Race and identity: A question of loyalties

The Problem of Race

In the post above, I briefly alluded to neo-Nazi influences. I am neither for or against neo-Nazism - I simply believe in a peaceful and equitable co-existence. I guess that's the problem.

I've found that today's neo-Nazism or supremacist agendas do not necessarily exclude membership or co-operation by people of different races or religions. There are even Jews who embrace this political viewpoint or overall agenda. Things are not always clearcut: everything and everyone serves a purpose. For example, both police/security forces and organized crime help reinforce and protect the interests of the wealthy elite.

Michael Moore's documentary film, Bowling for Columbine, does a great job of connecting the dots between corporations, the business of war and violence, and their tragic impact on America’s youth - yet he also manages to create a story of hope. I've heard Mark Achbar, Jennifer Abbott, and Joel Bakan's The Corporation is also good.

I'd rather avoid discussing all these complex social issues. I wish I could just say, Hey, I'm under illegal, life-threatening surveillance, and horrible things are going on! Yet, the circumstances and profound levels of animosity only make sense, when socio-political ties and world history are brought into the picture.

It's also worth noting that both contemporary alliances and historical allegiances can change: people can agree to disagree, in order to achieve mutually beneficial outcomes.


Intolerance vs. Acceptance

Ironically, as a child, I happened to read several biographies about Adolph Hitler [1]. I learned that, besides being a malevolent, murderous fanatic, Hitler was also an artistic vegetarian, who believed in holistic medicine.

Adolph Hitler was also interested in Indian culture and the many herbal medicines developed there. Inspiration for the swastika, which became a symbol for Hitler's National Socialist German Workers Party (Nazis), comes out of India. [2] But the image had been reversed. Also, the word 'swastika' derives from Sanskrit: svastika means a 'sign of good luck,' and the root word, svasti, means 'well-being.'

Jennifer Rosenberg's 'The History of the Swastika' gives an excellent summary about this important and once-widespread icon.

The cross-fertilization of ideas and cultures has alwaysexisted.* And while death, destruction, and supreme hatred may somehow be necessary in the grand scheme of things, I simply cannot endorse it. That doesn't mean I'm so 'good' or noble, myself, or that I don't have many prejudices. I can relate to elitists' desire for quality, and I recognize the need for both natural and human-constructed hierarchies. [3] Yet, if one is pro-people and environments overall, then flawed socio-political systems do need to be questioned and challenged. I also happen to believe there is a higher good that we are meant to strive for, as human beings.

To me, essentializing religions or prophets in terms of race (eg, the pope, Jesus, etc), as the media has been doing lately, is the complete OPPOSITE of what spirituality is all about.


*[Edit: Notice how 'alwaysexisted' in the second last paragraph is like an anagram for sexist? Please see 'Weblog tampering,' and the 'comments' for 'Food, the personal and the political.' I'm certain I didn't make that typo and several others I noticed today.]


Everyone Wants a Fair Shake

I've mentioned Adolph Hitler a few times now, yet I haven't had a chance to discuss the many complexities I see within anti-Semitism, and how these may relate to the struggles of other persecuted, maligned, and oppressed peoples. This is not an easy subject to explore. As with most things, there are no black-and-white realities.

As an example, here are some instances of my own diverse relationship with people of Semitic heritage:

• Growing up, I had various 'learning moments' about how one can inadvertently absorb anti-Semitic slurs, and I changed my words and thoughts, accordingly;
  
  
• I sensed how hypocritical religions or religious people can be, when I discovered that Jesus was a Jew - it's kind of like appropriation, if you think about it;
  
  
• I've pointed out that Christianity and Catholicism are both sects of Judaism, and that Jesus was Jewish. When I said this, once, my therapist gleefully responded, 'He's da boy!'
  
  
• I have dear friends and respected acquaintances, who happen to be of Jewish/Hebraic backgound;
  
  
• I celebrated Chanukah with Israeli Jews, while living in India.
  
  
• Apparently, there is one Jewish/Hebrew ancestor in my family.
  
  
• Even the dictionary's definition of Semitic peoples is diverse.
  

I believe all of the above is actually how and why the idea - and growing strategy - of 'keeping chinks out of the chain' (ie, gene pool) got its start (eg, one Jewish relation being subsumed into a Chinese family, general population differences between Caucasians and other groups, the colorization of North America through interracial marriages, and so on) - assuming that my melodramatic adventures are being closely observed, and possibly being transferred to the big screen.

