Words from MySpace - Blackbirds, Malcolm X and freedom fighting

When the movie Malcolm X first came out I somewhat studied American black history and the European colonial era.

For several years after I felt enormous guilt and shame over how the white/European population used and exploited the African (Asian etc.) continent and it's people.

It took me quite some time to realize it wasn't my fault and the only thing that I could do was to try and act as a positive change from here on onwards. I really can't be held responsible for what my ancestors did.

15 years ago I idealized Malcolm X, but now as I'm (finally) reading his biography I find myself getting very angry with him and the opinions he had in fact wasn't so well thought through as I first believed.

For example, I as a feminist am deeply offended by the polarisation of black vs. whites that Malcolm makes. All of the injustices that's been done to blacks have equally been done to women all over the world AND Malcolm admits himself (without any remorse) to frequently hitting a woman in his biography.

I agree in the observation and the fight for black rights, but if you are a freedom fighter of some calibre you can't fight for just one cause, against one reign power, you have to be sensitive towards who and how you yourself might be exploiting and dominating someone else. Otherwise all the things you stand for might seem very, very hollow.

Therefore the first rule of freedom fighting is: you can not fight for equality for one without making it a general fight for everyone rights (even though you might focus primarily on one issue.)

Why? The world is not free, and I am not free but I long for you to be free even if I don't necessarily agree with you in your political opinions or am like you in race, sexual orientation or religious believes, as that's the way I want you to see, hear and respect me.

We humans are never as free as our most constrained sister or brother.

But back to Malcolm, I must grant him that it takes a great man to admit his mistake.

Here's another has-been at her very best:

Here's a link to what everyone keeps talking about – UNITED NATIONS UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS