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The history of the Black man, Oppression since time immemorial.
Author
- kaL Raj Aiyer
Date Created
- 31 Jan 2006
Date Edited
- 31 Jan 2006 04:13:13 PM
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American blacks are not the only ones to have experienced this humiliation and oppression. Their dark skinned brothers globally have been subjected to everything from slavery to humiliation, ridicule, and have been deprived of opportunities that have been made available to their comparatively fair skinned brothers. Brothers in other countries may not have been subject to slavery as in the US, but in other countries they have been subjected to oppression that is in many ways as humiliating and demeaning as being a slave in America.
In India, as recently as 2002, 5 Dalits, the Indian Blacks, were lynched in Hariyana, a backward Indian state. See the 2nd URL below.
In India, as recently as 2002, 5 Dalits, the Indian Blacks, were lynched in Hariyana, a backward Indian state. See the 2nd URL below.
The history of the Black man, Oppression since Time Immemorial.
KaL Raj Aiyer
planetcompassion, an ngo
Call for Civil Rights II
Email: planetcompassion (at) gmail.com
The author is the ceo of PlanetCompassion, a non profit organization whose mission is to help end economic discrimination against blacks and other minorities in the US.
Phone: please send email.
Address: Sunnyside Ave, Chicago 60640.
Blacks have endured oppression for centuries after centuries, perhaps for millenia.
American blacks are not the only ones to have experienced this humiliation and oppression. Their dark skinned brothers globally have been subjected to everything from slavery to humiliation, ridicule, and have been deprived of opportunities that have been made available to their comparatively fair skinned brothers. Brothers in other countries may not have been subject to slavery as in the US, but in other countries they have been subjected to oppression that is in many ways as humiliating and demeaning as being a slave in America.
For example, in India, my native country, where I spent my childhood years, the Black people were called Shudras. 'Shudra' is a term derived from the Sanskrit word 'such', to be afflicted. Many theories have been propounded over the origin of this class. When the Aryans came to India, they were already divided into three fluid classes by way of profession. As the fair-skinned conquerors, they considered themselves superior to the dark-skinned native people, who became a subject race in their own land.
My family was Brahmin even if we traced our ancestry back 5000 years before the advent of Jesus Christ, ie 5000 BC. In other words, we were part of the Aryan race of invaders that took over the ancient land of India, and dominated the Shudra community for 7000 years, give or take a couple of decades. The rigid structure of the caste system in India, allowed the priestly class of Brahmins, royalty and the other higher castes to ensure by decree that shudras would not be allowed to marry and reproduce outside their caste.
Accordingly, they were co-opted as the lowest caste, the Shudras, and the caste system was made even more rigid, to prevent inter-caste mobility and to keep the Shudras at the bottom of the social structure. According to the Manusmriti, these Dasas or Shudras did not have any special ability and were only capable of serving as slaves to the upper three classes. This class also included the outcaste (patita) Aryans.
A Shudra enjoyed no rights or privileges. He was not permitted to perform any sacrifices or homa, read or learn the Vedas or recite the mantras. A Shudra could marry only another Shudra. He was not allowed to enter temples and could only serve the upper three castes as a slave, toilet cleaner, barber, blacksmith or cobbler.
Because of these strict and harsh social regulations, the Shudras were very supportive of the anti-Brahminical sects that evolved around the 6th century BC, like Buddhism and Jainism. Later, they also converted in large numbers to Islam and Christianity, finding solace in the egalitarianism preached by these faiths.
In India, where I spent my early childhood years, the black people were called shudras, “the untouchables”, the permanent outcasts. Until Gandhi came along and emancipated them, and redefined them as Harijans or “children of God”, the shudras were relegated to the lowliest occupations in India -- that of cleaning Indian style “toilets” -- if one could call these outdoor shitpots as toilets, that would make contemporary American Porta Potties seem like luxury -- and carting the crap of my ancestors, the Brahmins, or the original fair skinned Aryan invaders, and the refuse from the higher castes, door to door in the back alleyways, and finally onto dumps near the villages and shanties of the shudra community.
