Lampblack Leftism - A Demo

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Core Values

Leftist 

Progressive

Quasi-Socialist

I was motivated to make this demonstration as a means of communicating my observations taken from my many debates with certain people.  It is clear to me that they frequently enshrine their own "Progressive/Leftist" core believes inside an "Artificially Flavored Coating of Blackness".  Thus when I attack THEM and their views, telling them how ineffective or out of touch with the real world,  I am said to be attacking "All Black People".   In as much as they are more interested in providing cover for themselves than in debating our community issues in an above board manner - such an association works to pacify them for the moment.

Lampblack Leftism - A coating of "Blackness" upon a core set of leftist principles.  The goal being to camouflage this core for the sake of refracting all scrutiny.  

The close cousin of "Lampblack Leftism" is the term - "You can't hit a man with glasses"

In both cases the purveyor of these words hopes to tap into your sense of respect and dignity for the coating while he continues unbound to any particular set of principles beyond his core.

"Lampblack" is a term that I picked up from the great American journalist George S Schuyler upon reading his works.   He described the "Black Activism" cultural movements in the 1920's and around the "Harlem Renaissance" as "lampblack".   What was sold as "original or organically Black" was merely American cultural references that were given a "coat of coal soot" in order to dress it up as something other than what it actually is.

It is with this model as observed from the past that I see that much of which passes to day for "Authentically Black" political positions are merely "Lampblack Leftist" positions.

I am not attempting to wage an attack.  My only purpose is to observe and then present the findings of my analysis.

Those who favor leftist political methodologies in the context of their intention of addressing the challenges that the Black community faces are merely coating what are otherwise "Leftist/Progressive" methodologies, the only distinction being that the BENEFITS are said to be directed toward the Black community.   Thus the distinction from "National Progressive" or "Hispanic Progressive" dogma, for example, is the intended beneficiary, not the source methods.

My argument is that "Black Positions" (as Alabama Democratic party leader Joe Reed called them) are not born out as fact based on the POPULARITY of these positions among the Black masses.  Instead "Authentically Black Positions" are proven based upon the EFFECTIVE RESULTS that they garner, as intended.

Failing to make the distinction between POPULARITY and EFFECTIVENESS means that our community will remain in an endless loop, always INTENDING to achieve our goals by "trying harder".   The only entity that benefits is the Black Establishment which will build up a large and loyal following and, more importantly, the entity that they have agreed to do a perpetual "collabo" with as a means of building up a coalition with external forces, at this present time being the Democratic Party and other Progressive entities as seen in the "Leadership Conference On Civil Rights".

Ultimately they advance the cause of "Progressivism" with the theory being that as "Progressivism" is strengthened, so too is the cause of the Black Community.

I don't accept this theory.   We only need to look out at our communities today to make note of this dispositive notion.

The Present Conditions Must Determine The Methodology Of Choice

As hard as it might be to believe - I do not have a fatal revulsion to "Progressivism"/ Leftism.   Instead it is a methodology that needs to be applied at the appropriate time.   I have said many times on this blog:

When you find yourself as a minority inside of a intolerant and intransigent environment which rolls over your interests - you had better link up with a 'progressive' movement that struggles to fundamentally change the character of the system so that your rights are retained.

However, as you become the curator of the key institutions that you have struggled to obtain your civic services through, you are now charged with fielding a system that works to the advantage of your people and interests - you had better make note of this change, construct a new system that can retain the standard of living, propagate the knowledge of this system  that you desire among the people and then deploy "conservators" who will maintain this system and propagate respect for this system among the youth who will one day take over.

The goal is not to become a "conservative".  Instead my interest is in having people to understand the relative position where they reside in their struggle.

To "struggle for the sake of struggling" is an excellent unifying tool for those who don't necessarily have the interest of actual solutions in mind.  It fails to develop "organic competences" among the people to manage their own community level problems.   As their victories in their struggles grow they will find themselves walking past the local seats of power that they used to protest against and seeking out their closest adversary to wage their new round of protests against.  Its not good to piss off your "permanent friends" after all.  With the masses so elated to see these favored individuals in office, they only visit the temple of government to view the portraits upon the wall that make them feel proud inside.

(Note:  I had to wait till my wife left the house in order to execute this demonstration.  I had to work the camera and the chocolate syrup all by myself.  Had I asked my kids to assist me in pouring it on the light bulb they would have 'Snitched' on me to their mother and I would have been in a world of trouble still.  No animals were harmed in this demonstration.   The "BLAX News Network" will go to the ends of the Earth to provide coverage for the community.  )