Sep 14 2006
History of Shame?
I’ve noticed that a lot of African-Americans have the last name Williams. I know it’s a very European name, so it makes me wonder whether a lot of people named Williams owned slaves. I’ve never heard stories of people in my family who did, but I have a feeling that’s mostly because there’s not much wealth in our history. One can hope otherwise, at least.
We’ve traced our family tree back a long way — all the way back to a castle in Ireland, in fact. Because those folks were protestants, they were called “black Irish,” but that’s a whole different kind of black. Plus, the name Williams came into the picture later.
I’ve heard of folks discovering that their families owned slaves (okay, I’ve seen it happen on TV), but I wouldn’t know where to look. I would like to find out for sure that we didn’t hold slaves, and hold my head high. Maybe I’d find out that somebody in my family was killed for helping slaves.
When I think about slavery, I still can’t fathom how people could cause and allow that to happen. It came down to money, I’m sure. There will always be those people in life who overlook atrocities as long as they are making money. Those people suck.
Although some of “my people” might have had something to do with slavery, there are also those ancestors who were persecuted. Their suffering came at the hands of those with pretty much the same motivation — money.
I’m speaking of Native Americans. I have some Cherokee blood in me, although besides the inability to grow decent facial hair, you couldn’t tell by looking at me. My Irish roots, the pale skin and freckles, drown out any resemblence to the indigenous peoples of this land.
My family descends in part from two people, whose names we were lucky to find and were forced to walk on the Trail of Tears — the warrior Solgohachia and the maiden Morning Star. I dare say that the Native Americans’ plight ranks right up there with the Africans’. The biggest difference is that they were pushed out of their land or killed by an occupying force, not plucked from their homeland and shipped around the world. Similar to the Africans, their way of life was obliterated and they were forced to profess a new God.
Both were regarded as less than human. I don’t know which would be worse, being enslaved or helplessly witnessing attempted genocide.
The U.S. government has made efforts at reparations for both, but how do we undo either grave injustice? Is there is any way to truly make amends?
Boy I could write a book on these two subjects (Blacks and Indians), but there’s no time today.
Also, I’ve heard lately, that the people of dark skin do not like “African American” anymore, so it’s not PC any longer. Go figure.
In one sentence, we all bleed red, we’re all equal. None more than any other.
’nuff said
You’re doing it, Mark. We break the chain. We raise our kids to be tolerant and respectful of others. My parents were more than a teeny bit prejudiced (fearful of what they did not understand?) and I am proud to say that I had much to do with the fact that my children are not.
Dave - I have heard the same thing, but I didn’t know the “in” word, so I went with it. Maybe somebody will become incensed (but not incense) and give me my first comment flame.
Thousands of years living geographically apart are still way ahead of us on the “equal” part. I don’t mean anybody’s better, just that we’re different (more susceptible to different illnesses, different earwax consistency, etc). I tried to hint in my story “Falcon” that after thousands more we finally would be the same. Regardless of anyone’s opinion, it’s gradually happening.
Linda - I think you nailed it. The fact that communications advances have made the world seem smaller also contributes.
Mark, I’m quite sure you can hold your head high regardless of the potential sins of your forebears. The son inheriting the sins of the father is an utterly ridiculous notion, in my mind.
And if you can actually think up some good idea on how to properly make reparations for the ills visited upon the two peoples you mention, I’d be mighty impressed. Since you have some native blood in you, who’s going to apologize to you, and to what degree, since the white Mark is the sinnin’ part?
Lawd knows that the band-aid solution to the issue of Native rights and land claims here in Canada is a royal SNAFU with no better solution today than a hundred years ago.
Simon - I suppose I can. I agree about children inheriting sin — makes no sense.
There’s just no way to turn back time, no matter how many times Cher sings about it (you know you just imagined Jack’s impression of Cher — admit it).
I’d be interested in reading more about the problems in Canada. We’re letting our Native Americans run casinos on pretty much any “Indian” Reservation down here, and they’re growing very fast (the casinos, not the natives).
I just heard a comic the other day who suggested that the Native Americans are brilliant, and that they are taking back the country one bankrupt Caucasian gambler at a time. Pretty funny stuff.
There are so many issues around the perpetuation of racism that I think it comes down to opinions on why it exists, and why it will likely continue to exist. I think everyone has their perception based on what they’ve experienced, which is the root of the problem. There would be no better example of “walking a mile in their shoes” than this one, when it comes to gaining a better perspective and understanding.
Chuck - I think I’ve heard that guy, too, or you told me about him.
Great points, bro. Actually, the book I’m reading right now, The Closing of the American Mind went into this in the section I read today. He basically said that people are scared of true openness (his word) because closedness is much more familiar and comfortable. He was speaking of ideologies, religions, etc., but it seems to fit race, too.