Saturday, March 19, 2011

Uncle Toms and other Pathologies in Post Slavery America

Of late in the terrain of social commentary there has been a resurgence of the topic of internal racial themes within Black America. One of the themes has been the discussion of class and Black personalities like the Uncle Tom aka the modern day Black Apologist.

Any candid discourse and examination of race within the Black community must be viewed from the platform of minority and majority themes. Black americans are a distinct cultural minority collective in a white nation that suffered through one of America's domestic holocausts.

The legacy of white supremacy in America has been lethal it stings and wounds even in the post racial era of an Obama tenure in the white house. The pathology of racism not only is lethal for those who are victimized by it but this evil also causes damages to those who authored white privilege and white supremacy.

For the Black folks who are stained and contaminated with white racism it produces a number of outcomes and side effects from hopelessness, anger,despair, militancy and the like. The drama of personalities like the Uncle Tom are not new in the Black community.

One of the incarnations of a community subject to the pathology of white racism in our nation is the character of an Uncle Tom a person whose self esteem is only measured by his acceptance and validation from whites. Despite the conventional themes about the negative portrayal of Uncle Toms. In our history the Uncle Tom was not always a terrible figure people ignore how talented they were in navigating and leveraging their race status during the plantation era and the post slavery era in America.

These personalities in very oppressive situations produced effective outcomes from elevated employment opportunities on the plantation to creative tatics in avoiding and deflecting the wrath from racist whites. The Uncle Tom was a living excercise a role model in how to managed the lethal system of slavery while creating effective strategies to excell in this inhumane and oppressive paradigm.

Yet some Uncle Toms were/are tragic personalities but they would not exist unless there was white supremacy and the pathology of white privilege in America. The intra cultural clash that exists in many Black communities, families, fraternities, organizations, churches and related groups are linked to the institution of slavery in America. This evil complex altered and influenced the very essence of family and social life in America for Black folks. All the words, studies, classes, novels, lectures will never be able to comprehend or give a full measure to the impact of this holocaust on Black Americans.

Black self worth and community values and mores still suffer from the disease of slavery.It is not an excuse or a plea of victimhood to understand and recognize this truth. Black victimhood, class envy, petty jealousy, twisted rage and even some degree of Black crime, parenting, goal shaping, psychosis all of these relations and conditions have origins in the creation of a America that viewed Black folks as inferior beings not worthy of basic humanity.

The saga of the Black Uncle Tom shares a shelf life with White racism in our nation it is a pathological scar, obstacle and part of the cultural dna that still wounds and inflicts to many even in the post racial era of America....

7 comments:

BigmacInPittsburgh said...

Only when we start to seriously understand the effect of institutional racism upon people of color,from a individual and collective perspective,will we begin to modify the ramifications of it's effect.
As long as we continue to have these silly public displays of disagreement with each other, with each claiming to be more real then the other, then we will never to see the forest for the trees.

Plane Ideas said...

Bigmac,

I share with you these concerns yet often these public displays of disagreement are the outcomes of a historical interaction created by the orgin of slavery etc..

This basis of ignorance and discord often has a cause in the past it has a memory a historical dna is being displayed..The heritage of human behavior good, bad, ugly has an orgin this is how I evaluate in part this cultural dissonance in our communities..

Constructive Feedback said...

[quote]One of the incarnations of a community subject to the pathology of white racism in our nation is the character of an Uncle Tom a person whose self esteem is only measured by his acceptance and validation from whites. [/quote]

My Dear Friend Greg Thrasher:

You argue that a Tom is one who seeks validation from White people.

Where would you place a "Strong Black" who's main goal is to see SOCIAL JUSTICE from the "White Establishment" - as expressed through:

* Multiple Taxpayer Paid Health Care
* A focus on "racist White police officers" while looking past the Black chief and elected mayor that they all work for
* Focusing on TAX CUTS as the cause of their peril but not the industrial policy that they support

In summary - Is there any indictment to the person with the confidence of the Black community that fails to build up the COMPETENCIES of our people?

If one is ANGRY at White folks, INDICTING them that they OWE US certain entitlements yet they themselves have little to show for in the way of ORGANIC DEVELOPMENTS for our communities - is this NOT the worst TOM in the world?

Plane Ideas said...

@CF,

You need to stay in your lane the personality you are commenting about is not an Uncle Tom..

BTW the shortcomings and failures of a politician regardless of the hue has nothing to do with the narrative of an Uncle Tom..

Stay tune I may write a commentary about the impotency of elected officials especially those in communities under duress and on life support..

Constructive Feedback said...

Mr Thrasher:

You defined an "Uncle Tom" as a person who sought the acceptance and validation of White people.

I merely suggested that those who believe themselves to be "UN-Toms" project an "angry disposition" and in doing so appear to be "Authentically Black".

IF I "stay in the lane" then we must conclude that a "Tom" is merely whittled down to those who don't front vs those who do - in relation to White folks.

I crossed the line, it appears, when I tried to move the conversation to a more materially relevant inspection: the ORGANIC PRODUCTIVITY of the Black community.

SURELY, a community that is able to maximize its deployment of all of its human resources AND is silent about their focus on externalities which ultimately divert their attention from what they need to be doing otherwise is in a better position than those who banter about their disposition with reference to their long time but now external adversary.

I am only suggesting that a person who is NOT "An Uncle Tom" is not assured to have moved the ball forward for the community's interest.

Plane Ideas said...

CF,

In other words you agree with me but YOU need to advance another construct at the expense of my cogent analysis ..

Please add value if you must but keep it on topic...BTW 'brevity is the soul of wit'Shakespeare

Plane Ideas said...

Randall,

Takes one to know one....lol,lol,lol BTW stop stalking me I am blushing..