Thank you for sharing your thoughts!
When I said didn’t “like” pan-___ movements, it wasn’t that I didn’t like, for example, the “pride” behind it or the desire to improve a situation, but more just that I disagree with the combining of an entire race of people into one group, since I don’t believe all people are the same or want the same thing just because they have a similar skin tone. I also think a person’s culture is very important, and that when you combine groups, the dominant/majority group will inevitably push out the minority’s culture.
For example, I don’t know if you read my paper yet, but the basis of AIM’s spiritual traditions came from Lakota beliefs. Well, the founders were Ojibwe, and they had Mohawk, Nez Perce, and Osage members, among other tribal groups. What happens when the Hidatsa and Arapaho join the group and begin following Lakota beliefs? They’ll probably, at least to an extent, lose some of their own unique culture. I think the same goes for Africans, or any racial group. I’d say white Americans have suffered the most from a loss of culture. Outside of knowing, “My grandparents came from Germany, Sweden, Poland, etc.” there’s, from what I can tell, very little connection to a heritage and a culture. Some people I know have made up for it by being fourth and fifth generation farmers and ranchers in the same region for the past 100+ years and creating their own new cultures, but most haven’t set down enough roots to do this yet. (Keep in mind, that’s my opinion, haha.)
Anyway, so that’s just how I feel about pan-Africanism. Some tribes/nations in Africa hate each other, always have and always will. Some Africans do not look kindly upon black Americans, and sometimes vice versa. What are the chances a successful union of black people from Africa, America, the Carribean, and Latin America can form their own continent and live together peacefully, given the immense differences between groups whose only commonality might be their skin color? (@BrickHead might agree here.) My uncle has lived in several African countries over the past 10-15 years, and married an Eritrean woman. When she moved to my town, where there’s a growing population of Ethiopian and Somali immigrants, she told us how much she dislikes them. That sorta throws a wrench in the plan, haha. Their countries border each other, they “look alike” (compared to people from other regions of Africa, or black Americans), and their cultures are sorta similar. They can’t get along though.
So I guess I have two issues with pan movements. They cause groups to lose their own individual cultures and the hopes of unity aren’t often realistic. (In my opinion.)
Speaking of (kinda), did you read the paper yet? Always interested in feedback - if it’s clear what I’m trying to say, if it reads well, etc.
What the hell happened?
I wonder if the 5 lb loss has to do with that… lol probably, will keep straining with other movements.