Everybody wants to look down on someone for some reason, real or imagined. We see this in the caste 'system' in India, England, in fact most countries. Enslavement happens world-wide. It's evident that the lack of sins of the forefathers does descend to their children in the form of poverty, perhaps the most 'cunning and diabolical' of the enslavements. I say lack of sins of the forefathers, because had my ancestors had the sense to enslave, rape, pillage and loot in the name of some '-ism', I would likely be rich today. Dylan said it better than I can:

'A South politician preaches to the poor white man,
"You got more than the blacks, don't complain.
You're better than them, you been born with white skin," they explain.
And the Negro's name
Is used it is plain
For the politician's gain
As he rises to fame
And the poor white remains
On the caboose of the train
But it ain't him to blame
He's only a pawn in their game.'

Racism is not natural. It is taught--and learned. But that is a side-show when viewed in light of the main event. We have a world today in which poor children of south-east Asian people are sold into virtual slavery so we in more developed countries can wear the shoes and clothes we do. So we can have chocolate bars made from cocoa grown and harvested by slaves in the Cote d'Ivoire. So we can send our children to kill their children in the rich-man's game of world politics. And we continue to play the game in the name of this or that. Not a new theme, but a theme that exists because we allow it to through our own inertia, compliance, lust and greed--and sometimes necessity.

"To hold a man down, you have to stay down with him."

Booker T. Washington


I refuse to see any man as other than my brother. And I refuse to let anyone tell me otherwise. I went hungry more than a few times in my life, and to quote Jesse Winchester, "I'll tell you one thing Jack, you listen when your stomach speaks." I'd rather listen to my stomach than to the elected. My stomach KNOWS the state of affairs. And my eyes SEE the state of this world. And my ears HEAR it in the murmurs and sighs of oppressed people around this planet. And when my friend Azizi says some things ain't right from her perspective, then I want to know what those things are, what that perspective is and what I can do about it.

There are some fine people around here. I'm proud to 'know' you.