A Gentle Shooting

" . . . blacks born in the Western world can never be Afrikans and Afrikans born in Afrika can never be Afrikan Americans or Afro Cubans or Afro Brazilians or Afro Puerto Ricans . . ." he was saying from the pulpit as I went in, joining some 60 or 70 blacks having a "Session" in their small church.  He was a tall, slim black dressed in a black suit, white shirt, and black tie, and his well-shaped head was bald and shiny as if it had been greased.  He had invited me.

". . . the reason we should logically call ourselves Afrikan Americans is that we've been influenced by Afrika and America.  America being the dream of the Europeans.  Anybody with any sense knows that some of our people will live and die with that European touch more outstanding than that Afrikan touch, and with others it will be vice versa.  So, whether we call ourselves Afrikan Americans or Afro Cubans or Afro Brazilians or Afro Puerto Ricans, we're still brothers and sisters of the black race, and we must identify with that race.  How else do we distinguish ourselves from those who don't identify as blacks -- Arabs, English, French, Spaniards, Portuguese, and Indians?  Our identity can't be based on color alone because we have brothers and sisters of all shades.  Some even in white skin.  Passing and getting rich . . . "  Loud laughter and applause interrupted him.

". . . when we walk down the streets in any country, nobody knows or cares what our name is or what language we speak or what our religion or politics is.  They just say, 'There goes one of those blacks.  They don't have a unique culture like us, they might do anything' . . ."  Some stood, applauding and laughing.
". . . and that has caused tremendous problems for our people and people that have anything to do with us.  Some of  us trying to be all-Afrikan and others wanting to be all-European.  We're taught that people are the embodiment of wherever they were and  whom they were with in their formative years.  Well, our ancestors, Afrikans and Europeans, on those slave ships were the beginning of our formative years,, and the unique formative years of a people must be reflected in their understanding of their culture, economics, politics, and religion -- for us the Animi-Ukristo . . ."  Wild shouting and  applause erupted in the place and the  speaker laughed and applauded.

". . . so, we need to decide what part of Afrika and what part of Europe we want in us.  Do we want the Afrika that's imitating Arabs or imitating the English, or the French or the Portuguese or whoever colonized them?  Or do we want the Afrika where in the 21st century millions still have no schools and are trapped in superstitious nonsense, mutilating their young daughters by cutting out their clitoris?  Amani iwe kwenu, Peace be upon you," he said.
"Amani iwe kwako, And peace be upon you!" they shouted, standing and applauding, laughing and embracing.
When I went up to him, he said, "Were my shots on target?"