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A student of the human mind...a searcher...an advisor...a teacher... loves easily and easy to love. Come share with me...:)

Monday, November 29, 2010

Bridges and Borders (part 2)

So this post won't be as formal or as long as the normal ones, I just wanted to follow up on the first post I made entitled Bridges and Borders. Basically, I want to say that since writing that post/video I've come to learn, accept and realize a few things about the position I was coming from and also the different positions that exist. There are many many videos on youtube, a lot of my friends, and a few associates with whom I have a bit of value to their opinion and through all of these mediums I've accepted that not everyone likes, appreciates, or agrees with many of the views I expressed in the first part of this post. Whereas usually I don't really give much attention to expressed opposing opinions and political correctedness, I'm really writing this because something in me and MY thinking on the topic changed and therefore I don't want old feelings and ideas, especially documented, to reflect my new position or state of mind.

Here goes:

I still maintain that to make up a LATINO one needs the three parts (however equal or unequal)of African blood, Native people's blood, and European blood. We all know the history of the slave trade, the intermixing, so on and so fourth. HOWEVER, I've come to realize that SOME communities of people have more AFRO-reflectant lifestyles, afro-reflectant practices such as religion, dance, and language, and an afro-reflectant overall identity which makes the term afro-Latino make sense. I've also come to realize and accept that there are going to be some blond hair, white skin, blue eyed people who obviously know their history but are clearly "white" Latinos with African ancestry. That the american concept of BLACK is different from the overall world views and that this term BLACK is the culprit of much too much confusion.

BLACK

In America, refers to someone of darker skin AND the culture of the people who were brought to the USA during slavery and lived through it, came out of it, and developed into present day BLACK Americans. Black refers to those people who have no recollection of their culture, native tongue, native religion, or family name. The BLACK culture is almost synonymous with the URBAN culture. It's where the blues, rock and roll, soul music and the ever popular hip hop/rap culture came out of. It's the baggy jeans and over-sized tee-shirts of the 90's-early 2000's. It's the sagging pants, the use of nigga as not a word of hate but of love, slang like "what's good" and so much more.

Black

In the rest of the world, as I understand it, refers to a skin color and NOT a culture. This is why when placed next to a Latino the debate rages..."I'm not black i'm Latino". The Latino is trying to hold on to their culture not trying to end up with the same fate of the "black Americans" those who lost and had to redefine their culture. The black american just see's skin color and not culture however and says "nah, they're black. Just black people who speak Spanish."

We have to evaluate the words, who's using them, who's reacting to them, and finally what difference it makes in life. To some people...(most people in America) black is black!...to others...the idea of holding on to culture for dear life is worth all the fighting and arguing...worth NOT identifying with black american's and standing up for common ground, goals, and enemies. The concept of the afro-Latino is a concept of pride...a concept I can understand as not being redundant as I phrased it. I still believe strongly that we all must see past our differences...especially those of us with darker skin who will be the object of the prejudices that come with it. Those of us who as a people, started at the same place and ended up in many others. Those of us who have AFRICAN blood running through us, AFRICAN melanin making our hair kink, skin shine in the sunlight, lips wide, curves curve, and that AFRICAN rhythm that no doubt allows us to create and move to the music we all love. It's a debate I'm tired of having...it's an ignorance that is wide spread...something that cannot be cured in a video or a blog post.

I thank you all for reading and baring with me! Much love!

Monday, November 22, 2010

Embracing the feminine

This blog title probably has captured a lot of attention and raised eyebrows.
The post is going to cover a wide range of topics all relating back to what I'm going to refer to as "The feminine".

...As of late I've been doing a lot of growing and maturing. Credit for which I cannot and will not totally accept. It's the people I've met and interacted with, the teachings and ideas planted in my mind and soul young coming to fruition, it's my aging, searching, learning and natural growth, and finally and most importantly it's my embracing and humbling myself before one who is greater than myself and all I know. Without this last element in my life, without this humility and conscious casting aside of EGO, ARROGANCE, PRIDE, and INTELLECT I will have been living the same empty existence, growing physically and mentally but not spiritually that I've been living for some almost 4 years now. One of the things I've decided to give voice and attention to is "The Feminine."

