ASSIMILATE IF YOU MUST, BUT PLEASE BE HONEST ABOUT IT!
By Clare X. Brown
I think that black folk who want to assimilate need to be honest about this. All too often, black folk are assimilating and promoting assimilation but are refusing to be open about what they really stand for.
Why is it so difficult for black people who assimilate to acknowledge that this is what they believe in? Perhaps it is because they know – at least on a subconscious level - that assimilation is extremely destructive to the black community; they realize (as bell hooks has noted) that assimilation is a “strategy deeply rooted in the ideology of white supremacy.” On a deep level they may recognize that assimilation is a form of mentacide, that is (in the words of Bobby Wright) the “deliberate and systematic destruction of a group’s minds with the ultimate objective being the extirpation of the group.”
At the same time - whether they want to acknowledge it or not - every black person who affiliates themselves with a white political movement (whether it be conservative or progressive) IS endorsing assimilation. Black progressives (liberals, socialists, Marxists, feminists etc) are particularly hypocritical, since they act in ways which indicate that they want to assimilate, and advance causes which in effect MEAN assimilation into the white population, but at the same time, they are not honest about what they are doing. They insist on couching their objectives in other terms. For example, they talk about “fighting racism”, that is, displays of “in-your-face racism” (because overt racism reminds them that some whites are never going to accept them). They “promote diversity” (so they can encourage the interracial relationships which many of them appear to crave). They ridicule Black Nationalism (because they know that by attacking the only ideology which promotes black unity, they will gain white approval). These “progressive” fools will grovel for any crumbs of recognition that white people give them, and some of them still seem to believe that white people are going to save them despite all evidence to the contrary.
When all is said and done, assimilationist blacks - be they conservatives or progressives - should do what they have to do BUT they need to be open about it. While it may not be palatable to face up to the fact that assimilation is what they stand for, they need to stop the hypocrisy. As RED C has noted, these kinds of blacks:
…think they speak for black people. They think they know best. They are utterly confused and pose a danger to themselves and anyone they encounter who is unaware of their insanity.
My message is simply this: assimilate, if you must, but stop setting yourself up as black “leaders” and sabotaging the black community. If you have one iota of integrity, move on, and leave the leadership of the black community to those who are truly committed to the upliftment of our people.
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Insightful. I don’t believe that anyone must assimilate though. It’s almost always a choice. And in my opinion, it’s almost always a choice of convenience and/or a promise of societal benefits.
In terms of the USA, I don’t know what the real deal is regarding leaders of the Black community selling us out for assimilation aspirationss. It’s a bit disturbing if they actually believe Whites will ever be willing to assimilate 30 or more million Black people into White America. It won’t happen. Black people can pursue it, but the numbers for interracial relationships between Black people and Whites will remain the lowest combination of all White interracial relationships. Whites are steadily increasing the number of hispanics, Asians and (now) Middle Eastern ‘refugees’ for White American males and females to choose from (if they are interested in mating with a ‘different’ flavor other than vanilla). In a way I am looking at this from an economic view. In my opinion, what the chase for assimilation does to most Black people is waste their time, productive years and fools them into proiritizing the formation of congenial relationships with Whites over figuring out ways to make/force Whites to undo the economic wrongs that were done to the Black community. We remain the only group/community in capitalist America who were prevented from using our labor to build capital. Even Native Americans were able to use ‘Black labor’ to build capital for their ‘civilized’ tribes. But if you are thinking of ‘melting’ into White America & pursuing congenial relationships with them, it becomes a little bit harder to stand against their communit’s ‘conservation’ of ill-gotten gains and demand what is owed.
Alao, this assimilation pursuit keeps most Black people running on a wild goose chase to melt into a segment of the country that has made it very clear that it will not assimilate Black people, it will (’at best’
integrate a small number of them at a time. In that respect, I agree with Dr. Welsing who notes how Whites began to display a more hostile and isolating attitude toward Black people when Black numbers began to rise above a certain percentage in predominantly White environments. That is the real welcome that too many Whites give most Black people seeking “assimilation” with them. I think Black politicians who push for ‘assimilation’ know this. I don’t believe they are ignorant of the government data and statistics that report escalating hate crimes against Black people who are seek to assimilate into White areas. So again, given the fact that Whites have demonstrated they are barely willing to integrate Black people in any significant number, I really am curious as to what the push toward ‘assimilation’ (by some Black leaders) is really about. For some reason, I don’t think it is what it appears to be on the surface.
“My message is simply this: assimilate, if you must, but stop setting yourself up as black “leaders” and sabotaging the black community. If you have one iota of integrity, move on, and leave the leadership of the black community to those who are truly committed to the upliftment of our people.”
Thank you.
But don’t hold your breath for them to make way. Because the price of assimilation (which true assimilation they will never achieve) is advancing and maintaining the disunity of the black community.
