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The word sellout is used quite a lot in these forums but I don't think much thought goes into that use.
A sellout is someone that professes to be believe in something but then goes against that and those who believe in it.
So, if I man preach blakk dis, blakk dat an put miself fahwad as a blactivist and den lie down wid a white ooman an betray mi organisashun plan to dem dat waan mash it up, den me is a sellout.
But, consider this. There are around 3 million people in Jamaica and the same number of Jamaicans outside the country. Most of those 6 million are of African descent. Is there one common ideology 6 million should follow? Do we all think the same way about race? Who is to decide which view on race is right and which is wrong? Is there one right way?
Let's go again. There are approximately 1.5 billion African and African descent people in the world. Are we all supposed to have the same belief system about race because we have a certain amount of melanin that gives us similarities in skin colour?
Are those who chemicalise their hair rather than being natural sellouts?
Are those who cheat on their African descent partners sellouts?
Are those who do not feed, clothe, nurture, guide, love and discipline their children on a daily basis sellouts?
Are those who do not mentor African descent young sellouts?
Are those who join the armed forces (including the police) of western nations sellouts?
Those who betrayed Garvey, X and Lumumba probably never lay down with white women, but they are sellouts because they professed one thing whilst doing the opposite.
I'm told that the Koran states that someone who walks away from Islam is guilty of apostasy and can be sentenced to death. In other words, someone who is born into a Muslim is a sellout if he or she decides that it is not his or her belief. Surely, people have a choice to decide what they what believe and people can change their beliefs as they gain more experience and knowledge of life and living.
Finally, the continent we know as Africa was not united when our foreparents were taken from there. The many peoples of that continent did not regard themselves as one people, as an African people or race, or as a black people or race. They were lumped together as blacks by Europeans who ignored their many cultures, languages, belief systems and national identities.
As free people, our ancestors did not see themselves as black. Could it be that our slave and colonial experiences are confusing us so that we see black and white where they don't exist, to such an extent that people are blind to the realities of those who exercise power and those who have power exercised over them?
A sellout is someone that professes to be believe in something but then goes against that and those who believe in it.
So, if I man preach blakk dis, blakk dat an put miself fahwad as a blactivist and den lie down wid a white ooman an betray mi organisashun plan to dem dat waan mash it up, den me is a sellout.
But, consider this. There are around 3 million people in Jamaica and the same number of Jamaicans outside the country. Most of those 6 million are of African descent. Is there one common ideology 6 million should follow? Do we all think the same way about race? Who is to decide which view on race is right and which is wrong? Is there one right way?
Let's go again. There are approximately 1.5 billion African and African descent people in the world. Are we all supposed to have the same belief system about race because we have a certain amount of melanin that gives us similarities in skin colour?
Are those who chemicalise their hair rather than being natural sellouts?
Are those who cheat on their African descent partners sellouts?
Are those who do not feed, clothe, nurture, guide, love and discipline their children on a daily basis sellouts?
Are those who do not mentor African descent young sellouts?
Are those who join the armed forces (including the police) of western nations sellouts?
Those who betrayed Garvey, X and Lumumba probably never lay down with white women, but they are sellouts because they professed one thing whilst doing the opposite.
I'm told that the Koran states that someone who walks away from Islam is guilty of apostasy and can be sentenced to death. In other words, someone who is born into a Muslim is a sellout if he or she decides that it is not his or her belief. Surely, people have a choice to decide what they what believe and people can change their beliefs as they gain more experience and knowledge of life and living.
Finally, the continent we know as Africa was not united when our foreparents were taken from there. The many peoples of that continent did not regard themselves as one people, as an African people or race, or as a black people or race. They were lumped together as blacks by Europeans who ignored their many cultures, languages, belief systems and national identities.
As free people, our ancestors did not see themselves as black. Could it be that our slave and colonial experiences are confusing us so that we see black and white where they don't exist, to such an extent that people are blind to the realities of those who exercise power and those who have power exercised over them?
Take that back. They only way you can be sure to exploit no one is to live buck naked on the street and starve.
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