|
This particular excerpt from what
has come to be referred to as “The War Speech”
by so many has a familiar ring to it. More
precisely, it appears to be an “Africanized”
or "ethnicized" reworking of a portion
of a universally familiar prayer.
 The
emperor’s desire for all Africans to be treated
and respected with the same dignity that has been
afforded them by GOD is parallel to Christ’s
prayer instructions to his disciples. The
disciples were taught to pray that God’s will,
his desires and intentions for mankind and all of
his creation, be given fleshly expression here in
the terrestrial plane of earth by its inhabitants.
To desire that all Africans rise to a position
of equality amongst the other races is, in
essence, a desire for God’s rule to be
manifested in the sphere of racial equality. Haile
Selassie I is essentially asking that God’s
“kingdom come” and his “will be done on
earth as it is in Heaven.” Such a godly concept
deserves closer scrutiny and examination.
Who is an African? According to Marcus Garvey’s
popular phrase, “Africa for the African…those
at home and those abroad,” an African is any
individual whose ancestry can be traced to the
African continent. The African race is, therefore,
a vast network of peoples that canvas the planet.
Whether through immigration, migration, or the
atrocity of slavery, the African has become an
omnipresent race of individuals with a true global
presence. Though language and culture vary
greatly, all descendants carry the basic seed of
Africa. With this fact in mind, the next question
becomes, “Whose eyes, by divine right, are we to
be equal before?”
This question has two main answers. First,
Africans are to be equal in the eyes of all other
races and secondly, Africans must view one another
as peers and equals. The ultimate goal is
interracial equality as well as intraracial
equality.
During the time period when this speech was
originally delivered by the emperor, the African
continent was held within the vice of colonization
and apartheid. Various European countries were
responsible for the dehumanization and
demonization of the African, the black race, as
non-human and/or inferior. It was in this respect
that H.I.M. demanded the equality of Africans
“on earth as it is in heaven.” His desire was
for an interracial equality between the African
and their oppressors. From this equality would
flow the natural rights of self-government and
self-determination for the native inhabitants of
the motherland.
Yet, there is an even more sinister and
self-destructive type of inequality that
counteracts the progress of the black race. The
problem of intraracism amongst the various African
peoples of the world is also an evil that must be
dealt with within the context of African equality.
From continent to continent, country-to-country,
culture-to-culture, it is evident that the African
seed is divided against itself. And, as it is
said, a house divided against itself cannot stand.
Everything from the differences of religious
beliefs and customs, the variance of language and
dress, down to the complexion of one’s skin and
the texture of one’s hair is used as a reason,
an excuse rather, for the lack of unity displayed
by the global African race. What was once, and, in
some instances, still is a technique used by
colonizers and slave owners to subdue and nullify
the strength of the black majority has now been
adopted by the victims as a viable means by which
to obtain a false sense of self-worth and personal
dignity.
It is evident that the sickness of interracism
has infiltrated and infected the black race and
has bred the new disease of intraracism, the
hatred and discrimination of oneself and one’
own extended family. For this reason, it is
imperative that the words of this speech, as well
as the ancient principles and prayer that they
reflect be heeded. If not, we are naďve in our
hope and expectation of peace, whether it is among
all races or simply amidst the global African
race.
It is heartening to see, however, that Rasta
ideology has begun to make progress in this
direction. The genesis of an interracial, as well
as intraracial, African unity movement is found in
the Rastafarian concept of the “I.”
In the Bible, Christ asks of GOD that his
followers would become one just as he and the
FATHER were one. Christ, the I, was inhabited by
JAH, the I. There was no sense of separation or
differentiation between them. It was his will that
the followers of GOD could learn to blend
seamlessly together just he and the Almighty
operated in perfect unity and cooperation. The
common bond that eliminated all human barriers
would be found in direct commune with GOD. Direct
contact with the Almighty eliminated all social
and cultural barriers, or at least minimized their
significance.
The Rasta “overstanding” of the I (the
individual) being inhabited and guided by the I
(JAH) is given magnificently concise expression in
the phrase, “I n I.” Also, referring to others
as well as oneself as the "I" shows the
seamless interconnectedness of various individuals
into one corporate body under the headship of JAH,
the creator. From this vantage point, it seems as
if Rasta ideology is at the vanguard of the
unification and equality espoused by Haile
Selassie I and Christ.
The call for unity as expressed in the “War
speech” carries such weight and has become so
popular partly because of Bob Marley’s musical
reinterpretation, but more importantly due to the
message communicated therein. The words of Haile
Selassie I, spoken before a California audience
and delineating the conclusion of the Addis Ababa
Conference, are universally relevant and powerful.
As stated previously, certain aspects of the
speech have their foundation in older spiritual
principles and ideas that still resonate with
humankind and the dilemmas that we face today.
To give expression to these principles by
living them out in our daily lives and in our
interactions with one another will, indeed,
eliminate a large majority of the strife we
experience between one another. To ignore or
forego these principles truly has and will to
continue to result in war.
|
