Rhythms by RAHMAN

RAHMAN's Rhythm for week of September 10, 2007

Noose

-

Three nooses hung from a tree by students outside Jena High School in Jena, LA. This sparked national public outrage and stirred painful memories among people for whom these are iconic symbols of racial hatred. I want to ask you these questions and please answer honestly:

What are your personal feelings about seeing a noose? What does a noose represent to you?

What followed the nooses was a series of incidents that led 6 “children” to be arrested and facing possible prison sentences.

Now keep in mind, I am talking about children and racism. A terrifying thought, right?

As in all incidents and interactions, there are always two sides to every story. With that being said, why aren't all the students who were involved facing the same type of punishments or investigations? In our country and in our time, why are we still dealing with racial issues when our country is the hub of cultural and racial diversity? There are fundamental questions that we need to ask ourselves and be mature enough and sane enough to deal with the blunt and honest truths.

-

Why are there still tensions between the races--Blacks, Whites, Hispanics, and more to the point--our children? Children don't normally subscribe to this hateful behavior unless they are taught or instructed.

-

Make no mistake, in these incidents of racial injustices be it Jena, LA or Newark, NJ, speaking primarily of today, there are no accidents. This is not centuries past or the 20th century where parents and elders taught their children to know their places in society to protect them. This is not the time when minorities are made to believe that they are not strong or intelligent. This is not the time that there are limits in our society for their advancement, be it mentally or physically. Publicly, we all work and live together in a non-segregated society. So, we must ask ourselves in the dawn of the 21 century, in the year 2007, why do we still have incidents of hate and violence that are particularly geared toward race? Is it safe to say that even today, things are not equal? Is it conceivable that there are those who still benefit from privilege from a societal perspective? Is there still a double standard, be it racial or sexual?

-

As mature individuals, we all know there is a hypocrisy that we all fuel to a degree. It is both spoken and unspoken--how we speak and behave when we are comfortable and among family and friends. Then how we speak and behave with those we feel are different--bosses, police, people of other ethnic orientations, etc. These are behavioral issues that are taught.

-

We should always be proud of our race, history and culture, just based on the fact that it's ours. More importantly, we should be proud that we are all red blooded human beings. We survive the basic human experiences--growing up, working, loving, having families, and unfortunately paying taxes. We must wake up to the true realization that we are apart of a much bigger family. The Human Family. The Family of Man and Womankind.

-

I will end this Rhythm with a final question. How can you live, do business, bargain, or co-exist when you think or feel that anyone outside of your people is an animal? And why?

-

Please familiarize yourself with the Jena 6 Case in Louisiana. Mychal Bell (the first of the Jena 6 to be convicted) is scheduled for sentencing on September 20, 2007. I have only learned of this issue through e-mails. I have yet to hear anything about it on mainstream TV News.

-

Learn to learn, learn to love, learn to live, learn to respect...RAHMAN S.

-

Do you have feedback to this rhythm? Share your comment using the link below.

-

P.S. Don't forget to tell a friend about RAHMAN's Rhythms!

2007-09-11 03:46:56 GMT

Comments (5 total)

Author:Anonymous

racism will never go away,like you said they are children so evidently they are being taught this action.what can we do? thats a question for the 21st century.ignorance is an eternal thing! the media is part of the problem because they broadcast this image of us all over the world and portray us as animals,when the real animals are the ones that start the wars and run these countries so go figure!what is it to do when the white runs the world?
--QADIR SHARIF

