What are the damages and consequences of being and living a label?

[Aaron (Al) Lewis]

Yesterday, while eating lunch, a statement was made that made me think and cringe, and I am parapharsing, "One label is attracted to another label then that label has to be what the first label wants it to be. They would together begat another label that will then have "no choice" in what label it is."

That is not freedom and the reality of the statement hit me like a ton of bricks. What do you think?

[Aaron (Al) Lewis]

Minority, A.D.D., Problem Child, Lower Class, Thug, Nigga, Nigger, Negro, White Superiority, WASP, Black Inferiority, Cracker, Middle Class, You People, African American, Honkie, Liberal, Socialist, Democrat, Hooker, Lady, Poor, Delta, Sigma, Mason, PHD, African, Slope Head, Sand Nigger, Chink, Wetback, Alien, Gentleman, Republican, Conservative, Neo Nazi, Skin Head, KKK, Civil Rights Advocate, High Class, Other.

Can I stop now? Of course not, you have Coons, Jungle Bunnies, Hoogies, Peckerwood, Ofay, Broads, Whores, Hoes, Bitches, Kikes, Jew Bastards, Terrorists, Black Muslims, Zealots,Rich, Revolutionaries, Proletariat, Communist, Freedom Fighters, okay enough for now, yes enough.

I am sure each of us could add more labels and tags and names we go under. For instance, Postal Worker, Student, Executive, Mother, Forklift Driver, Manager, Father, "Son what do you want to BE when you grow up?" "Human Dad, just a person. The rest is what I may do. I may join a cause, a political party, a Greek organization, a brother or sisterhood, but I will never top being a person unless I undertake the Godliness in me."

That's a long shot because I live under the burden of so many labels that it will damn near impossible for you to see me instead of your honor student, or your star football player, or that bad assed little boy who talks back. It's the labels that keep me isolated from myself, truly from MY SELF. How can I know who I truly am and what I truly am when I am set up to be what someone other than me wants me to be? What is they truthfully me to do and what is it they want me to believe? I'm a Baptist, I'm and Methodist, I'm Catholic, I'm Hindu, I'm right, You are WRONG! My God's bigger than your God! Could it be they want me to get used to being anything other than what I am? Do you really think YOU have the one right way for everyone to live, think and be?

[Aaron (Al) Lewis]

Here is an article to masticate on: http://community.livejournal.com/blackfolk/7050730.html

This cat is a so called white university professor. While I disagree with a small portion of what he writes, especially that "slave" stuff, I do respect him for his courage. He would be wise buy himself a vest also.

[Clifford Black]

I think that those of us who are serious may want to read this article
B.

[B. Crittenden Freeman]

Yes. I remember reading this article.

[B. Crittenden Freeman]

In MKP, it quickly hung onto the label "CONTAINER BUSTER" to describe a situation of a disturbance on a list serve. This term was cointed by Cliff Barry. The original intent was to describe a situation and than approach that situation with compassion. However, it was then used to approach situations with exclusion.

Most people lack the "skill sets" necessary to handle dynamic and forceful situations.

However these skills are easily learnable.

[Aaron (Al) Lewis]

Barry, great example. And you are correct and it is an action not a being. Actually the phrase is "Container Busting". How then can one thwart labels? Notice I didn't say labeling, I don't think that is possible nor would I suggest anyone put a lot of energy into it.

Example, so called black people have poured mounds of time, effort and energy into dispelling the beliefs and myths that they were dumb, shiftless, lazy and feeble minded. Would not that indicate that deep inside they think that of themselves also? To dispel that is almost equal to dispelling lies that they also had tails.

As a result people will point out the different contributions of so called black people gave to America. In particular I want to call attention to two entities, The Buffalo Soldiers of the 9th and 10th calvary and Jackie Robinson credited with being the first Negro in major league baseball. These are supposedly heros, but what are some other labels attached to them? Americans, Indian Fighters, A good example of his race. patroits to name a few.

How did these men become heros? By the way none of them are heros to me.No one can choose my heros and I do have some, but these would be the last men on the list.

[Aaron (Al) Lewis]

How does being a label serve or not serve you?

What drives one to be grouped, named or herded under a banner?

What are the underlying causes and conditions of labeling?

[Clifford Black]

If there is no work then there will be NO THING there---like Jim Brown said when he asked the question "What chew gon do?"

B.

[Adisa]

I wonder how many people read that article?  I've seen plenty of articles, clips, links floating around but never have seen this one before.  Interesting and very brave indeed to express such an unpopular viewpoint.  When I hear or read something regarding the lables of so called black and white people and their efforts to defend such lables, I have come to understand it as both sides debating over the opposite side of the same coin.  In another way, I'm suggesting that maybe so called whites and blacks are fighting so hard to validate the superiority and inferiority of different skin tones, they both seem to me to be in the same position of low self image and all the while attempting to surpass one another while giving power of self determination to someone else outside of themselves?    

[Raven Writes]

Labels restrict growth. It's like being put in mold and expected to remain there.

The article was a step forward in the right direction, to say the least.