Imagine never being able to aspire to a higher occupation than that of the lavatory cleaner! What an ignominous fate, just because the child happened to be born a dark skinned black shudra. This poor child could never hope to read, or write, or earn anything more than a pittance; nor travel, nor dine in restaurants, or dance and enjoy life. He or she was relegated to a lowly occupation, all because of his/her heritage and the distinguishing color of their skin.
When I was a kid growing up in India, I used to go to the village of Thiruma-nilayur, in the district of Karur, in South India for summer vacations. My family, being Brahmin, was quite well educated and affluent at the time, and I studied at exclusive private English medium schools, that were run by British Christian missionaries.
Appropriately, the founding father of the Constitution was a Harijan (or Dalit, 'oppressed' as they now call themselves) lawyer, Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar. The Government of India has ever since, consciously attempted to draw these underprivileged people into the national mainstream through job reservation and special development programmes.
From my early years, I have harbored ambitions of wanting to do something on a larger scale. My heroes growing up were Thomas Alva Edison, the great American inventor, Gandhi, Martin Luther King, the American Pilgrim forefathers, the founding Fathers of America, and the pioneers and settlers who built America in the days of the Wild West, even though the settlers ganked America from the Red Indians and exploited the Negro slaves from Africa. The pioneer spirit of America, and the traditional midwestern values that built America in the last two centuries has aways fascinated me.
Today in India, the government has special programs for the former shudras, who are now known not even as Harijans, but as Dalits, as mentioned previously. Yet, the Dalits are unlikely to cast off millenia of oppression, even with special privileges being offered to them in education, jobs and other areas in a hurry. Their level of poverty and lack of access to resources and connections, such as “old boy network” amongst the Brahmins, though not completely these attributes alone can be attributed to their current levels of achievement in the US and elsewhere; has successfully kept them from achieving significant progress.
Today, the Desi American in India, who has achieved stellar success in America in the lucrative medical field as doctors and surgeons; or professors and scholars at top universities; as Investment bankers and lawyers are more likely to be from the upper caste Brahmin (Aiyer, Iyer, or other variants in other parts of India), than Dalits or Harijans. This is obviously a sad commentary on the incredibly long oppression that the shudras experienced in India.
Today in America, the menial jobs that need to be done to keep America running; the minimum wage jobs typically that are available in fast food, day labor, C-stores, various retail establishments, janitorial and cleaning services, and the like, which seldom if ever have benefits like sick leave, medical insurance, leave alone pension plans and IRA accounts are being done mostly by the Black Americans as well as the Hispanic Latino immigrants, who frequently have no documentation (the undocumented aliens).
On any given day, in any kind of weather, these lowly workers, who often have an incredible work ethics, stamina and determination to succeed can be seen waiting at places like Dunkin Donuts, or day labor hiring offices, at 5 o' clock in the morning, or perhaps selling papers on the street corner. All this, when most of America is still fast asleep in comfort in their homes or apartments, waiting for the alarm clock to wake them up rudely, when they will get up groggily, make some coffee, watch the news, listen to music, and then get up, kiss their honey goodbye, and head out to their offices in their comfortable sedans for a job that may begin as late as 9:00 o'clock am.
Meanwhile, the poor blacks and the hispanics have already been on the job for 3 hours, if they are lucky, or perhaps still anxiously wating for someone to bring get them fixed up for a gig for 4 hours, or all day if they are lucky. I went on one of these “flyer jobs” yesterday morning, and when I was standing around at the Dunkin Donuts around 0530 on a Wed morning, a fellow I knew only as Mujeeb, from Hyderabad, India asked me if I wanted to work.
I said “Why not”, needing some quick cash, and also to get on one of these gigs in order to get a first hand experience of the “flyer job”. Just then Dee, another Brother1) who was within earshot said that Francisco was waiting outside in his van and maybe was looking for another helper.
