Bantu Stephen Biko said "The most potent weapon in the hands of the oppressor is the mind of the oppressed." There are many ways that the oppressor controls the oppressed using this weapon. One of those ways is with words. As any writer knows the choice and arrangement of words is a vital tool in relaying to the reader. It can be done consciously and/or subconsciously. During centuries of oppression of the descendants of Africa in America, African Americans have met a barrage of control via words and their assigned meanings. Wording is also used to control those who would oppress. Catchy sound bites and phrases are often used. Discussing and challenging the use of one of these phrases is the goal of this post. In weaponizing the sound bite "Race Baiting," has the oppressor successfully manipulated the minds of those who would oppress and those who are oppressed? What prompted me to write this article was a response to a comment I left on a YouTube video. It was from "The Real News" It is titled "Baltimore's Girls Are Being Pushed Out of Schools at Alarming Rates." It is a long overdue discussion on what Black girls experience in the current educational system. The same applies to Black boys. I do not personally give into the divide of my people by gender when it comes to how we experience racism. There is little difference. It also counters unity. That being said, the comment accused the Black women speaking in video on the issues and abuses of Black girls in the educational system of race baiting. I've heard this term used many times. Yet this time the necessity to call out its use for what is really meant and why it was applied to this video was strong. The video is attached. My comments are as E.Walker.
South African anti-apartheid and Pan-African activist, Steven Biko's quote implies valuable remedy to avoid oppression. The oppressed have to be able to recognize when they are being controlled. In order to do so, the oppressed have to recognize what is being fed to their minds that is oppressive. How are their minds being used as a self inflicting attack? Equally important is the motive of the oppressor. The best source for answers is the history of the tactics used. Not only do the oppressed have to recognize how they were and are being oppressed, they have to be able to look to the future and predict what tactics will be used. The oppressed must not let the oppressor use their minds as weapons. The oppressed must recognize when words are used to control their thought in order to promote and sustain the status quo, in this case racism. It is a way of self cure by freeing their minds.
In the past few decades, the Black voice was missing in the conversation on racism in America. Since the beginning of America's second Post Reconstruction which began in the mid to late 1970s, the Black voice has been systematically banned in the conversation on race. That must be remedied. This banning includes attacks against those who dared to speak out; a mandate to feel comfortable due to gains of the second Reconstruction of the late 1960s, early 1970s; an increased control of the discussion on racism by white America...and basically a repeat of what was done one hundred years earlier during the beginning of the first Post Reconstruction of the late 1870s. The conversation has been manipulated, falsified and controlled by the oppressor. It's been one sided. The Black voice is returning to the discussion on racism in America. It faces the responsibility of correcting the false narrative that's been spoken over the past decades and continues to be spoken.
In the past few decades, the Black voice was missing in the conversation on racism in America. Since the beginning of America's second Post Reconstruction which began in the mid to late 1970s, the Black voice has been systematically banned in the conversation on race. That must be remedied. This banning includes attacks against those who dared to speak out; a mandate to feel comfortable due to gains of the second Reconstruction of the late 1960s, early 1970s; an increased control of the discussion on racism by white America...and basically a repeat of what was done one hundred years earlier during the beginning of the first Post Reconstruction of the late 1870s. The conversation has been manipulated, falsified and controlled by the oppressor. It's been one sided. The Black voice is returning to the discussion on racism in America. It faces the responsibility of correcting the false narrative that's been spoken over the past decades and continues to be spoken.
What Is Meant by the Use of the Term "Race Baiting?"
In order to explain the underling meaning of the term "Race Baiting," how it is applied and when it is used, one must first go back in history. One must look at the history of the steps used to create racism in America. One must also have an understanding of one of the steps used in the beast of oppression. This step is one of the steps used to establish racism and also helps to maintain it. It is usually the last step and always reverts back to and restarts step one. It usually follows the step where the oppressed have fought back. The step consists of attempts to control, define and prevent that fight back. Going forward that fight back will be called The Resistance.
Historically when there is resistance to America's oppression based on race, attempts to counter The Resistance have been to push back. The push back is with a stronger abuse, stronger control and to install powerful counters to any corrections achieved by The Resistance. These historic counters always resurface under different wording. Not talking to white people in a certain way is one that repeats. Not knowing ones place is paramount to discrediting The Resistance. Making sure the lines of superiority and inferiority are well draw, understood and refortified is checked. Using the necessary force to stop The Resistance, prevent future Resistance and to divide and conquer the resisters spans history to the present. In physics these two forces are called the push and the friction (the resistance). The oppressed must make sure The Resistance is always the stronger of the two forces or history repeats.
After America's second Reconstruction, the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s, white America sought ways to regain control. There was a flooding of manipulation via the use of words. These words included connotative and stereotypical definitions. These definitions were to distort the truth about racism in America. They were to be used by those who would oppress to silence the voices and block the strides of the oppressed. They were to counter the word "racism" and what it truly is in America. Words like "reverse discrimination", "quotas," "diversity", "political correctness" "playing the race card"...and the words being discussed here, "race baiting" were created to push back against any gains achieved in America's second Reconstruction, the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s.