Raven_Wings Said:
…It’s a bit disturbing if they actually believe Whites will ever be willing to assimilate 30 or more million Black people into White America. It won’t happen.
I don’t think they believe that whites would be willing to assimilate all black people - I think they as (“the good middle class blacks”) simply want to assimilate themselves. They are fools not only because their allegiances lie with white folk but because they are going to suffer on a personal level because they are exposing themselves to so much white racism - the more someone assimilates, the more racism they are exposed to.
In my opinion, what the chase for assimilation does to most Black people is waste their time, productive years and fools them into proiritizing the formation of congenial relationships with Whites over figuring out ways to make/force Whites to undo the economic wrongs that were done to the Black community. We remain the only group/community in capitalist America who were prevented from using our labor to build capital. Even Native Americans were able to use ‘Black labor’ to build capital for their ‘civilized’ tribes. But if you are thinking of ‘melting’ into White America & pursuing congenial relationships with them, it becomes a little bit harder to stand against their communit’s ‘conservation’ of ill-gotten gains and demand what is owed.
Exactly!
… I agree with Dr. Welsing who notes how Whites began to display a more hostile and isolating attitude toward Black people when Black numbers began to rise above a certain percentage in predominantly White environments. That is the real welcome that too many Whites give most Black people seeking “assimilation” with them.
You will also find that the assimilationist blacks tend to migrate to these white regions (West Coast/ Canada/ Europe) so that they can “benefit” from being part of a tiny black population who aren’t so much of a threat. The sad truth is that while they think they are benefiting, they pay a high price in regards to their mental health as I alluded to above.
Michael Fisher Said:
“My message is simply this: assimilate, if you must, but stop setting yourself up as black “leaders” and sabotaging the black community. If you have one iota of integrity, move on, and leave the leadership of the black community to those who are truly committed to the upliftment of our people.”
Thank you.
But don’t hold your breath for them to make way. Because the price of assimilation (which true assimilation they will never achieve) is advancing and maintaining the disunity of the black community.
No I don’t expect anything from assimilationist black progressives or assimilationist black conservatives because 99.9% of these folks are so denatured that they don’t even realize it. However, I will draw attention to their hypocrisy so that black folk who are “on the fence” can be better informed about the movements/ groups they are considering joining.
Ruminations asked: “Why is it so difficult for Black people who assimilate to acknowledge that this is what they believe in?”
I think there are several overlapping reasons for this. First, to describe seeking out and clinging to Whites as “assimilation” is to subtly criticize the practice. To use this terminology constitutes a critique in itself. To even recognize this behavior as assimilation takes a degree of self-respect and mental health that, sadly, most Blacks don’t have. I’ve been thinking about this ever since the earlier thread discussion; and I’ve concluded that the reality is that most Blacks worship Whites.
When you think about the behavior toward Whites that most of us find “normal,” there are lots of similarities with how most people think about God. We collectively seek White people’s pleasure and fear their displeasure. Paradise is only to be found with White people. All that is good is in the White community. This is an unspoken and widely shared outlook. To continue the religious analogy, who would even quesion anyone’s efforts to get closer to God? Only an agnostic or athiest would question the value of “trying to get right with God.”
To question this behavior makes a person a “heretic.” So-called heretics always face hysterical, knee-jerk attacks from “believers.” Heretics get attacked by lukewarm believers in addition to the mouth-breathing fanatics. The lukewarm believers are made uncomfortable be anyone questioning the faith; and they would prefer that the heretics just shut up.
Black nationalism = heresy to the Black masses.
I think that all of the above (plus the jealousy that I’ve discussed before) account for the knee-jerk attacks that come every time you question the ongoing worship of Whites.
In terms of our so-called leadership, I think they are suffering from the above brainwashing like the masses. The more rational members of our leadership class also have practical reasons for not acknowledging their quest for assimilation: The masses of Blacks that they depend on for support will reject them if they come out and say that they want assimilation. [And they know that their base of support consists of Blacks. Whites and others do not support Black leadership, they exploit it.]
It’s an interesting balancing act: Even though we worship Whites, it’s just too painful and humiliating for most of us to call it that. Hence the alternative vocabulary: “diversity,” “fighting racism,” etc. Only a few hard-core believers (like the colored girls who recently felt compelled to respond to your blog) are fanatical enough to come out and say that they believe “the White man’s ice is colder.”
Khadija Said:
Ruminations asked: “Why is it so difficult for Black people who assimilate to acknowledge that this is what they believe in?”
I think there are several overlapping reasons for this. First, to describe seeking out and clinging to Whites as “assimilation” is to subtly criticize the practice. To use this terminology constitutes a critique in itself. To even recognize this behavior as assimilation takes a degree of self-respect and mental health that, sadly, most Blacks don’t have. I’ve been thinking about this ever since the earlier thread discussion; and I’ve concluded that the reality is that most Blacks worship Whites.
