Newspapers / Black Ink (Black Student … / Aug. 31, 1992, edition 1 / Page 12
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EDITORIAL - 12 AUGUST 31.1992 ] Campus Voice: Blacks Must Protect, Preserve Culture Editors note: Campus Voice will be an ongoing article featuring writers from campuses all over the nation. The purpose is to give a different perspective on black college life. This week’s issue was written by Steven R. Johnson, a junior at Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti, Michigan. Living in ihe United Stales of America, the land of the free and brave, African Americans exist in a state of cultural subjection and subversion. 11 on ly holds to reason that with in a democratic society.the largest and most dominant culture, group or class will tend to set the values, goals and agenda of the less dominant groups. In order for less dominant groups to subsist or prosper in this type of situation they must Icam to identify with some of the values of the more dominant group in order to share power (i.e. assimilate & integrate). Hence, throughout the vast social and cultural movements that have marked the struggle of African- Americans- there has always emerged an ideological dichotomy regarding the agenda for social progress; Nationalism vs. Integrationalism. Nationalism can be defined as a collective agenda formulated on the basis of ethnic similarities, which serves as a guiding force for the group{nalion). Intergrationalism is the idea that groups should not separate themselves by ethnicity; that groups should seek to become one with the larger society( the great melting pot). This dilemma was not resolved by Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. DuBois; nor with Garvey ism; nor during the Harlem Renaissance and not even during the civil rights / Black power era. Even today on integrated campuses there are extreme efforts ,on the part of so-called minorities, to erect structures to develop and protect culture in the midst of a culturally hegemonic society. Why has this burning issue not been resolved? Why do black students feel the need to have black student unionsand/orblackcultural centers? The effort to maintain cultiual autonomy while at the same time try ing to discard cultural distinctness has left many nationalistic surges in a slate of ideological flux. Why would an ethnic group want to be free from judgement on the basis of ethnicity at one moment; but at the next, demand the recognition of ethnic autonomy? This question is one of survival. By what means can African people in America siuvive? Can success best be attained through the complete abandonment of traditional culture (i.e. mass acculturation into the ’dominant society); or by the complete rejection of assimilation (which ultimately results in the rejection of mass integration)? In analyzing the true essence of the problem, I can conclude that the former question is not only inadequate, but is the wrong question to ask. The more appropriate question is one of control. How does an ethnic group participate in this democratic society? The ability to control cultural forms should be the question. Asian Americans and Middle Eastern Americans are groups that have a culture that can fend off the influences of cultural dilution. Those groups have a highly developed cultural philosophy within the confines of this society. The African American community has been open to the manipulation of values, arts, economics and politics by the dominant culture. The struggle to develc^ control over African American culture is the true battle of African Americans in this day. This battle may really be won within the plutocratic environment of the modern day integrated college. As black students strive for the missing piece to their cultural puzzle, agents who operate within the dominant culture will mock and belittle their attempts. Some will ask”Why do blacks need something only for themselves; isn’t this perpetuating segregation?” The reply to this tricky logic rests in the right of a group to insulate its sacred beliefs while simultaneously seeking the benefits of a democratic society. The Constitution ensures and encourages these rights, so they must be realized by African Americans for African Americans. Other cultures are able to operate in this fashion, but African Americans have never managed to develop an ideology that would allow them to do the same. That is why black cultural centers must be erected and black student unions must be formed; to serve as a common platform for the under-developed philosophy of African Americans; to serve as a developmental and protective cultural entity. The conceptual conflict of interest that exists in the minds of African-American students in integrated colleges must be solved from within cultural bounds- an external solution won’t do. The African-American students’ ideological agenda must be reordered so that this problem mi,_ be confronted and analyzed. They must provide the cultural fcxms that will be sufficient for the purposes of protecting and developing sacred values, beliefs, practices and traditions. This is the black students' burden of the 1990s. As black students fight this battle once more it is crucial that they understand their histwy and learn of the ideological blunders that have sabotaged the freedom movements of African Americar.s in the past Anyone who is interested in furthering their understanding of cultural subjugation and hegemcxiy should refCT to the following: The Crisis of the Negro Intellectual by Harold Cruse; The Souls of Black Folk by W. E. B. DuBois; and Circle of Culture by Sterling Stuckey. The Need For Unity ? Unity. Just a live letter wordi;: and yet so pow«rfol m Hie coacqjt of onity b Wcbstw’s tefinc» it as putting or joining together so AS to make QR6; icombin©. Yet and sill wc have so nuch trouble ecblcviag this barmoiy. ? Wc» as African Americans, have been divicfed for too long. Our ancestors, who were slaves, were dividod mto hotsse and fwld NegroeSv 'Throughout the years, this di vis too has been transformed and passed oa so that in 1992, we stiildivj^d; die only thiogthat has changed are the botmdanes. Our divisioQS read Uke a pmo* fight ticket: urban blacks vs. ratal blacks, coi iege educated blacks vs. those withnoeducatiofl and upper clas$e8 m tH ckssesKBveo u4 "educated foUt* on caaMpos are separated by diff^wces such sst ^udenis vs. atheleies; U^t-sldnned vs.darlt-3kinned; and greelcs vs. Why argw over such petty matters? The bAti»n line is tim we are all African Arnecicans, blacks, negroes, colored or however yoa want to label yourself. We have do reason not to be unified. Yoa know as well as I do that io any giveo store, we as black youth be labeled as thieves. Every black male can be viewed as a suspect for tiie wort; of a misguided brother. Sounds Like we have a lot ittt commoD. Although unity involves a sense of oneness, it do^ mean tiwt we all are going to think and act dike« It doesn't cvea. mean that we m going to agree with everything that our brothers and asters do. There are^s^ill going to be many dOtbei^sIn thot^^ Change wUt take placc only whw wo mamtam acert^ amountof respect for each other. Respect is the fonndationof unity.. WitiuMa itwe wilt not be aJble to ctwne togcd«* as a peq^. . Ifweres^xcteachotl^’sviewSj thw regardless'of wb^her or not we are in agreetn^t we wiii tend suf^rt to our brt«her$ and slstfa^. ' « Case in point, take the Nation of Islam, One does not havetoptactice their teligioR in order ^ siqipart them.Why is tfe so? Because cHnnu»d or demtand total respect As blacks on a predwwiantly caro|8)$, we have, enough problems dealing with taciaJ wlatKBJs. At some pcsnt we need supptst our feotteis and sisters. Take the time to evaluate I)oyou supjportaiHjt^^ yt>ur fellow twothacsand^iscets— even the ones yoadon’t like? If ft takes mcMre dstan an instant to lei^pwjd, m^be ;^o ne^tocheck yottfself. , ' ' l«t"sp«tai»depct^crificis*»$, let's sop dividing a«K»g p6ek &«emities andsoralttftsjafteratt you wtsKi black befc^ you w^e gjreek--^tboughswiedont« to believe this. ' saapportand ^jow resp^ (ot the brotb«s aiirf *ister» tl5^ serve as our housekeepers. Because I fcrow de^dBs ^o il ■ woald have been our parent indih the same Jobs, Thetimeft^ unfly isnow. We! cartoolongeraflGrattftobest^parated' along artiflciai boudaries^Thls ysgff,iopacticufetr,weneedtostand, behind and aipport odner beca«»e no one else will fe> it for! tts. ru be watchiftg your back—i; Iropeyoucan say the same for me. Thihk^utiL i^^ace^ God Bless, ] Co»^ Brown '' j
Black Ink (Black Student Movement, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)
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Aug. 31, 1992, edition 1
12
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