- Oct 13, 2001
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Even the animated world knows what's up.
- Apr 27, 2002
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"Pan-Africanism is a global movement promoting the unity, solidarity, and self-determination of African people on the continent and in the diaspora, born from the shared struggles against slavery, colonialism, and racism to foster cultural pride, economic strength, and political independence, advocating for a unified African identity and collective liberation."
My POV is Black Americans are no more African than White Americans are European or Asian Americans are Asian.
As such, words like "diaspora" and phrases like "Pan-Africanism" do not resonate with me.
Sounds like propaganda.
What do Black Americans gain by identifying as/with Africans?
If Black Americans have nothing to gain, then who does?
My time is better spent focusing on my own interests right here at home.
If Black Americans are not African, then Pan-Africanism has nothing to do with us.
As it relates to African "culture," it's poor taste to throw stones from glass houses
i don't believe pan africanism even originates from the continent of africa? or at least not exclusively as there may have a mutual affinity for the idea...it certainly is a kind of propaganda, of a lesser (or greater depending on the perspective) level as zionism/zionists.
i definitely think black americans are more african than white americans but i take your point to be that black americans are separate & distinct from africans fully such that it midas whale be the casewhile i don't know what is to be gained by identifying as/with pan africanist/ism generally, specific alliances 'could' in theory prove to be advantageous for those involved but then it wouldn't quite be pan africanism/ist
- Jan 16, 2011
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Benin grants citizenship to slave descendants as it faces its own role in the trade
Some African Americans are among those are taking advantage of a new law in Benin that grants citizenship to those who can trace their lineage to the slave trade.
apnews.com
There are practical reasons why the cultural ideals of pan-Africanism can't be achieved.
However, a modern understanding of the idea is similar to the ideas that supported the creation of the European Union, which aimed to end the frequent conflicts on their continent (which fueled colonialism, imperialism, and eventually WWI and II) and to increase their economic influence through cooperation.
Why don't you watch that documentary on the history of American cuisine?
Plenty has also been written about Africans, African Americans, and the continuity of their cultural heritage throughout space and time, with the takeaway being that historical circumstances have made the relationship between the peoples of the Black diaspora a lot more complex, entangled, and nuanced than some here want it to be.
See review in spoilers.
In "Exchanging Our Country Marks: The Transformation of African Identities in the Colonial and Antebellum South", Michael A. Gomez examines the creation of a distinct African American identity among slaves of differing African identities in colonial North America. He draws largely upon the work of ethnologists to describe the cultural features of different African tribal groups and compares these with contemporary descriptions of slaves from colonial newspapers and the WPA’s interviews with former slaves in the 1930s. Gomez concludes of his analysis, “Prior to 1830, the movement toward race and away from ethnicity met with varying degrees of success relative to place and period, and in any case was significantly influenced by ethnic antecedents. In some cases, social stratification within the African American community can be related to preceding ethnic differences. But whether related to ethnicity or not, classism emerged as the principal obstacle to a race-based collective concept” (pg 4). Gomez’s analysis anticipates the work of Stephanie Smallwood in analyzing the difference between salt-water and country-born slaves.
Religion plays a key role in Gomez’s analysis. He argues, “The nature of the Islamic faith in West Africa was such that, upon transfer to North America, it tended to transcend the specific ethnicities of its adherents. Muslims in America, whether Fulbe or Mandinka or Hausa, had the capacity to relate to one another and to the non-Muslim world as Muslims” (pg 59-60). He believes “that Islam’s most enduring contribution to the African-based community was its role in the negotiation of intrasocial relations” (pg 82). Beyond organized religion, Gomez argues, “Significant portions of the West Central African metaphysical view survived the transatlantic passage, deeply influencing African American religion and culture” (pg 114). Even those who adopted Christianity did so while incorporating elements of African tradition, such as water baptism and ring shouts.