I scurried outside. Inside the van, there were already Julio and his wife, and 5 people in the back. There was one more seat available. Of the five, two were Brothers and other three were Mexican or Latino. I asked Francisco if he needed another hand. Francisco inquired,
“Have you done flyers before?”. “Sure”, I lied, “no problem, I got lot of experience”.
Francisco told me he wanted to wait for another 5 minutes for another one of his regulars. If he didnt show, then the “job” or I should say gig rather was mine. After about 5 mins. no one else had shown up. Francisco motioned me into the van. I put my suitcase in the trunk, luckily there was just enough space, because of all the flyer boxes.
On the way, the Black crew “supervisor” who apparently had the most experience in the flyer gigging, asked each of us if we could read a map. We all said yes. Next we were asked “anyone need to use the bathroom?” I did. We made a quick pit stop at DD, and then we were on our way.
Presently we stopped and let out three of our colleagues. They were given a bag and about 4 or 5 Flyer bundles, each c/o 100 flyers each and given a map and asked to head out. We drove for another 10 minutes, Juliano picked another corner and dropped me and the other guy Jose off, and we got our bags and headed out also.
Jose was a 19 year old Mexican who looked like a normal high school kid in America. He was cheery, with big round cheeks and flat black hair. He wore a blue Colts jacket and was very friendly. He told me that he was on parole, and was unable to apply for other jobs, even though he had legal documents. Jose showed me the ropes, and we put out flyers on alternate houses, until we got to the end of the street, and moved over to the next street.
Here we took up opposite sides of the street. However much I tried to speed up, Jose always led me by 3 houses, atleast. By the time we reached the end of the street, Jose would already have completed his side, and would come to my side before I got to the end. He would always say,
“YOu gotta speed up. Should only take you 5 seconds to put out a flyer. You takin' too long”, he would say amicably.
After almost an hour, I finished my 100 flyers. We still had 200 more to go. I got done with another 50 or so, and then Julio drove by and gave us a couple of more bundles in case we ran out. I continued this for about 2 hours and 30 mins, and I was getting tired by now.
I was also getting concerned about my ability to do this, since I had had a heart bypass 2.5 years ago in Houston. I didnt want to push it. I stopped Julio the next time around he drove by and told him that I wanted to cease after 3 hours. He was not happy. He told me “I would have picked someone else if you would have told me this when we started out”.
He said he would drop me off for the bus. We drove to a gas station, where he stopped and paid me. Julio pulled his wallet and handed me three 5's. $15 for 3 hours of tiring work! I was flabbergasted, because I had expected atleast $21, @7ph. I mentioned this to him, but Julio said, “Ask any of the guys, I pay them all $5 an hour only”. I didnt want to argue. I left and boarded the bus.
On January 24, 2006, the Wall Street Journal ran an article about how Hispanics and Blacks are competing for the low end jobs, in food services, retail, industrial environments and the like. These jobs usually pay anywhere from minimum wage ($6 per hour) to not more than about 15 per hour, unless the jobs are unionized.
However, if Unions become extremely persistent, teh employers then begin to explore outsourcing options, or “make or buy” options, which ultimately leads to mass lay offs in America. Of course, this need not be the only reason for factory shutdowns and lay offs.
Lower quality of American products, compared to products, and lower costs of foreign products, and lower percieved value of American products leads to competitive challenges for American firms. Increasingly, companies decide to outsource, shift manufacturing overseas, and/or buy from foreign suppliers, rather than make products here in the US.
All this leads to layoffs, job losses, and often the hardest hit are the the workers engaged in doing menial jobs, everything from retail, food service and other service industry jobs. Inevitably, this affects the underprivileged classes, which in the US is generally both the Blacks and the Hispanics.
