EQUALITY: An American Illusion in a White-Male Dominated World!
I hate to burst the bubbles of most Blacks and minorities, but let me be the first one to induce a true sense of reality check in the hearts of Americans at large.
European (i.e., Caucasian or White) males acquired the lands that are collectively known as “U.S.A” either by CONQUEST, FIND (DISCOVERY) or GIFT, and upon so accomplished the INTENT was never to equally share or own it with any other groups. In fact, even hard working Asians who had managed to own land parcels had to relinquish any possessory interests that they had in such real properties (i.e., lands or anything attached to such lands).
In the early days of USA (prior to it becoming truly UNITED), Blacks were not even considered to be “second class citizens”. In fact, they were considered to be CHATTELS (personal properties or living personal things). The INTENT was never to lose such possessory interests either. No one ever intends to lose interests in anything that s/he owns. We all like to cling onto what we own, and so did White males. And that did not make them EVIL per se. The true EVIL was the way slavery was practiced and the sub-humane ways in which Blacks were treated and that was justified by calling them non-human. Blacks were considered to be worth less than a full human-being (i.e., a fraction of a human being). So, modernly, we are ALL HUMAN-BEINGS under the LAW.
However, ARE WE EQUAL as CITIZENS?
I can hear the Christians or Muslims tell me that we are EQUAL in the eyes of GOD. I am not referring to GOD here. I am referring to my fellow human beings. DO WE VIEW an AVERAGE WHITE MAN and AN AVERAGE BLACK MAN EQUALLY EVEN WHEN WE ARE OF THE SAME RACE?
YES, we are CITIZENS but most Non-White Males are viewed as SECOND-CLASS CITIZENS (OFF THE BOOK)... LOL... We all know it... I say most because in America if ONE IS RICH, he is automatically treated as WHITE-MALE-LIKE as he will humanly ever be treated (e.g., OPRAH, WILL SMITH, MICHAEL JORDAN, ETC.) There are exceptions allowed to unique and angelic human beings like Dr. King, Maya Angelou, Nelson Mandela, Obama and the like... Very special people, but a vast majority of us is not that pure-hearted... LOL
I strive to do so, and have homeless friends and all, but the MAJORITY OF US simply DO NOT, and YOU KNOW IT!
The Great GWEN IFILL taught us how to think about RACE, but we failed to learn because we are too busy talking about TRUMP or OBAMA LOL... I wrote an article about her recently... you can click the link to view it.
“If you consider race to be a positive, as I do, a wonderful characteristic which makes you who you are. Which gives you a set of cultural norms and backgrounds, it is not a threat; it is not taking away from anybody else. It is part of what shapes me," said IFILL.
She added:
“It would be enhancing if we as a nation, and as a World, I guess, could talk about RACE in a way that wasn’t about BLAME and REDRESS and ARGUMENT and GUILT.” Instead “we should embrace it as a factor, not everything of what we are.”
THE RULE OF LAW
Prior to the laws being on the side of EQUALITY with “Equal Protection” and “Justice for ALL (not really)”, its purpose was the keep NON-WHITE MALES in their place, and that also included WOMEN.
In other words, the country was Rich-White-Male dominated. Women were practically owned by White males to procreate and serve and occasionally work as secretaries. Blacks were slaves and other groups were invisibly working hard, but truly had no true ownership rights until much later. Case law can be reviewed to see the progressions that take place as people fought HARD to try to put the law on their side. Jim Crow Laws did make legal to hang, mistreat, and lynch Blacks, proving that even U.S. laws were designed to be anti-Black. Accordingly, other laws had to be enacted or argued via cases or court decisions to become the laws of the land and attempt to right the wrong of slavery and racism. However, it is an ATTEMPT and as much progress as we have made, it still hasn’t been able to eliminate the INTIAL INTENT, and that was to maintain the STATUS QUO – America truly belongs to WHITE MALES as it was conquered by WHITE MALES. Yes, on paper, rights will be given to console the less fortunate, and make them feel more encouraged and to give them HOPE. However, HOPE is all that most groups will ever be left with.
HOWEVER – we have a dilemma. We CANNOT ‘legislate’ MORALITY (i.e., create laws that will automatically induce people to do MORALLY-RIGHT THINGS)… We cannot legally force people to love other groups or accept them as their EQUAL or treat them EQUALLY… This can only come from the conscience.
After living in America for over three decades, I realize that most WHITE MALES understand, accept and even love the fact that they are PRIVILEGED… HECK, who would actually HATE to have been PRIVILEGED, Would you?
My point is that society is expecting RICH WHITE MALES to give up their wealth, share their tactics and allow non-White males to quickly catch up and be on an EQUAL PLAYING FIELD… I’m sorry to tell society that IT ISN’T GOING TO HAPPEN!
EVEN the election of the first NON-WHITE MALE in the White house, which was a MORAL VICTORY for America over its past ails, induced a DARKER PERIODS to appear. Many young Black males were being attacked, and it had to do with the fact that those that attacked those Black males really wanted to attack Obama. They simply didn’t like the fact that their PRESIDENT was a NON-WHITE MALE. Heck, they don’t even want to have a WHITE FEMALE in the White house. Heck, I have met WHITE FEMALES and BLACK FEMALES that would also prefer not to have a female president of any persuasion in the White House as well.
