Leaderboard

Most of the United States is snowed in and it's freezing outside. If you HAVE a home, you best be in it, whether alone or with loved (or atleast liked...lol) ones. It seems to me, that during times like these....the AALBC is the place to be!

By no means am I underestimating white power or it's destructive impact. And we know how large numbers of whites can be galvanized by racist appeals, But the monolithic notion of white unity is a fallacy. Talking and thinking about whites as a unified group ignores whites' self-perception as individuals. It also fails to take class and gender inequality into consideration. More importantly, it disempowers black people fighting for positive social change by focusing on some kind of unattainable " black unity" to counter racism and economic injustice. Because white people are so numerous and relatively well off in most ways as a group compared to black people it's easy to think they are constantly motivated by some sense of racial consciousness. Of course, discrimination against us makes it seem that way. But whites think of themselves as individuals first and foremost. They come together only to the extent that certain individuals see mutual benefit in doing so. They compete and they conflict in all kinds of ways and whiteness is never a consideration unless or until black people come along. However not all whites are racist, nor have they ever supported it. White people do things for each other out of moral consideration or self-interest not whiteness. But it's important to recognize economic inequality and the class divide. Rich white capitalists past and present have often exploited and undermined all workers regardless of race. So radical and reform minded whites have fought to tame Capitalism or Socialists have called for its abolition. By reforming the socioeconomic system (think - center left liberalism) through the New Deal America became a better place mainly for white working people. None of this excludes male domination and sexism against women. White men felt justified as men denying women regardless of color the right to vote or do anything else in society until women mostly whites fought for social change. Even in that endeavor race complicated things. Black men and women fighting against racism also challenged gender inequality. But many white women fighting sexism past, and present are racist too. The challenge is for black people who oppose racism, sexism, and economic injustice to build mass support for social change among other blacks and non-blacks. It is important to recognize that black people differ among themselves too. Some oppose activist struggle for change. They believe in adaptation or accommodation. There are wealthy blacks who don't want the economy changed. Other blacks believe in male domination over women black or white. Black people have all kinds of views. We are Black Nationalists, Socialists, Conservatives, Moderates, Democrats, and Republicans. Some of us think improvement is collective while others are individualist. Ultimately unity in some monolithic sense is not possible.

@Pioneer1 I did some research on Bookman. I think he was important in the starting of the Haitian Revolution. Thank you for mentioning him! However, historians say that he like other maroons were not as successful as Toussaint. Toussaint emerged as the successful leader after Bookman and was able to organize an incredible force and his partner, Dessalines later continued the revolution with this same organization and became victorious. There seems to be many great men that fought against the French! My Word! From what I read, Dutty Bookman was previously enslaved and taken from Africa to Jamaica and later he was taken to Haiti. He and the Mambo priestess organized a secret ritual. Bookman was said to be a muslim who knew how to read and was punished for teaching other slaves how to read. Hence his name 'Bookman' which refers to him being a book keeper in Africa before he was enslaved. But in the secret ceremony he was defined as a Voodoo priest, however, the speech that he gave completely contradicts that. This ceremony supposedly occurred in August of 1791 and a few months later in November, Bookman was captured and killed. He was beheaded and his decapitated head was displayed to try and stop the hope of the Haitians. The priestess was said to be the one to sacrifice the Black pig in the spirit of Ezili Danto of which is a venerated icon of the Virgin Mary of the Catholic Polish religion from which became the Voodoo version of Ezili. The Mambo, Cecili Fatima was a Biracial slave woman, whose mother was Black and the father was of course, a White man from the region where the Polish virgin of the Virgin Mary Icon stems from. Anyway, all of this history about Haiti is extremely fascinating, imo. A lot of it is new to me! But I believe that this history is vital for us over here in the States to know. Actually, I think it has been deliberately kept hidden for specific reasons! Toussaint was captured by trickery in 1802 and died in 1803. His general Dessalines continued to fight and was victorious in 1803. At any rate, this is a short video that I found that may add to the background of what is really going on today in Haiti. I absolutely did not know how much of an impact the Haitian history has on America. IMO, it has a major affect on us over here! And, I hope to share more. THE HAITIAN REVOLUTION AND ITS CAUSES

LOL! Exactly. @Pioneer1 Yes. I don't knock Black people for seeing these films as good entertainment but the fact that it's based on one of the most heinous acts of African Slavers is amazing to me. Maybe a couple of years from now, people will still understand the real historical truth of what happened with the Agojie Woman Slave Catchers. But, this kind of topic keeps reminding me of the Rennaisance Era when Art imitated truth and it was completely acceptable to re-create idols and then take these White idols that were all over Europe into the continent of Africa and the Americas. I agree with @ProfD in one respect, but as you say, @Pioneer1it's the minorities that may take ideas as being true and then act on it and end up in the system for good business. This may be off topic, but to me it's along the same lines when I think of how, before Obama, there was nothing... and then after the LBGTQ Movement is as if it was always a part of our America system and well, when these relationships end up in court in front of the judge for divorce or whatever, it is good for business. And another subject come to mind-- From cigarettes to vaping. Oh and POT. Good for business. America knows how to keep us filling their pockets. But again, LOL, I guess I may need to NOT READ INTO THIS SO MUCH, you know, lighten up. I am happy that Black women are being elevated in the movies, though. But did it have to be the Dahomey slave system!? Man! LOL.