0 Land of the Free?

I feel a bit of resentment to America. I am not on spectrum of an extremist like Al-Qaeda or intense Black Nationalist nor am I Americans biggest fans.  Am I neutral? No. 

American history is depressing.

Forget all the fluffly abstract terms you hear like “the land of the free” or the “American dream”. How is this possible? The ethos of this country was created on mass genocide and enslavement.  You cannot just sweep that under the rug.

Native Americans- Mass Genocide

The legacy of colonization, forced migration and treaty violations is still an itch on the American story. In the Native Americans community, there is an abnormal level of: suicides (especially teens), alcoholism and a lot live in third world living conditions.

Systematically their identity was shred.

After having to fight for rights, in their own country, the people were allocated land and declared “self-determined”. However, with the discovery of GOLD, the infamous Black Hills was stolen back, once again by the American government. They try to pay off the Indians, but as everyone born into capitalism often forgets- money isn’t everything.

You cannot buy: History. Identity. Culture. And so powerfully, the Sioux people tell the naive government “The Black Hills are not for sale”. They want it back, and their cries should not be ignored just because they are minorities.

African Americans- Enslavement 

"Slavery has never been abolished from the American way of thinking"- Nina Simone

Additionally, the plight of African Americans is so painful and sad. I think of: slavery, segregation and poverty. They too, are people stripped of their identity, so that instead of calling themselves “Gambian”, “Ethiopian” or “Nigerian”- they are just branded as African American.

Freedom

Liberals would claim the state is the mechanism that enhances freedom- but does this only apply to mainstream American? A random politician may apologize for their ancestor’s mistakes, but what does that do? What can we do now?  

The last straw of colonization is when the colonisers don’t have to do anything to destruct the people. The people do it to themselves. Through drugs, alcohol, violence, sex etc…

The American government destroyed the culture and identity of both groups, and so I think its impossible to use the same tool to enhance their freedom or give them back an identity- through initiatives such as Affirmative Action.  

Through the oppression of these two groups it just shows, America tries to spread democracy all over the world but cant implement it in their land.

They are so arrogant and fast to intervene in countries across the world when so many groups and issues in their country are continuously ignored.

So in regards to why  “I feel a bit of resentment to America”, I don’t even have to look at history. I think of, the Fourth of July holiday; drug addicted African Americans or maybe even the absence of Native people from mainstream life. These groups cannot just be ignored because they are minorities.

1 The irony of Obamas tears

The irony of Obamas tears

The Connecticut shooting is a clear example of the pure evil humans are capable of. 

I’ve thought about it and have come to the conclusion…

There is never a good justification for killing a child. Most of the time, there is not really a good justification for killing an adult too. Those children did not deserve death; but as brutal as it sounds, maybe their wicked deaths will be used as a means to an end. To finally, tackle or the anachronisms of the US like guns and maybe capital punishment (the 2nd is unlikely)!

Now, the reason Obama’s tears are ironic is because he himself has indirectly killed many children- probably the same age as the unfortunate victims of the Newton disaster. It is reported, he has a secret Kill List and every Tuesday he decides which non-American “terrorist” will die. It is as simple as that.

Drone Strikes work like a computer game you can buy in shops. Its remote controlled operated, the only difference is, when you press the button you kill-for real.

Obama has used drones to whip out most of Al-Qaeda- but with this come the killing of ordinary Pakistani and Yemenis citizens. Sometimes they justify it by arguing, “oh know they were terrorists” and when caught out, its that same “means to an end argument” used.

So, what makes Mr President so different from Adam Lanza (shooter)?  Is it that he lives in a big house and flies around in a cool jet? Why does he cry for American children, but there is no real sympathy for the innocent people he kills every week?

Its just not fair…

It’s not fair on those dying aimlessly across both sides of the pond.  Obama is being hypocritical standing there with tears in his eyes as parents morn. He himself is no different to Adam Lanza- but that does not mean we are either. Even before you read this, you knew about America’s imperialistic approach in foreign policy. Do you know what that makes you… what is makes us is dirty hypocrites. Like they used to say in regards to bullying “if you don’t do anything, you’re just as bad as the bully”.

2 I want to write a letter to Obama.

I want to write a letter to Obama. I want to ask him a question. This question is not just for him- it concerns his administration, his government and his country. I want to explore the elephant in the room that still defines his presidency and so much of what his legacy will be. Race.

Race is a vulnerable subject. Mentioning the obvious physical differences between you and a peer can sometimes be awkward, embarrassing or just feel like a tedious “get-over-it” subject.

