President Carter Speaks Out About Racism in America

President Carter speaks on racism towards President Obama



Keith Olbermann discussing President Carter's comments on Racism







This is a perfect moment to talk about the history of colonialism, oppression, and
racism in the United States.

Seven Stages of Colonialism

1. Invasion-Christopher Columbus, United States in Iraq, Vietnam, Central America
2. Destruction of entire groups- introduction of small pox, appropriation of land,
forced migrations-Cherokee "Trail of Tears"
3. External political control-Bureau of Indian Affairs. No other group of people
are managed by a bureaucratic institution in the United States
4. Economic dependence-United States Government in role as Benefactor
5. Lower quality of social services for those that need it the most
6. Social interactions are disrupted or severed
7. Racism becomes institutionalized- hate speech towards President Obama and Ward
Churchill

Historical trauma is the direct result and the key feature of colonialism and can be described as the collective emotional and psychological injury that occurs across generations. This particular form of trauma is so significant and devastating because the stories of suffering are repeated over and over again throughout our country's history with Native American, African American and other ethnic and cultural groups which encompasses four hundred years of suffering and survival. Unfortunately, there is no victory dance or heroic narrative to mitigate the suffering which becomes part of the generational psychic structure.
The consequences include a "culture of silence" that leaves these unresolved events shrouded in mystery which can take control of the individual and group consciousness.

Some of the continuing problems that plague those that suffer from historical trauma are mental and physical health problems, frustration and apathy, inability to sustain healthy change, intense fear, feelings of helplessness, horror, and disorganized thinking. Other symptoms can include intergenerational grief, cynicism, and infighting between families or communities.

Oppression Psychology focuses on the patterns that are created when people are colonized and oppressed that include fight, flight and capitulation (Fanon and Bulhan).

There are many horrific examples of United States Colonialism and racism against our own people and others throughout the world that are killed, subjugated or oppressed in the name of power, control and insidious and never-ending greed that is clearly addictive. A few of these include the seventh cavalry and Wounded Knee, President Andrew Jackson who is known as the "Cherokee killer" and the "Trail of Tears", and President Abraham Lincoln and the "Minnesota Massacre." These events are almost nonexistent in the history books of middle and high school students, or even in many college textbooks. Other examples include the My Lai massacre during the Vietnam War, the Iraq War and Abu Ghraib, the firing of Ward Churchill at the University of Colorado, clearcutting of the Amazon rainforests for soybean production that is grown for the European beef market, and the racist commentaries, web sites and demonstrations by American citizens that believe that Barack Obama should not be president because he is African American.

Dr. Michael Yellow Bird testifies at Professor Churchill's trial






Cedar Tree