As painful as it is to acknowledge, I think you may be right…I had this discussion a few years ago when I had a very rosy picture of African Americans who appeared to me to be pretty conscious certainly compared to UK blacks (who are super-assimilated)…one of the first African Americans that I spoke to on this subject estimated that no more than 5% of US blacks (maybe as little as 2%) were conscious/ pro-black. This estimation certainly seems to be consistent with my experiences with black bloggers in the blogosphere. When I first started blogging, I was extremely disillusioned at the absence of black blogs which shared my perspective on race. The black blogs seem to come into 4 main groups: black conservatives (assimilationist), black progressives (assimilationist), black entertaiment based blogs (don’t discuss race issues), black personal blogs (don’t discuss race issues).
When you think about the behavior toward Whites that most of us find “normal,” there are lots of similarities with how most people think about God. We collectively seek White people’s pleasure and fear their displeasure. Paradise is only to be found with White people. All that is good is in the White community. This is an unspoken and widely shared outlook. To continue the religious analogy, who would even quesion anyone’s efforts to get closer to God? Only an agnostic or athiest would question the value of “trying to get right with God.”
Great analogy.
To question this behavior makes a person a “heretic.” So-called heretics always face hysterical, knee-jerk attacks from “believers.” Heretics get attacked by lukewarm believers in addition to the mouth-breathing fanatics. The lukewarm believers are made uncomfortable be anyone questioning the faith; and they would prefer that the heretics just shut up.
Black nationalism = heresy to the Black masses.
I think that all of the above (plus the jealousy that I’ve discussed before) account for the knee-jerk attacks that come every time you question the ongoing worship of Whites.
That’s the reaction that I get whenever I’ve had a discussion with black progressive bloggers. See for example, the following conversations:
http://racialrealist.wordpress.com/2006/05/04/a-new-way-forward-for-black-feminism/
http://racialrealist.wordpress.com/2006/05/09/pandering-to-the-white-liberal-blogosphere/
http://racialrealist.wordpress.com/2006/07/03/colorblind-ideology-and-dishonesty-about-racism/
In terms of our so-called leadership, I think they are suffering from the above brainwashing like the masses. The more rational members of our leadership class also have practical reasons for not acknowledging their quest for assimilation: The masses of Blacks that they depend on for support will reject them if they come out and say that they want assimilation. [And they know that their base of support consists of Blacks. Whites and others do not support Black leadership, they exploit it.]
Good point.
It’s an interesting balancing act: Even though we worship Whites, it’s just too painful and humiliating for most of us to call it that. Hence the alternative vocabulary: “diversity,” “fighting racism,” etc. Only a few hard-core believers (like the colored girls who recently felt compelled to respond to your blog) are fanatical enough to come out and say that they believe “the White man’s ice is colder.”
While it’s offensive when they come out and say they prefer white partners, at least they are being honest. I guess this is the key difference between liberals and conservatives (which is what Malcolm X talked about over 40 years ago) – at least with the conservatives, you are more likely to know where you stand…with liberals/ progressives, all the hypocrisy (“diversity” and “fighting racism”) is so sickening. It also misleads young and impressionable black people and encourages them to join groups which are not going to achieve anything for the black community…if these progressives were going to achieve something they would have done so before now…in the 40 years since civil rights, what have they achieved? Zilch. And this is because all the black progressives are interested in is achieving the “American dream” for their fellow middle class “good black people” - they do not care about the masses of black people. They are the most fake set of people I have ever come across.
Clare:
Thanks for the links to the previous discussions you’ve had with Black progressive bloggers. Whew!!! My head is spinning from all the Communist-sounding terminology. I actually had trouble following parts of the discussion because of this language.
I have to ask: where did this jargon such as “intersectionality” come from? Maybe it’s my age showing. [I'm 42; and I don't remember there being a lot, if any, feminist/queer/whatever theory classes when I was in college. Anyway, my intellectually formative years were spent reading what they would call "narrow, chauvinistic, Black nationalist" materials. LOL.]
I have to admire your stamina in going back and forth with these people; I couldn’t have done it. You’ve been steadfast in defending our people’s interests. Thank you.
I’ve always been uncomfortable with the European-derived political divisions of “left” and “right.” One of the essays I read by Ayatollah Khomeini described these so-called divisions as two sides of the same coin of Western domination. In fact, one of Khomeini’s slogans for the Islamic revolution in Iran was “neither left nor right.” He also referred to a cultural sickness that he called “Westoxication.” [Not that I'm a fan of Khomeini; he's just one of several non-Western thinkers I've read over the years. As you might have guessed from some of my earlier comments, I'm not very fond of immigrant/foreign Muslims.]
I’ve also always been uncomfortable with European ideologies (all of the “isms” including Marxism). We need to learn to look at the world through our own eyes and think for ourselves.
