Color Around The World

As far as black Americans have come regarding colorism within the community (sad remnants of colonialism and slavery that caused resentment and division), it seems that every place that imperialism has touched has been just as impacted. This is from a travel blog I've been reading lately. Living in Silicon Valley, I'm around a lot of East Indians and noticed, early on, that colorism is just as big of a festering sore on their community as it had been much earlier in black American history (we still have it but it isn't as brazen). I often laugh that while I may be the only black person on my job, I'm not the brownest one and that some Indians are darker than most of the black people I know (yet another remnant of rape and degradation). After hearing some of the things that have come out of the mouths of some of my equally as hued co-workers, sadly, I am not surprised by this woman's Indian travel diary.

I want to point out that I have travelled to 25 countries as of Feb. 1, 2006 (at various times in my life). I've only felt that skin color was a serious issue in 1 (India) out of the 25 countries I've visited. The fact that I felt comfortable in my Black skin in the other 24 countries says a lot.

I've also learned that a traveler's nationality usually trumps the color of their skin. Some people abroad like or respect Americans and some people hate us. However, I'm usually treated very well based on the passport I carry. Please note that this has a nasty side because I've seen people who hold non-Western nations passports being treated very shabbily.

I have no intention of allowing how other people may perceive the color of my skin as factoring into how I live my life or where I go. I was saddened by some of my treatment in India. (Please note that I also meet some wonderful Indians too.) However, my biggest sadness came when I realized that some Indians regarded Europeans as being better than themselves. However, I see India's self-esteem issues as being their problem and not mine.

How pathetic, I often think, that a people who basically have little natural guard against God's first creation (light/the sun), have managed to wreak havoc in almost every corner of the world and convinced the majority of the globe's population that their god given characteristics are inferior. Colored people of the world, we've got a long way to go.