SCAPEGOAT PHENOMENA

excerpt from RACE UNITY @ (see Aug 31, 2010)

As to the question of scapegoating ( person upon whom blame is made for the mistake of others):

I believe that the scapegoat concept is to make someone with a low self-esteem problem to climb on the backs of those perceived as lower on the totem pole, to boost their own feeling of self-worth.

I would like to add to that that in this country, during the initial start of slavery in this country and continuing throughout it's history, a conscious, deliberate and time consuming effort was made to relay the false and hideous concept of those from Africa being less than human,  not a full person with any rights.  The churches, the government, the slave traders, and the newspapers of that day wrote, published and distributed pamphlets on how to strip an African of their religion, family, and culture.  The preachers spoke this obscenity in the pulpits and the politicians spouted it from their soapboxes.  These pamphlets were handed to potential slave buyers so they would know how to "tame and control" those they purchased.  Slave owners taught their wives and children how to "treat" these "sub-humans". I have read these pamphlets and it is so dreadfully awful that it still nauseates me to think of it.  This kind of poison has filtered into our collective and individual psyches and tainted everything we do and say.  This has filtered through our school systems, our media, our churches, and is in all levels of society.  (Now we have made inroads to a more accepting society but the underlying damage still persists.)  It takes a monumental amount of work with all our minds, our hearts and souls to cleanse ourselves of this poison and get to some stage of seeing each soul as a gift from God in all her/his glory.  I think this is why Shoghi Effendi said it took ceaseless effort!  Until this country invests that kind of energy into the effort, we will not see a significant difference.  Merely agreeing in principle will not do it.  Each person must work ceaselessly to rid their own inner selves and become an ally of all those who are also struggling before we can see oneness truly reflected.

Love in the struggle,

Anne