State of Affairs and Racism...

I recently had an unpleasant incident which reminds me that we really do have a long way to go here. I often chastise Bahamians fro their intolerance and being from the the black community I have tried to high light things that I feel we need to advance ourselves in at a point of equality. I must say however that I do not exclude any other community or culture from this perspective. Occasionally I am reminded that prejudice does exist here at a point of our racial divide. I have forgotten how ugly that can be. It does remind me of those old days when there was such an impasse- I am old enough. When this happens I have to remind myself that I am on a different path away from that ignorance and the seeds that I am attempting to plant are those which far exceed any reminder those former days. It cannot be disguised merely resurfaces in subtler forms in this case it was blatant and overt. My hands have crossed the divide many times over but it is important to remember that pockets of hate still exists. When this happens one should expose it to give it oxygen and to challenge it to call it what it is. There are places in Nassau where I refuse to go any longer because of the obvious bad treatment that Bahamians experience. I am not alone and privately many agree to just stay away for peace and some sort of harmony. I will not go into any details of what the experience was or name the individuals involved as that is not the point of this particular dissertation. It is to say that when one encounters such ugliness, it should not divert one from a path that is meant to transcend the lower belly of man. Sometimes to place yourself there with them is to continue the narrative which only empowers ignorance. Some people cannot travel because of their limitations and the need to feel superior in a plastic world that is imploding. I have learned that the best way to challenge hate to love over, around and beyond these people whomever they may be. Ghandi said 'an eye for an eye only makes the whole world blind' You do not have to love your enemy but do not feel that their hate can stop love. Perhaps in those cases the best we can ever hope for is co-existence.Peace and respect and continue to foster ones own destiny your place is guaranteed among the stars, mine are my strange little paintings....Remember it does not mean denying who are but affirming it with love. Many will not attempt to even learn about that because they do not value that or you...