The Art of Intimidation

Today we hear a lot about ‘White Privilege.’ But, from where did the defining factors come? ‘White Privilege,’ speaks to an inherited belief of superiority of whites as a whole. Let’s retrain this focus. White privilege has a direct correlation to Christianity in the American experiment as a whole. Words that this society has worked hard to keep from being conjoined in your syntax are: White privilege is direct evidence of Christianity as a monotheistic belief implicit in the validation of Slavery. Christianity and its practice are how a white mans human property gets its warranty, God’s Word. The Bible is the origin of the conversation in which tolerance of slave-owning began. Slavery and its practices are still alive, well, and thriving in 2020.

Frederick Nietzsche, in his book, On the Genealogy of Morality, explains two concepts of which I will use today, Master Morality and Slave Morality. Master Morality is the practice in which a man acts in ways that only help himself and or in his sole interest. The monopolization of a society without concern for its effects on civilization is complicit in the Master Morality system. Master Morality is self-serving or selfish at best, the exploitation of others for the good of one and or ones’ kind. 

Slave Morality comes with a word I strongly dislike, Humbling. Humbling is a word with too many associations to abuse. Slave Morality is the existence of people or persons who instead of fighting back would prefer the comfort of turning the other cheek. In essence, if hit once, Slave Morality says the act would be okay with the slave. The slave would “turn-the-cheek” to allow the master to perfect their practice shot. After the humble-ass-whipping, pun intended, the slave through its’ Slave Morality practices the act of forgiving. Because the slave has welcomed another assault, the action of ‘Fore-Giving’ the master begins. When forgiveness happens, masters have an additional opportunity to dehumanize, abuse and mutilate the slave.

“A system of morality which is based on relative emotional values is a mere illusion, a thoroughly vulgar conception which has nothing sound in it and nothing true.” -Socrates-

This week a few things happened Attorney General, William Barr testified in Congress. Representatives of the House pressed him on his views of Racial Inequality. One of the Representatives asked him for his opinions about the imprisonment of Illegal Immigrants and the Constitution and how it was moral to treat human beings in brutal ways. While I’m paraphrasing the discussion and what occurred, I would urge you to listen to the testimony as a whole. Barr began defending the Constitution saying something to the effect of the Constitution considers them 3/4ths a man. When pressed, Barr did not budge. I am only presenting this story to give context in this current era of 2020 in America. Human beings are still referred to as less than human 3/4ths a man.

Jonathan Isaac of the NBA’s Orlando Magic chose not to kneel or sport a ‘Black Lives Matter’ shirt to condemn the infrastructure of racism in our society today. His stance did not end there. He floated that although he believes that Black Lives do Matter as a Christian and Minister, therefore, he was not able to condemn humankind of any sort by kneeling or parading a Black Lives Matter shirt. Jonathan Issac of the Orlando Magic is Black. He is a Minister, and he is Christian. His Christian belief and practice do not support the protest of injustice, or the brutalization of a select people his Christianity and his Ministerial faith believe All Lives Matter and Forgiveness when they do not.

While my aim is not to create you to be something you are not inherently, I offer a thought worthy of examination. Question everything. If Slavery and Christianity were for the good of all men, why was the reading of the bible punished? Why was Literacy not encouraged? Why did the slave masters bring disobedient slaves to church and have them sit in the back while the preachers taught that God said, “Obey, your master.” Why couldn’t white people become slaves?

“Ephesians 6:5-9 Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. 6. Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. 7. Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the LORD, not people, 8. Because you know that the LORD will reward each one for whatever good they do, whether they are slave or free.” -The Bible-

To be continued…

This is The Art of Intimidation

Written by: S. B. Campbell

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