Reflections Of An Old Afrikan:musing

[Baba Ahmed]

Greetings to self - as I casually read Servants of Allah: Africans Enslaved in the Americas, by Sylviane Diouf in 1998. Obviously it is on OurStories long ago and modern times. Its my first reading, so for me that means a scan'n, skip'n, go n back 'n forth on self-interest topics/subjects. There's much info re revolts by the Muslims and other Afrikans seldom mentioned by ethnicity. Yoruba & Akan are mentioned; but lumped under the "occult" for b n deviners and makers of talisman; as if Muslims didn't/don't make'em too. One thing rang clear, in spite of obvious and natural bias of the sista writer; they fought together as one against a common enemy: Whether they were the Spanish, who among all the others, French, British etc, feared the Muslims most. And moreso after numbers of them were saddled with other Afrikans in the Caribbean, South America and of course here. Spain's fears were so strong, Kingly edicts were issued against the Muslims; this in the late 1400s, and sporadically on til the 1800s. As a Muslim, I admit to feeling pride and thinking: YEABO! THAT'S THE SPIRIT. Fast forward there remains one common thread: there is one major enemy of Afrikans: Europeans. Some think a system of economics and governmental structure is it. Yet, peopling both are Europeans and their many variations of indoctrinated clones. And those of us who yet aren't aware of a fact that there's powerlessness inherent in learning knowledges of someone else's educational systems, maybe even more potent than their religions, spaced out "spiritualities" e.g., transcendentalisms, the many metaphysical teachings made of stuff to make folk feel superior. I was thinking to post something from sista Assata: she warns us of try'n to appeal to our enemies sense of morals. I'm wid dat.

But Imma add a note: to not appeal to our historial enemy's sense of morals does not mean, to me, that we need not heed living moral and prinicipled lives. We, in my opinion, do not need to talk one talk and walk another walk; termed by the learned: RHETORICAL ETHICS. Is there some other sound phrase to label the many so-called leaders who, if they're physically able, do not see the forming of families as vital? Do they not agree, e.g., that the ruins of a nation begins in the homes of its people? I mean is not revolution a turning upside down of a oppressive, brain washing, value forming, cultural ways? Or do we see culture as those who know of and participate in the "Fine Arts," alone!?! Part of a secular societal setting? Taught subtley in early school years and openingly through "high" schools and the finishing schools of College levels?

Guess I'm "musing" that if there's something largely missing as it was during the sock it to'em sixties days: revolutionizing our minds. For there is no separation of the spirit, soul, mind and body in the Ancient/traditional cultures.

Such separations entered our scenes, or rather, was capped off by senor Plato. Today's versions are just updates. Still producing sharp and analytical rationalists devoid of ability to synthesize, relate to and form unity with different ways to fight a common enemy. Like Fela Kuti's son sang: scattered minds.

So today we're separated by systems of thought each emphasizing different aspects of the enemies designer faced front. And so, tho some of us speak of a common enemy, methinks ego gets in the way causing us to define our way away from unifying with sistas and bruthas fighting the same enemy forces, tho they may have different appearing faces. Mind u, I'm not musing about including homosexuals or defenders of European thought and behaviors that have produced a now stark face of fascist soon to be totalitarian monster to outdo the USSR and China's not very long ago brutal control.

And who'll bear the brunt of this updated, highly computerized technical brutality? I mean, think about the fact that 5 years yung children have been shot with Taser's beaming 5,000 volts of shock! Black people, that's who. I'm asking myself, do they approach victims with: are u a socialist? A Muslim? What kind of Muslim, or Christian or Jew or Hebrew? A yoruba? A Christian, jesus follower? A highly ranked student of Metaphysics, with all the answers? The son, sista, brutha, woman, wife, husband, uncle, etc of a cop? A FBI agent? How 'bout CIA? How 'bout child of a sitting Judge?

Oh well... just musing... 'cause meknows folk kno .... I'll always remember hearing Jamil al-Amin say: a person will defend what she or he has an interest in. I'm still musing, wondering is our interests that of Afrikan peoples?
At home first and abroad?

One mo' muse: Afrikans long ago at home also captured and sold Afrikans; i.e., betrayed their own kind... will we continue to do so, also... in lights of hindsight?

Yebehyia bio (we will meet)

[Baba Ahmed]

A humble <<<<<<<<<<<<<<BUMP>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>