In a message dated 3/14/1999 4:18:22 PM Eastern Standard Time,
[EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
<< The method you describe is exactly the way to deepen one's comprehension of
such lived worlds, and is enjoyable when the cultures, and the people who
inhabit them, are a joy to be around. This method of understanding is not
entirely open to me; I can read about the groups I oppose and interview those
who have left them, and even with difficulty read the propaganda they write,
but I lack the stomach for personal immersion in a culture which so disgusts
me. >>
I do not immerse myself in a culture that disgusts me. An interesting aspect
about the African Americas experience is that they were massively immersed in
a culture that set to destroy them physically, mentally and culturally and had
to draw upon, retain, regain and develop new quite a bit of themselves/their
culture to survive. That produced both positive and negative situations,
because you cannot got through a several hundred year bloodbath and not have
any casualities - mental p.o.w and post-traumatic syndromes.
However this experience, this existence has given quite a heady 400+ year
immersion which resulted in quite a bit of learning - though not at all a joy
to be around to say the least.
It is quite a privilege, by comparison to be able to limit your exposure to
reading and interviewing.
I credit those who came before me, with being strong enough to survive so that
my exposure is relatively limited and the communal sensibility to know that my
"privilege" without a doubt requires the responsibility to fight harder, not
less. My privilege is that ability to protect and serve.
I liken it to Harriet Tubman, who after escaping slavery in a walk to the
North, could have settled into a (by comparison to her previous existence) far
more comfortable life. However she felt if her people were not free, then she
was not free and that the only tangible aspect of freedom she had meant simply
that she had to use it to free others. And she did. Largely on foot, this
woman made multiple trips to the South, while at the same time having a price
on her head and being stalked by bounty hunters.
She being not only the "saviour" but one of the enslaved. Akin to being a
whale and trying to stop whale hunters as opposed to being a human and trying
to stop whale hunters.
She led about 300 people to freedom, while suffering black outs as a result of
being hit in the head by slavers. She saved both men, women and children - she
did not divide her people.
This is one of my feminist, activist, liberationist models. Another is Ida B.
Wells. Not perfect, not sainted,but still superior model for me and mine on
the point of their views of their/our responsibility.
I am not in a position to feel so personally threatened - with the biggest
threat being mental manipulation - and I can accept that I am perpetually at
varying levels of risk for the physical and social racism, such as wandering
into a kkk rally while hunting for berries, trying to buy clothes at too
"nice" a strore, meandering into an ecofeminst forum to learn about
ecofeminism and when driving while black. All people have varying risks for
such abuse, in different circumstances - not necessarily just when black.
(i.e. women at a military base)
Believing that "If there is no enemy within, then the enemy without can us no
harm". My focus is on strengthening and expanding our capacity to withstand,
to survive, to regain and to thrive. Not focusing on fighting the enemy
without - who can manifest in a variety of forms, mediums, hoods, suits and
liberationist gear - unless the need arises. There is not even an urge to
destroy the enemy without, unless they choose to attack and suppress.
Otherwise, happy camping at your neo-nazi outpost and sensitive-talk till you
reach nirvana at your ecofeminist rallies.
However, so often the core innards of such mentalities are that they must
attack, destroy, convert, co-opt, subvert and oppress others - that inherited
manifest destiny cultural value - from da Gama to Custer to Elvis type
musicians to mainstream feminsts to Pat Buchanan.
I advocate maintaining a consistent view towards fighting the enemy within.
Immersion is a means of learning what we need to rebuild and strengthening
unity without which we are lost.
"THE MOST POTENT WEAPON IN THE HAND OF THE OPPRESSOR IS THE MIND OF THE
OPPRESSED." - Steve Biko
Nicole
