From: slater@phx.mcd.mot.com (Rob Slater)
Subject: On Malcolm X
Summary: A review of Malcolm X (Part 2/2).
Keywords: Malcolm X Spike Lee movie review nationalism
Organization: Motorola Computer Group
Date: Mon, 23 Nov 1992 22:01:41 GMT

                                On Malcolm X

One of the bigger themes presented in Malcolm X is the issue of
multiculturalism as opposed to racial division.  Malcolm dealt with the
very issue of whether it is always appropriate for one ethnic group to help
another.  And if it is not, when it is it appropriate.

Malcolm takes two views on this.  The first view was developed while he was
a follower of Elijah Muhammad and the Nation of Islam. He is approached by
a collage age white student while visiting Harvard. She insists that she is
a good person despite being white.  She asks him (quite pathetically IMHO)
what she can do to help his cause (I wonder how much did she really knew
about herself).  Malcolm says "nothing" while not even slowing down to look
at her.

Clearly at this stage in his life Malcolm is convinced that whites are the
root of all evil and he wants nothing to do with them.  Blacks must help
themselves, because no one else will do it.  Furthermore, no one else wants
it done.  This era of Malcolm's life is not as interesting as when he
breaks off from Elijah Muhammad and the Nation of Islam.

When he does, he rethinks his policy of chastising other Black leaders and
turning away whites all together.  But he still makes an interesting
point.  When asked by a reporter what his policy is now on white
sympathizers, Malcolm makes a very interesting statement.  He states that
while white support (especially financial support) is appreciated, Blacks
must first "find and define themselves" and start helping themselves before
others can help them.

This point is a huge one, and many hours could be spent discussing it.  I
remember attending a discussion at the University of Illinois about
Black-Jewish relations.  After a very tense hour of accusations flying back
and forth, one of the leaders of a Black militant organization stood up and
made a point.  "Why do all of you Jews want to help us?  We don't even know
who we are ourselves!  Let us define ourselves, our needs, and our goals.
Then we can figure whether we need your help. And if we do, how you can
help us."

I had a follow-up conversation with the gentleman a few days later.  He
made the following point:  Every time some tries to help African-Americans,
they invariably try to define African-Americans the way they see them.  For
once, African-Americans ought to define themselves.

A very similar argument could be made about Jews.  We are so eager to help
others that we rarely help ourselves.  Look at some of the people who are
at the forefront of inter-ethnic relations.

I dealt with one person in Chicago who knew next to nothing about being
kosher.  Or who Rashi was.  Or what the Torah said.  And what it did not
say.  Nonetheless, he was more than willing to help others "as a Jew".

This last phase really ticks me off.  The number of outrageous statements
made "as a Jew" is incredible.  One of my favorites, made by an animal
rights activist, is "As a Jew, I do not see how we can tolerate the
slaughter of animals."  This girl was completely oblivious to the fact that
the Torah requires us to make animal sacrifices.

It is also pathetic what Jews know (or do not know) about our homeland --
Israel.  I know Jews who cannot find Jerusalem on the map, but can
effectively criticize its being in Jewish hands.

But the root of the problem is Jewish pride itself.  After Bradely Smith
was able to run his Holocaust denial piece in the campus newspaper, I
wanted to have a booth in the commons with pictures of Holocaust victims.
This idea was struck down.  I was told by a friend that this would be over
asserting our Jewishness.  I think she felt this was some kind of sin.

This can go on and on.  The point being, that I find it amazing that Jews
are more than willing to help others when they barley know themselves.  I
only wish that Jews spent more time learning about themselves and helping
themselves.

Now do not get me wrong.  Knowing everything there is to know about Judaism
does not (and perhaps should not) be a prerequisite to forging inter-ethnic
relations.  There have been many Jews who have achieved great
accomplishments with out knowing a damn thing about Judaism.  So, it would
be naive for me to state the only effective Jewish activist is the one who
knows Judaism.  But, I will state than any Jewish activist can improve
his/her efforts by studying Judaism.

In fact, this could be generalized to any activist (i.e. Jew, Native
American, Martian, etc).  The more you know about yourself, the more you
will be able to help others.  I am not the first one to have come to this
conclusion.  Many sociologists have beat me to it.

I think Jews tend to help the other guy (in this case, African-Americans)
because it is so much easier to analyze and solve the problems of others
than it is helping yourselves.  If in fact we were to really help Blacks,
what would we do?

The biggest problem African-Americans are facing is the rampant crime and
violence in the inner cities.  Over 23% of all African-American males
between 20 and 29 are in trouble with the law for committing real crimes
(as opposed to crimes of identity, i.e. being Jewish, Black, etc).  From
which chapter in Jewish history can we draw lessons about how to handle
this problem?

What if "Super Jew" landed in the middle of Compton (something that no
Jewish leader that I know of has ever suggested or tried) and tried to put
an end to the violence?  What would (s)he do?

I think many Jews who go out there and try to solve the world's problems
are using their activism as a crutch.  They subconsciously do not want to
know about their own problems and thus study others' and try to solve
theirs.

Finally, a few words on multiculturalism.  In short, I think that it is a
wonderful thing.  But I think that few people are prepared for it.  The
premise for multiculturalism is, that as the melting pot, America ought to
reflect all the cultures of the people who live here.  All of that is nice
and swell, but we first need to define what it is we are.

Nothing angers me more than when some Jew is told by an African-American
what Zionism is (or at least what Farrakhan defines Zionism to be) and the
Jew stands there defenseless.  Yet at the same time don't you think that
most African-American leaders must be angered when innocent Jews try to
help (tell) African-Americans how to solve their problems?

Yes we should share our culture with others.  But first we must understand
ourselves.  Yes we should help African-Americans with their problems.  But
first we must understand and start to solve our own problems (i.e.
assimilation, intermarriage, general ignorance of things Jewish -- both
religion and Israel, etc).

We need to understand ourselves and start solving our problems.
African-Americans need to do the same.  Then, and only then, can we begin
to share our cultures with each other and begin to help each other.  I
think Malcolm X would agree.

Kol tuv,
-- 
 Rob Slater                                     | "Real events do not have
 Lead Software Engineer -- Core Technologies    |  endings;  only  stories
 Motorola Computer Division                     |  about them do"
 Internet: slater@phx.mcd.mot.com               |    -- Peter Galvin