Wow, RastaGoddess. That was a lot of questions, took I a while to write it.
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* Why are Afrikan people the most discriminated against? Why have we suffered the greatest oppression? Was it the "curse of Ham"...did we "fall" from grace" What exactly was it?
It was not a curse or a falling from grace, but the wickedness of the people that were the downpressors. In terms of why, I don't know with enough confidence to say, I could think about possible reasons, but I would rather not guess. In the end, it comes down to the wickedness of the people that did and do it.
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• Can you admit that there is a phenomenon known as White Skin Privilege? And how do you personally benefit from it?
Yes there is. I benefit from it because I live in a white majority country and even though my dreadlocks cause many white people to discriminate and treat me worse than they would a baldhead white person, in many circumstances I would still be given more opportunities and treated better than many black people would be treated.
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• What is your definition of White Supremacy?
A system designed to benefit white people more than people of other skin color, and includes the downpression of other people as well.
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• Do you agree that “the sins of forefathers” are passed down generations? If so, how do you reconcile this within yourself and being part of RasTafari (a black movement) and what have you done to cleanse that “karma” from your livity?
As I have said before, I Life is I ancestors Life, and I children is I Life, so there should be at least some connection. In terms of Karma and people paying for the sins of their fathers, I think it should be so, but observation of history makes it seem unlikely. Powerful people that do wicked things to others seem to continue staying in power and prosper for generations, and don't usually fall until another set of Powerful people defeat them, and the replacements tend to carry on with the same or similar wickedness for generations until the next replacement comes.
In terms of cleansing I Karma passed from I foreparents. I really don't know any specifics of what good or bad things I foreparents did. I ancestors were enslaved by the Ottoman empire during the colonization and slavery of Africans, so they had no part in that. We were fighting to free ourselves.
In a general sense, I work day to day to Live better and to rid Iself of the remaining wickedness in actions and thought. Not for the purpose of cleaning my Karma, but because I sight that it is the way I and I are supposed to Live and the example that Haile Selassie I shows.
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• How do you feel, REALLY feel when we speak of the Divinity of Blackness? The scientific, archeological, historical, alchemical, biological, cultural and spiritual aspects of melanin?
I think Blackness is Divine, and people of any color who Live Divine are Divine. I don't currently have enough information to have an opinion about the spiritual aspects of melanin.
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• How do you TRULY and FUNDAMENTALY feel about the evils of European peoples, historically/collectively speaking? Are they a “thing of the past” or are they ongoing?
Ongoing.
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• What are you WORKS towards Afrikan Liberation? How do you address and rectify the issues of racism against Mama Afrika’s children?
I don't believe I have enough resources, power or influence to liberate Africans, or rectify the issues of racism against Africans in a general sense. I speak against racism when I see it, not only against Africans, but also against others, but that is not going to really rectify the issues of racism. I can only hope that it changes some people.
In addition to this website, I have made a website for RasTafarI people to do business together and find local RasTafarI businesses, but it hasn't received much interest.
The things I do in Life are for the people I come into contact with, especially for people around I and also to the people I Reason with on this website. I don't really see it as works, but that they are I Idren and Sistren, and I treat them like I Idren and Sistren. So if they ask I for help, whether personal or when they have a RasTafarI function or works they are running; I help if I am able. Or I offer help if I Sight I Idren or Sistren in a situation where I could help.
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• How much have you studied about InI history? Aside from the bible and/or the Kebra Negast? How many of you have read Afrocentric/Pan Afrikan works by Dr. Yosef Ben Jochannan? John Henrik Clarke? Any Afrocentric studies? If so, which?
I have studied some African history, and have Learned from I Idren and Sistren over the years. I have read some writings from some Afrocentric writers, from things I have searched on the internet, but I don't have a book from them.
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• Is the fact that the Creator CHOSE Afrikan People as the Mothers and Fathers of Civilization and Humanity simply a random thing? A sort of biological or environmental outcome, or is there a DIVINE reason behind it? Same question for the creation of white people, was it a random outcome? A result of albinism? A possible lesson to the rest of the world? What are the REASONS you sight that InI are the original godz and parents of humanity, and what is the role of this most unruly and violent last child of creation?
I don't know.
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• When you hear us reason about ancestral connection to Mama Afrika and all that RasTafari stands for. The Divine “Pearl” spoken of in the Kebra Negast, linking InI to the original people, a birthright to ancient cultures and traditions, can you identify? If so, how??
Africans' ancestral connection to Africa is theirs, not mine. I people left Africa a very long time ago. I people have their own ancestral connections, cultures and traditions. Trodding RasTafarI didn't cause I to turn away from or disregard the History and Culture of I ancestors, RasTafarI inspired I to research and Learn about I History, Culture and Customs, including that before Christianity.
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• Are our ancient and esoteric Afrikan sciences (Vodun, Santeria, Kemet, the so-called “worship” of nature) to be considered….pagan? Against “God”? Do they contradict RasTafari?
No. I would have said yes in the past. When I started Trodding with RasTafarI people, most thought and said that, and that is what I Learned. But since then I have Learned more from Haile Selassie I, and other RasTafarI people , including those that deal with the Bible, and I changed I view.
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• What is your FIRST thought when you sight this images:
Iditation
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• Are you “color blind? Would RasTafari be better if we simply got over moved on from the issues of slavery and the evils of European history? Do you subconsciously wish that Rasta was not an Afrikan movement, therefore not having to ask yourselves or face these difficult questions and issues?