Also, your description of the 4 basic categories of Black blogs is brilliant! Like everyone, I have a variety of interests. However, it has always sickened and amazed me that so many of us waste the limited platforms that we have discussing trivial things. Too many Black blogs are the equivalent of the cable channel BET: all rump-shaking videos all day, everyday. Our problems are too grave to waste valuable airtime (whatever the medium–tv, radio, internet) with foolishness.
I agree with your point in the above-linked discussions that we need to work on things like sexism internally. Unless and until we find culturally valid ways of dealing with internal sexism and homophobia, these self-destructive practices will continue to flourish in the Black community.
Clare said: No I don’t expect anything from assimilationist black progressives or assimilationist black conservatives because 99.9% of these folks are so denatured that they don’t even realize it. However, I will draw attention to their hypocrisy so that black folk who are “on the fence” can be better informed about the movements/ groups they are considering joining.
Clare, you are so right! I will take it even further by admitting that I am denatured. In actuality, we are all denatured to some extent. We have been programmed to fight against our nature from birth, mentally conditioned to fit into white society. Our challenge now is to fight against our conditioning by first admitting to our denatured state. Most of those that you are speaking about refuse to acknowledge such a condition exist. They continue to walk in blindness, refusing to fight against anything that would threaten their accomplishments in compromise.
No black person married to a white person can ever address issues relating to the black family or the need for black unity. No black male with white golfing buddies will ever stand up and speak the truth about white supremacy out of fear of rubbing them the wrong way. We must first understand and admit to being denatured before we can understand the changes we must make in order to free ourselves from mental slavery.
Clare:
Thanks for the links to the previous discussions you’ve had with Black progressive bloggers. Whew!!! My head is spinning from all the Communist-sounding terminology. I actually had trouble following parts of the discussion because of this language.
Lol!
…I’ve always been uncomfortable with the European-derived political divisions of “left” and “right.” One of the essays I read by Ayatollah Khomeini described these so-called divisions as two sides of the same coin of Western domination. .. I’ve also always been uncomfortable with European ideologies (all of the “isms” including Marxism). We need to learn to look at the world through our own eyes and think for ourselves.
Very true. Actually Bobby Wright’s work referred to in the post tackles this very issue. For example, Wright argued that no European concepts eg democracy, capitalism, Marxism, have ever been applicable to the situation of black people. Jacob Carruthers noted that “Bobby Wright forcefully emphasized the need for the development of a truly Black social theory. This is a very difficult assignment and cannot be accomplished by those brainwashed Black intellectuals who are awestruck by European theory and theorists…“
Change Agent Said:
…I will take it even further by admitting that I am denatured. In actuality, we are all denatured to some extent. We have been programmed to fight against our nature from birth, mentally conditioned to fit into white society.
Absolutely.
Our challenge now is to fight against our conditioning by first admitting to our denatured state. Most of those that you are speaking about refuse to acknowledge such a condition exist. They continue to walk in blindness, refusing to fight against anything that would threaten their accomplishments in compromise.
Yeah – the more denatured they are, the more denial they are going to be in. It’s comparable to a white person saying they can’t be racist – as we all know, the worst racists are the people who say they are colorblind.
No black person married to a white person can ever address issues relating to the black family or the need for black unity. No black male with white golfing buddies will ever stand up and speak the truth about white supremacy out of fear of rubbing them the wrong way. We must first understand and admit to being denatured before we can understand the changes we must make in order to free ourselves from mental slavery.
Very true.
“I don’t think they believe that whites would be willing to assimilate all black people - I think they as (“the good middle class blacks”) simply want to assimilate themselves. They are fools not only because their allegiances lie with white folk but because they are going to suffer on a personal level because they are exposing themselves to so much white racism - the more someone assimilates, the more racism they are exposed to.” - Clare
Got it now. I get where you’re going. And thank you for emailing me that example to shed even more light on it.
Also, I decided to re-print my email reply (I sent you) here:
_________________________________
Email reply:
I think if there are some whites who want to fight against white racism… let ‘em. They have a movement of Whites that are for Reparations. But I don’t think that they should be inside Black movements. There’s always a danger of a conflict of interest and that’s something that we cannot risk. The women’s movement does not allow men & men cannot live without women (yet) so there is really no danger in women being obliterated by male chauvinists. But racial groups can be obliterated by opposing racial groups (ex. the black people on the island of tasmania). There is an extra need for us to be careful in who we ‘recruit’ into movements that have Black empowerment as it’s central goal. I think if there are Black people who want to be friends with whites, go ahead. But you should draw the line at ‘inviting’ them to be active in Black movements that have a goal of dismantling their system of privilege.
If they want to start groups that will dismantle racism, fine. But even then we should not allow them to ‘take the podium’, ‘take center stage’ & ‘discuss our problems’. If they really respect us, they would understand that a Black person’s ability to examine the problem & develop solutions to it on their own &/or as a Black collective is important. I think Black people who are married to Whites can also demand this respect for self-reliance & not feel ‘guilty’ that they are not involving their white spouse in the movement if they comprehend what Black people really need at this juncture.