While West Central Africa was populated by various disparate groups, Gomez writes, “Once removed from the West Central African context and relocated to America, however, the commonality of the Bantu languages and cultures, their treatment as a single people y their captors, and the need to effect strategies of resistance necessarily encouraged the Congolese-Angolans to see themselves anew and forge ties of community” (pg 144). Drawing on this cultural background, he continues, “Within the context of a political struggle, which is exactly what slavery was, it ceased to matter whether specific cultural forms could be maintained over increasing spans of time and space. What mattered instead was achieving a self-view in opposition to the one prescribed by power and authority. To this end, the African antecedent formed the wellspring of cultural resistance” (pg 155). This “restructuring of the African identity, principally involving a move away from ethnicity toward race, would have been greatly facilitated by the creation of a lingua franca emblematic of the African’s altered condition in the New World” (pg 180). Gomez concludes, “Race as a unifying ideal was not imposed upon the community but was a concept suggested by the logic and reality of the servile condition and adopted and fashioned by those of African descent to suit their own purposes. That is, the creation of the African American identity was largely an internal process” (pg 220). Despite this, Gomez cautions that the appearance of racial solidarity opened itself up to fractures based on class. He writes, “Relative to whites, blacks have often sought to present themselves as a single people. Those doing the presenting have usually been privileged. But once removed from the presence of whites, fissures within African American society along class lines become readily apparent. The fact that cleavages were recognizable in the immediate aftermath of slavery means that their roots are to be found in the soil of slavery. The stratification of African America began somewhere” (pg 223).
Religion plays a key role in Gomez’s analysis. He argues, “The nature of the Islamic faith in West Africa was such that, upon transfer to North America, it tended to transcend the specific ethnicities of its adherents. Muslims in America, whether Fulbe or Mandinka or Hausa, had the capacity to relate to one another and to the non-Muslim world as Muslims” (pg 59-60). He believes “that Islam’s most enduring contribution to the African-based community was its role in the negotiation of intrasocial relations” (pg 82). Beyond organized religion, Gomez argues, “Significant portions of the West Central African metaphysical view survived the transatlantic passage, deeply influencing African American religion and culture” (pg 114). Even those who adopted Christianity did so while incorporating elements of African tradition, such as water baptism and ring shouts.
While West Central Africa was populated by various disparate groups, Gomez writes, “Once removed from the West Central African context and relocated to America, however, the commonality of the Bantu languages and cultures, their treatment as a single people y their captors, and the need to effect strategies of resistance necessarily encouraged the Congolese-Angolans to see themselves anew and forge ties of community” (pg 144). Drawing on this cultural background, he continues, “Within the context of a political struggle, which is exactly what slavery was, it ceased to matter whether specific cultural forms could be maintained over increasing spans of time and space. What mattered instead was achieving a self-view in opposition to the one prescribed by power and authority. To this end, the African antecedent formed the wellspring of cultural resistance” (pg 155). This “restructuring of the African identity, principally involving a move away from ethnicity toward race, would have been greatly facilitated by the creation of a lingua franca emblematic of the African’s altered condition in the New World” (pg 180). Gomez concludes, “Race as a unifying ideal was not imposed upon the community but was a concept suggested by the logic and reality of the servile condition and adopted and fashioned by those of African descent to suit their own purposes. That is, the creation of the African American identity was largely an internal process” (pg 220). Despite this, Gomez cautions that the appearance of racial solidarity opened itself up to fractures based on class. He writes, “Relative to whites, blacks have often sought to present themselves as a single people. Those doing the presenting have usually been privileged. But once removed from the presence of whites, fissures within African American society along class lines become readily apparent. The fact that cleavages were recognizable in the immediate aftermath of slavery means that their roots are to be found in the soil of slavery. The stratification of African America began somewhere” (pg 223).
- Oct 13, 2001
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Not to THIS extreme but I see so many mothers just not being able to handle their boys.
Had a meeting with a mother because her son just can't get right and just raises hell in school.
She kinda looked at me and said, "It's just me, what can I do?"
I felt her man.
Had a meeting with a mother because her son just can't get right and just raises hell in school.
She kinda looked at me and said, "It's just me, what can I do?"
I felt her man.
- Jul 7, 2005
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You should have immediately called her a liar to her face. You should have said…..”ma’am I know your son wasn’t created by immaculate conception…..your son has a father…..you just chose wrong”
That’s the kind of accountability we need to hold these black females to out here. It’s because of their bad decision making that not only is the community suffering with these young black males terrorizing the neighborhood but school administrators such as yourself and others can’t dedicate your full time and attention to the rest of the kids in the classroom that need it. All because that mother made one of the worst decisions ever.
