Urban Thought Collective

What’s homeopathic and homeostatis mean? I’m trying to understand more things I don’t know and I ain’t ashamed to ask.

That’s real.

Roderick I agree. I believe this country may finally start to heal the wounds of the past…a wound that this entire country shares. It is a wound that has been covered and ignored for too long. It is like covering up a gaping wound with a small band aid and never putting on the proper medicine. It is time. Perhaps Obama IS that first step.

Hi Roderick. I read your definition to Kamal but I still don’t understand myself. Isn’t holistic mean organic? Doesn’t the definition - The patient is given a small dose of medicine that would result in similar symptoms in healthy person to resolve the illness - isn’t that the definition for all medicine? I still don’t get it. Is it just a fancy way to say medicine?

Mind if I steal this?
“What I do believe is that he signifies the balance between conflicted entities embodied in his genealogical make up.”

As always, I think this is right on point. Always a great way to look at things in a positive way.

AMEN TO THIS BROTHER WATKINS!

i found this article very interesting.

Freindlee you bring up some valid points. From my understanding Allopathic or traditional medicine uses treatments with properties different from the illness. In Homeopathy the treatment usually has the same properties of the illness it treats.

“trading soul for profit” = deep

This is powerful. What a wonderful take on his nomination.

I love this — I don’t get into over the counter or percription meds… there is always a better more organic way to go about healing. i like the comparison you make with this and obama. he is laying hands on us!

While I would agree that Obama’s possible election to the U.S. Presidency “voices the change desired by a collective consciousness,” I’m not sure that this consciousness is primarily race-based. In fact, most non-Blacks seem to be vehemently denying that race has anything to do with their support of Obama; indeed, most argue that after 8 years of GWB, Obama represents a change in direction and perspective - which they do not link to his race at all, and may be supporting him in SPITE of it.

I also think that it may be a problematic assertion that Obama’s bi-racial/cultural heritage represents a homeopathic prescription for this country. This feeds into apartheid-esque notions of biraciality being somehow preferable - and decidedly more valuable - than monoracial (especially Black) identities. From forced miscegenation during slavery (and beyond) to consensual interracial couplings, the offspring of interracial unions have long been objectified and fetishized in the U.S. - and this has not in any way served to heal this country.

Like other Black/white biracial people of note (including Halle Berry, Shemar Moore, and Alicia Keys, among others) Barack Obama claims a Black identity, but will always be less threatening and more easily digestible to white folks because he is “part white.” It’s important that people of color do not continue to buy into the historical lie - perpetuated since our ancestors were enslaved - that being biracial renders one more beautiful, more articulate, or more capable of healing the ills of a country that is thoroughly immersed in white supremacist capitalist patriarchy.

Nice sentiment.

Rod ~ You DO, in fact, imply that part of what makes Barack Obama an ideal candidate for President is his mixed racial heritage.

You make the very pointed assertion that “he signifies the balance between conflicted entities embodied in his genealogical make up. A balance that was established out of the love that brought him into this world juxtaposed to the forced culture fusion formed from slavery.” Here you are overtly (not implicitly) linking what you believe to be his “balanced” nature to essential characteristics attached to his racial heritage. This is a common discourse around biraciality - that biracial people represent “the best of both worlds.” While this sentiment seems benign on its face, it really is part and parcel of the ideological belief that biracial people are somehow better than Black people with two Black parents. I maintain that Black folks need to move AWAY from this notion altogether. The fact that we still have not speaks to the continuing apartheid system that is at work in U.S. culture. It will take more than a biracial President to begin breaking this system down, especially since many of us are in denial of the very existence of this system. Many of us continue to over-value biracial individuals as well as those with a biracial aesthetic.

You call him Rod. Do you too know each other personally I wonder?

How stimulating! A truly insightful perspective. Thank you.

Thank you for reminding me of my own growth process around this issue! The “best of both worlds” mindset is one that I also embraced at one time (nearly a decade ago - though your post makes it sound like I made the statement yesterday) out of ignorance. Researching this area of inquiry has helped me to better understand the myriad ways in which apartheid based on heritage and color are still so pervasive in this country.

You seem to be implying that I don’t think Obama’s nomination is a positive step in the right direction; in fact, I am extremely supportive of Barack Obama’s presidential bid! I was merely challenging your heritage/geneaologically-based perspective on what his nomination means for our country. In fact, you never really addressed ANY of my assertions - you say, “I disagree, Leslie” but do not clarify your concerns. Perhaps another medium might be best suited for that.