Aziza Says:


In reply to Shamble's question "Is it not enough for you to be shown respect as an individual?"

>No-that is not enough. Individuals are members of groups. IMO, >group esteem is an important part of self-esteem.

Aziza, neither you, nor anyone else, belongs to a permanent group of any sort. Groups exist only for the expediency of whoever happens to be doing the grouping---

Racism is simply way of grouping--the initial purpose was probably to simply create a permanent working class who wouldn't be assisimilated into the general population-- but now it functions as a way to restrict a certain group of people from the full benefits of the society that they live in--

"Freedom" in a society means freedom to group with whom you choose, or not to group at all. In other words, no "You belong there because you're one of them."

Many years ago, when Detroit had a blues scene and the suburbs were kept white by restrictive lending practices, a number of blues fans,and politically and socially "aware" students gravitated to Hastings Street--one of the crowd, oiled by a bit of Stroh's, waxed poetic about what a
"groovie scene" it was. One of the residents said, "Yeah, for you maybe, but you can leave whenever you want."