To jump right into it, this concept refers to all that is feminine in nature. The feminine aspects of human beings (MALE and female), the MOTHERLY aspects of Nature and the Earth, SUSTAINING aspect of the MOST HIGH and exalted being that many refer to as God and its MANY MANY other names. In today's backward and confused society you have misplaced focus. Misplaced in that it's properly placed by those who aim to confuse and impede development. Misplaced in that we, those that make up society focus on the these distractions and allow them to hold us back, to deny ourselves total fulfillment and to engage in acts and ideas that serve to fill this void but can't.

I want to reference the eastern philosophic concepts of yin and yang, positive and negative, masculine and FEMININE. These concepts are often translated to Good and Evil here in the western world. A translation that is incorrect and off target. With the concepts of Good and Evil you have two opposing sides that fight at what seems a constant stalemate. In this fight exists limited options...here or there, this side or that side, right or wrong, black or white. I find, if my understanding of these concepts are correct, Yin and Yang aren't at battle or a stalemate at all. That Yin and Yang are at an understanding. That there exists no compulsion or force, no here or there, right or wrong, etc. That with Yin and Yang there exists harmony, balance, peace, and UNDERSTANDING. That to every situation that arises there is a positive or negative approach to dealing with it however it's not a right or wrong, good or bad, this or that.

Back to the feminine...it's the aspect in life most men (especially westerners)and some women neglect. It's the aspect in our nature that would prevent war, encourage peace, and connect us to the world in such a way that is unimaginable. The soul exists in the feminine, the ability to give life, to carry life, to NURTURE life. The ability for compassion, for understanding and love, to exhibit WISDOM all exist in the feminine. The appreciation of art, music, poetry, the ability to create and so much more... With pride and ego flooding our existence and the over intellectualization of thoughts, feelings, scenarios, technology, politics and everything the mentioned interacts with, it's easy to see why we exist in the state we do...why we destroy our women and our children instead of building them up and raising them, why we destroy our earth...why we deny our God...why we cannot FEEL the living force flowing through our bodies (sorry to get cliche with you all but it's TRUE!)

The feminine exists in all things of FAITH and WILL...the manifestation of anything in this world comes first through INSPIRATION. Embracing the feminine isn't pledging yourself to a world of domination by women, or changing your belief in a God to that of a Goddess... It's not emasculating yourself so that you appear as a female...It's accepting what already exists in you...it's understanding what exists in your woman...your mother, your sister, your aunt...it's understanding the power of your God. In today's society most men are afraid of "catching the gays" ... accepting the feminine has nothing to do with homosexuality or even "metro" sexuality. Embracing the feminine is about maturity...growth...acceptance...SECURITY. I invite you all...men and women alike...explore and accept it and transform into a being of light!

Sunday, November 7, 2010

Bridges and Borders (with video)



This blog post was actually suggested to me based on an interaction I had with a peer of mine not too long ago in a group on Facebook. This group, I must start off saying is an AMAZING group and has held my attention since I joined it maybe a week and a half ago. It's called La Conga De America, has awesome administration *shout out to the administrators* and awesome members *yup you guys too* and it continues to grow daily. In this group there are people from all over the country (and world I believe) who participate in sharing, debating, teaching, learning, laughing, empathyzing, and just overall interacting as a sort of cyber family. It's time much better spent than the hours on end of Mafia Wars, or Farmville(not knocking the game heads) because of the sense of familiarity and the dual value of education AND entertainment. It's an awesome group, awesome awesome awesome and I could write about it all day but it's not the topic of discussion today.

Moving on...
There was a debate of sorts between me and an admin (way to be a rebel Rahkim) that seemed to be the result in a difference in position.After the debate however I realized that we stand on a united front as far as what we aim to accomplish but the way we go about accomplishing them...eh Let me explain...

As most of you may well know I have a strong affinity for the latino culture, namely those latinos in the Caribbean. (RE: My post "Negro, Blanco y Rojo por todas partes!" ) It started as I learned to speak spanish in school and I fell in love with the language. Soon I realized that you cannot separate the language from the culture and I began to embrace it..so on and so fourth....

