It became clear. Suddenly. For years, I have allowed society, my culture, and my country to place me in the category of "African American", "black", "Negro", "colored" and those other labels makind felt compelled to place on me. We are all asked in surveys to identify our race/ethnicty. Then follows a list of racial categories from "white" to "other".
After reading "Caste" by Isabel Wilkerson, I decided her discussion made sense on how we are herded into human categories and groups. What I also realized is that we willingly allow ourselves to be put into these categories. We are willing members of our caste groups.
I have decided that I no longer want to play the game. I had no role in setting the rules of the game. The rules were imposed upon me to behave as my category dictates. I am supposed to be a minority in terms of my racial category. Why am I a minority? Why am I not defined as being in a higher category of humans because there are fewer people like me than others?
I have redefined myself. From now on, on surveys or anything that asks me my race, I will identify myself as "human being unlabeled". That means I am a descendant of the original creation of God, Man. Anything after that in terms of racial labels created by society, cultures, whomever is irrelevant.
That is who and what I am. The other parts of my character you can learn by talking to me and watching me in action. Join me in being a "Human Being Unlabeled".
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