Afrospears is obvious in his need to be coddled & ‘acknowledged’ by a sympathetic White (MALE) ear. A bit disturbing for a man. Effeminate even. It’s obvious that he puts ego-stroking a white male above the need for Black people to be autonomous in movements that are supposed to be about struggle for their liberation.
__________________
Great blog entry Clare. Insightful & informative as always. Thank you for keeping us thinking and keeping us alert. Peace.
Raven Wings said: “If they want to start groups that will dismantle racism,fine. But even then we should not allow them to ‘take the podium’,'take center stage’, and discuss our problems.’”
Absolutely correct! As you noted if so-called anti-racist Whites really respected us, they wouldn’t presume to seize control of our issues. If we any sense, we wouldn’t let them.
Raven_Wings Said:
…But I don’t think that they should be inside Black movements. There’s always a danger of a conflict of interest and that’s something that we cannot risk…There is an extra need for us to be careful in who we ‘recruit’ into movements that have Black empowerment as it’s central goal. I think if there are Black people who want to be friends with whites, go ahead. But you should draw the line at ‘inviting’ them to be active in Black movements that have a goal of dismantling their system of privilege.
If they want to start groups that will dismantle racism, fine. But even then we should not allow them to ‘take the podium’, ‘take center stage’ & ‘discuss our problems’. If they really respect us, they would understand that a Black person’s ability to examine the problem & develop solutions to it on their own &/or as a Black collective is important…
Thanks Mary - great points.
Clare:
Please check out the following.
Thank you.
http://assaultonblacksanity.blogspot.com/2007/08/black-revolutionary-assimilationism-key.html
I was sent to your site by a Black reader who poste da comment to mine.
I haven’t had a chance to look through a lot of your posts, but from what I’ve read, damn, you guys are beautiful!
Keep up the great work. I’m going to see if my tech skills are good enough to get me to add a link to your site on our front page.
–D., F44s
An additional reasoning for this behavior came across my mind while I was emailing (back & forth with) Clare over the subject of undercover assimilationists.
I was saying to her that I can imagine that alot of Black people on the internet are attempting to show whites that they are not ‘hard’ on racism. My brother & I used to try to determine what made a lot of Black people take a soft position when discussing race in any public forum whites access. One possible consideration that made us crack up is the scenario that we, as Black people living in a Western pop culture, have an imaginary white audience that many many of us think of appeasing. Some Black people check with this imaginary white audience (consciously or subconsciously) for approval, applause & laughing with them and at them. If some of us [Black people] are getting too ‘bitter’ about race and feel this imaginary white audience will be turned off by their routine, they bring their aggression or ‘militancy’ down some notches so the White audience feels more comfortable and stays with them a bit longer as they perform on stage (in this case the stage is the internet/public blog).
Also, Change Agent. Man, you made some excellent points there. I think there is a tremendous amount of embarassment, hurt, and denial about how removed from ourselves we have become. like most victims who undergo extreme bahavioral changes due to the crimes against their huemanity, we blame ourselves. We feel it is something we that is ‘not very serious’ although it the results of what has happened have greatly reduced the quality of our lives. Like most problems and self-destructive behavior, the first step is to recognize & the second step is to admit. Very well-written, Change Agent.
Hey…
Linked over here by six degrees of seperation.
You have created an either / or argument when in reality it is a scope and scale argument.
*Scope*
A few things I would like to point out. First of all implicit in your argument is that assimilation is one way. Historically unfortunately it has been weighted this way (for blacks), but this does not necessarily need to be the case.
Mutual assimilation is the co-assimilation of multiple cultures into a unique one. Our assimilation has traditionally been a one way assimilation.
Also there are points of assimilation IE capitalistic assimilation, white supremecist assimilation, dichotomistic political (dem vs pub) assimilation, etc. One can choose assimilation into one but not into the other.
*scale*
I would like to also make this point. The reason certain forms of assimilation are so damaging to us as blacks is because of our undefined culture when this assimilation (during the integration period of history) began. Other ethinicities tend to have less cultural blurring than blacks because they assimilate in areas essential for American survival but maintain intrinsic things within their culture that uniquely define them.
With that in mind, I have to reject your premise (although I do enjoy the post as a whole) that everyone who believes or practicies a ‘form’ of assimilation is sabotaging blackness.
Unless of course you are sabotaging blackness. Why do I say that? Because if you are an American you actively or passively have assimilated into the eco/socio/politico/techno structure of the United States. You HAD to do this in some form or function to even have this blog, exist in this hyper capitalistic economy, and function socially on a day to day basis.
So the question becomes one of scope and scale. Do those who embrace assimilation actively do so in all of the major areas? Do those who practice assimilation do so similar to other ethnic groups who maintained a core sense of self-identity or do we reject that which is black to fully embrace whiteness?