The sound bite"race baiting" is defined as the use of racially derisive language, actions, or other forms of communication in order to anger or intimidate or coerce. Many Black people in America would immediately think of the Klu Klux Klan, any Nazi or other such people. White America thinks of incidents where their racism is pointed out and discussed between or among Black and Brown people. It's another example of taking the actions of Black and Brown people to be a threat. Pointing out racism and discussing how to resist it is seen as threatening to some white people. Some white people believe that if Black people were not told about racism by another Black person, we would never know or think it exists. The Resistance to racism in America is seen by some white people as an attempt to anger, intimidate or coerce. In other words The Resistance's use of protest, isolation from those who are racist, pointing out racism and empowering themselves against racism is the definition of "race baiting." White America may feel intimated, made angry and feel some form of coercion but, it is not the responsibility of the oppressed to prevent it. Black America is already angry when it comes to racism in America. Another Black person speaking on racism does not create what is already there. No bait can be set for what is already caught. Black America's resistance is not due to any coercion from hearing about racism. Race baiting means resistance to America's racism is not to be seen as the human right that it is.
The word in the definition "derisive" is code for the historic "you cannot say that to white people." Its definition is expressing contempt or ridicule. You cannot show anger. You cannot speak loudly. You must know your place. In other words if you are slapped, this in only how loud you can say ouch and how you are to react. Slaves were not allowed to look at their masters in the eye, speak up to their masters or speak in away considered "derisive." They would be beaten if they did. During the decades of lynching, Black people were lynched for claims of "derisive" language and actions. If they dared to speak up to a white person and call them on their racism they would have to fear for their lives being hung from a tree. Today to do so may also mean your life, as those who are called out on their racism claim to stand their ground against "derisive" acts. What is the discussion by The Resistance other than one of ridiculing the oppressor for their acts of oppression? Does resistance against oppression not include the right to ridicule the oppression and the oppressor? Does resistance against oppression mean you must love your oppressor or do you have the human right of feeling contempt? The Black codes have not changed.
Historically when there is resistance to America's oppression based on race, attempts to counter The Resistance have been to push back. The push back is with a stronger abuse, stronger control and to install powerful counters to any corrections achieved by The Resistance. These historic counters always resurface under different wording. Not talking to white people in a certain way is one that repeats. Not knowing ones place is paramount to discrediting The Resistance. Making sure the lines of superiority and inferiority are well draw, understood and refortified is checked. Using the necessary force to stop The Resistance, prevent future Resistance and to divide and conquer the resisters spans history to the present. In physics these two forces are called the push and the friction (the resistance). The oppressed must make sure The Resistance is always the stronger of the two forces or history repeats.
After America's second Reconstruction, the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s, white America sought ways to regain control. There was a flooding of manipulation via the use of words. These words included connotative and stereotypical definitions. These definitions were to distort the truth about racism in America. They were to be used by those who would oppress to silence the voices and block the strides of the oppressed. They were to counter the word "racism" and what it truly is in America. Words like "reverse discrimination", "quotas," "diversity", "political correctness" "playing the race card"...and the words being discussed here, "race baiting" were created to push back against any gains achieved in America's second Reconstruction, the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s.
The sound bite"race baiting" is defined as the use of racially derisive language, actions, or other forms of communication in order to anger or intimidate or coerce. Many Black people in America would immediately think of the Klu Klux Klan, any Nazi or other such people. White America thinks of incidents where their racism is pointed out and discussed between or among Black and Brown people. It's another example of taking the actions of Black and Brown people to be a threat. Pointing out racism and discussing how to resist it is seen as threatening to some white people. Some white people believe that if Black people were not told about racism by another Black person, we would never know or think it exists. The Resistance to racism in America is seen by some white people as an attempt to anger, intimidate or coerce. In other words The Resistance's use of protest, isolation from those who are racist, pointing out racism and empowering themselves against racism is the definition of "race baiting." White America may feel intimated, made angry and feel some form of coercion but, it is not the responsibility of the oppressed to prevent it. Black America is already angry when it comes to racism in America. Another Black person speaking on racism does not create what is already there. No bait can be set for what is already caught. Black America's resistance is not due to any coercion from hearing about racism. Race baiting means resistance to America's racism is not to be seen as the human right that it is.
The word in the definition "derisive" is code for the historic "you cannot say that to white people." Its definition is expressing contempt or ridicule. You cannot show anger. You cannot speak loudly. You must know your place. In other words if you are slapped, this in only how loud you can say ouch and how you are to react. Slaves were not allowed to look at their masters in the eye, speak up to their masters or speak in away considered "derisive." They would be beaten if they did. During the decades of lynching, Black people were lynched for claims of "derisive" language and actions. If they dared to speak up to a white person and call them on their racism they would have to fear for their lives being hung from a tree. Today to do so may also mean your life, as those who are called out on their racism claim to stand their ground against "derisive" acts. What is the discussion by The Resistance other than one of ridiculing the oppressor for their acts of oppression? Does resistance against oppression not include the right to ridicule the oppression and the oppressor? Does resistance against oppression mean you must love your oppressor or do you have the human right of feeling contempt? The Black codes have not changed.
According to its definition, some examples of "race baiting" are the The Civil Rights Movement, Abolitionist Movement, March on Washington, The March to Salem, The Emancipation Proclamation, Reconstruction, The Civil Rights Act of 1964, The Voting Rights Act of 1965... These all contained actions, speeches, publications and words that ridiculed and displayed contempt against racism and those who practiced it. They have done this in order to insight corrective actions. These corrective actions have angered, intimidated and made racists feel coerced.
Race Baiting is one of the current counter forces to The Resistance against racism in America. It means The Resistance does not have the human rights of self-preservation, self-protection and being able to fight back. Baiting is only used to describe resistance when the form of oppression is racism. Thus it is discriminatory in its use.
Race Baiting is one of the current counter forces to The Resistance against racism in America. It means The Resistance does not have the human rights of self-preservation, self-protection and being able to fight back. Baiting is only used to describe resistance when the form of oppression is racism. Thus it is discriminatory in its use.
Be vigilant. Render impotent those who wish to use our minds as a weapon.
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