Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Color Consciousness among people of Color


If your yellow you are mello,if you are light you are alright,happen to be brown stick around but if you are black GET THE HELL BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!Now we know the history of Jim Crow and color politics from the plantation system White slavers used to maintain a White skin hierarchy in the new world.In ancient times there is no evidence of White skin domination pro quo or as an established order.Kings,tyrants,rulers,noblemen came from every part of the known world and each region have civilized people and barbarians.So the notion of attaching greatness by looks was not done.For example just because the Romans and Greeks were highly civilized and they were White skinned.That did not mean the Scandinavian countries to the North were.The Romans regarded the Germons and Britons during the Roman Empire around 200 BC as savages unworthy of being part of the Roman Empire.At the same time Black scholars from Kush,Ethiopia,Persia,West Africa came to Rome owned white skinned slaves and got Roman citizenship.Color as a basis for degrading someone is a byproduct of the modern world.
Slavery caused racism and self hate
Slavery according to most scholars was the greatest cause of racism towards African peoples.Racism comes from being helpless,needy and powerless.The victim does not have the means to fight his oppressor because the oppressor makes the victim a prisoner in his own skin.The society as a rule is taught to degrade the person with the dark skin in order to maintain the social structure.This matrix is then even enforced among the victims themselves.Among most people of color who have gone through slavery,colonialism there is a legacy of oppression left behind.It is called colorism.The biggest victims of this has been the sub continent of India and the Dominican Republic.The reason I say this is because unlike in the US where African Americans do practice colorism it is a sickness due to living in a White society,there is no real evidence of colorism in South Africa.Now the two former countries voluntarily practice colorism.In India having a fair complexion is held in high regard.Having a dark complexion is shunned.
Commercials like this would never air in the US because of the backlash.The problem is people underestimate the effects of living in a White dominated culture that glorifies the White man as mighty as a noble.At the same time Black men are seen as criminals,buffoons,clowns,simpletons.The weak who don't know their history value light skin.It puts them near to the White man.This is why when we have family reunions the light skinned people get the most attention.Everyone wants to know their opinion more than everyone else.This happens in most of our households so lets stop denying it.We need to exemplify African beauty as equal or better than anyone else.Lets hope we dont have too many Sammy Sossas coming out of the closet

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