The long and destructive history of racism cannot be blamed on us, cannot be explained away as a moral equivalence of mutual dislike and harm by oppressed and oppressor, Black and White. The oppressor can never have the moral status of the oppressed, and no country or people is immune from criticism in spite of its claims to elect exemption and counter charges of “anti-them” in various racial and religious forms. In spite of their indictments of us and of the voices of righteous and rightful criticism and condemnation, we must forge ahead to build a good world and start a new history of humankind, and in the midst of all our efforts continue to speak courageous truth to power, uncompromising struggle to the people, and the right and rightfulness of freedom, justice and peace to the world.

Dr. Maulana Karenga n is the Professor of Black Studies, California State University-Long Beach, Chair of The Organization Us, Creator of Kwanzaa, and author of Kwanzaa: A Celebration of Family, Community and Culture, [www.Us-Organization.org and www.OfficialKwanzaaWebsite.org].

Published in : Op-Ed, Dr. Maulana Karenga