Race can make a confident person feel insecure, it can be used as a weapon of: abuse, betrayal, and condemnation. But race can also be a great thing that allows people to not only tolerate those who are different, but also learn from them. 

Whichever way you want to tackle the inequalities between races it seems biased- because, you are your ethnicity and it may be easier to empathies with your own people.

I do not know... I have to question whether I emphasise with certain things because of my race. Do I think more about why:

Why are there still arbitrary wars in places like Congo?

More than…

When will the international community intervene to save minorities like the Hazara people (Afghanistan) or Palestines?

Is it because I know more about the Congo? Is it because I am black and so I will choose to know more? Or is it just because I think it’s a larger issue?

Humans are self-interested by nature. When we are not thinking of ourselves, we are thinking of our families. If we are not thinking of our families, we are thinking about the nation we come from. Nation… not states. 

A nation can be your culture but it is mostly about having something that connects you to the tenacity of the people concerned. Going back to the Congo example- they are part of my nation because we are both black. However, equally Hazara and Palestine women are also part of my nation because I am female. 

Coming from a certain culture means you have an obligation to care about others from that culture. This means, if they are in an unpleasant position, intuitively you want to help because you really do know- it could have been you. So again, we continue to be self-interested.

Obama’s race may be a gift and a burden unto him. He is from to different nations, so essentially he has a duty to help all his national people flourish. I am not talking about “American” people. I am talking about the Kenyan Kansas blood that runs through his veins.

Unlike Bush, Clinton and all the other white men who used to be he is not fully white. Nor, as many forget, is he a fully black man. Therefore, he can tackle the race issue in America like none of his predecessors. He can help the plight of the black man without making the white man feel uncomfortable. 

America is mighty. Each American president goes around “solving” the world’s problems. So I should not forget, Obama is the chief of the world’s police. In the words of Spiderman, “with great power, comes great responsibility”, so Obama is probably busy. It seems presumptuous of be to think Obama needs to be tackling inequalities, poverty and domestic conflicts- when I guess there’s more “important issues”. So maybe, Ill just forget the letter.

0 Post Feminist problems

Do you find it difficult to find tights in the morning? Sometimes, do you have to pick between finding that tight black dress and eating breakfast? Papers, clothes are they congregated around your room. You have become so used to being in a rush you only do the absolute essentials when it comes to make up. And is there ever a time to really do your hair?

You are not alone.

We have all romantisced about what real relaxation is like. The sort of leisure that makes you smile like a chump.

You see, its not that women have become equal next to a man, in places of work. Its more that they have taken on all the their previous “female roles” like looking attractive and child bearing, whilst also doing the alleged “masculine duties” such as being the bread winners. Every day not only do we put on mascara and straighten our hair, we also have to put on a penis.

Women have received a crap deal. We are sacrificing ourselves for nothing more than futile labor.

The domestic life could be the ticket out of eternal fatigue.

Why don’t you: quit your studies, quit your career and get married? You could.

You could go into your place of work; quit your job and wed the ugliest but richest guy. You could… but don’t.

All I am saying is: does the post-feminist woman have enough time to “have it all”, “be it all”, “do it all”? I am skeptical. Women within the media show this circus display, were they balance all the different aspects of their lives.

The average women cannot be a Beyoncé or a Heidi Klum- pop a baby and look amazing on the red carpet a few weeks later! The majority of us are just mere humans. We are too fat or too skinny. You want a bigger bum and boobs (or smaller depending on your preference).

One issue at a time- slow and steady.

What we have to remember is, that if biology was our friends we would be prettier- it will not wait for you! However at the other side of the equilibrium is your career: it is important and why should men only pursue it.

Which ever route one chooses, the question is always at what price are you paying? What is the sacrifice for staying late at the office or not going to work because your child is ill? At some point, we all choose.

0 Inspiring a generation?

Sebastian Coe bidding for the Olympics

The Olympics was meant to be for the children of East London and the world, but who does it really benefit? 

Sitting in an auditorium in Singapore waiting for all the speeches and bids to be delivered. What is irritating everyone is the harsh air conditioning and awkward small talk in between bids. All but one camera is focused on Paris- the city of fashion, bistros and crossiants, to host the Olympics.

To those who aren't from England, London may seem confusing crowded and just too busy for such an international celebration of sports. However, when Sebastian Coe (chairman of the Olympic organising committee) stood up with his sweaty palms and nervous smirk, those on the committee were persuaded, the cameras had a new focus.

He gave his speech on how important the event would be to the children and youth of one of the most depreived areas of not just Britian but Europe. Everyone was sold.  