What most of you however may NOT know is that I'm also an advocate for the advancement and unity of people of color, not exclusive to blacks or people of African ancestory however very strongly focused on those people's who's culture is the result of the FORCED migration of African's throughout the world known as the MAAFA (or African diaspora). These include the North and South American continents, carribean, and the rest of the world! I have a very strong love for my people, for the varying shades of skin, varying grades of hair, our rich heritage through music, dance, food, science, medicine, mathematics and the list is long before finished. It pains me however to know that within our people there's so much self hate, insecurities, false pride, and any otherwise dividing factors as skin shade, hair grade, location of birth, or which conquering people's piece of land your ancestor's landed on.

With that being said, I always in this group promote (if I can) the inclusion of black american's (also referred to as African American's or AA's) in our discussions so as not to allow the gap to widen as for the unity of our beautiful people. THIS is what started the debate as many people of color do NOT identify with their African roots, I imagine many more don't want to be associated with black american's at all...In fact, most black american's would rather not be associated with being a black american...sad but true. So my constant re-introduction of this concept was warned as being something that wouldn't be readily accepted by many as it's already almost too much to ask of these people to accept that they have an African heritage and to be proud of it! (and I'm not talking about anyone in the group because we all seem to be pretty well informed) It came down to an issue of diplomacy (in my eyes anyway) vs. bluntness. Here's the break down though...FACT! European's got word of this awesome and exotic "new spot" (that incidently already had people living there) and wanted to expand their world. FACT! Those Europeans came over and killed off (through diseases and physical force) the native habitants of these lands, those who didn't die were made slaves, often raped, and/or "converted and civilized". FACT! They felt alot needed to be accomplished and the peoples who they decimated were all but extinct so they needed some source of free labor...slave trade began, African's were transported, mixing, mixing, mixing years later you have what you call in this area a latino. Fact! In order to make lemonade you need lemon, sugar, and water. Why is that important? You'll see...


Fact! In order to make lemonade you need lemon, sugar, and water.

So I like my lemonade analogy(...sorry if you don't but you'll deal with it) because I feel its MOST appropriate. You see, if anyone has made homemade lemonade they know that you need a certain percentage of water, sugar, and lemon juice to make it at least somewhat desirable. That, if Grandma made it, it's usually a perfect balance of tart/sweetness, that if lil Jonny made it, it's probably too sweet, and that if you made it...well it may not be sweet enough! That being the case...regardless of who made it,and how it tastes it's still LEMONADE!!! So most of you may have been able to follow me so far but for those of you who didn't I'm simply saying that in order to make a latino (yea Rahkim we're doing a science project) or rather the make up of the peoples historically known as latinos include those ancestors who were the conquerers, those ancestors who were the native people and those ancestors who were the Africans. Some people however refuse to acknowledge a part of their history..which is almost the same as taking out the lemon from the lemonade isn't it? You'll simply have sugar water. Having cleared up what a latino is, this is generally the case with all BLACK people in whatever part of the world they were dropped off and whoever was responsible for making the lemonade (too much sugar, not enough, or just right akin to being darker, lighter, or in the middle). Now let me put in a disclaimer to say simply that for one...I'm not calling you guys lemonade and for two the analogy isn't meant to be taken literally as its just here to help illustrate my point that point being you cannot have one without the other...it's pure nonsense. Now that we're both had time to calm down (because we are both very passionate about what we feel is correct) I can see the logic in his approach...introducing truths slowly...however too often it's the black American who's left out in the cold and...I cannot sit there and let it be that way. Truth is we'll all in the same struggle...

MY PEOPLE! PLEASE HEAR ME! It doesn't matter where your ancestors landed...you and I are the same. ACCEPT and LOVE your African heritage...it's what gives you your beauty! Embrace your brother be he from England or Japan...Santo Domingo or Haiti...Colombia or Mexico! Stop leaving your brothers and sisters here in America in the dark...embrace us too! Because to those eyes that can see, and those responsible for our being this way...BLACK IS BLACK...and thats Wesly Snipes black or A-Rod Black or Michael Jackson Black...BLACK IS BLACK AND BLACK IS BEAUTIFUL!