I do not intend to degrade any region; it’s a topic of interest that most people should be able to relate with, so I will use an experience I had as an example. I had a conversation with a man from Kenya who should be in his 30s he lamented how he didn’t understand why African Americans have a habit of playing the race card. In my mind, I looked at him with dismay, thinking, is he not aware that it was racism that got the African man to where he is today? I was utterly shocked at his mindset, to be honest.
In previous articles, I pointed out the lack of synergy between Africans and African-Americans because some Africans do not consider racism the same way as African-Americans do. I have expended a mighty lot of proper time with both Africans and African-Americans, and I can bluntly tell you that the African man seems to adhere to a very different view of the situations surrounding him.
I reasonably believe that Africans who were around during independence and the ones of today are different people. Let’s focus on alive racism during the historical period of the fierce struggle for recognized independence. Some great Africans yearned for freedom; they undoubtedly understood the current situation and knew what they needed to do to attain it. Africa once possessed tremendous men like Kwame Nkrumah, Patrice Lumumba who by heart was a beacon of hope for Africans, the struggle ended with the death of these large African icons, and the rest is history.
To this day, the modern generation of Africans seems at ease to neglect their cultural history as if nothing had happened, and this is why I am not surprised by such a statement by the Kenyan. According to George Santayana, those who cannot remember the past are condemned to reiterate it; this is the ideal situation on the ground with most Africans. For the African-Americans,almost every one of them is consciously aware of their history; they typically stand with one voice regarding racism. When you upset one, you offend many, and if one progresses, others celebrate, this cannot be related to Africans.
I noticed that if one African progresses, the rest desire him to fall. If one African move over to another African country, they cherish him out because they feel he is a threat to their progress. You would wish they would give that same energy to their oppressors.
Africans have a habit of typically measuring each other success; for example, if Nigeria constructs an airport, you will note comments from other Africans mocking that airport stating how their airport looks better than that of Nigeria’s. In practical terms of economic progress in Africa, it is about mine is better than yours. Dissecting into this, we can see that there is a big disconnect between the two, focusing on racism and progress. African-Americans are more intolerant towards prevalent racism; they typically tend to be more of pro-black, while Africans are tolerant towards racism.
Most Africans won’t get offended when a non-black person justly calls them the “N” word; some would say since every rap music uses it, then it’s okay. African-Americans are more likely to willingly accept the economic progress of another black man, regardless of his distinct nationality. At the same time, some Africans frown at the thought of other Africans progressing.
In conclusion, there is a considerable difference between the two because if we analyse them, Africans have not and cannot move forward with that kind of mindset. In striking contrast, the African-Americans have been able to make strides with intolerance towards alive racism, added with unconditional acceptance for the gradual progression of another black man. This makes me wonder. If the desperate search for progress has not been fruitful, why can’t we key into the mindset of our brothers in America? It’s just food for thought; my intentions are not to assist in bringing anyone down, but instead to establish a familiar sense. As always, it’s my humble opinion.
Makewetalknow 