BAMBOOZLED

How Internalized Oppression Is F.U.B.U.

WELCOME

Brent W. ReevesDirector of Multicultural Affairs

McKendree CollegeLebanon, IL

THANKS!

To the University of Central Florida The Office of Diversity Initiatives YOU!

PRESENTATION GENESISPRESENTATION GENESIS

I am an Internalized Oppression Survivor.I am an Internalized Oppression Survivor. I am a Reformed Internalized Oppressor.I am a Reformed Internalized Oppressor. Approximately 10 years ago, my knowledge Approximately 10 years ago, my knowledge

of this subject was non-existent but I of this subject was non-existent but I “knew”“knew” about this social behavior! about this social behavior!

I was a member of a racial harmony I was a member of a racial harmony dialogue group……..(The Question)dialogue group……..(The Question)

My research began in earnest.My research began in earnest.

GOALS OF THE PRESENTATIONGOALS OF THE PRESENTATION

• To raise awareness• To “hopefully” spark dialogue among all

people• To help Oppressors and the Oppressed to

break the cycle and begin to heal• To be able to understand a systemic

behavior among African-Americans and help lead them to a more productive existence

Workshop GuidelinesWorkshop Guidelines

• I (we) will use derogatory terms as examples.I (we) will use derogatory terms as examples.• They will be used within the context of They will be used within the context of

knowledge and education instead of knowledge and education instead of defamation.defamation.

• No character attacks or personality No character attacks or personality judgments will be made within this workshop.judgments will be made within this workshop.

• We are here to learn more about African-We are here to learn more about African-Americans in order to better Americans in order to better educate/mentor/lead them into the future.educate/mentor/lead them into the future.

• This will be a “SAFE” environment.This will be a “SAFE” environment.

Definitions

Oppression Racism The Fabric of Oppression

Various Forms Exist

The FABRICThe FABRIC

RacismRacism SexismSexism AgeismAgeism Class-ismClass-ism

Able-ismAble-ism Look-ismLook-ism HomophobiaHomophobia Religious Religious

PersecutionPersecution

Levels of Oppression

Personal/Individual Racism Institutional Racism Internalized Racism/Oppression

Manifestations/SymptomsManifestations/Symptoms

African-Americans call each other “Nigger”African-Americans call each other “Nigger” We use this word euphemisticallyWe use this word euphemistically It is used as a “Term of Endearment”It is used as a “Term of Endearment” Rarely do people of other cultures degrade Rarely do people of other cultures degrade

themselves this way (White Example)themselves this way (White Example) We have used other derogatory terms as We have used other derogatory terms as

euphemisms: Pimp, Hustler, Killa, Gangsta euphemisms: Pimp, Hustler, Killa, Gangsta or “G”…………. (Examples)or “G”…………. (Examples)

More SymptomsMore Symptoms

Degraded economic status as opposed to Degraded economic status as opposed to other immigrants to this countryother immigrants to this country

Disproportionately fewer professionalsDisproportionately fewer professionals Disproportionately fewer African-Disproportionately fewer African-

Americans in college (especially males)Americans in college (especially males) Even with the abundance of financial aid and Even with the abundance of financial aid and

scholarships available todayscholarships available today Those who are in college seem to exhibit a Those who are in college seem to exhibit a

“Just Wanna Git By”“Just Wanna Git By” attitude! attitude!

Symptoms ContinuedSymptoms Continued

We play the “Dozens”We play the “Dozens” Definition (Examples)Definition (Examples)

• Yo Mama……..Yo Mama…….. It was a form of survival training!It was a form of survival training! Now this game is used to insult a person’s Now this game is used to insult a person’s

family tree for fun!family tree for fun! Will Smith as the “Fresh Prince”Will Smith as the “Fresh Prince” Many other Black comedians used this form of Many other Black comedians used this form of

insult as a mainstay in their repertoire.insult as a mainstay in their repertoire.

Do You See A Pattern?Do You See A Pattern?