So many people I know are interracially married, and so, the push to visually and subconsciously encourage Caucasian coupling is on.

I feel an affinity with people of Jewish/Hebraic ancestry, and I empathize deeply with their past struggles - yet, I also find social tensions or resentments can surface, when people of Jewish /Hebraic heritage may, understandably, try to hide their identity, while actively embracing the very social structures, institutions, economies, and ways of thinking that oppress many other people. [4] (In queer culture, that's kind of like 'passing' for a straight person, while trampling other queers - or worse.)

Many people of Jewish or Hebraic background may also be quite successful in the world, and can exert social control and influence, yet still want recognition and compassion for their suffering, both past and present, while possibly being unaware of others' oppression, or somehow seeing it as justified. This can feel like betrayal.

Not being very physically identifiable - especially with name changes, interracial mixing, modern surgery, etc - Jewish/Hebrew people aren't likely to be discriminated against. There is also no likelihood of an anti-Semitic backlash, or another Holocaust, since people of Jewish or Hebraic background are highly popular and have been outstandingly successful in virtually every field - be it science or art, entertainment or technology, and everything in between. A great many of our cultural icons and heroes are of Jewish/Hebraic ancestry.

I'm explaining all this because my surveillers often play me off as a crank. It's pretty f**king amazing, considering I believe in, and am fighting for, freedom for ALL, while striving for an ecologically-balanced and environmentally-responsible world.

Yes, I am sometimes guilty of intolerance, especially when I'm under stress. At least, I can admit it. I don't strive to be bigoted, nor do I actively undermine the dignity of other groups, or advocate hatred, or kill people. Yet, on top of the prejudices I frequently face, and my own disempowered situation (socially, economically), I must also cope with the alarming malevolence of those who want to shut me down, while seeking to control other people, society, natural resources, and the world.

All I can say is, watch out for covert biological and chemical strategies. Picking people off is just too darn easy.

I believe everyone is prejudiced in some way. Let's be honest about this fact. Enduring major oppression, or even attempted genocides, of which there have been many on this planet, does not absolve any person or group of racism.** Also, after any mass injustice, a desire for revenge is common. This should not be ruled out of our conceptions about global politics and socio-economic agendas.

**Note: This is yet another of my views, which intelligence agencies and right-wing fundamentalists found compelling. I believe Big Brother may be actively stirring up old enmities among different groups and countries. It's all about DIVIDE AND CONQUER, after all.


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[1] More about Adolph Hitler:

- 'Adolph Hitler: A Study in Tyranny' - Holocaust Teacher Resource Center

- 'The Rise of Adolph Hitler' - The History Place

- 'The psychology and development of Adolph Hitler Schicklgruber' by Abelard is fascinating.


[2] 'Socialist origins of Neo-Nazism' by Llewellyn H. Rockwell, Jr. is an informative article, yet I disagree with this take on modern-day neo-Nazism. I believe neo-Nazis are by far a tool (or even the main engine) of the 'right,' and that their proponents generally do not support socialist values.


[3] Hitler's heavy reliance upon the concept of a supreme breed of people - that is, the Aryan race - can be found in both Hindu religious texts and Persian culture.


[4] Feelings of betrayal, or anger at perceived hypocrisy, often arise and can cause ill will within all types of relationships. I'm just offering an example of how social resentments can surface.


Note: I mentioned Vancouver in a recent post, as I believe there's a migration of moles, from various fields, who are heading there. Two people I know also recently visited the popular city, which I find interesting. I've been reluctant to name Vancouver as both a security and 'social experiment' hotspot, due to its high Asian population, and the frequent assumptions people make about me. The few people I know, who live in B.C., or who are from there, are long-time Canadians of various backgrounds. This brings to mind a person I once knew, who was a third-generation Canadian of Japanese ancestry. This humorous, gentle, and kind man was born in B.C., during the 1930s. His first and only language was English, and he had never been outside of Canada, until he got deported to Japan, during the Second World War; he was about 11 years old, at the time. As a sensitive teenager, learning of this man's seldom spoken of experience made me realize the tenuousness of my own status, as a Canadian. Anyway, the reason I mentioned Vancouver so haphazardly is because I often feel saddled with certain stereotypes and stigmas. Yet, Vancouver is obviously a key place, in terms of the political developments I'm talking about.