A Loving Decision 121.3.21;69;2.9

Love And Peace, Family and Friends.

Over a century ago, there is a legendary civic leader whose status rivals that of Martin Luther King Jr in the United States.  His name is Booker Taliafero Washington, and he rises from the chains of slavery to build a university, establish a “development” machine (before the term is invented), and advocate for the interests of people of African descent.  Within his famous Atlanta Compromise, Washington offers a metaphor for suggested ethnic integration within the United States:  for different ethnicities to be as separate as the fingers when it comes to social interaction, and as united as the hand when it comes to common economic development.

Whilst this policy has its valid detractors (including the renowned WEB Du Bois who is a founder of America’s most prominent civil rights organisation, NAACP), this policy provides an appropriate context to consider the interests of multiethnic people.

Within the past 20 years, a social movement develops, advocating the identity, experience, and interests of people whose heritage comprises multiple ethnicities.  Mixed.  Mixed Race.  Biracial.  Multiethnic.  Mixie.  We are becoming increasingly fortified in affirming our multiethnic identity and building systems, institutions, and communities that strengthen our multiethnic identity and experience.

However, this affirmation of multiethnic identity and experience is met with substantial disdain from respective “monoethnic” communities.  Some monoethnic communities scrutinise the necessity and legitimacy of such multiethnic identity and experience in lieu of a conventional practise of assimilating within a mainstream identity and culture.  And additional monoethnic communities look towards the affirmation of multiethnic identity and experience with suspicion and animosity, concerned with such affirmation detracting from conventional programmes and initiatives that are respectively dedicated for the respective preservation of these monoethnic communities.  However, both of these approaches exist within an antiquated and stagnant myopia that historically pits different monoethnic communities against each other, causing a considerable reduction in aggregate production and efficiency, thereby substantially limiting the wellbeing and prosperity experienced by each monoethnic community.

When any community engages in conflict against another community, the devastation is obvious.  Lives are lost.  Wisdom and skilled labour is lost.  Infrastructure is damaged.  Systems and institutions are distracted from visionary endeavours and discovery.  And innumerous opportunity costs for natural resources, education, productivity, development, and progression are lost.

Whilst the effects may be less severe and readily evident, the same opportunity costs are lost when monoethnic communities are unable to proficiently cooperate with each other.  When this happens, there is convolution, over-complexity, and waste in public policy.  There is dissonance and stagnancy within employment rates, labour productivity, and capital development.  There is tremendous inefficiency within housing development and migration, transportation practices, and community building.  There is an increased amount of poverty, vagrancy, malaise, despondency, and disconnect.  There is an increased amount of dehumanisation, civil transgressions, and criminal behaviour.  There is an excessive amount of resources invested in weapons, fences, security, and police forces.  There is misinformation, miscommunication, and mistrust regarding education, which leads to aggravated circumstances within each of the previously described, and additional, experiences.

It may be considered that these adverse experiences occur whenever 1 person or 1 community is disinterested in the wellbeing of another person or another community;  whenever 1 person or 1 community alienates or dehumanises another person or another community;  whenever 1 person or 1 community justifies transgressive behaviour against another person or another community.  And when 1 monoethnic community intentionally or innately disassociates with another monoethnic community, this process of disinterest, dehumanisation, and devastation intentionally or innately begins.

So the question emerges:  how can different monoethnic communities successfully cooperate and prosper with each other whilst also maintaining the respective, distinct cultures and traditions of these monoethnic communities?  Within multiethnic people, there is a solution.

Multiethnic people may actually be the antithesis to Washington’s separation of the fingers:  blurring the boundaries of ethnicity, as well as the boundaries of cultures and traditions.  But within multiethnic people there is also the ancient solution for the progression and adaptation of civilisations, cultures, and traditions.  Whilst multiethnic people maintain multiple allegiances and a confluence of cultures and traditions, multiethnic people also have respect for the legacy and integrity for each of 1’s cultures and traditions;  even whilst merging cultures and traditions and creating new 1’s. 

Multiethnic people recognise and concentrate upon higher principles and practices to which all monoethnic communities adhere.  And through this recognition and concentration, opportunities for institutional and systemic cooperation amongst different monoethnic communities become increasingly evident and plausible.

