Solarus,

Thanks. Thanks for providing him with a reading list and stepping up once I stepped out. But the reasons why I stepped out is because I recognized the rhetoric and it pained me because it pains me when people of color say things like that against their people. So, thank you.

Also, I agree with you. It isn't "concious". However, I think Marimba makes it clear that whether it is concious or not, we have to look at it as if it is concious because looking at it as if "they don't know better" often ends up in our oppression and/or death.

I garnered this from the chapter where she speaks about European cultural behavior towards others.

However, as I said, you have a point. Because it stems from the early construction of their asili and the constructs that went into the formation of their utamaroho (seeking power and control)and utamawazo (cognitive thinking structures), through the institutions that express them both... etc, etc, etc.

But there is more that goes into this. If I automatically "sound" like a "victim" then why was I not being asked if that was what I was doing instead of being attacked by rhetoric that was _not_ that of an African-centered perspective? What I am speaking of here is how I -detached- myself early because I felt I was being attacked and while I fight against European cultural thought and behavior, seek to erase it from my mind and body, hope to show people the strength and power of an African-centered prespective that put us at the center of the story instead of just the "victims", I _refuse_ to fight my own people. Period. I refuse to. I love all of you. All of you reading this and all of you who don't. I love you and I respect you in such a way that I am not going to fight with you nor am I going to defend myself in anyway that may make me become "aggressive" and "belligerant".

Please understand.

Q



"Go ahead and bite it; I'm sure you'll be delighted!" - Nina Simone, "Forbidden Fruit"

"Alabama's got me so upset. Tennessee made me lose my rest. And everybody knows about Mississippi GODDAMN!" - Nina Simone (you know the song: sing it!)

"I believe in peace!(Bitch)" - Tori Amos, The Waitress

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"When the revolution comes, "faggots" won't be so funny." - The Last Poets

** Most people mis-read this line. I don't think he is being homophobic. I think he's making sure you folks know, within our communities, those of you who laugh at