“To make athletes it takes millions of children around the world to be inspired to choose sport” London was going to host the Olympics.

London won as we brought the children who would be “inspired” with us, we persuaded the world the Olympics was an obligation to us. Unlike other countries we wanted to host it not only for the next generation in East London but the next generation across the world. So at the heart of the Olympics is the London kids those brought up in this ever changing city.

But it hasn't. Speaking to many of my peers who live in London and particularly East London all the Olympics has done is inconvience and annoy the masses. With children centres being knocked down, and youth workers losing thier jobs because of a lack of funding and space, how can we say we are inspring the residents of East London?

For many my age there are no jobs, and in the weeks to come a lack of transport despite the benefical facade of the Olympics. For some unfortunate East Londoners missiles are being deployed on their roofs which not only breaches their Human Rights but are making the childern who live there “very afraid”.

Thus, I cannot say that the Olympics is inspiring a generation- we are not part of it. The average inner city London family was not able to afford tickets. The bidders used and exploited my generation for the Olympics- but will we ever reap the rewards?

0 The Chinese buffet in your religious place to worship....

The Chinese buffet in your religious place to worship....

You know how you go into a Chinese buffet and only pick the things you like e.g. my plate consits of special fried rice, prawn curry and Singapore noodles. Yeah, well it's the same with religion. I would class myself as a buffet Christian someone who picks what they like from the religion like I pick my food from a buffet.

I feel many would judge me for having this view; but hear me out before you do....I refuse to lie to myself pretending that I intend to follow every law in my Holy book. Although in this post I focus on Christianity I am adamant Muslims, Jews, Hindus etc all choose what they want to focus on too.

The Old Testament is FULL of archaisms that somehow don't completely merge with the modern world, just look at:

Deuteronomy 25:11-12
"11 If two men are fighting and the wife of one of them comes to rescue her husband from his assailant, and she reaches out and seizes him by his private parts,
12 you shall cut off her hand. Show her no pity." (NIV)
Or

Exodus 21:17

"Anyone who cures their father or mother must be put to death" (NIV)

Or 

Leviticus 19:27
You shall not shave around the sides of your heads, neither shall you disfigure the corners of your beard


I personally don’t know anyone who follows these laws. It's hard to think of a moment when these imperatives would come into play, but nevertheless if it wasn't important it wouldn't be in the Bible...right? When I've asked people about these archaic laws I get the same responses  "some laws are universal, and some are just for the time". That's a fair point, but how are you distinguishing between what is meant for the Biblical time and what is a law forever?

In contrast, Genies 21…  Abraham is about to kill (his child) Isaac, religious believers agree this testimony is applicable to our modern world. I was in church and we were discussing the story as it was father’s day. The main point of argument was the sheer faith it would take to sacrifice your only child (with Sarah). I commented that in 2012 if a man was about to sacrifice his child because he heard a message from God... Childline, social services and newspapers alike would be called. When questioned about this I always get answers such as "oh well you wouldn't do that now, but obviously it happened then" or "No I wouldn't follow that, that's just laws for the biblical time- obviously not for now". This means that because it’s a biblical story so rationality and logic can be ignored. Unlike my previous examples of Deuteronomy or Exodus misters, scholars, and worshippers do see a place for this anecdote in the modern world.

I personally have no issue in somehow putting my rationality to the side; so that I can truly believe or have faith. A lot of the things we do are irrational e.g. blowing birthday cakes or not eating a certain detestable food.  I like many; have subjective logic- the only difference is I don't try and hide it; I embrace it. I know that not every rule in the Bible is applicable to my life; I recognize that so I try and choose what is right for me. This doesn't sound like what you learn in churches, mosques or temples but regardless it happens anyway.

For example; I've known the religious to use

Leviticus 20:13 - "If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They must be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads." (NIV)

to justify homophobia whilst conveniently ignoring

Deuteronomy 14:8 ' The pig is also unclean; although it has a divided hoof, it does not chew the cud. You are not to eat their meat or touch their carcasses.' (NIV);
so that the forbidden animal can be eaten- although prohibited in both the Quran and Bible. These laws both come from the Old Testament yet one is accepted whilst the other is rejecting the other.

And I ask you how are we choosing? What lets us know that pork can be eaten but homosexuality must be forbidden… I can tell you:
We choose what is relatively right; Polls have shown 45/50% of Americans take the Bible literally so they get all they know from religion. However, if we don't kill our children when they disobey us; cut off our wives hands or shave the corners of our beards then we are getting our morals from somewhere else. Like R.Dawkins argues some religious believer’s morals are the world rather than their Holy Book- but I don’t think there is anything wrong with that.



