Is Honesty Really The Best Policy?

 

  Is Honesty Really the Best Policy?

We live in a culture of disingenuousness. It seems that we have trouble with being totally honest about so many aspects of society.  Let’s look at the two taboo topics many vow to never discuss−religion and politics. Maybe we avoid these subjects because we are the most dishonest toward them. Let’s start with politics.

President Obama is not African- American—he’s biracial (and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that). Obama’s father was a Black man born in Kenya. His mother was a White woman born in the United States. Obama was born over 2,000 miles from the mainland. Neither Obama nor his father ever served in the United States military, experienced American segregation, or can trace their roots in the United States to slavery. Neither Obama’s mother nor his grandmother did domestic work for Whites or Jews and his core values were given to him by his White grandparents who lived in the heartland of Kansas. What part of that speaks African-American? Let’s be honest.

President Obama’s slogans of “It’s time for change” and “Yes we can” were inspiring. But Obama would have never made it to the White House unless big money was poured into his campaign. Many African-American leaders are disappointed with Obama because he does not have a “Black agenda.” Why would he? It was not Blacks who paid for his presidency. Obama’s largest financial contributor was Goldman Sachs. Obama’s speech at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), showed his commitment to Israel, not Africa or African-Americans. Our president is indebted to Jews not Blacks. Let’s be honest.

Now let’s look at religion. God allegedly promised Abraham a homeland. What does this allegory have to do with Black people when Blacks have never been homeless. What about the story of Exodus? Why would Blacks have to flee Black Egypt? There are no historical records of an exodus out of Egypt. Our religious affiliations are the products of our conqueror. If those who kidnapped and enslaved Africans were Hindu, Blacks would be Hindu. If they were Buddhists, we would be Buddhists. We are what our conquerors told us to be. We worship Jesus because we were made to worship Jesus. Our faith is not of our own design. The players who shaped Christianity such as Tertullian, Irenaeus, Constantine etc., were not Black. It was a Roman thing not a Black thing. Let’s be honest. 

“The truth shall make you free” we’ve all heard. Well, I guess we really don’t want freedom or perhaps the freedom we seek has not been clearly defined. Maybe the truth hurts too much and dishonesty makes us feel better. Whatever the case may be, disingenuousness seems to be the path of least resistance.

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