Throughout this nation various protest marches continue through this unprecedented time of historical Presidential leadership change as we gear up for the observance of the Black History Month of February.
Under current circumstances there may be an increasing number of those who feel that the successive celebrations of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. National Holiday and the Black History Month of February, championing the little and unknown accomplishments of Blacks to this nation and the world, may be too much to handle in such brief time span.
Of primary significance is that our increasingly integrated society has had no such prior information incorporated into its history books. Couple this with the stereotyping of Blacks in the media, sitcoms and daily news casts, especially in the criminal (in)justice system that still typically administers punishment according to the criminal rather than the crime.
Blacks have been historically portrayed generally as victims or victimizers, neither of which commands respect. Lack of respect begets low self-esteem that begets low aim, low achievement and a myriad of other detrimental and destructive attitudes and behavioral patterns. This subsequent “defensive living” pattern manifests itself in different ways. Among them: backbiting, sarcasm, envy, being rude, argumentative, aggressive or any number of forms of disrespect for the feelings, property, rights or differences in others.
Other defensive living tactics include:
*Boasting-–of our intellect, attainments or possessions that denotes the desire to be set apart from others;
*Showing contempt for the feelings, ideas or actions of others that denotes they are inferior to ours (or superior to the point of making us feel more inadequate and insecure);
*Seeking special privileges and consideration as though others are servants to us instead of vice-versa if we are to be the instruments of God’s love and peace;
*Disliking others (sometimes one’s own off-springs) who show character traits we may be trying to ignore in ourselves!
*Giving too much expression to one’s feelings of discouragement, sadness or depression, thus darkening the lives of others with whom we come in contact.
*Feelings of contempt and intolerance, especially for those of a different race, religion, nationality, size, gender or culture, whether socially, academically or politically motivated.
“O children of man! Know ye not why We created you all from the same dust? we read in the Baha’i Holy Writings (from the same God through a new Messenger for this new Day (as foretold by Christ!) That no one should exalt himself over the other. Ponder this at all times in your hearts (not heads) how ye were created…”
In our attempt to intellectualize and/or interpret religion, we too often fail to ponder things in our hearts, the very soul of spirituality. Subsequently our inability to deal effectively with the ever-increasing ubiquitous ills of our “Tin Man” society, possessing no heart or conscience. In the absence of Love, this spiritual deficiency, like oxygen deficiency to the human body, damages proper functioning affecting attitudes, motives and actions–all spiritual essentials to the quality of life for all along this Pathway to National and World Peace!
