Irony of New York's First Black Governor
Isn't it ironic that the first Black governor came into power not by a democratic vote. However, he comes into power by way of the scandal surrounding Gov. Elliot Spitzer. The racial dynamic of the whole situation seems to not be touched upon by anyone. Does this mean that New York would never elect a blakc man to governership?
As salaamu 'alaikum wa rahmatullah,
ReplyDeleteYa akhi, I respect your views on politics and the fact that you identify with "black" liberalism or politics. Still I must say that I have to agree to disagree on these views of socalled "white" or "black" liberalism, conservatism, progressiveness, etc. Akhi we are Muslims and to allow "race" to influence our ideologies is foolish. There is no such thing as a black, white, arab, or any other race. We are human beings and nothing more. We are tribes and nations of people created by Allah Ta 'Ala to worship him. Allah Ta 'ALa said "O mankind! We have created you from a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that you may know one another. Verily, the most honorable of you with Allah is that (believer) who has At Taqwa. Verily Allah is All Knowing, All Merciful." Surah Hujurat Ayah 13.
As is mentioned in of the posts in January by Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez "census bureau's definition of Hispanic as a person "of any race". Including "black". Which is funny because a few years ago we were considered a race. I am not saying that Bigotry does not exist in this country. Yeah it exists, infact it exists in every corner of this earth. That is an unfortunate fact. Yet when we as Muslims start following this rhetoric we allow the Jahiliyah(Yes I said Jahiliyah) to influence us. When blacks in America complain about how they have it so bad and that its all the white man's fault because he put his ancestors in chains it shows ignorance. African slaves were sold into slavery to the Europeans by Africans. I am not down playing slavery in any way either. Still, My great great grandfather was a Yoruban slave and my life in America was never easy but not because he was a slave. My skin is white so it was not slavery that made my life difficult but the last name that I bear. Sure blacks like to say that atleast I pass but only so far. Still if the future is a better place and my children do not have that problem should they hate whites because of something that they did not experience. Every one likes to blame others because of their own failures. Oh I do agree that the system in America has been set up to keep the socalled inferior races down. But lets think about the fact that when the Constitution was drafted in put into affect it stated that only white LAND OWNERS had the right to vote. What about those whites who could not afford land? They did not have the right to vote. WE tend to leave out the fact that the Emancipation Proclamation states that slavery would be abolished for 100 years. THe constition had to be amended to keep slavery abolished. THis country was built on exploitation of the lower class regardless of color or creed. Every ethnic group who has come to America has been exploited and they in turn have exploited those who followed them. This is the real American Dream, to exploit as you have been exploited. Lets rise above this. If New York finally has its first Black Governor. Then Alhamdulillah but lets rise above the devisive and Jahili ideology of "Race".
Wa alaikum Assalamu wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh
ReplyDeleteMy dear brother, you said that "There is no such thing as a black, white, arab, or any other race."
I have to ask how is there no such thing as race. Race is a social contruct, and is not based upon biology.
I in no way call to nationalism or racism. I do however do not look at the world through rosy glasses and say that it does not exist or that is has no relevance in society.
Yes, the Quran calls for nation and tribes (and I might add races) to know each other. Allah subhanahu wa ta 'ala say, "And We have made you into nations and tribes, so that you might know one another, certainly the honorable of you in the sight of Allah is the most pious." (Surah Al-Hujaraat 49:13). So there are difference amongst humanity. It may be linguistic, tribal, cultural, or national. It can even be racial which can cover a broad area such as phenotype, hair type, and all sort of physical features.
Allahu subhanahu wa ta'ala also says in Surah Nahl 16:90:
"Allah enjoins justice, kindness and charity to one's kindred, and forbids indecency, wickedness and oppression." So oppression is haram in Islam. "Azh-zhulmu Zulumatu yawm al-qiyama - Oppression is darkness on the day of resurrection." Muslim must speak against oppression. All forms of oppression is forbidden.
The biggest form of oppression is ash-shirk. Allah says, "Certainly, ash-shirk (associating partners with Allah) is a great zhulm (oppression).
Islam promotes different people to get together and learn from each other and benefit and appreciate the differences He created in this regard. Islam Allah tell us be against oppression. Having said that, I am not like some of the brother wh convert to Islam and think that race does not exist anymore. I do not pretend that racism does not exist amongt Muslims.
It clearly will exist till yawm-al-qiyama. During the time of the Prophet (may Allah mention him among His angels), he admonished Abu Darr (radiyAllah 'anhu) for saying to Bilal (radiyAllahu 'anhu) "Son of a black woman." The Noble Prophet (may Allah mention you among his angels) said, "Feeka jahiliyya-You have ignorance or barbarism in you."
We as Muslim in America should strive to fight against White Oppression the exist in even many suttle forms. I see no contadiction with this and the din. White Oppression is what keep others down in the society. It also allows policies to be made against Muslim peoples. Those Palestinians, Iraqis, Aghans, and other are just not as human as us Americans (read Whites) is the mentality.
It is also my personal belief that White racist view feed much of Islamophobia today. Islam is viewed as the religion of the "Other." It is seem as the religion of the darker people of the world (ie non-Whites).
As far as Latinos or Hispanics being a "race" this something I stongly disagree with. Latinos are a multi-racial people. They come from mainly three races - White (Caucosoid), Black (Negroid), and Natives (Mongoloids). Latino is not a race. There are Black Latinos and White Latinos. There are many White racists Latinos as well. Speaking Spanish does not make someone any less or more White or Black just as speaking German or French does not have the same effect.
You said brother, "My skin is white so it was not slavery that made my life difficult but the last name that I bear."
In this statement you are assuming that your White skin automatically means that you were not affected by slavery in anyways. And by extension you are assuming that simply because your skin is white that you do not have any Black ancestors in the closet. Latin America, like its North American counterpart, had slavery and slavery still tend to effect the way society is structured there. Why is it that those at the tp of the social totum poles in Latin American are almost always White while those who live in the ghettoes and live a far worst standard of living are the blackest in those societies?
Let us not blaim white folks, but let us not forget, nor ignore racism, white oppression, and white supremacy.
You said:
"THis country was built on exploitation of the lower class regardless of color or creed."
For you to say that the situation of a poor White man and a Black slave was somehow similiar is proposterous. Yes, there was a black system that was less raced-based at one time in American history. However, this all changed after the John Brown uprising. After that, there was a whole restructering of the class system in the United States. This was the beggining of White privledge. you cannot ignore history. The 20th century has seen as new shift in race in around mid-part of the century.
That is all I have to said for now brother. Waiting for you response.
Your brother in Al-Islam,
Khalil Al-Puerto Rikani