Elijah,
Before I respond directly to this post, I have something to reason.
When you said,
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I believe I have said this before but was called ignorant. Im glad someone agrees with me now.
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The wording of this statement makes it look like you are looking for confrontation based on things that people said to you in the past. Maybe this is not the case, but it sure looks that way.
I ask the other people of this forum to refrain from letting this topic turn into an argument. Respond peacefully and don't let his statement vex you, let him keep his vexation to himself.
The reason I ask this is that we have just gotten past the arguments that have been occuring for the last while and I am not interested in the arguments starting again. It is a waste of time and energy.
In regards to the rest of your post. I agree that people shouldn't be judged or liked or disliked based on the colour of their skin, but I will never think that people should ignore who they are, their ancestry, history and where they come from.
And I really don't think that Bob feels that people should ignore those things. He is just making a point about Inity.
Here are some other things Bob has said about Blackness. To show you that he acknowledges his blackness and embraces it.
Soul train is coming our way; er!
Zion train is coming our way.
Two thousand years of history (history)
Could not be wiped away so easily.
Two thousand years of history (Black history)
Could not be wiped so easily (could not be wiped so easily).
PB: Is it true that your first visit to the United States, in the early sixties, led you to the way of rasta?
BM: I went to the United States. In front of all these buildings, I said to myself: "rasclaat". They showed me pictures and kept on telling me: "god is white". I said to myself: "What a damned place! The only thing I could be here is a slave." Those guys believe in money. On their dollars they wrote: "In god we trust". I had to choose between this white god and a black Jesus. I have chosen...
PB: What is the meaning of your fight for the black people? Will it eventually lead to african unity?
BM: I just want the black conscience to unite all the black people because white men already have what they need. Africa is not built yet because it's not united. The time has come for unity. All these liberation movements in Africa show that all these brothers are aware of it now. With Jah Rastafari, that's the best thing that could happen to the black people.
PB: Do you really believe in african unity?
BM: I believe first in the african unity, but I also believe in the unity of all the people for Rastafari is unique. The whole black continent used to be called Ethiopia. But the white man has divided Africa. Everytime he took a piece of it, he called it Africa.
Mumia Abu-Jamal:
Brother, what's the significance of the song, Exodus?
Bob Marley:
Exodus means coming together...the movement of Afrika, of Black people. Exodus from Babylon, we're in Babylon, and then a physical exodus to Home. But what we really a say is dat, we waan Black people to unite, with one another, Seen? Now, the only way we can unite is to deal wit truth...the truth is that King Solomon and King David is the root and if we gonna deal with roots, we hafta deal from King Solomon and King David time, Lion of Tribe of Judah, ya know? So, this is what I and I say: time for unity! Cause we's a people, we have something...and we have to deal with it, seen?
Mumia Abu-Jamal:
What's your hope, brother, for the future of Black people in America, and Black people in the world.
Bob Marley:
Way I see, you seen, it looks simple but it's true. RASTA FOR THE PEOPLE! Rastafari! For the people, seen? Capitalism and communism are finished. It Rasta now! The Blackman way of life. That's what we a say now dread. We a say: give the Black man fe him way of life now. Mek him show you how government run and how people care for people. Who you think have the Love. Who sing the tune inna the church. Black people a sing them, you know. Whose the spiritual people pon earth. The Black people. Dem a deal wit God. And God no let dem down. God always dere. And God say dem fe unite! Because when you unite, that is the power of God, you know. God love Love, which is unity. So when you unite, you get the whole power of God. That's what him want. Until Black people unite...if the Black people don't unite, the world, no one, no one can live good.
Cause the white man not living good, you know. The China man naa live good, either. Why? Because the Blackman is not united. Because the Blackman, him are the cornerstone pon earth! When time him shaky, the whole earth shaky. You see? When him solid, everything solid. And it a long while since we have been solid. You know. It's been a long long time. So you find out how much war, fight and dem tings, go on. You know where dem fight? In Africa! Our motherland. So anybody can see that war will start over here in America, man. REAL war. European pass over here and boom dis raas claat. True true. You mus' remember, dem have all of dem atomic business. So, you know. We not afraid for it, but Africa is the best. Africa for Africans, at home and abroad. African can be developed man. Africa have sea, river, everything. And clean. You have more land, more everything. You have good good everything. The best climate. The best land. You have the best everything! That's why today, His Majesty God more than yesterday, you know. Because we see that His Majesty never sell out to Russia, nor sell out to America. HIM uphold Black dignity, seen? So tell dem you can proudly say RASTAFARI, and naaw deal wit no traitor. That the sweet part 'bout it.
Ark I
RasTafarI
Haile Selassie I
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