Newsgroups: soc.culture.african.american
Subject: Are there Any "Good white Folk"?***
From: <SBEHC@CUNYVM.BITNET>
Date: Friday, 9 Oct 1992 12:02:44 EDT
Organization: City University of New York/ University Computer Center

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===   In light of the destruction caused by european civilization not only to
===African people but to the world("HUE-manity"), in general I am forced to ask
===the question are there any "Good white folk?"  This can only be answered
===after we define good.  In the european Worldview the good is defined by such
===vauge terms as "progress", "civilization" and "development".  All of which
===stem directly from the european ethos and are often used in conjuction with
===terms like city, government, culture and the arts(all of which are defined
===again in european terms.)  If we look at the "gifts" of europe which their
==="progress" has given us, namely: medicine, literature, and "the arts" we see
===that they do seem to be indications of an "objective" benifit to all people.
===When we look closely at these "gifts" they, like the provebal good european,
===disapear.  Lets take medicine for example: W.H.O. as well as some american
===orginizations have proposed several explanations as to why of Africans and
===americans to reach the age of twenty the Africans lived longer.  On a whole
===without statistical manipulation life expectancy in Africa is longer then
===america.  Some might say that europe has contributed to higher birth rates
===in Africa.  This is not exact it is more precise to say that it has
===marginally increassed birth rates in the cities hospitals, it has not
===contributed in any real way to the knowledge of medicine in Africa and in
===fact it much like europen education, it allows for the greater productivity
===in a superficial way for the benifit of europe and europe alone.  It does
===contribute to the development of the African person or community and in fact
===acts against it.  This is the role of european medicine in Afric.  Now to
===european literature.  Beyond the obvious glorification of european behavior,
===beliefs and "civilization" in european literature is the assumption that
===this is the highest form of writting and that it transcendes culture. Other
===assumptions in european literature is the superiority of the disconnection
===of an art form and spiritual life, this is reflected in the saying "art for
===arts sake" and this makes european literature superior its "soullessness".
===Again europe places its particular behavior in the world and proclaims it a
==="gift", when in fact it is only an asspect of the european Worldview used
===enstill european superiority in the minds of those dominated by europe.
===From the above disscion the role played by european medicine and art is the
===affirmation of the european Worldview and not the "betterment of 'Mankind'".
===Since both european medicine and literature comes out of their Worldview it
===is not supprising that both of these "gift" are in effectual in dealing
===positivly with the medical or educational needs of the majority of the
===worlds populations (YES!medicine is included).  I dont think it is necassary
===to list the historical reasons that it can not be said that there are
==="good white folk".  Nor do I think that it is necassary to address those
===people that say "I have a friend and she was a nice person" or "sally-mae
===never enslaved African people or lynched African people, she's good."  The
===persective assumed in both is self evident.  However it can be said that all
===of the above agruments a relative the one thing that is not is the europeans
===treatment of the natural world.  And this is characturized by conflict,
===attempts at domination and seperation, any one of which is enougph to show
===the insanity of european culture, being that they came out of the natural
===order and can not exsist without it.  If there are any African, continental
===or diasporian, who can think of a "good white folk" or what that might be
===please post it with the reason.  Europeans who wish to respond should also
===do so and include there reasons as well.
===I also wish to propose the usage of the term Devil when refering to the
===totality of the european being.  It should first be understood this is not
===an excessively emotional term and is not emotionally charged.  It is the
===only term that I have found that embodies HUE-Manities encounter with the
===europeans.  It embodies the remembrence of the countless millions of
===lives lost during the european conquest of this hemisphere, both
===African and Indiginous (This must be remembered given the upcomming
==="horroday").  It is also the only word that embodies there thought system
===and "culture".  It was used by Elijah Mohomead, Malcom x and all of our
===warriors who battled for our liberation,  there for I feel "historically"
===and "politically correct" in proposing its use and in using it myself.
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===     The Natural World is based on Balance and Order.  Those things which
===place themselves against the balance and promote dis-order are an aberation.
===Those parts which place themselves against the balance and promote
===dis-order must be removed in order to perserve the WHOLE.
===  The maxium of HUE-Manity, as understood and articulated by Siddiq