We practice very little We practice very little philanthropyphilanthropy

We sabotage our own We sabotage our own efforts, actions, and efforts, actions, and movements on the movements on the micro and macro micro and macro levelslevels

We never forgive our We never forgive our leaders if they leaders if they perform less than perform less than perfectperfect

We don’t support our We don’t support our own businesses own businesses within our within our communitiescommunities

We exhibit We exhibit “Crabs In “Crabs In A Barrel”A Barrel” mentality mentality

We rarely edify or We rarely edify or uplift our ownuplift our own

More Painful ExamplesMore Painful ExamplesBlack-Greek sororities performed the Black-Greek sororities performed the “Brown Paper Bag”“Brown Paper Bag” Test on their pledges Test on their pledgesWe treat our lighter skinned children We treat our lighter skinned children better!better!– ““She’s the pretty one!”She’s the pretty one!”– ““She has “GOOD” hair!She has “GOOD” hair!– ““He’s a fine “High Yellow Man!”He’s a fine “High Yellow Man!”– We try to change our appearance to look We try to change our appearance to look

more like the dominant society (perms, fade more like the dominant society (perms, fade creams, plastic surgery)creams, plastic surgery)

Personal StoriesPersonal Stories

At one time in my life, I would shy away At one time in my life, I would shy away from other African-Americans because I from other African-Americans because I didn’t want to be “guilty by association”!didn’t want to be “guilty by association”!I denied myself the pleasure of the I denied myself the pleasure of the company of sisters who were darker than company of sisters who were darker than me!me!I would cover up in the summer to avoid I would cover up in the summer to avoid from getting darker!from getting darker!Other personal stories………Other personal stories………

Clinical Analysis

Internalized Racism: A Major Breakthrough Has Been Achieved

Paper authored by Suzanne Lipsky in 1987 Excerpts

How Does Internalized Racism Affect Us?

Individual Relations Our Children Group Effort Leadership Isolation From

Other Blacks Internalized

Stereotypes

Narrowing of Our Black Culture

Mistrusting Our Thinking

Needing to Feel Good Right Now

Learning and Long-Range Goals

Historical Theory

How did all of this begin for Africans in America?

It is theorized that psychological conditioning of African slaves by their masters produced this Internalized Oppression

When did this occur and how was it implemented?

The State of Slave ManagementThe State of Slave Management

It was circa 1712It was circa 1712 Slavery had existed in the colonies for Slavery had existed in the colonies for

approximately 200 yearsapproximately 200 years In 1669, South Carolina’s constitution In 1669, South Carolina’s constitution

institutionalized “racial slavery”institutionalized “racial slavery” In 1690, legislation was passed that In 1690, legislation was passed that

limited the movement of African-limited the movement of African-AmericansAmericans

Along with these legislative actions, more Along with these legislative actions, more and more barbarism and atrocities toward and more barbarism and atrocities toward slaves were committed by their masters slaves were committed by their masters

As these horrific acts multiplied, more and As these horrific acts multiplied, more and

more slaves either ran away or more slaves either ran away or participated in riots to escape their participated in riots to escape their oppressors oppressors

Most of these Most of these “rebel”“rebel” slaves were caught slaves were caught and subjected to even more atrocitiesand subjected to even more atrocities

Lynching and mutilations became almost Lynching and mutilations became almost commonplacecommonplace

This form of control was economically This form of control was economically counter-productivecounter-productive

EnterEnter-William Lynch-William Lynch

►Mr. Lynch was a West Indies plantation Mr. Lynch was a West Indies plantation owner who came to the colonies to owner who came to the colonies to observe slave processes and pass on his observe slave processes and pass on his experience to his counterparts here.experience to his counterparts here.

►SLAVE CONTROL CONSULTANTSLAVE CONTROL CONSULTANT►He introduced a new way to manage He introduced a new way to manage

slave populationsslave populations►Excerpts from Excerpts from “The Letter”“The Letter”

The Willie Lynch The Willie Lynch Letter and The Letter and The

Making of a Making of a SlaveSlave

Final AnalysisFinal Analysis

This was a “How To” manual on enslaving This was a “How To” manual on enslaving the minds of the Africans to be beholding to the minds of the Africans to be beholding to their masters.their masters.

This psychological conditioning was This psychological conditioning was established to last across generations at established to last across generations at least 300 years.least 300 years.

We are the ONLY non-indigenous population We are the ONLY non-indigenous population in the Americas who underwent this type of in the Americas who underwent this type of generational psychological brainwashing.generational psychological brainwashing.

As I have shown, its manifestations still As I have shown, its manifestations still linger on today!linger on today!

Where Do We Go From Where Do We Go From Here?Here? We must make more Americans aware of We must make more Americans aware of

this psychosis, virus, cancer and teach this psychosis, virus, cancer and teach them how to identify it.them how to identify it.

Understand where YOU are in the Cycle of Understand where YOU are in the Cycle of OppressionOppression

Break the cycleBreak the cycle– Teach/Talk (Move away from denial)Teach/Talk (Move away from denial)– Show causality in the manifestationsShow causality in the manifestations– ReleaseRelease– Change your behavior and behaviors of othersChange your behavior and behaviors of others

THANK YOU FOR YOUR THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION AND ATTENTION AND PARTICIPATION!PARTICIPATION!