- Jan 27, 2013
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There’s two ways you learn in life………PAIN and motivation. This young name just learned that valuable lesson for himself……the hard way. Better now than never.
- Oct 13, 2001
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Dude is in ALL types of wild stuff and I constantly remind him that children that can't follow directions early end up being adults that are forced to follow directions. Change your ways while you can.
His mother knows what the deal is man.
When I say dude legit swings the tone of the class, he does. He is like Wemby. When he isn't there, perfect class. Everybody is scared of him so they act out to show him they are "with him." But they snitch on him and talk about how much they don't mess with him when he isn't around.
But you know, public education = endless chances because THAT'S what true compassion is. (Just forget the kids he's robbing an education from)
- Oct 8, 2002
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Not even gonna hold you, this post reeks of something else but, whats the story here tho? What if the father just died? Lets just not jump to the stereotypical conclusion.
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I hear ya champ. When you ask “if the father just died” are you talking about by way of natural causes due to old age/something like that…..or are you talking about the father being killed out here in the streets doing something stupid??
The likelihood between the two in this day and age is the latter for certain. You can sit around with your head in the clouds and play games about the subject if you want to.
DCAllAfrican
……any idea or insight about the father??
- Oct 13, 2001
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Multiple kids across grades 6-12. I know of 4. All the kids have the same last name, so I'm not sure if there are multiple fathers.
He isn't around from what I know.
He isn't around from what I know.
- Jul 7, 2005
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Okay, thanks for the update. Doesn’t sound like he’s dead to me. Might be a deadbeat Dad…….but not died and in the ground.
- Oct 8, 2002
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Likelihood is high but unless you know, you can't call it certain. The way the internet talks like black man + women = Single mother, they're NOT blaming her(and you know in today's world, fact or fiction, majority rules). You think it's jokes, just like folks really believe Florida is a real life GTA server, just like folks really believe you're going to see a fight every time in Waffle House. We don't have room to be pushing that stereotype around ourselves.I hear ya champ. When you ask “if the father just died” are you talking about by way of natural causes due to old age/something like that…..or are you talking about the father being killed out here in the streets doing something stupid??
The likelihood between the two in this day and age is the latter for certain. You can sit around with your head in the clouds and play games about the subject if you want to.
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Whether YOU like it or not stereotypes exists for a reason. Some good……..some not so good. They exist because of prior knowledge, past history and things repeating themselves. A leopard never changes its spots champ.
I’m quite certain (not 100%sure) but quite certain the kids father that
DCAllAfrican
was referring to in his story isn’t dead. If you want to go against traditional thought and wisdom on the matter then so be it. By the way…..I don’t think it’s “jokes” as you said. I think it’s sad and disappointing that the mother is left with no other option but to throw her hands up mercilessly at the sky to pray for help from heaven up above and to weep on the shoulders of
DCAllAfrican
during a parent/school conference knowing that failed as a mother. Thus leaving the burden of educating him in the hands of our good brother
DCAllAfrican
to pick up the pieces and try to save that lost child of hers and the countless many other children that just want to come to school to learn.
- Oct 8, 2002
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So....lets turn the perspective for a bit....so you're saying its true most black men wont raise their kids?Whether YOU like it or not stereotypes exists for a reason. Some good……..some not so good. They exist because of prior knowledge, past history and things repeating themselves. A leopard never changes its spots champ.
I’m quite certain (not 100%sure) but quite certain the kids father that
By the way…..I don’t think it’s “jokes” as you said. I think it’s sad and disappointing that the mother is left with no other option but to throw her hands up mercilessly at the sky to pray for help from heaven up above and to weep on the shoulders of
... most black women choose to have kids with black men, but don't care to be "under" a black man.
How can someone be held accountable for something that doesn't belong to them?
Women want the benefits of being married without the cost of being wives.
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Trying to absolve men of accountability is ******* WILD! Talk about calling the kettle black.
I hope yall get that **** worked out.
- Jan 27, 2003
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Kinda an insane take when women have full control over access to sex AND full control over the decision to keep or not keep. “My body my choice” gives all power to the woman in that regard, so the responsibility of yielding that power also comes with it. Man can’t force a woman to abort or keep.