2007-09-11 16:40:51 GMT

Author:Anonymous

Yes, it is sad in this day and time to have to witness just a slight glimpse of what our foreparents and ancestors experienced regularly and consistently. It is said that history is best qualifed to ensure that we not repeat the past mistakes. That only holds true when "the truths" of history is told and available to the masses; not just "his story" which unfortunately is what is prevalent today. In order to truly be "educated" one must individually seek knowledge outside of the main networks, i.e. school, media, television, and sometimes even our own homes and families where perhaps ignorance and narrow mindedness as been the order of the day. There is absolutely no excuse for anyone who truly wants to know what has happened to this society and world, not to be able to do the necessary research and find the truth. Franklin Roosevelt coined it perfectly when he said "Repetition does not transform a liet into the truth." There are numerous falsehoods that have lead this world astray, but none as damaging as the notion that "race" and/or "color" has allowed the "world rulers" to cause the masses to hate, kill, destroy and deny another's humanity and the inherent right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Humanity has been so victimized by this "insane" mentality that it finds itself in such denial that most individuals cannot even see how they themselves perpetuate this horrific attitude even among one's own group and/or family. All that we are witnessing today, no matter how painful, it an opportunity to stop denying the sickness and start working on a cure. This is quite a task for most, because we're a society who thrives on "treatments" and not prevention and/or cures. The Creator of the heavens and the earth, the seen and unseen worlds, is allowing us to see full blown are "ills" and challenging our humanity to find a way back to the Light, and out of the darkness. This is the worst of times and equally the best of times, because for those who have been blessed with knowledge, wisdom and understanding they're rejoicing in being able to be a part of such a "re-birth of the planet. My humble theory is that the Mother Earth has not violated the Creator's laws and therefore know that we are truly in the last days of this old world thinking and can see the dawning of a new day. Everything is being manifested. All that was hidden is coming to the light. The skeletons are out of the closet and from under the bed. Now the real challenge is for each individual to look inside and begin to heal their own darkened or corrupt souls.

"When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace." Jimmy Hendrix
--UmmeSafiyya
<mailto:ummesafiyya@hotmail.com>

2007-09-11 19:45:37 GMT

Author:Anonymous

racism has and always be something that will be a major conflict in our society. people who are racist these days were taught to be like that. its not like a newborn baby can just grow up to hate others because of the color of his or her skin; it is something that they are taught. personally i don't think that anything can change it in one generation. it takes a lot of time and so far it has lessened. this is a great accomplishment from the last 40 years when whites were afraid to even touch blacks and now mostly everyone is socializing these days. having lived in the south for the past year has showed me that there is no racial tension publicly. however, there are some of those older white people who just choose to not look you in the eye just because my skin is a different color. sure it hurts, but i have to understand that that is the way they were raised and you cant teach an old dog new tricks.
and those children from LA have obviously been raised this way. that is the scary part. but then you must consider that there is probably no changing them. everyone in our country has their right to freedom of speech. i think that these kids took it too far though.
as for your last question i think that everyone in todays society must learn to work and socialize with others they see as "animals" because they know that they will be seen as the bad ones for thinking of a person in that way.
in the end, we all have a little racism in us because we are quick to judge and usually judge someone because of the color of their skin.
you can never say that racism will always be there because there are signs of improvement. maybe one day we will realize that this is just an aspect of our life that we dont want to live anymore.
--Aby (Diane's daughter) :-)

2007-09-12 01:37:52 GMT

Author:Anonymous

There is still so much to say about racism. Your words and comments are very thought provoking. And if I may add one of your finer peices! It is so sad that in this day and age that racism still exist in the USA. There are so many small minded people in this country who are still so insecure of their owm situations that they have to lash out towards people that are not from the same color, culture, religion, etc. America will never truely be great until we all learn to just love each other unconditionally, but we all must first learn to love ourselves.
--Pat S.

2007-09-12 17:03:17 GMT

Author:Anonymous

What can one say. I feel that Racism/Hate is the worlds worst problem. It lies at the root of Politicians passing policies which help a select few and leave the majority struggling. It lies at the root of teachers not doing their best to educate all students, to Doctors extending their skills to select groups, to Corporations keeping the Good Ole Boy networks entrenched, to whole groups of people feeling they have a God given right to annihilate anyone who is in any way different from themselves - from race to religion to the way one dresses. Mankind has spent its existence working toward total destruction. We are destroying the environment and wildlife. The natural progression is to finish off each other and we are hurtling toward that end with relish. Its all just so ugly, evil and pathetic.

2007-09-21 18:59:45 GMT

Site Home