Mutts
My siblings and I have been thought of as: “mutts;” “mongrels;” “misfits;” or “miss-be-gotten” breeds.
We are native-born Americans who happen to be a mixture of African-American, Native-American and European-American descent.
We and millions of folks like us empathize with President-Elect Obama.
We surmise that Mr. Obama, while enduring the inevitable slurs, taunts, and insults of ignorant, mal-intentioned fellow humans, has wished as often as we have that he could enlighten those persons who cast aspersions, call names and hurl insults.
The words and actions of our President-Elect convince us that he would join in efforts to disabuse such persons of their misunderstandings and motivate them to replace their bad thoughts and negative actions with loving considerations for all of their fellow humans.
If we surmise correctly, President-elect Osama’s apparently off-handed use of the term “Mutt”, in reference to himself, was anything but accidental or un-intentioned.
We think that Mr. Obama desires that everyone, everywhere gain knowledge and appreciation of the fact that there are no “non-mutts” among us, anywhere!
It is actual fact that the “Human Family” is now virtually wholly composed of composites of human types. We believe that, from the beginning, this has been an important part of “Mother Nature’s” grand design for living beings.
From the beginning, diverse groups of humans, though scattered around the planet, have developed and practiced customs that allow them to avoid the pitfalls of in-breeding. Also, from the beginning, Mother Nature has awarded the “perks” of greater, strength, health, intellect and longevity to the “Mutts” among, her life forms.
“Pure Bloodedness” is a delusional concept perpetrated by persons who seek to manipulate and control the thinking and actions of easily-fooled bigots among us. The unrelenting aim seems to be to gain power, influence and authority that will allow vast numbers of people to be victimized for political/monetary gain.
It was a surprise of monumental proportions when The President-Elect referred to himself as a “Mutt.” Our surprise quickly became monumental delight and appreciation as we realized what the beneficial effect of his use of that word, in that way, would be.
The counter-bigotry effects of The President-Elect’s referring to himself as a “Mutt” are equivalent to the beneficial effects of African-Americans reversing the stigma of being called “Blacks,” when we learned to say, “I’m Black and I’m Proud!” and “Black is Beautiful!”
Throughout recorded history, people have used words and phrases that are “charged” with psychological/emotional meaning as “weapons” against other persons.
In all of recorded history, the word, “Black” was used longer and more successfully, as a psychological weapon, than any other word ever spoken, anywhere.
Generation after generation of African-Americans hid their eyes and hung their heads in shame, whenever mal-intentioned European-Americans called them “Black.”
It was as though twin “lighting bolts” had struck in the late 1960’s when, almost simultaneously, African-Americans were taught to proudly proclaim “Black Is Beautiful” and “I’m Black and I are Proud.” Monumental changes in the attitudes and self-esteems of multitudes of persons occurred, seemingly, over night.
America’s President-Elect’s use of the word “Mutt” in reference to himself, has engendered equally monumental changes in the attitudes and self-images of multitudes of persons.
Henceforth, persons of “enriched,” composite human heritage will be more encouraged than ever before to proudly proclaim their diverse ethnicities and genealogies. At last the long-awaited bountiful benefits of America’s “Melting Pot” have begun to flow forth.
There are some persons who argue that Our President-Elect could not have possibly fully realized, beforehand, what the effects would be of his use of the term “Mutts” in reference to himself.
That may, or may not be true. It does not matter! He used the term, in the way that he used it, and the beneficial effects will continue to reverberate among us. We stand taller! We walk prouder! Our heads are held higher!
For people of color, everywhere, for people whose roots go deeply into America’s “Melting Pot,” the impact of the words, spoken by that extraordinary man, on that extraordinary occasion, will continue to have untold benefits and historical significance.