“I had a very rosy picture of African Americans who appeared to me to be pretty conscious certainly compared to UK blacks (who are super-assimilated)”
I have to seriously disagree with this statement. I spent 20 years living in London and cannot recall coming across many “assimilated Blacks” on the contrary - I have known and worked with some of the most progressive conscious Black sisters and brothers in various movements. The Black community in Britain fought long and hard during the 60s, 70s and 80s to put race on the agenda of British politics and society. They worked hard to get laws changed and new ones enacted. They worked hard to support Black kids from being marginalised and mis-educated in schools, on immigration issues, Black people and mental health, Black workers rights, Black women and health and so on. What were the Black riots of the 1980s about in London, Manchester and Liverpool. Or those in the 1960s in Nottinghill? Black people in Britain have their communities, Caribbean and African and these are strong communities that focus on maintaining their heritage and cultures.
I cannot speak for the US as I do not have sufficient personal experience of being Black in the US (I visit family from time to time) and can only go by what people tell me and I read.
I just dont understand this statement.
Ruminations of a Realist, unlike Bobby Wright, I will not go so far as to say that you can not get anything out of European/Eurocentric ideologies, but I do think that some blacks should not be so quick to dismiss all black-centered analysis while they always have Eurocentric ideologies as the central theory to follow.The Afrocentrists should should adapt intersectionality to the black community. Conversely, the leftists, especially the ones that support intersectionality should stop dismissing Afrocentric analysis and embrace it.I also mean to add that I agree with his basic sentiment that blacks should build upon black ideologies that support black liberation.
Sokari said
“I had a very rosy picture of African Americans who appeared to me to be pretty conscious certainly compared to UK blacks (who are super-assimilated)”
I have to seriously disagree with this statement. I spent 20 years living in London and cannot recall coming across many “assimilated Blacks” on the contrary - I have known and worked with some of the most progressive conscious Black sisters and brothers in various movements.
In case you didn’t notice, the whole point of this post was to critique people who call themselves progressive who are in actuality assimilationist. So while you may choose to describe the black Britons you came across as “progressive conscious” that opinion is not necessarily going to be shared by others.
The Black community in Britain fought long and hard during the 60s, 70s and 80s to put race on the agenda of British politics and society. They worked hard to get laws changed and new ones enacted. They worked hard to support Black kids from being marginalised and mis-educated in schools, on immigration issues, Black people and mental health, Black workers rights, Black women and health and so on. What were the Black riots of the 1980s about in London, Manchester and Liverpool. Or those in the 1960s in Nottinghill? Black people in Britain have their communities, Caribbean and African and these are strong communities that focus on maintaining their heritage and cultures.
Again, this post is actually about critiquing people who are part of the race relations industry. While fighting racism may be a worthy goal, it doesn’t mean that the people who are fighting the racism aren’t assimilationists at heart.
I just dont understand this statement
The statement was perfectly clear; if it makes you feel better I will rephrase it and say that in my opinion UK blacks in general are super assimilationist. However, I think there is plenty of evidence to support this argument. If one considers that interracial relationships are the ultimate form of assimilation, well the UK black population is going to be one of the top groups of assimilators in the world…in 1997, 50% of black men in the UK were choosing white partners so the figure may well have risen to 60% by now. If that isn’t super assimilation, I don’t know what is.
I cannot speak for the US as I do not have sufficient personal experience of being Black in the US (I visit family from time to time) and can only go by what people tell me and I read.
Yeah, maybe because you’re one of those black Europhiles I discussed in a previous post.
http://cobb.typepad.com/cobb/2007/08/radical-black-a.html#comment-79213160
follow this link, please
As to black folks in the UK.
I’ve done a LOT of business in the UK, even had an office there for some years. My company promoted concerts at Wembley, the MEN Arena in Manchester, the NEC Arena in Birminghan, the Brixton Academy, the Civic center in Wolverhampton, you name it.
We searched and searched for some British brothers or sisters who were willing and able to break the white Briton’s monopoly on at the very least the black music business (that includes US black music imported into the UK).
We couldn’t find any. NOT ONE. We had to put an American brother in charge of our office.
Now the REASON the white folks have a monopoly on the black music business in the UK is because the few black British music executives throw EVERYTHING, and I mean EVERYTHING to the white boys.
It is sickening.
Worse than the US, and it is really bad over here.
I seriously don’t get what you’re trying to get at. Why does you assume that radical black assimilation is a “bad” thing? I’m sick of the assumption that all blacks need to think alike. It isn’t even rational.
There is a quote from Irving Kristol that goes something like this:
“There are different kinds of truths for different kinds of people. There are truths appropriate for children; truths that are appropriate for students; truths that are appropriate for educated adults; and truths that are appropriate for highly educated adults, and the notion that there should be one set of truths available to everyone is a modern democratic fallacy. It doesn’t work.”
