it expected that there would be at least vestigal anti-colonial
> sentiments among Hawaiian nationals?>
>
> This is just one para. in a long rant but if he's trying to build a thesis
> that there are no such sentiments he's wrong. In Portland , Oregon there
> is sufficient sentiment along those lines to suport regular programming
> on the local community radio station. The material contains much
> descriptive material of the de-throning of the indegenous sovereign by
> white settlers/plantation owners supported by US military.
>
> Mr. Hartley seems to be trying to say that he has no responsibility for
> any activity against non-whites, he should be able to escape feelings of
> guilt for such past activity AND he should not be disliked for his white skin
> alone.
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