Ethiopianism - Part III
“...It is better to light a candle than curse the darkness...” Eleanor Roosevelt
"...I am a citizen of humanity ..." Montesquieu
“... humanity comes before ethnicity ... no one is free until all are free...” Obang Metho
My attempt to untie the
knots that are looped around the myths and commonly accepted definitions of
what truly means to be an Ethiopian led me to embark in to a whole new avenue. To my amazement most of the ‘thinking points’
I brought up in my last two writings, Ethiopianism Part I and Part II, and the
many other questions that are lingering in my mind seem to take a whole new dimension
in this outlook I have been meditating.
This outlook is the best
way (if not the only way) to make sense of what Ethiopianism is all about; it
states being a real Ethiopian comes after holding a solid grip of being a human
being. First and foremost, I was born a
human being. Then by sheer luck or heavenly design I am of Ethiopian origin – a
person that has a strong tie to the land and its ancestral positioning.
Many, leaders and writers,
echoed the notion of “... humanity before ethnicity and everything else...” And a message of acceptance and reconciliation
at the very root of humanity resonates with me very well (including the convincing
messages of Obang Metho).
This outlook helps explain
how some traits are inherent and others voluntarily adapted. Traits like; being born black, from Amharic
and Oromigna speaking Christian family and being born in Addis were endowed to
me and I had no saying towards them. Understanding
how some of these inherent behaviors (language, religion and tribal/ethnic affiliation)
are common to all humanity enables me to embrace every person with respect and
compassion.
Hence, it is the
foundation block to establishing a harmonious society that values humanity and
human dignity above all else (like ethnicity, language, village, religion and
even political party). As professor Al-Mariam noted “...“humunity” and “younity”... is unity based not on ethnicity or nationality
but on the core universal values of human dignity...”
When we uphold humanity
above all else, we will make room to accept our fellow men and women despite
their uniqueness. There will be no room for bigotry, tribal bias and looking
down on others. Jesse Jackson once said “...Don’t
look down on people unless you want to help them up...”
We will choose to do
away with narrow and localized tribal mindset.
We will do away with an exaggerated pride in the past and willing engaged
to create the new Ethiopian; that is
rooted in mutually agreed on common vision, the new Ethiopia where every
citizen feels free and safe to experience his/her basic human right (the right
to exist as a dignified human being).
A vision that is committed
to building the “New Ethiopia” where humanity thrives is a vision strong enough
to make me and my seed live and die for!!!
More resources:
Pazion - 2011