NOTE TO EILEEN

tHANKS FOR THIS SO VIVID, INTENSE AND CONCENTRATED DECLARATION. Not something many can do. I had the same questions re the young white people marching for BLM. We had a quick and efficient one in our rurAL VILLAGE LAST sATURDAY.  (Sorry for the caplock errors!) 

I thought the march would be at the fairly modest pace of our two regular annual parades. Those are a biggish deal, with bagpipes often, and the fire truck holding back the traffic. No fire truck this time, just a simple group with BLM signs. 100 strong, it looked like. So OK, there's a lot they wouldn't understand, but isn't it nice that they're out there trying to be decent? Seemed so to me.

I made a sign that took me some time. It said:

FREE AFRICA

Freedom There = Freedom Here

I did it, as always, as an art project. Not realizing how fast the group would go, I was slow to position us in the march, and we lagged behind more than was desirable. I held one end of the sign, and our blind friend held the other, which made it easy for her to guide herself by. Sandi was just a little ahead. 

It doesn't sound as if your daughter really was COVID-infected!

And maybe this is timely insight (since it literally came to me just now): In human culture there tend to be leaders and followers (whether in individual or group terms). In the Western world, white people lead, albeit heavily influenced by global minorities in their midst. In terms of human evolution, it has served well, both to prescribe and to caution. But where it has failed is where I see an African civilization (which I see as continuous with it) can try to do "better." That better is indeed to be more globally minded, more inclusive of all, more environmentally and holistically attuned. And in the African world, it must be led by blacks. So I think we blacks need, while not sacrificing who we are, to put white people first in the West, and black people first in "Africa." And balance these relations ethically and with minimal rancor. But if Africans don't have somewhere of their own they can't contribute properly (or be treated properly) in the global scheme of things. 

-----Original Message-----
From: Eileen Garcia
To: e.
Sent: Wed, Jun 10, 2020 8:25 pm
Subject: Re: Ellas song

Thanks for asking re family.

I reflected that my Jamaican family of origin, scattered across the globe now, married Mayan, Korean, Singapore Muslim, Indian, Chinese, Syrian/lebanese, Jew...we are Mostly  multiple shades of black/white mix so in one sense racial "freedom"is achieved in us already. They are everywhere on the economic structure, but mostly middle class, business types or farmers.... a global family, all blood related.

Still, I have had to turn off the news or lose all peace and sleep. Those of us with PTSD do not have a lot of room for trauma, as you will know better than I.

 My eldest sibling (victim of violence, some in Jamaica, some in Montreal) took an overdose which she survived but she has retreated into hostility at me (a safe enemy).  I understand, but it grieves me. She is like a burn victim, every move hurts and for her I am a bull in a China shop.

Even in our dozy Canadian Small-island town, on the fringe of civilization, in the middle of a pandemic, 1000 young people turned out to demonstrate re "black lives matter". I hope it makes a difference. 

I suspect most of the white demonstrators knew zero black people, although the indigenous population here needs support. We have only recently begun to have a few  migrants from Africa and they work in the bank. 

The mass of hidden "Black" labour here  are from Pakistan but they live on the mainland. 

We managed covid well here, one of the best managed places in the world, so that zero new cases in much of BC. The shut down worked for us, so far. People cooperated to a remarkable degree. 

My Korean Adopted daughter is home. So glad to have her.

Keep well.

E

Sent from my iPad

On Jun 10, 2020, at 4:50 PM, e. wrote:



Thanks, Eileen! I let it scroll to the following piece, and love how ethnically and generationally diverse it is. How are you and family managing? 

-----Original Message-----
From: Eileen Garcia
To: e.
Sent: Wed, Jun 10, 2020 2:39 pm
Subject: Ellas song

hope this brings you comfort and joy in these hard times. E

https://youtu.be/U6Uus--gFrc

Sent from my iPad