Hip Hop Rationalists?

As a serious hip-hop head, a lover of words and lyrics, and a fairly rational individual, I was thoroughly impressed when I came across this gem upon waking. I'm still spinning from last night, and I don't think the point of my last post came across as anything but a blur that I'll have to clear up at a later date. I don't care what Snoop Dogg claims, gin and juice is a dangerous concoction.

Anyway, for the non-religious sitting at home on Sunday morning...enjoy this!

Bill Maher on Haiti

Admittedly, I'm quite critical of any information just handed to me, and that includes anything from the mainstream media to personal interactions. I'm perfectly fine with learning things on my own; I'm up front and ask questions and, very honestly, research after the queston is answered.

That said, I'm glad that Bill Maher decided to make the comment about the information being shoved down our throats about Haiti. I agree with his sentiments; as a matter of fact, just the week after Haiti's first earthquake, I had to school some girls at my job because I was focused on the murdering of the African migrant workers in southern Italy. He doesn't hate Black people because of his desire for a better balance of information reported by the media. I agree that the media decided to take and run with Haiti because it was the closest, most immediate, and easily understood current event (even though just days before Haiti there were reports on the issues in Italy). While I think that it is very, very important to care for Haiti, I also think that having a balance of information is important. I feel absolutely awful about Haiti; it is tragic. I also feel bad about other things, too. The world is a scary place because in the absence of man-made tragedies come natural disasters. I very much wish peace and prosperity to the people of Haiti. I also wish well to the people of other struggling and disaster stricken areas.

Be Righteous.

Darwin Day

It's International Darwin Day, a day commemorating the birthday of the father of evolutionist biology, Charles Darwin. As a nontheist/free-thinker (and a person who generally finds much validity in the ideas of evolutionary "theory"), I think that it's important to acknowledge the validity in scientific arguments, despite whether you believe in them or not. I can't say that my beliefs (or lack of beliefs in the religious majority's minds) have encouraged me toward evolution, because I do remember as a church-girl, back in the day, being fascinated with the idea of evolution. However, evolution is important because it does, in a sense, provide evidence for human origins.

I do know, however, from my own personal research that "scientists" have attempted to use science to prove their own agendas. I mean, it's true: from nature v. nurture, right down to eugenics and the Holocaust. One year while in undergrad, in contemplating a third minor (anthropology), I researched the biological justification of men being naturally impulsive sexual creatures and correlations in that argument an a then-new book about how male rapists "can't help it". The evil genius in me was very much interested in the subject, though it was more for kicks and giggles; the entire report spawned from an argument I had with an ex-boyfriend (barf) and, well, I got an A+ for my very original work in a class about Victimology. What can I say? (sheepish grin)

Did Darwin give any credit to, what is now known as, Social Darwinism? Could he have been racist? Sexist? I know that post-Darwin anthropologists have made insensitive claims on the basis of race and gender of "primitive" cultures...quite certainly, eugenics and ideas of the like are adaptations and personal interpretations of Darwin's original work, but what did he think of that? In researching Darwin, he did oppose racism, slavery, and the classification of human beings based on racial differences. As a Black woman, though, I think it's important to know and understand all aspects of the argument. Because an argument has valid points does not make it all completely true or valid (I mean, I think there are high points in every religion and I still don't buy into religious organizations).

Certainly, this requires more research than I can provide in my blog. It certainly is a question that cannot be missed or ignored; I personally am not sure that Darwin's original works were written as or intended to be racially insensitive. I'd like to do more research on the subject though.

Ah, but Happy Darwin Day! Evolutionist Theory is important...whether you buy into it or not. I'm going to make an effort to do more research on racism and sexism (or lack thereof) in his work.

Be Righteous.