Betrayal Hill where Humanity goes to mourn

Speaking out about a problem has become stoked with fear of reprisal. Our World Society or time has reverted to a period where People cannot openly engage in sincere dialogue, to validate ideas, positions, take a stance or disagree. Speaking openly is now the Problem.

We have cast critical thinking aside, we don’t want to be bothered with research, facts aren’t necessary, historical context are twisted/distorted or outright fabricated. Furthermore, we refuse to learn through inquiry to better understand or become informed. Instead, we lean into Ignorance, thoughtless attacks, vile accusations, gas-lighting, deflection, and rhetoric, are principles leveraged to run roughshod over any position we disagree with. In fact, we shield our positions with opening statements of “speaking my truth responsibly” while decoupling ourselves from responsibility of acknowledging facts, data, real knowledge, or insights. Basically, we are in a period of celebrated lies, slander, propagation, threats, hate and violence.

Scan the landscape for the staunch DEI, DEIB, EDI, Inclusion leaders. Where are they right now as we witness real-time world tragedies? These same advocates, so-called champions, bold-bet leaders told us to “Speak Truth to Power”, now they are oddly silent. Yes, their words are twisted out of context, demonized, and weaponized. Yes, it is tricky as hell to step forward in a World that demands We be pro this and anti that, while wholly for this or absolutely against that. By packaging concepts as “all or nothing” we are trapping ourselves in a cycle of compromise and tradeoffs. Still is it really so difficult to take a stance against violence and hate? Can we not summon courage to raise a Voice for Humanity?

We sidestep issues with claims of not completely understanding the matter. That stance and mindset doesn’t shield us from acquiescing to an oppressors’ mindset, colonizers’ tactics of hate, and fascism. In picking and choosing “Whom” is worthy, “Whom” is Human, “Who’s” savage, “Whom” can be treated like animals, “Whom” loves appropriately. We are determining “Whom” can live and “Whom” should die. It strickens the heart to witness so-called fearless champions not Speaking Out. Suddenly these “knowledgeable” teachers on Uncomfortable Conversations, aren’t versed enough, to call the killing of innocent civilians, in the name of a mission, Genocide. Let’s look at what Marriam-Webster Third New International Dictionary defines the word as.

genocide – 1: the use of deliberate systematic measures (as killing, bodily or mental injury, unlivable conditions, prevention of births) calculated to bring about the extermination of a racial, political, or cultural group. 2: one who advocates or practices genocide.

The descriptive actions define the label. Or does one believe it’s some type of checklist where all points must take place…? OR do we hold silent until a complete extermination has been achieved? It’s not a “to do list”. It’s a description of what these heinous actions amount to. What is even more heart wrenching, loud cries of history are clear examples if we require comparison to understand or call it what it is. Sadly, we don’t want to teach “real” history for fear of making some people uncomfortable about monstrous events of humans hurting humans. Thus, we reduce our vital lessons from the past to whispers and mummers of inarticulate beliefs.

We are shaping a world stripped of critical thinking, setting standards of silence and inaction as the only alternative course. This is dangerous; history is littered with evidence of inhumanity committed by human beings against humans when so-called “good people” are silent.... Today’s silence translates into horrible outcomes, as we ignore, scrolling by giving complicit consent. We all have a voice and have a choice to raise it or not. Yet, we claim not being able to understand how such atrocities were committed in the past.

All those horrible crimes of the past took place under banners labelling Human Beings sub-human, cattle for indiscriminate slaughter, owned as chattel property, rapped, murdered, corralled, cornered, and categorized as heathens. Whether it was to steal land, minerals, resources, to extract labor, or to grind away any trace of humanity through systematic extermination. Look around people, look at the current affairs of our World today.

Let’s ask Ourselves. Do We Care, Do We give a damn? Have We remotely considered raising Our voices in a time where real Human crisis are taking place all over? Are We seriously going to hide behind positions of timing isn’t right, claims of not being informed enough, knowledgeable enough on matters amounting to human carnage? Is it fear, loss of a job, concern of not being liked, that’s holding Us back from raising objections. How many people must die, to satisfy Our willingness to speak out? Or maybe, it is true. We practice selective Outrage, sanctioned hate, and inhumane treatment of "other" humans. Just as long as it is not, “Us”.

And there is Our answer to "how atrocities" of the past happened, and repeat in today's time, with faces of new Victims. We fail in our Humanity, again, and again, through Our Silence, buttressed by Fear, or dismissing it as not Our problem, Not Our people, or worse, concern over being ostracized from Dominant Cultures. Now We know exactly how Slavery was able to grind on for Centuries. How Indigenous People the world over were and are continued to be killed. Fear of saying something, Fear of being labelled, Fear of losing a so-called Friend, Fear of losing a Membership, Fear of losing Livelihood. All of which moves us to nestle in positions of Complicit Silence.

OUR SILENCE and BEING SILENT co-signs genocide.

Take Care, Complacent.

“A Rock shaped, cut by currents thrashing, tumults of life's waves, artistic beauty a life engaged. Not sitting within gated comfort out of reach fearful of lessons to be learned, hurts to be felt and pains to be born as thy walketh within a path of thy Light”. By Shabazz Rah-Khem

Working for a better Life & World. Advance inclusive democracy for the entire human family through progressive education & change, justice, authentic belonging, constructively improving people’s lives, by equitable access to resources socially, politically, & economically.