Some measures that could lead to renewed growth and new opportunities for Americans could include the following:
Fresh focus on entrepreneurhip
New approach to financing entrepreneurs with Micro Loans, like Grameen Bank.
Focus on higher American quality and workmanhip
American pride in American products and customer willingness to pay higher differential
Rethink outsourcing on IT and manufacturing.
Instead cut executive salaries and benefits instead.
Return to traditional American values that built this country
The answers are not simple, but America needs to address these issues, or the quality of life will go down for all Americans, poverty and misery will continue to increase, and Americas decline will only continue..
~~
KaL Raj Aiyer
planetcompassion, an ngo
Call for Civil Rights II
Email: planetcompassion (at) gmail.com
The author is the ceo of PlanetCompassion, a non profit organization whose mission is to help end economic discrimination against blacks and other minorities in the US.
Phone:
Address: Sunnyside Ave, Chicago 60640.
Blacks have endured oppression for centuries after centuries, perhaps for millenia.
American blacks are not the only ones to have experienced this humiliation and oppression. Their dark skinned brothers globally have been subjected to everything from slavery to humiliation, ridicule, and have been deprived of opportunities that have been made available to their comparatively fair skinned brothers. Brothers in other countries may not have been subject to slavery as in the US, but in other countries they have been subjected to oppression that is in many ways as humiliating and demeaning as being a slave in America.
For example, in India, my native country, where I spent my childhood years, the Black people were called Shudras. 'Shudra' is a term derived from the Sanskrit word 'such', to be afflicted. Many theories have been propounded over the origin of this class. When the Aryans came to India, they were already divided into three fluid classes by way of profession. As the fair-skinned conquerors, they considered themselves superior to the dark-skinned native people, who became a subject race in their own land.
My family was Brahmin even if we traced our ancestry back 5000 years before the advent of Jesus Christ, ie 5000 BC. In other words, we were part of the Aryan race of invaders that took over the ancient land of India, and dominated the Shudra community for 7000 years, give or take a couple of decades. The rigid structure of the caste system in India, allowed the priestly class of Brahmins, royalty and the other higher castes to ensure by decree that shudras would not be allowed to marry and reproduce outside their caste.
Accordingly, they were co-opted as the lowest caste, the Shudras, and the caste system was made even more rigid, to prevent inter-caste mobility and to keep the Shudras at the bottom of the social structure. According to the Manusmriti, these Dasas or Shudras did not have any special ability and were only capable of serving as slaves to the upper three classes. This class also included the outcaste (patita) Aryans.
A Shudra enjoyed no rights or privileges. He was not permitted to perform any sacrifices or homa, read or learn the Vedas or recite the mantras. A Shudra could marry only another Shudra. He was not allowed to enter temples and could only serve the upper three castes as a slave, toilet cleaner, barber, blacksmith or cobbler.
Because of these strict and harsh social regulations, the Shudras were very supportive of the anti-Brahminical sects that evolved around the 6th century BC, like Buddhism and Jainism. Later, they also converted in large numbers to Islam and Christianity, finding solace in the egalitarianism preached by these faiths.
In India, where I spent my early childhood years, the black people were called shudras, “the untouchables”, the permanent outcasts. Until Gandhi came along and emancipated them, and redefined them as Harijans or “children of God”, the shudras were relegated to the lowliest occupations in India -- that of cleaning Indian style “toilets” -- if one could call these outdoor shitpots as toilets, that would make contemporary American Porta Potties seem like luxury -- and carting the crap of my ancestors, the Brahmins, or the original fair skinned Aryan invaders, and the refuse from the higher castes, door to door in the back alleyways, and finally onto dumps near the villages and shanties of the shudra community.
Imagine never being able to aspire to a higher occupation than that of the lavatory cleaner! What an ignominous fate, just because the child happened to be born a dark skinned black shudra. This poor child could never hope to read, or write, or earn anything more than a pittance; nor travel, nor dine in restaurants, or dance and enjoy life. He or she was relegated to a lowly occupation, all because of his/her heritage and the distinguishing color of their skin.
