The evolution of the British empire depended largely on the expansion of crop-based industries such as sugar, tea, and coffee among other delicacies. The need for these crops required the British empire to reach into other parts of the world such as the British West Indies (Caribbean), India, and East/Central Africa in order to source significant quantities for consumption. The acquisition of labour followed, resulting in numerous inhumane practices, which still pervade that of the former colonies as well as the colonizing power. A large problem has been the rationalization of status and place within the populations and within racial classes based on need, intelligence, physical stature and social characteristics. Anthroplogy, however, may suggest that some of the stereotypes remain unfounded as many societies do feature harmonious racial epiteths. The failure to recognize one's role in society as a God given one rather than that based on profiling has always been an interesting reality to try to swallow.
Van Jones, an environmental social activist appeared on a Huffington Post in order to feature his book, 'Rebuilding the Dream'. A nerd by childhood reputation and a fan of the Star Trek series as a child, particularly of John and Robert Kennedy as well as Martin Luther King Jr, he has the physical appearance of a scholar-athlete who maintains a physical presence of poise and determination. The juxtaposition If his clean image with that of the recently deceased Trayvon Martin forms the basis of an interesting discussion of race and opportunity, including the freedom of upward, mobility. Van Jones wen to the University of Tenenessee Matin (UT Martin) before pursuing a juris doctorate at Yale University. Both schools have their individuel reputation, with one of his noted qualms being the freedom of whites to engage in consumption of illegal substances, while blacks were penalized for containing less of the same substances in the communities in which they lived. Trayvon lived in Sanford,Florida which is the home of Orlando's second municipal airport. The asceertation that buying skittles to go watch as basketball game as nefarious is interesting as it may have been that same sugar that his a sectors worked 12 hour days in the hot sun to produce. Now while the mistake can be made that a picture of him makes him nice or more acceptable than his mugshotted assailant is questionable, but it begs the question as to whether it could have been Van Jones. Tyler Perry, media mogul whose 16 films, numerous plays and television shows now interact with the recently constructed Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta, Georgia, was recently stopped by two police officers. It is a common joke of Madea, his alter ego character, to pay for your gas in Conyers. After the Henry Louis Gates fiasco which resulted in a beer summit at the White House, the stopping of Tyler Perry might have induced flashbacks as to that incident. surely, his recollection of his mothers words to show respect and say 'Yes sir and No sir' must have been what got him out of that situation which was followed by hosting of Oprah, POTUS and others at an expensive fundraiser days later. If Tyler Perry and Van Jones, two prominent public figures are being harassed, then should everyone else.
The approaching jubilee has resulted in a number of programs on the BBC featuring the good, the bad and the ugly of the British Empire. The brash truth was interesting and reflected a world with varying social dynamics over multiple centuries. As the world steadies itself in adapting to the fast moving technological age (when you need it), the dynamics of how you view a person, company or institution will change, probably much faster than it did for older citizens. In a recent article, there was the examination of the dichotomy between persons older than 60 and under 60 in terms of net worth. I believe the article pointed to an increasing net worth in older person from 120,000 to 160,000 from 1994 to 2009 vs. 14,000 to about 4,000 in younger persons. This points to older persons beating younger ones in the job market and acquisition of assets over young ones who are saddled the expectation of lower benefits due to weakened social security, a volatile job market, high tuition which correspond to large student loan payback and the other maladies which face some forward thinking use. Factions of society operate with you-don't-have-a-chance beliefs and therefore it has become more difficult for some to progress in the way they may want to. Simply put, the appreciation of differences have to incorporate knowledge of different cultures but also emphasize that division is not completely possible in societies which are mixed. Tensions must be managed appropriately in order to achieve objectives as desired without unduly impinging on basic human rights.
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