Quote:
Originally posted by Sistermadly
Is it wrong for a black person to speak on social ills other than racism?
I mean - I've read a lot about Colin Powell, and from everything I've read, the brother knows who he is (if you catch my drift). Why does the fact that he chose to speak on anti-semitism in Europe mean that he's denying his cultural heritage?
Sugar_N_Spice said something that I really agreed with, but I looked at it in a different way. When she said:
... I thought she hit a major nail on the head. We spend so much time focusing on what 'handouts' or 'hand-ups' that white politicians give us, that we don't realize that these very same handouts/hand-ups are what help keep us in a place of dependency. We don't realize that as long as we keep asking for these things, we as a people will FOREVER be seen as "needy" as "less than," as "unequal, not as intelligent, not able to compete on the same level."
But back to Colin Powell: I'm really bothered by the attitude that just because someone thinks differently or follows a different political path that he or she is no longer black. I'm of the mindset that "black" is anything done by a person of African descent - whether or not I agree with him or her. I mean - I've said elsewhere how I feel about Al Sharpton (and increasingly, Jesse Jackson), but I would never say that these people weren't black simply because I don't agree with them. Why do we do that to each other? Why do we feel a need to keep each other "on the hook" over certain issues, and if a person doesn't believe what you believe, we're so quick to try to strip them of their ethnic heritage?
(Many thanks to the ladies and moderators over here on AKA Avenue for letting me voice my opinion.)
(Edited to add)
I was thinking about the World Conference on Racism and Powell's trip to the conference on Anti-Semitism in Europe. True, Powell himself didn't go to the WCOR, but he did send a delegation. In reading some old newspaper coverage and some of Powell's own comments on the conference, it's clear (to me) why he made the choice he did. First, the WCOR started out as a noble idea, with lofty goals and aims. In no time, it devolved into a "let's all bash Israel" conference, with lots of attendants quick to equate Zionism with racism. Like it or not, Israel is one of our strongest international allies, and it wouldn't be politically expedient to put our name on a conference where there was the slightest chance that Israel would be bashed.
Second, Israel is a major powder keg - the whole region is. If political unrest continues to escalate in that region, the threat of nuclear retaliation isn't completely out of the question. As the chief diplomat in charge of foreign policy, it's his job to attend conferences like this. I don't think it speaks anything about his racial allegiances in that he chose not to attend the WCOR and went to this one instead. (I tried to find a copy of his appointments calendar from 2001, but couldn't).
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There's nothing wrong with a Black person speaking about some other social ill besides racism. However, I question Mr. Powell's priorities. I don't question him because he is a Republican, or because he is in Bush's administration, or even as the former Join Chiefs of Staff. My view of Colin Powell was that of an undercover agent, because although he runs with the wolves it was clear to me that he knows his hair is like sheeps wool. I would expect him to use his unprecedented position of authority to help out his own people, and I feel he should've made some different decisions. The delegation that was sent to the WCOR was a low-level delegation that actually walked out during the conference.
I see nothing wrong with Mr. Powell doing his job with regards to Israel being a national ally- however, as a Black man I want him to also stress some issues for his own people here at home.
And with regards to stripping someone's ethnic identity- other groups do it all the time. If you ain't spittin' the company line you're getting disowned.
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