Can we not also say here, within reason, that there are different kinds of truths which are appropriate for blacks in poverty; that there are certain truths that are more appropriate for blacks who are working class; and certain truths that are more appropriate for blacks in the middle and upper classes?
It seems to me, that to admit of the absolute “truth” of “the radical black assimilationist’s complicity in the work of White Supremacy”, is to suggest that this “truth” is appropriate for every class of black person. And since they demand that the radical black assimilationist make his or her motive clear, they necessarily imply that this “truth” should be available to everyone, in every class.
If all radical black assimilationists are required to disclose their intentions, then Racial Realist & Fisher and co. necessarily assume that people will accept such labels as “radical black assimilationist” to be universally valid across all class lines. If a middle class black parent enrolls her child in a predominately white private school, then Racial Realist & Fisher and co. would feel better and sleep better at night if said parent came out and disclosed their motives openly to the community by saying, “Yes, I put my child in a predominately white school because I’m a radical black assimilationist”, and all the while, the child will grow up without any idea that he or she is a future “radical black assimilationist” who will receive the label by virtue of a decision that he or she had no choice in making. Radical black assimilationism begets more and more innocent and natural versions of assimilationism, such that the open disclosure of the motive of assimilation they desire would become less and less necessary and even retarded.
Furthermore, in what way does blogging about radical black assimilationists contribute to the battle against white supremacy? I seriously can’t tell. Unless you think you can shame them into conformity, which is silly. As far as I’m concerned, if you’re not actively busting up the KKK’s plans, then you aren’t doing a damn thing to combat white supremacy.
Thanks everyone for your comments. I apologize for the delay in moderating the comments - I am away at the moment (since August 12th and will be home on August 20th).
Michael Fisher Said:
As to black folks in the UK.
I’ve done a LOT of business in the UK, even had an office there for some years. My company promoted concerts at Wembley, the MEN Arena in Manchester, the NEC Arena in Birminghan, the Brixton Academy, the Civic center in Wolverhampton, you name it.
We searched and searched for some British brothers or sisters who were willing and able to break the white Briton’s monopoly on at the very least the black music business (that includes US black music imported into the UK).
We couldn’t find any. NOT ONE. We had to put an American brother in charge of our office.
Now the REASON the white folks have a monopoly on the black music business in the UK is because the few black British music executives throw EVERYTHING, and I mean EVERYTHING to the white boys.
It is sickening.
Worse than the US, and it is really bad over here.
Thanks for sharing…the attitudes in the UK are indeed sickening…if you consider the likely mindsets of people who are attracted to the UK in the first place and the subsequent whitewashing of their offspring,your experiences are not surprising. In my opinion, the UK is one of the most unhealthy places for black people in the world with reference to just about every area of life - employment/ upward mobility, health, education etc. Mental illness is a particular problem (as illustrated by research http://www.mentalhealthcare.org.uk/research/expanded/index.php?id=11)
I’m an educated white male. I’m ignorant to what white assimilation means. I’ve moved to different areas in the US and each spot has a different white culture, to the point I’m not sure what my culture is supposed to be myself. Is this different for blacks? It seems like most living cultures go beyond racial boundaries. Executives have a culture. Musicians have a culture. Engineers have a culture (I’m a part of that one). Christians, Muslims, farmers, scientists, body builders. What you say is true, no one gets accepted into a community unless they show respect for that community. I just wonder if its really about the color of skin.
One of the most essential aspect that was ignored here
when analyzing assimilation was the role of culture.Assimilation entails cultural absorption, therefore unassimilation,the lack of it. The truth is throughout the Diaspora, most English speaking blacks were born, ready made assimilated. You are the most assimilated blacks the world over. All of your traditions,cultures, politics, schooling, mores, worldview, art, sense of beauty, hopes and dreams, are not pro Black.Other than the African spirituality, which is just too darn strong to be disrupted.
None of you have anything remotely close to our ancestors, or African. Nada. And please, this has nothing to do with skin complexion.Anglo Blacks, you have no dances, no native dress,and no rituals or ceremonies, or languages that can be traced back to the land of our ancestors. Nada.We should never make the mistake and confuse culture with politics. The Anglo world is very advanced but it is culturally dead, and retarded especially for Blacks. I always tell my Afro Caribbean and African American friends that the Puerto Ricans are more Africans than them. I have lived among Blacks in Bahia, Brazil and in Portobelo, Panama where African and Black culture is so alive that nothing else matters, but Black people. I remember meeting a Puerto Rican artist at an exhibit gallery in New York City, who had spent an entire year living with elderly Black priestesses women in temples in Bahia. These elderly Black women, some of the sweetest, and finest in humanity, and love had taught and groomed him for his role as an artist of Afro culture.Culture is vital to the survival of Black people.
