The beauty of ambiguity.
I'm not quite whatever you think I am when you first see me.
And this conversation has become a competition.
A race for who is more deserving of public pity.
But I'm tired.
I'm tired of being told what I am
Who I am
What belongs to me
How many people should or shouldn't feel badly for me because of my outside.
I Am Indigenous.
I repeat: I Am Indigenous.
And my status, my connection to my homeland and the land of my people doesn't change.
It doesn't change because of your invented narrative.
Or because it's currently convenient to preach tolerance while marginalizing, dehumanizing, and delegitimizing me.
Or because you would accept the status of ANY. Other. Minority. Without question.
First person historical account- Dayeinu. Archeology- Dayeinu.
DNA- Dayeinu.
Language- Dayeinu.
Currency, Dayeinu...
Kingdoms, dayeinu...
LEGALITY- DAYEINU!
But your hatred and bigotry force you into a life of cognitive dissonance.
Where everyone BUT...
has sovereignty.
Where everyone BUT...
is to be accepted as they are, for who they truly are.
But we WE must fit YOUR confines.
Follow YOUR rules.
How we look, how we speak, how we function.
Who we support, how we vote.
Even though
You put us in this position in the first place.
You took from us our home and threw us all over the world.
It is because of you that we are now wanderers- separate from our homeland.
But...
I am indigenous.
And you should take responsibility.
Because my homeland belongs to me.
And I know who I am.
I know what I am
And I'm tired.
Of being told that our story isn't enough.
We are enough
We are Jews.
Friday, January 18, 2019
I have, you have, we all have...
The obsession with "privilege" seems benign and logical- the idea that we should be aware of the things we never had control over, and how it affects our place in the world in comparison with others. But as usual, it's not so simple.
In truth, many people (as well as the media) are taking an important concept (i.e. gratitude for worldly things) and turning it into the demonization of success. Of wealth. Of hard work.
It's the antithesis of what America stands for, and does more to bring less fortunate down than raise them up. It gives an, "out", and takes away the empowerment that comes with feeling like you have some semblance of control over what happens to you. Instead, everything is happening, "to" you.
The WHOLE point of this country, and it's beauty, is the fact that we can all be successful, wealthy, and work hard toward a goal. That we define our own success- be it monetary, or otherwise.
For some it will be harder than for others. Much harder, in fact, and I'm NOT SAYING privilege isn't real. It absolutely is. I'm saying it's not that important if you decide it's not.
Ask anyone who became successful, but was NOT born within the current ideal of privilege. They'll tell you that it's your mindset and decisions under seemingly impossible circumstances that determine what your life becomes.
It's a hard concept to swallow because it doesn't feel automatically fair. And we like fair! But reality isn't always fair, and instead of focusing on what that means you CANNOT do, it's far more productive to choose to focus on what is possible.
I hope that anyone who isn't in a position of privilege, and has been made to feel that they do not have ownership over their future as a result will read this and know that mentality is nonsense. And if you've been told that you were born privileged, but you're coming up on challenges that you know within your heart are very difficult- I hope you'll power through and see the light on the other side.
There's space here for everyone.
In truth, many people (as well as the media) are taking an important concept (i.e. gratitude for worldly things) and turning it into the demonization of success. Of wealth. Of hard work.
It's the antithesis of what America stands for, and does more to bring less fortunate down than raise them up. It gives an, "out", and takes away the empowerment that comes with feeling like you have some semblance of control over what happens to you. Instead, everything is happening, "to" you.
The WHOLE point of this country, and it's beauty, is the fact that we can all be successful, wealthy, and work hard toward a goal. That we define our own success- be it monetary, or otherwise.
For some it will be harder than for others. Much harder, in fact, and I'm NOT SAYING privilege isn't real. It absolutely is. I'm saying it's not that important if you decide it's not.
Ask anyone who became successful, but was NOT born within the current ideal of privilege. They'll tell you that it's your mindset and decisions under seemingly impossible circumstances that determine what your life becomes.
It's a hard concept to swallow because it doesn't feel automatically fair. And we like fair! But reality isn't always fair, and instead of focusing on what that means you CANNOT do, it's far more productive to choose to focus on what is possible.
I hope that anyone who isn't in a position of privilege, and has been made to feel that they do not have ownership over their future as a result will read this and know that mentality is nonsense. And if you've been told that you were born privileged, but you're coming up on challenges that you know within your heart are very difficult- I hope you'll power through and see the light on the other side.
There's space here for everyone.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)