A course on the origin of inequality

The mere fact of a man’s proclaiming his superiority is in itself an indication that he feels it cannot speak for itself. “Don’t tell me who you are” said Emerson, what you are speaks so loud, I can’t hear you.

Jean Jacques Rousseau was a writer and composer during the Enlightenment in eighteenth century England. Rousseau explained that primitive man with his very basic needs could not be manipulated or corrupted by his desires. In 1755 Rousseau wrote A Discourse on the Origin of Inequality. Rousseau attempted to find a way of preserving human freedom in a world where human beings were increasingly reliant one another for the satisfaction of needs. Rousseau argued that at the core of the modern man he is not moral or naturally social. Rousseau saw clearly that man derived his sense of self-worth from the opinions of others and considered that thinking corrosive of freedom and destructive of individual authenticity. The centralized theme in the work is trying to be free in a world where men let their needs corrupt and rot the so called “civilized man”.

Slavery was never about hatred. It was capitalism. Christopher Columbus saw the Indians with gold and said “take me where that is”. – Jermaine Cole

Jermaine Cole

Was the SNL skit purely satirical and harmless in intent? Yes, it most likely was. Dick Gregory is a comedian and social activist that reached the height of his fame as an entertainer in the 1960’s. Imagine if Kevin Hart stopped touring and acting in movies at various points because he was at the front line of a cause. Gregory’s commentary and theatrical satire on hatred and racial supremacy could make the biggest racial bigot or hate mongrel crack a smile. “Last time I was down South I walked into this restaurant and this white waitress came up to me and said we don’t serve colored people here”. “I said: that’s all right, I don’t eat colored people bring me a whole fried chicken”

Do I think that there is a clear bias in the justice system against blacks? I think there are many factors that go into why blacks are arrested in higher numbers. I also think there are reasons why blacks receive harsher punishments for the same crime committed. You can point to lack of education, family dynamics and also the culture within some inner city neighborhoods. Blacks also do not trust the police for varying reasons which surely plays a part in how blacks and law enforcement interact. If you give the barista at Starbucks hell every time you’re there she will overtly or covertly act out at some point. Is it right? No. Is it true? Yes. With all of that said we all would be remised if we did not consider the very real role racial superiority plays in the justice system. However, I don’t think racial superiority is unique to individuals in the justice system. It’s just only so much the white guy that’s the meter maid can do to show me that he is superior if I still have time on my meter.

In 1964 Malcolm X visited the holy city of Mecca on a quest for personal and spiritual growth. “America needs to understand Islam, because this is one religion that erases the race problem from its society”. Malcolm wrote this as he watched Muslims of all colors drinking from the same cup of brotherhood. “We were truly all the same (brothers) because their belief in one God had removed the white from their minds, the white from their behavior, and the white from their attitude”. Malcolm then intimates that if American whites could accept the oneness of God they could accept the oneness of man and the race problem would not exist.

In the 50 years since Malcolm’s travels where are we with race relations in America? It pains me because the people that always talk about the problem are more oblivious than most. W.E.B Dubois spoke of that harm that black leaders picked by whites can have on social growth. “What can be more instructive than the leadership of a group within a group? That curious double movement where real progress may be negative and actual advance be relative regression”. I contend that if racial superiority was going to end by education or other means it would have happened by now. I hold to the belief that the race problem will only cist to exist in America if everyone believes in one God. I believe the only other progress made in relation to race revolves around the extinction of the darker African American complexion. If the former mulatto or mixed African is the dominant race whites would be more willing to accept the differences that create racism or the racial superiority complex.