Lady has a baby with a bum that she can’t locate after baby is born….100% woman’s fault. There was ample opportunity to get rid of it, and that’s after the fact that she shouldn’t have opened her legs to guy of that caliber.
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Before abortions, before smashing..the B(UM)AN still has to approach the women. Then after talking, wining and dining(I DARE you to say it), and gaining trust dude still has to make a decision to wrap it up, if he choses not to, has still to decide to pull out. SO many situations before we get to all that but you wanna skip over all that like she Jedi mind tricked you and stole the semen out your sack in the night. Peleeeeeeeaaaaaassseee.
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...and you know you wrong for even going there.
Like every "Williams" in the world is related.
- Apr 27, 2002
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for what it’s worth, there is touted survey that puts black men as the most involved pappies as reported by the womenfolk, this still allows for man that are undisciplined & careless about the resulting chirren…i think you’ll find instances of advocating for
‘all natural’ sliding 
by men & women alike… folk might say that the ubiquitous examples & memes of the ‘don’t need a man’ mantra aren’t representative of what’s really goings on ahhtchea and as much as i know there definitely are man that aren’t willing to be responsible, i think in most cases women know exactly the type of man they are dealing with & choosing on…many if not the majority of women openly extol their disdain for men that attempt to constrain/control/guide/limit/restrict them in ways that they aren’t already amenable to, as is deffo their prerogative; but if we talking majority/minority i think it’s more men that would want be responsible fathers, if maybe begrudgingly, than women would that are willing to ‘submit’ themselves (and it’s fair for them not to at any point) to the average guy or even the men they decide to procreate with
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Again, insane take. With your logic, if you know someone that leaves their house unlocked and ppl go in there to rob them of everything…. Who are you putting the onus on? The opportunistic robbers (in perfect world they would make all the choices not to do that, and I’m not condoning the robbers) or the person that chooses to leave their house unlocked?
Accountability without authority is failure.
No man (not even a husband) has the authority to force women to have sex or give birth.
You're speaking to a man who wanted to have a kid, but the woman I was with refused, had an abortion, and didn't even tell me.
Where is my "accountability" for her decision?
One of my exes had a baby by a dude who begged and pleaded with her to have an abortion, but she refused and had the baby anyway. He dipped to another State after she had the kid. He was a bum living at home on his mother's couch, yet she wanted me to play "step daddy". I told her she needs to find the real daddy and put him on child support.
IMHO, if the father aint deceased or incarcerated, then a woman has no business expecting/demanding that a man take care of another man's kid.
Why don't you "work that out" for me, Fam?
You'd have stayed with her, huh?
One of my best female friends had a baby last year with a man who begged and pleaded with her to have an abortion but she refused and had the baby anyway. She is now a single mother of a 21-year-old, a 12-year-old, a 10-year-old, and now a 1-year-old. All boys.
She has no problem "getting" men - even with all that going on, but if you think for one second that a man is actively seeking to take on accountability for 4 sons over which he has zero authority, you're out of your mind.
She keeps telling me she's "not interested in a relationship" and that she is "now celibate."
When I ask her about the 1 year old's father, she tells me he's "dead" to her. The man hasn't even seen the kid once.
All of these women are college-educated, beautiful, make well over the median income, and have their own.
Feminism got them so messed up that they can't even make good life choices for the next generation, yet somehow it's men's fault?
Give me a break!
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You say that is if "both" is not an option. Your insurance company will definitely will see it as an option. Thats what it comes down to at the end of the day...it's BOFFUM and you know its both because both point sitting fingers. Back to the point I started to make...
"It takes two to tango..."
-Huey P Newton
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Accountability without authority is failure.
No man (not even a husband) has the authority to force women to have sex or give birth.
You're speaking to a man who wanted to have a kid, but the woman I was with refused, had an abortion, and didn't even tell me.
Where is my "accountability" for her decision?
Why don't you "work that out" for me, Fam?
I will work that out for you. It's pretty simple, we were never talking about P Present . Thats you moving the goal post because of what ONE woman did you. We're talking about women choosing bum *** dudes. Why would you even put yourself in this? You're right about on thing, you don't force a woman to have sex with you, one way or the other you convince them and if you didn't, you can't be upset at the outcome. Just like women are generally aware of who they make children with so are men. Either you wrap it or flip it a man has to impregnate a women for any of this to even happen.
