Sumblog #7 W.E.B. Dubois

      In some small way I found W.E.B. Dubois's essay Double-Consciousness and the Veil too flowery and long winded. I appreciated the message he was trying to convey, it was the writing itself I found unappealing.
     The concept of a veil has been used before theatrically in plays such as Oedipus, and Romeo and Juliet, amongst others. The veil  imposes a certain double-conciousness on characters in the play. It usually manifest on stage in a soliloquy, where we the audience become privy to the inner thoughts and feelings of the story's protaganist. W.E.B. Dubois simply transposed the concept of veil and double-conciousness to race in America. It is an apt application.
     Dubois concedes that this concept of veil/double-counciousness is not exclusive to the realm of  race. He applies it to those in poverty, the uneducated, and the racially unpure - "bastard[s]". (Lemert;129) The crux of course was that African Americans were suffering from all the above in addition to having different colored skin. W.E.B. Dubois asserts that "...to be a poor race in a land of dollars is the very bottom of hardships". (Lemert;129)
     Viewed from 1903 this essay undoubtedly rattled many cages. As it should have. Yet, viewed from today's perspective -my personal perspective- it feels...almost racist in an isolationist sort of way, a Louis Farrakhan way.  Dubois sets forth Race as a unifying ideal as opposed to humanity ; "...the ideal of human brotherhood, gained through the unifying ideal of Race". (Lemert;130) And he maintains that each Race possess certain traits which when combined, would conform "...to the greater ideals of the American Republic, in order that some day on American soil two world-races may give each to each those characteristics both so sadly lack". (Lemert;130)  Anytime somebody starts going on about ideal Races, or that certain racial characteristics are the sole property of one Race, I get a little leary. It distracts me from their better message.
      In fairness, Dubois's larger message was that unless given the opportunity, the Black Race will not be able to share their valuable gifts with America. And each person has valuable gifts to offer, but - in my opinion- simply as members of the human race. Race is a construct of no use to humanity.

An odd example of staking a racial claim is the word nigger. Everyone has an opinion about this particular word. The following link looks at the debate. http://articles.courant.com/2013-08-14/news/hc-op-frank-harris-the-n-word-is-still-unacceptabl-20130814_1_word-blacks-rachel-jeantel
I include it in this sumblog because it's what came to my mind (the debate, not the word) when thinking about Dubois's ideas on the veil/double-conciousness.  If a veil exists, resulting in a double-conciousness, then the Truth can not be shared between people until the veil is removed. Since language is our primary means of social communication, we must be clear what words mean. What do you think? Are some words the exclusive property of a particular race? Are some words so offensive they should be banned? - Peace human.