WHAT ARE WE TEACHING?
IN THE LAST FEW WEEKS MANY QUESTIONS AND DISCUSSIONS HAVE ARISEN REGARDING MISOGYNY AND RACISM. CONVERSATIONS THAT I DON’T RECALL EVER HAVING BEFORE THE U.S. PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN AND NOW A BRAND IS THE PRESIDENT-ELECT.
I grew up in segregated southern Texas, AND I was greatly influenced by the African American woman who was my nanny from the time I was two years old. Willie Gregg Oldham was wise and noble and gentle and kind. My parents taught my brothers and me by their example of respect for everyone. This respect was not based on religious belief but on the reality of our common humanity.
I remember my father coming home from a trip to New York City where he had just seen the musical comedy, SOUTH PACIFIC, by Rodgers and Hammerstein. It was 1949 and I was 9 years old. There was a controversial song sung by a character, Lt. Cable. This song is resonant in every conversation, and answers ALL the questions for me.
It has been 67 years, and we are still faced with racism, seemingly more blatant than ever. Fear of ‘the other’ seems to reign in these times of information overload and globalisation, It is truly troubling. I know in my heart of hearts that all the ‘shadow faces of fear’ are being revealed so that they can be resolved, chosen or released in love.
We are taught that Life is dangerous from the beginning in the primal time. The way we birth most of our babies in the ‘developed world’ teaches struggle and separation, pain and attack, control and abuse. When will we stop gathering information and begin to live and birth in the consciousness of co-creation.
I offer these lyrics from SOUTH PACIFIC for your reflection.
You’ve Got to be Carefully Taught
Rogers and Hammerstein
You’ve got to be taught
To hate and fear,
You’ve got to be taught
From year to year,
It’s got to be drummed
In your dear little ear
You’ve got to be carefully taught.
You’ve got to be taught to be afraid
Of people whose eyes are oddly made,
And people whose skin is a diff’rent shade,
You’ve got to be carefully taught.
You’ve got to be taught before it’s too late,
Before you are six or seven or eight,
To hate all the people your relatives hate,
You’ve got to be carefully taught!
Mandy Patinkin sings
You’ve Got to be Carefully Taught, Rodgers and Hammerstein
Children Will Listen, Stephen Sondheim
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owxRpV7l8Dc
To read more history of this song:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/You’ve_Got_to_Be_Carefully_Taught
WE MUST BE VIGILANT, PRESENT, AND CLEAR IN OURSELVES ABOUT WHAT WE WANT AND TAKE ACTION FROM LOVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!
BLESSINGS,
Binnie A Dansby
November 2016