GOOD & BAD PEOPLE
While I have been fortunate to have met THOUSANDS of good White and Black males and females out there and males and females of other rather invisible groups as well, I have also been equally unfortunate to have met White folks that seemingly blatantly see Non-Whites, and particularly Blacks just like their grandparents did during the JIM CROW LAWS. I must say that some of the most liberals and nicest White males that I have ever met emanated from the very liberal City of Chicago. I don’t think that there is any other City in which White males are more understanding to Black males than those of the amazing City of Chicago.
I wrote an article a while ago entitled “BOTH OBAMA AND TRUMP ARE GREAT FOR AMERICA” (http://www.lorinspost.com/single-post/2015/09/16/TRUMP-OBAMA-are-GREAT-for-America), which was resented by many. As always, the BITTER TRUTH is like MEDICINE… it often doesn’t taste good to most. However, it does not mean that it’s not good for those that choose to accept the bitterness in order to self-improve.
In 2017, far too many Whites can’t relate to Blacks and far too many Blacks can’t relate to Whites. If two groups fail to understand each other, then progress will not happen because MISUNDERSTANDINGS and ASSUMPTIONS and STEREOTYPES and the STATUS QUO which was intended anyway will PREVAIL.
Yes, you will have professionals that will have emanated from all groups (e.g., engineers, doctors, professors, lawyers, etc.), however, this has nothing to do with RACE EQUITY (WORTH).
What is the AVERAGE NET WORTH of a BLACK/MEXICAN/INDIAN MAN in America as compared to that of an average WHITE MAN?
YES, it is TRUE that there are GOOD and BAD HUMAN-BEINGS everywhere… but what does have to do with the VALUE of a NON-WHITE-MALE HUMAN-BEING in America or anywhere else?
We all know that Obama had to be nearly perfect to become POTUS. We also know that TRUMP would not have won had he been not a WEALTHY-WHITE-MALE.
So, what are we really in denial about?
We may as well tell our kids the NAKED TRUTH…
THE WHITE MAN conquered this land… and still RULES over most of its affairs. OTHER GROUPS have tried to appeal to the conscience of an amazing document called the CONSTITUTION OF THE LAND which was designed to create CHECKS and BALANCES and create a semblance of fairness… “WE hold these truths to be self-evident that ALL MEN (or WOMEN) are created EQUAL”…
However, is it really that self-evident?
If we are equal… why do so many Black women bleach their skins? Why do so many Black women use so many products in their hair to make it more White-like? Why do so many Non-Whites get nose jobs to make their noses pointier? Etc., Etc., Etc…
My point is simple… Even for the GOOD ONES of us, there is a great deal of hypocrisy going on…
I have had BLACK CLIENTS come to my office and lie to their TEETH to lower my FEES (heck some would even claim to be nearly homeless to pay me less)… HOWEVER, the moment they stepped into a WHITE MAN’S OFFICE, they READILY pay him more even when HE CARED LESS or DID LESS.
My point is, WHAT IS THE VALUE OF A NON-WHITE MALE to most of us? What is the value of a BLACK MAN to most BLACKS?
I will let you PONDER ON THAT…
Society, often, sets up its own fair-market-value (FMV) based on what a willing buyer is willing to pay for a good… so here are my last few questions…
1. What is the value of AN AVERAGE WHITE MALE and how does it compare to that of an average NON-WHITE MALE?
2. How LIKELY is it to change in the next few years?
3. If it does change, is WHITE MALE PRIVILEGE morphing or changing proportionately or disproportionately enough to make the change NEGLIGIBLE?
How can non-White males truly govern in White-male dominated society? Who is going to be the ALPHA MALE? Let’s look at the ANIMAL KINGDOM… Would you expect WHITE MALES to say, HEY, we’ll relinquish our dominance and let you RULE OVER US?
Think about it!
Lots of Blacks and other non-Whites (and Whites as well) came to America for better opportunities… in fact, I, like many Black males, left predominantly Black countries where we would not have had to deal with the issues of race, yet still had disproportionate wealth disparities among people that fall in the two main socio-economic statuses.
MY LAST POINT IS, if we can’t create FAIRNESS and EQUALITY in BLACK-dominated LANDS, how the heck are going to create it HERE!
Here, it is not not only a race issue... but also, it is a DOMINANCE (ALPHA-MALE) issue... America hasn't accepted Non-White Males as much as it thought it has. Obama was nearly perfect, and had a White Mother and grand parents and was given a CARTE BLANCHE, but trust me, he is not nearly close to being the STATUS QUO.
We are still for the most part "SEPARATE' and 'UNEQUAL' in most of the categories. The exceptions are for the genius Non-White-males that will ignore the status quo and focus on their own callings despite the unequal treatments that they may face. THAT, my friends, is the NAKED TRUTH.
Please, ponder on those and feel free to email me at RECRUIT@RAPIDGIGSPLUS.com or hit me up on FACEBOOK or something… and CHALLENGE ME as to how we have truly changed beyond merely appeasing each other to believe that we ARE EQUAL, when truly even among people of the same race or gender, far too often we don’t treat each other like we treat A RICH WHITE MAN!
By the way, to be candid... even WHITE WOMEN make more than BLACK and LATIN MEN, modernly... please PONDER on that as well, and tell me how ATTAINABLE EQUALITY is in America.
IT IS NOT ATTAINABLE... we shouldn't give up... but we shouldn't KID OURSELVES EITHER... Most Non-WHITES will never achieve true WEALTH because of it! PERIOD... HOWEVER, what is achievable is HARMONY... not EQUALITY... . We can't be EQUAL on UNEQUAL FOOTINGS, but we can ALL become more harmonious...