The cost for these opportunities is the allowance for multiethnic people to also continue and flourish;  for multiethnic people to be accepted within each monoethnic community whilst also simultaneously being respected when following the culture and tradition of another monoethnic community as well as when following a new “hybrid” culture and tradition.  Admittedly, this allowance may effectively detract from the aggregate of each monoethnic community, but this cost is much less than the cost for outright conflict and dissonance with other monoethnic communities.  In this scenario, the monoethnic communities are still as separate as the fingers (with the integrity and the progression of each respective monoethnic culture and tradition), whilst multiethnic people exist as the joints (the knuckles) that bridge the fingers into the hands and facilitate cooperation between the different monoethnic communities.  A hand can accomplish an increasing amount compared to any 1 finger or thumb.

This can take the form of multiethnic people being hired as ambassadors between different monoethnic communities:  in labour negotiations;  market and demographic consulting;  interreligious diplomacy;  alternative dispute resolution and arbitration;  city planning and community building;  public policy;  education;  and additionally.  It is also beneficial to make provisions for multiethnic people to intentionally and innately build institutions, systems, and communities where multiethnic identity and experience are the pervading norm (the predominant culture and tradition) of such institutions, systems, and communities.

We each exist within our own myopia.  And when we have the courage to accept this, we are increasingly understanding and empathetic with the respective myopiae of others.  We are also better equipped to perceive the entirety of the Universe and the threats and opportunities that exist therein.  May we be further courageous to strengthen the bridges that we build with those who are different from us whilst we continue to remain ourselves. 

We are better together.

Love And Peace,

Peter.

Loathing Into Loving 121.3.21;69;2.9

Love And Peace, Family and Friends.

A few years ago, I attend a reunion Homecoming at 1 of my almae mater, Hampton University.  As is typical when seeing an old friend for the 1^st occasion in nearly 20 years, we catch up on what we do, who we are with, and where we travel.  A number of my fraternity brothers talk about international travel, going on holiday, business trips, and relocation.  And we discuss whether we have the occasion of being in each other’s respective hometowns.  I mention to 1 fraternity brother that people only visit Cleveland if people have a specific reason.  And I mention that 1 of the advantages to living in Cleveland is knowing that family and friends are Truly visiting our city to share company with us, rather than to simply “see the sights” and holiday.

I am born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio;  what many also refer to as the Cuyahoga area.  Specifically, I spend my first 5 years of life living in East Cleveland and then move a few miles (and a few socioeconomic stratospheres) away to Cleveland Heights.  I go unto graduate from Cleveland Heights High School, before leaving the area to study and work for a number of years.  Over a decade ago, I return to our Cuyahoga area and I currently live in the Coventry neighbourhood of Cleveland Heights.

So, I am a life-long Clevelander.  I am committed to our Cuyahoga area.  And it is through this experience, and particularly from living abroad, that I can safely identify Cleveland as the heart of American self-loathing.

That may take a while to digest, and a few sentences to explain.  Many may readily acknowledge Cleveland as the “armpit” of the United States, the “mistake by the lake,” the “rust belt city;”  the jokes and euphemisms continue on and are widely known, even by the most recent arrivals to the United States.  So, Cleveland’s lowered status on the American totem pole of cities may be a consensus agreement;  and some may further argue that Cleveland is at the bottom.  However, many may take issue with the appellation:  “Heart Of American Self-Loathing;”  particularly as it connotes an imperfection, a weakness or semblance of inferiority, within the larger American identity.  How dare a Clevelander inflict his loser ways on the greatest nation on Earth.

Yet to properly understand America is to understand the nature of its self-loathing.  Within his explanation of impermanence, the Buddha teaches that for every phenomenon in existence, within that phenomenon there is the seed for its extinction.  In a psychological manner, it may be considered that within every individual’s yearning to live, there is also an intrinsic (perhaps often latent) aversion towards the transgressions that facilitate that life.  In a simpler manner, I posit that every phenomena in existence has an antithesis.  So, according to this reasoning, if there is an “American Pride,” there is also an “American Shame.”  And within its few centuries of existence, America has a tremendous amount for which to celebrate as well as that for which to be shameful.  But, to understand the nature of American self-loathing, it is necessary to consider how America originally comes to be and how America continues.

After Iberian explorers find the land of the Western Hemisphere (also referred to as Taínoterranea), colonists from primarily England/Britain and additional European nations inhabit the Northwest Quad of Earth.  Within the hierarchy of European society, these colonists actually rank as middle-level executives who are sent by superiors to determine the economic viability of establishing colonies within the Western Hemisphere.  And as this economic viability proves lucrative, the European hierarchy continues to send its middle- to lower-level executives and plebeians to inhabit the land.  These original American colonists are subservient to the European hierarchy and are deemed comparatively unworthy of direct ascension within European society.  As the years progress, additional European colonists arrive in America, because these colonists search for religious refuge from persecution and ostracisation by European convention.  So, as it turns out, as is the nature of colonists and colonialisation, American society is comprised of rejects from European society.