No, as the I know, I deal with color loveness, and culture loveness, and ancestral loveness. The richness and variety of Creation is Blessed. I enjoy Learning about other people including there differences; I have no desire to pretend they are not there. To the second question, no.
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* What are your thoughts on InI ancient tradition of POLYGAMY?
As long as the people involved are aware of it and fine with it, I have no issue.
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• Why has there never been any significant world inspiring European holy men and divine prophets? Why have they been melanated people? What is the common denominator? Melanin? Coincidence? Random happenings?
Europeans had their own Holy People, I know Serbians did, although they may not have been world inspiring. A lot of I history before Christianity has been erased, only some stories remain, and it is not a major religion of today. The biggest world inspiring religions in these times, with their holy men (whether real or myth) are Christian, Muslim, Buddhism and Hinduism. Kemet is also world inspiring today and especially in ancient times, and has influenced many nations and people around the world. But those are only five out of the Great Richness of Creation. There are so many more religions, walks of life, cultures, customs from so many people of all continents, nations, races, tribes, all melenated(including white people) by different degrees. The only people without melanin (eumelanin) or with only trace amounts are Albino people, although they still have neuromelanin in the brain, and some also have pheomelanin.
The big religions that have spread throughout the world were not spread by the holy men, and often not even by the stories about the holy men; but were spread by people who practiced the religion and/or their leaders, by various means. Also, as I mentioned, there are so many different religions, walks of life, cultures, customs around the world, among all races, and only a fraction have spread world wide, are they all somehow inferior to the holy men, or the people who started, or the people that spread those religions?
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• How do you fit in under the banner of the following fundamental principles of Rastafari:
o 1) Repatriation – Back to Africa Movement
o 2) Divinity of Blackness
o 3) Haile Selassie as the Father of Pan Afrikanism, organization of African Unity and loyalty to his people first and foremost?
o 4) Marcus Garvey
I am not sure what the I mean about how I fit, so hopefully I response is what the I is asking.
1) Repatriation means African people returning to their home of Africa. It is not for other people unless they are talking about returning to the home of their own ancestors. I fit is by supporting I Idren and Sistren if they want support.
2) I Sight Divinity of Blackness, and Divinity of all people who live Divine regardless of color.
3) Agreement.
4) I have Learned from his Words and I Sight his importance to the movement and the importance of the example he set.
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• If you already have, or plan to have black children, how will you raise them to identify themselves?
Not Applicable, I have three white skinned boys, no plans for more children, but I will give an answer regarding I children. I will Teach them about RasTafarI and other things I have Learned in Life, and also what I know of the Pre-Christian Trods of I Wife's, and I own ancestors. When they know that, I will let them identify themselves.
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• When you hear InI chant “Roots & Kulcha”, what does that mean to you? What roots and culture do you identify with?
I identify with RasTafarI Trod, which also means I identify with the roots and culture of I own ancestors.
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• What are your thoughts when you hear Afrikans suggest a temporary separation until we rebuild ourselves to our original Ivine position?
For all who wish that, I Iverstand and Respect their choice, and have no issue with it. I only want to Trod with People that want to Trod with I, so I will Itinue to Trod with them.
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• Was your introduction to RasTafrai through a black mate or significant other? If so, should the union be dissolved, would you still trod RasTafari way?
No
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• Were you first introduced through Reggae Music? Ganja smoking? African spiritual system? What EXACTLY about RasTafari touched you deeply?
Before I get to I answer, one funny thing about Ganja, I realized I was RasTafarI before touching Ganja, and even though I knew I was RasTafarI, I didn't deal with Ganja at first because I thought that there must be something bad about it because it was illegal. I heard some kids in school talking about it and I wanted to do some research so I could tell them how bad it is. So I looked at the Encyclopedia Britannica books at I house, with a bias to speak against it, and after reading about it, it convinced I that it was alright for I to use it, and I started using it.
For the answer, I will post what I posted a few days ago in the other Reasoning.
When I learned about RasTafarI in 1991, I lived in a town that hardly had any people who were not white, and there were no RasTafarI people or people that even heard about RasTafarI. I heard some RasTafarI reggae songs from two university radio stations from a city that was about 100km from where I lived. I could see that RasTafarI people were I people and knew that I was RasTafarI and started to read the Bible. I knew very little about Haile Selassie I but saw that He is the Most High. This was before internet, so I didn't have that as a source of information or communication. I managed to find one short book that spoke about RasTafarI people that was sent to I local library from a library from a bigger city. That confirmed to I that I am RasTafarI. Before that time, I felt like an outsider and couldn't see I way, and when I learned about RasTafarI, I finally was comfortable within Iself because I saw I path and I people. For I first four years, I didn't have any RasTafarI people to speak to, but never wavered because I knew that I am RasTafarI. I decided to go to University in Toronto for the sole Reason that I knew that I would find the Most RasTafarI people there. And when I arrived in 1995, I immediately tried to find RasTafarI people and that was when the Higher Learning began.
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• Outside of RasTafari, what are your view about Black People? Do you cross the street when you see a young black man coming in your direction? Clutch your purse a little closer to you? If so, why?
No
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• Are we, as Afrikan People, too angry? Too stuck on the past? Do we “carry a chip on our shoulder”. Are we racist?
No.
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