As I was scrolling through Facebook I see an article about the 'Black Live Matter' and looked at the comments. I was honestly surprised on the number of people that were commenting 'All Live Matter'. It a clear example of how little people know about the foundations and the real reason for the movement in the first place.
The BLM movement began in America which then took over all around the world. As other nations realised that there is an issue in regards to the system and racism. The movement isn't about other lives not mattering more, it's about the oppression of groups in this instant its the African Americans that have been experiencing YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS of systematical oppression. Generational oppression that has created intergenerational trauma. Where they have to tell their young children about the world, where they are going to judge base on the colour of their skin. That they will be treated differently because of this and they will not receive the same opportunity because of something they can not change.
The BLM movement is not about one certain group lives being better or important. It's about the privilege that we all have experienced because of the colour of our skin and the system not targeting us. -
A system that was created from the foundation of racism and oppression. I believe people who haven't experience racism are not going to fully grasp this concept and will not completely understand. Racism cuts deep, it creates shame and hatred that is projected on to you, which then you internalize it. Creating a narrative in your head believing that you have to change a certain aspect of yourself to be love and accepted. Change aspects of yourself that can not be changed and had zero control over.
In Australia, it's the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander. Where they have experienced years of systematic oppression. Many people are aware of the Stolen Generation. Although something you might not be aware of is the trauma caused by this colonisation. The trauma that has been passed down from generation to generation. That till this day, many of the First Nation people are suffering from.
The Stolen Generation was a way of colonising the Aboriginal community done by the Australian government at the time. Where they created and implemented laws for churches, federal and state government agencies had the right to remove children from their homes between 1910 to 1970.
This has caused distrust between the government and the Aboriginal communities to this day. Mind you that large corporations and organizations that are tied with the coal and mining industry have the permission to take lands that are not theirs. The same lands the Europeans have forcefully stolen from the First Nation People during the 1770s. James Cook and the colonist claimed 'terra nullius' which means the land was not occupied. The way the settlers saw Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders live was very unfamiliar to them and didn't consider it as living. Because First Nation people didn't have material pieces of equipment or fences to claim land. Their lifestyle was based on the kinship of the land. They were part of the land and the ecosystem. They respected and were very connected to the land. They didn't overstay and overuse the resources that the land has provided them. The British settlers had a lack of understanding of their lifestyles which then created tension and look down upon their way living. Taking, overusing and destroying the land and the resources. Till this day the Aboriginal communities are still fighting for their land back.
The First Nation People are very close to their communities and the land. Every human being needs a community to feel safe and secure. Mind you that each community have different dialects, traditions and ways of relating to one another. Each of the communities is very different in their own way, but have the same foundations.
Having that stripped away from you is devastating. Mothers and fathers fell in deep mental illness, addiction, incarceration, suicide and domestic violence caused by the Stolen Generation. Which has created intergenerational trauma through parental teaching and traumas not being processed and healed. Till this day some still don't know which clan they are originally coming from. Where their kin, ancestors and family bloodline began. They have mistrust against organizations that could help them recover and heal, although due to the lack of acknowledgement about the trauma they have endured throughout their bloodline they have trouble trusting other organisations outside of themselves.
The fact that all those years no Government took the responsibility to own up to it. In 2008 Kevin Rudd (Prime Minister at the time) delivered the 'Sorry Speech" apologizing to the Aboriginal and Indigenous communities in regards to The Stolen Generation on the behalf of the Australian Government. This speech was only the beginning of acknowledging the pain and trauma the community have gone through and still are enduring. The current generations don't have anything to do with history. This isn't putting the blame on us. It's about ACKNOWLEDGING that we live and follow a system that oppresses certain groups in our society while others outside of those groups benefit from it, this is where our privilege comes from.
We all gain some privileges from certain groups being oppressed.
The refugees that come and seek a new home. After the traumatizing things, they had to get through and overcome in their journey of finding a new home. They are locked up and chucked in a facility that resembles the prison. When they do come and settle in their new homes, they have a lack of support from the government and society. The lack of acceptance, acknowledgement and understanding what it's like to be a refugee. Having no family in a country that is so new and unfamiliar is hard and frightening. Not knowing the language, culture or the way of living is petrifying.
They are seeking a new home because the ones they had, were damaged, corrupted and is not a safe environment to raise children. It's not sustainable living to create a future. So they made a brave decision of leaving the comfort of their own home and land to go on a journey of seeking a new home. They knew the risk and trouble to seek refuge, they know. - Having empathy and putting ourselves in their shoes is SO IMPORTANT and ITS A MUST.
I understand that a whole system is not going to change in a couple of months. Although the people in the past generations that have rebelled against the corruption and unfairness that has been going on have tried speaking up peacefully and have rioted for the people in power to change. I do believe that it does work in some ways. If we want permanent changes it has to begin with EACH AND ONE OF US coming together and understand that we all have a similar goal. That tearing one another is not going to work or have any long term effect but create separation.
We have to begin educating ourselves of the history so we get a better understanding of why minorities and oppressed groups are so angry and are demanding change. Then holding compassion and empathy towards them and the fact that we will never experience such huge systematic oppression. Experiencing racism from random people on the street is one thing, but experiencing racism from authorities and the system is a whole other thing.
A system that was created to do exactly what it's doing right now, which is created separations. Like we are all different, that a certain group is more important and superior than another. When in reality we are not. Each living being on this Earth is as important as another. We are not superior to someone because of a job, material possessions or the experiences we have been through. This is where the Ego comes in, creating this superior complex mindset.
Being apart of the Ecosystem isn't some 'ancient way of living' or some 'woohoo' b*llsh*t. It is how humans are supposed to live with other beings on this Earth. Human does not own Earth nor do we own each other. This concept is so Egotistical, believing that we have the right to take over and 'conquered land' as they don't abide or we aren't familiar to their own cultural practices.
Whether we acknowledge it or not we have our own bias and stigmas about certain cultures and religions; yet still embrace their culture either through their music, food or way of living. We have to begin to look at our own bias and prejudice. Doing the inner work to let go and change our way of thinking about other cultures. We have to begin accepting and embracing each and one of our own differences. We have lived through plenty of experiences and events on what hate and inclusion does. We have to begin with tackling our OWN bias and prejudice to really create a long term impact.
BE KINDER, LESS CRITICAL
__ REFERENCES:
https://australianstogether.org.au/discover/the-wound/intergenerational-trauma/