As the years progress and the nature of the subservience increases, the American colonists throw off the yoke of feudal subjugation by European hierarchy and fight a bloody revolution to become independent;  America.  And as the years progress, America experiences increased innovation and economic prosperity, and the successes multiply.  There is much to celebrate.  And America welcomes additional immigrants from primarily Europe, who also experience impoverishment, subjugation, and persecution from European hierarchy.  And eventually, America becomes the richest and most powerful nation on Earth.  Yet, amidst its dominance and pride, there is the lingering reminder that the foundation and premise of America is based upon an experience of inferiority.

So, Americans go to NFL games, buy SUVs, watch air shows, and buy online, all to revel in what is achieved over the past few centuries.  And when that nagging reminder inevitably emerges, it is necessary to put it somewhere.  Often it is placed against foreigners, however, it also becomes necessary to channel this angst within an inner Realm;  a place that is part of us, but that is also different from us;  a place like Cleveland, Ohio.

So Cleveland takes it.  Cleveland is an appropriate target:  it has a large European immigrant population to coincide with the historic face of America;  along with a substantial African population and emerging Latino, Arab, and Asian populations (and there is even a Native population) to coincide with the emerging face of America.  So Cleveland has a face that is self-recognisable, and for some reason it is simultaneously, tacitly designated as the “other” within us.  Maybe it is because the river catches on fire.  Maybe it is because the mayor’s hair catches on fire.  Maybe it is because it clutches unto an antiquated industry that previously provides so much prosperity and pride.  For what reason does any child ridicule and ostracise another child, other than because that other child is different (and the 1 child is insecure)?

Yes, Cleveland takes it.  Cleveland takes the brunt of American self-loathing.  And it becomes a culture.  Amidst all the specific ethnic biases and xenophobia that exists within America and specifically within America’s armpit, all Clevelanders share this culture of self-loathing.  We are sent here to be part of this.  We settle here and are part of this.  We return here and are part of this.  It is a bond that we share with each other, despite any of our differences.  It is part of being a Clevelander.  So, amidst “the curse,” when we see each other and talk about the most recent sports disappointment (the drive, the fumble, the shot, the departure, the decision, …), we are building upon this bond and upon this culture.

Yet, to be disappointed we must first have optimism.  And to be continually disappointed we must continue to have optimism.  And as Clevelanders, we do continue to have optimism.  We recognise the intrinsic value that exists within ourselves, within our institutions, and within our communities;  and we recognise the tremendous potential that exists within each of these, and within each of us.

If Cleveland is the heart of American self-loathing, Cleveland is also the epicentre for American transformation:  the place where this self-loathing is transformed into self-acceptance and self-love.  To do this, we must recognise the past difficulties that we experience:  the persecution, the subjugation, the rejection, and the accusations of inferiority.  We must also recognise the past transgressions:  what we do to others and to ourselves to establish our experience of prosperity today, and the lingering effects of these transgressions.  We must recognise and strengthen the intrinsic value (I offer also known as a Divine Presence) that exists within each of us and all of us;  and we must be reconciled with each other, beyond our shame and beyond our pride.  And through this reconciliation, through this transformation, we gain invaluable insight towards global reconciliation and global transformation.

A few years ago, a friend involved with Occupy Cleveland addresses the significance of the Occupy Movement existing in Cleveland.  He references the fact that Cleveland is often disregarded as an insignificant market, an insignificant city in which to invest and build an operation.  And he mentions that it is exactly because we are so often ignored and dismissed that we are so significant.  Because, when we are indeed able to build something within our midst, that means that it can be built anywhere;  that family and friends within other cities can take heart, be encouraged and be inspired, to do likewise within those other cities.

This is part of the irony of rooting for the underdog:  we contribute and rely upon the favouritism that corners the underdog within a position of dubiousness, yet we rejoice in the success of the underdog because it affirms the underestimated potential that exists within each of us.

It is within this context that the most touted active basketball player on Earth returns home to our Cuyahoga area after winning championships abroad.  It is within this context that Clevelanders are researching and developing methodologies for emerging from the scrap heaps and rebuilding a socioeconomically and environmentally enlightened metropolis.  It is within this context that humanity is discovering the systems and institutions for global cooperation and harmony that propels us into a new age of social evolution and discovery.

May we continue to find, concentrate, and build upon, the inevitable merit that exists within all of us.

Love And Peace,

Peter.