When I was a kid growing up in India, I used to go to the village of Thiruma-nilayur, in the district of Karur, in South India for summer vacations. My family, being Brahmin, was quite well educated and affluent at the time, and I studied at exclusive private English medium schools, that were run by British Christian missionaries.
Appropriately, the founding father of the Constitution was a Harijan (or Dalit, 'oppressed' as they now call themselves) lawyer, Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar. The Government of India has ever since, consciously attempted to draw these underprivileged people into the national mainstream through job reservation and special development programmes.
From my early years, I have harbored ambitions of wanting to do something on a larger scale. My heroes growing up were Thomas Alva Edison, the great American inventor, Gandhi, Martin Luther King, the American Pilgrim forefathers, the founding Fathers of America, and the pioneers and settlers who built America in the days of the Wild West, even though the settlers ganked America from the Red Indians and exploited the Negro slaves from Africa. The pioneer spirit of America, and the traditional midwestern values that built America in the last two centuries has aways fascinated me.
Today in India, the government has special programs for the former shudras, who are now known not even as Harijans, but as Dalits, as mentioned previously. Yet, the Dalits are unlikely to cast off millenia of oppression, even with special privileges being offered to them in education, jobs and other areas in a hurry. Their level of poverty and lack of access to resources and connections, such as “old boy network” amongst the Brahmins, though not completely these attributes alone can be attributed to their current levels of achievement in the US and elsewhere; has successfully kept them from achieving significant progress.
Today, the Desi American in India, who has achieved stellar success in America in the lucrative medical field as doctors and surgeons; or professors and scholars at top universities; as Investment bankers and lawyers are more likely to be from the upper caste Brahmin (Aiyer, Iyer, or other variants in other parts of India), than Dalits or Harijans. This is obviously a sad commentary on the incredibly long oppression that the shudras experienced in India.
Today in America, the menial jobs that need to be done to keep America running; the minimum wage jobs typically that are available in fast food, day labor, C-stores, various retail establishments, janitorial and cleaning services, and the like, which seldom if ever have benefits like sick leave, medical insurance, leave alone pension plans and IRA accounts are being done mostly by the Black Americans as well as the Hispanic Latino immigrants, who frequently have no documentation (the undocumented aliens).
On any given day, in any kind of weather, these lowly workers, who often have an incredible work ethics, stamina and determination to succeed can be seen waiting at places like Dunkin Donuts, or day labor hiring offices, at 5 o' clock in the morning, or perhaps selling papers on the street corner. All this, when most of America is still fast asleep in comfort in their homes or apartments, waiting for the alarm clock to wake them up rudely, when they will get up groggily, make some coffee, watch the news, listen to music, and then get up, kiss their honey goodbye, and head out to their offices in their comfortable sedans for a job that may begin as late as 9:00 o'clock am.
Meanwhile, the poor blacks and the hispanics have already been on the job for 3 hours, if they are lucky, or perhaps still anxiously wating for someone to bring get them fixed up for a gig for 4 hours, or all day if they are lucky. I went on one of these “flyer jobs” yesterday morning, and when I was standing around at the Dunkin Donuts around 0530 on a Wed morning, a fellow I knew only as Mujeeb, from Hyderabad, India asked me if I wanted to work.
I said “Why not”, needing some quick cash, and also to get on one of these gigs in order to get a first hand experience of the “flyer job”. Just then Dee, another Brother1) who was within earshot said that Francisco was waiting outside in his van and maybe was looking for another helper.
I scurried outside. Inside the van, there were already Julio and his wife, and 5 people in the back. There was one more seat available. Of the five, two were Brothers and other three were Mexican or Latino. I asked Francisco if he needed another hand. Francisco inquired,
“Have you done flyers before?”. “Sure”, I lied, “no problem, I got lot of experience”.