We  can’t take everything in our Holy Books literally- that is what causes fundamentalism and perhaps terrorism. For example,

Quran (2:191-193) - "And slay them wherever ye find them, and drive them out of the places whence they drove you out, for persecution [of Muslims] is worse than slaughter [of non-believers]... but if they desist, then lo! Allah is forgiving and merciful.   And fight them until persecution is no more, and religion is for Allah."
Could be used by Muslims to justify terrorism.

To conclude, religious books can be barbaric and primitive yet wise and thought provoking. Not all the time do I have to over-think things such as how a virgin can have a baby; how someone born of flesh can be Gods son; or how old people can produce children. Just like S. Kierkegaard I cant use logic and rationality to worship God- its just sheer faith and belif and that’s what makes religion so beautiful.
So I will not follow everything in the Bible but the laws on being thankful, love and compassion will be highlighted in my Bible- along with the 10 commandments

K. Marx argues “Religion is the opium of the people” mean we need it like a drug and it helps us to survive in such a brutal unforgiving world- and there is nothing wrong with that. I do believe in the Christian God and personally, I think I take the New Testament more seriously. 

I am neither trying to critisce religion or blapshem... Just my opinion, I would love you to comment and challenge it.
 I'm truly interested if you take the literally, please have drop a comment! :)

Here is a video.. to understand further:

2 The insecurities of Black women

The insecurities of Black women

Understanding chemical relaxers, weave and “nappy” hair.

It always angers me to hear people asking why “black women’s hair doesn’t grow?” or criticising them for buying and wearing fake hair. Let’s be honest, the majority of black women will not grow their natural hair. I am part of this depressing majority, my mum starting to relax my hair at the age of 7/8 because it was so thick and unmanageable presumably.  Many ask why we all do this to ourselves? Why don’t we let our beautiful God-given tight curls grow into a magnificent Afro, so that all the other races can ask if “they can touch it?” and “take pictures”.

Well I’ll tell you why. We are not a freak show- when I think of natural hair I have four pre-conceived ideas of it.

1.      A freed slave

2.      Afrocentrics- One of those pro-black power people, who love black and hate everything else

3.      Lower class person

4.      Someone who just came to the country

 Why would we want to be the race with the untamed wild slave hair. Yes! When women have their natural Afro- hair most of the time I think of a freed slave.
This is a ridiculous problem which bubbles underneath the facade of the black community. Beyond the £4.99 hair relaxers, £180 Brazilian weave and £3 moisturising creams, lays a deep dark secret only known to those who will listen. It’s a story of submission and slavery.

But first...we must understand the context.

Herbert Marcuse a (political theorist) believed the rich in society “deliver the goods”, which means they choose what they want us to accept. Those wealthy in the democracy decide what should be discussed through the media. Thus, the contemporary worlds values and ideas come from the most affluent- the West and the richest people in the world. Those who are most affluent in today’s society tend not be black women and if they are- they themselves distance themselves from “nappy” hair. E.g Oprah Winfrey, Beyonce, Rhianna etc.

During slavery, having straighter or less coarse hair was a commodity for survival as it was more favoured by the white masters. They may have been more likely to receive and education or to be set free when their master dies. Thus, straighter has been seen as better or “good hair”; a lot of black women would rather copy their white peers instead of face their real “nappy” hair.  The masters imperialised the black slave communities idea about their natural hair and as a result Afro-hair in the contemporary world Afro-hair can be seen a stigma amongst black women. The affluent control the media- which decide what should be discussed and is accepted if the media only show campaigns urging straighter hair- like a white person there will only be a specific idea of beauty.

To conclude, we will not embrace this natural hair that grows constantly underneath the cornrows and tracks of weave because it seems almost impossible. I don’t feel like I could wake up one morning and rock and Afro for the rest of my life. However I think this is a bad and good thing. It’s bad because it just reminds us that the contemporary world is still governed by Western imperialism. Emphasised by the fact that, in American the population of black women is a mere 6%, yet they make up 80% of the hair industry. The black women will spend fortunes on the best hair and be in £1000s of debt whilst the Asian community make millions off their insecurities.

Malcolm X says 'the white [man] has taught you to hate yourself so much that you put [weave/relaxer] in your hair to make it more like his hair'. 

However, the good thing about weave or relaxers is it provides agility, conformity and new looks.

So I'm going to be realistic to all black women and say to them. Wear weave, relax your hair or rock it natural- but just know the context behind it.

Me with kind of natural hair (still got chemicals though)

Me with weave