From the Desk of
David C. Harrington
Moving Toward a More Perfect Union
Race is a pseudoscientific false classification that describes physical traits, origin, classification & preferences. Since as far back as the 17
th
century, these classifications included:
·
Negroid [Black]
·
Australoid [Australian]
·
Mongoloid [Oriental}
·
Caucasoid [White]
Of course, in the 17
th
century, these classifications were schemed to demonstrate Caucasian superiority and supremacy. Europe, particularly the two dominate superpowers- Britain and France justified colonialism through spreading cultural dominance and describing the rest of the world in barbaric terms. Colonialism, from a white superiority lens, brought order to a chaotic dark world. This framing gave credence to Europe as global power.
From the Beginning [Kendi], these classifications served a purpose: to force, by any means, European civilization upon people and places whose culture was seen as deviant and uncivil. Whether through religion or philosophy, European colonialism sought to extol their quest as holy and righteous-freeing dark peoples from their barbaric ways. Scripture and other so-called religious documents gave credence to spread the gospel of servitude and submission. “Slaves submit yourselves to your masters” was the clarion call to subjugation. This false doctrine followed by unmitigated violence were the seeds of anti-Black racism. Anti-Black racism, than is a system of beliefs and tactics intended on purporting the superiority and supremacy of white people. In purporting this notion, racism manufactures notions of racial inferiority, institutional policies and cultural norms that intentionally promote segregation over civil & economic equity.
Even under the guise of “all men are created equal” the slavery enterprise was in full throttle; in fact, slavery would continue for almost another 100 years.
The Emancipation Proclamation and Juneteenth, did little to curb white supremacy’s reign to lock out freed Blacks from voting, owning property and peacefully assembling. The rise of the Ku Klux Klan, the bombing of Black Wall Street in Greenwood Oklahoma, lynchings, incarcerations, and segregation are but a few tactics that grounded racism in this country’s early founding...