With humility, I make it my business and duty to learn about Black people wherever they are on this planet. The internet is a blessing to Black folks, it has united us.I recommend browsing all of the websites and magazines on line that cater to black people. Yes, put the word Afro in front of every country in the Americas,example such as Afro Peru, Afro Colombia, Afro Brazil, Afro Uruguay, Afro Cuba, Afro Costa Rica, etc.And do not believe that Afro latinos hate African Americans. It is a lie. There is a lot we can do and learn from each other.If we are really serious, and honest, in our concern for Black people and in changing our destiny, the test is in how much we truly love each other.
There is a strong Afro movement throughtout Latin America. But one thing, if this new Black Nationanism does not entail a strong African cultural revival, consider it to be futile, an impossibility, or a travail on a rocky track toward an endless destination.
Gray conservative, to be the devil’s advocate, my question is, why is assimilation/integration always assumed to be a good thing? There is nothing wrong with integration/assimilation if it helps you to gain freedom and you are already accepted, but that is not the case with black folks; and if we are honest, black people have lost more than they gained from integration/assimilation or whatever you choose to call it. All the assimilation/integration we have experienced has not helped us to gain enough autonomy in culture, economics or any other realm to affect change for ourselves because we have always sacrificed our goals/interests/etc. for someone else or some other ideal to achieve an assimilation/integration that gains nothing. No we may not all have the same interest all the time, but we are in the same boat for the most part and most of the time.Despite divisions, all the other groups that have more success than blacks, are successful because they do not allow their disparate interests to thwart all things racial. It would be some of us to stop doing it.
Brandon Henderson,people do not transcend racism, they just deny it. Anyway,it has been proven that Whites, Latinos, Asians oppose having blacks for neighbors more than any other group although blacks are the ones that are usually more likely to want to live in diverse neighborhoods. I say none of this to say that non-blacks have a monopoly on racism/prejudice or whatever, just to say the colorblind utopia you believe the world to be is not the way the world really is. Which leads me to wonder if the encounters some people experience is mostly about skin color more than anything else.(In other words, the opposite of what you say). We all know both people of color/whites have members that can be non-social,anti-social, but still.
Brandon Henderson wrote: I’m an educated white male. I’m ignorant to what white assimilation means. and then a bunch of stuff suggesting that that there no overarching white cultural system.
Brandon: your education and position in the system has indeed kept you *ignorant*. I hope you are taking that seriously.
You wrote: to the point I’m not sure what my culture is supposed to be myself.
White (European) cultural system confuses what culture is. The cultural system you are an insider in has, at its core, the supreme valuation of power and control, and (not surprisingly) has disconnection and hierarchy as primary themes.
But this system tells its insiders that it does not exist (there is no “white culture”
so that the quest for power and control and other cultural practices appear to insiders to be products of universal “human nature” rather than the specific cultural system of a specific group. This is one of its illusions.
Telling this to white people usually yields a list of “look at all the bad stuff non-Europeans have done” — another way to avoid noticing the specificity of the cultural system that has power and control at its core.
So, you may not feel sure what “your culture is supposed to be,” but I’d bet you that you know (even if you don’t know you know)how to be an actual practitioner of that culture, and that you practice this culture every day one way or another — as part of what it means for you to survive and function inside this system.
If you attend closely to patterns of behavior across white people, to the rules and norms of white-dominated society and institutions, you may begin to see that what you feel as not-there (eg “normal” “the way things are” and “people just being people”
may actually be a specific cultural system that you’re inside.
How you feel the situation (not perceiving a white culture) is a typical thing for white people. Ignorance about the system you move in is a typical thing for white people. It is even a cultural mindset.
Why are we punishing ourselves for surviving slavery. I am not feeling guilty for any interests of mine. I do not assimilate, I choose what inspires me to enjoy life. I know this is an inate quality that no one group has coined the supremacy status on.
All groups ususrp and borrow customs from each other. You will find assimilation and coercion always in the dominant or enpowered group. Asians, latinos, and native americans, poleynisians, carribeans, and other groups assimilate, facing the same issues of knowing that this is a tool for acceptance, and more so them, than black americans.
When a minorities are urbanized due to employment and access to resources to improve their life-style, they are assimilated and conditioned by rules made by the dominant group in the U.S.A. Colonialism is rampant through-out Africa, India, Mexico, and the carribean.
I really understand that with all the problems that are overwhelming black americans, the community will survive and prosper when we use resources without feeling shame of ourselves by saying it is assimilation, no it is business!
If you don’t use it you will loose it, we lost our true language, but we survived, and I ask now only to loose the new language, becuase we feel berated or degraded by qguilt of assimilation?
The irish, polish, italians, portuguese assimilated to the dominated and enpowered anglicans.
All humans have a gene that is connected to the mother continent of Africa. So, mother Africa has evolved and assimilated across the globe! It is adaptation and determination. I am very comfortable and proud of myself.