Newspaper Page Text
I recently participated in
a dialogue with a very able
intellectual who held that
homosexuality is a sin. I was
amazed at his ability to
construct a very reasonable
position that included an
appeal to the authority of God
in the Christian conception.
This extraordinary
student forced me to re
evaluate my own position on
the issue. While
deconstructing and
reconstructing my position, I
was reminded of a time when
Christianity was used to
validate the subjugation of my
ancestors through slavery.
.. I rather appeal to humanity. Being who I am,a Black male who has experienced oppression myself,
I would never wish such a dreaded institution on another group -
let alone sanction or enact it myself.”
Homophobia a crime against humanity
A major failing of world
religions is the absolutism
with which they lay claim to
be authorities on ethical
standards. The dogmatic
character of world religions
leads to a propensity for them
to legitimize persecution.
The reason for this
shortcoming of world
religions has little to do with
God or gods. Clearly, religion
serves secular rather than
spiritual purposes. Religion
functions to further social and
political agendas that satisfy
man, rather than God. The
definitions and conceptions
put forth by religions add
little, if any, spiritual value to
our souls. Therefore, I
recognize that I have little
ground to defend my fellow
man from the social and
political oppression exacted
by hate mongers by appealing
to any religious conception of
God or gods.
As such, I rather appeal to
humanity. Being who I am, a
Black male who has
experienced oppression
myself, I would never wish
such a dreaded institution on
another group — let alone
sanction or enact it myself. I
realize the fragility of
humanity. A religious man
became agitated because I said
humanity is sui generis: it can
not be codified in moral
principles of right and wrong.
It is that common bond uniting
all of mankind that transcends
artificial social or political
constructions.
As such, I believe with
every fiber of my being that
oppression is a sin against
humanity even if religions
refuse to acknowledge it as a
sin against God.
Those who know and
understand that humanity is
an end in itself and treat it as
such will see the rationality
behind my views. Those who
don't believe that every
human being, by nature,
deserves the same rights,
privileges, and considerations
will shrug off what I say and
choose to remain in their
hollow sphere of inhumanity.
If we do not recognize the
preciousness of our spiritual
and physical existence soon,
our hate and
uncompassionate behavior
will destroy it leaving us
barren, destitute and soulless.
Tolerance is not enough; what
we need is understanding
first, and then we must
embrace humanity without
regard to insignificant
differences such as sexual
orientation.
. ,1 have heard attempts to
validate oppression of
homosexuals through appeals
to"' freedom of thought,
expression, etc. As a person
who holds freedom as the
highest secular end to be
achieved, I also realize that
freedom that encroaches on
the liberties of others ceases to
be freedom, but becomes
tyranny.
We have a unique
opportunity for humanity. We
know of no other chance like
this one in the universe. Let us
not squander it by hating one
another and destroying this
opportunity. There is one
world, one life and one
humanity that transcends all
social and political agendas. I
implore you; spread peace
through love and
understanding before
malignity consumes our souls.
Black Consciousness vital for America
Dear Editor:
This is a response to the article, "Is Blackness the embodiment
of oppression?" by Aaron Chilton [MT November 5,1998].
It is evident that Morehouse is socially and politically tolerant
and open to all kinds of views by the appearance of his article
in the school newspaper. His attempt to equate "Da House" to
an institution like Bob Jones University in South Carolina is
deeply flawed and unwarranted.
It is important to note that Blacks were dubbed inferior and
took on that identity, unwillingly and unhappily. As a matter
of fact, they were killed, raped, maimed, and thrust into
involuntary servitude. An infamous quote by Chief Justice
Taney of the U.S. Supreme Court validated that inferiority when
his opinion said that Blacks were "so far inferior, that they had
no rights which the White man is bound to respect; and that
the Negro might justly and lawfully be reduced to slavery for
his benefit" (Dredd Scott v. Stanford, 1857)
All through American history, race, racism and skin color
had been the standard by which means of survival were
determined.