Francisco told me he wanted to wait for another 5 minutes for another one of his regulars. If he didnt show, then the “job” or I should say gig rather was mine. After about 5 mins. no one else had shown up. Francisco motioned me into the van. I put my suitcase in the trunk, luckily there was just enough space, because of all the flyer boxes.
On the way, the Black crew “supervisor” who apparently had the most experience in the flyer gigging, asked each of us if we could read a map. We all said yes. Next we were asked “anyone need to use the bathroom?” I did. We made a quick pit stop at DD, and then we were on our way.
Presently we stopped and let out three of our colleagues. They were given a bag and about 4 or 5 Flyer bundles, each c/o 100 flyers each and given a map and asked to head out. We drove for another 10 minutes, Juliano picked another corner and dropped me and the other guy Jose off, and we got our bags and headed out also.
Jose was a 19 year old Mexican who looked like a normal high school kid in America. He was cheery, with big round cheeks and flat black hair. He wore a blue Colts jacket and was very friendly. He told me that he was on parole, and was unable to apply for other jobs, even though he had legal documents. Jose showed me the ropes, and we put out flyers on alternate houses, until we got to the end of the street, and moved over to the next street.
Here we took up opposite sides of the street. However much I tried to speed up, Jose always led me by 3 houses, atleast. By the time we reached the end of the street, Jose would already have completed his side, and would come to my side before I got to the end. He would always say,
“YOu gotta speed up. Should only take you 5 seconds to put out a flyer. You takin' too long”, he would say amicably.
After almost an hour, I finished my 100 flyers. We still had 200 more to go. I got done with another 50 or so, and then Julio drove by and gave us a couple of more bundles in case we ran out. I continued this for about 2 hours and 30 mins, and I was getting tired by now.
I was also getting concerned about my ability to do this, since I had had a heart bypass 2.5 years ago in Houston. I didnt want to push it. I stopped Julio the next time around he drove by and told him that I wanted to cease after 3 hours. He was not happy. He told me “I would have picked someone else if you would have told me this when we started out”.
He said he would drop me off for the bus. We drove to a gas station, where he stopped and paid me. Julio pulled his wallet and handed me three 5's. $15 for 3 hours of tiring work! I was flabbergasted, because I had expected atleast $21, @7ph. I mentioned this to him, but Julio said, “Ask any of the guys, I pay them all $5 an hour only”. I didnt want to argue. I left and boarded the bus.
On January 24, 2006, the Wall Street Journal ran an article about how Hispanics and Blacks are competing for the low end jobs, in food services, retail, industrial environments and the like. These jobs usually pay anywhere from minimum wage ($6 per hour) to not more than about 15 per hour, unless the jobs are unionized.
However, if Unions become extremely persistent, teh employers then begin to explore outsourcing options, or “make or buy” options, which ultimately leads to mass lay offs in America. Of course, this need not be the only reason for factory shutdowns and lay offs.
Lower quality of American products, compared to products, and lower costs of foreign products, and lower percieved value of American products leads to competitive challenges for American firms. Increasingly, companies decide to outsource, shift manufacturing overseas, and/or buy from foreign suppliers, rather than make products here in the US.
All this leads to layoffs, job losses, and often the hardest hit are the the workers engaged in doing menial jobs, everything from retail, food service and other service industry jobs. Inevitably, this affects the underprivileged classes, which in the US is generally both the Blacks and the Hispanics.
Some measures that could lead to renewed growth and new opportunities for Americans could include the following:
Fresh focus on entrepreneurhip
New approach to financing entrepreneurs with Micro Loans, like Grameen Bank.
Focus on higher American quality and workmanhip
American pride in American products and customer willingness to pay higher differential
Rethink outsourcing on IT and manufacturing.
Instead cut executive salaries and benefits instead.
Return to traditional American values that built this country
The answers are not simple, but America needs to address these issues, or the quality of life will go down for all Americans, poverty and misery will continue to increase, and Americas decline will only continue..
~~
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