If Mr. Chilton is so nauseated by the concept of Blackness
why is he attending a HBCU? The frequent attacks on HBCUs
under the pretense of justifying the Brown decision of 1954, at
the same time abolishing affirmative action programs used to
enforce that decision shows that "abandoning the notions of
race" is a fallacy.
If Mr. Chilton wants to sacrifice his sense of Black culture in
order to eradicate racism, he can be my guest. The truth is
minorities have been giving up too much in this country in
order to survive.
Instead of asking Blacks to give up their culture, he should
ask our white counterparts to submit theirs unconditionally.
Rasaq "Akim" Balogun '00
Aaron Chilton's assault
on Black consciousness, Is
Blackness the Embodiment of
Oppression? is a woefully
inadequate argument. Aaron
deserves some credit for
raising the issues above the
prattle of sophomoric
dormitory pity parties, or the
demagogic harangues of the
less critical, often moronic,
pseudo-African American
brothers who have read (or
heard) just enough Diop,
Obenga, Finch and Asante to
be dangerous. It takes
courage to be openly
Conservative, Republican
and non-racial on this
campus. However, Mr.
Chilton's arguments are so
flawed that discursive
integrity requires an earnest
critique.
Most damaging to Mr.
Chilton's rhetorical posture is
his own recognition that
"deconstructing race results in
losing Black culture." A price
Mr. Chilton is "willing to pay
to eradicate racism." How
gracious of Aaron to make
that decision for every African
American who has ever lived
or will ever be born!. This is
the self-defeating arrogance,
the defining ethos of Chilton's
conservatism.
In this effort to eradicate
racism Aaron does not
suggests that the Irish, Italian
or German Americans
surrender unifying
identification with martyrs and
patriots, from the glories of the
Renaissance or the
Reformation. Aaron does not
call on Israel to give up its
3300-year-old culture
originating out of a response to
African oppression. Every
culture's moment of defining
agency can be framed in terms
of a "triumphant underclass"
striving to overcome
oppression.
Unilateral cultural
disarmament is too expensive.
America has a black mother.
The sweat and tears of a
million slaves were the
breaking waters that heralded
the birth of this nation.
"Blackened" hands—both
soiled and born, sowed and
hammered, harvested and
nurtured this toddler nation
through its tremulous infancy.
In droves Hispanics and
Asians, poor English, Irish,
Polish and Germans and
abducted Africans adopted
this pathetic urchin of a nation
and lovingly labored it into
greatness. Native Americans,
African slaves and valiant
solders buried in mass
unmarked graves sacrificed all
so that this place might one
day recognize freedom as a
right of birth. These sacred
mounds insist on a definition
of citizen and society that
includes everyone and all
groups.
Chilton's transparent
polemic is only an
inexpensive, semi literate
facsimile of more critical
arguments from Kwame
Appiah , Glen Loury and
Thomas Sowell. Like his more
learned conservative
"brothers" he chooses his
targets uncritically and
depreciates the value of the
vital nuances between
exclusionary racial identity
and bonding cultural
ethnicity.
I have a counter proposal.
Whites should give up their
culture's dependence on the
negation of the value and
humanity of others. I propose
they adopted the prophetic
identity paradigm of
interdependent valued
community. Martin Luther
King Jr. and Howard Thurman
are not cultural accidents.
Black consciousness might
heal privileged whites who
tend to suffer from a cultic
concupiscence (a notion I
borrow from theologian Paul
Tillich), an insatiable desire to
draw all things into
themselves. Whites should
reject the negation of culture
—that is white race privilege—
and identify with all people by
picking a color like puce or
rose for themselves. America
is "colored." The 21-century
will be multicultured and
pluralistic. The solution to
racial problems in America is
not the eradication of black
consciousness but the
adoption of its prophetic
healing ethos.
Toby Sanders '00