USA Africa Dialogue Series - Re: BREAKING: Queen Elizabeth, Britain’s longest serving monarch, is dead

Best response so far 

by Xavier Ramey

Death is complex. Responses to it are as well. 

As a Black man, and a social equity practitioner, 

Queen Elizabeth's passing is complex. 

A dynasty has ended, for the most part,

 with her passing into eternity today. 

Prepare for the think pieces from far 

and wide, and for the shaming or 

proclaiming of who has a right to 

speak on death. Know that people 

are not speaking on death, they 

are speaking about the impact 

of life. About the value of the breath 

of life and how it impacts another's 

breath, and life.

The hard part of honoring the dead 

is that your legacy is different to 

different people. I hope y'all can really 

understand that.

What is order to the spider is chaos 

to the fly. And my people have been 

the fly in the spider of colonizing 

nations' web for centuries. We have 

not forgotten. And we have the 

emotional, intellectual, and linguistic 

complexity to hold multiple truths in 

such a way that many privileged people 

cannot.

The truth is never a dishonor. It is a fact. 

Be unemotional about it. Do not weigh it. 

Do not force your imagination upon it. 

The truth of a monarch's legacy is found

 in the cries of the people no longer here, 

the nations built or ravaged, and the trees 

not yet planted. Impact is about what 

comes from your leadership. Legacy 

is about what remains from it.

Honor the dead with the truth, including 

the one that includes how they impacted 

your life and family. That truth is not for

 the person who has passed, it is for the 

learning and consideration of those 

who remain.

Some saw a person, some saw a Queen, 

some saw a colonizer, some a pretty lady, 

while others never saw more than an idea.

 All will thus see this moment differently.

As for me, I do not proudly or humbly clap 

for colonizing nations (including my own) 

or their leaders. I do not excuse or forget 

the harms of those who embraced systemic

 injustice and White supremacy while they

 had breath to change, I do not patently 

excuse those who don't repair and return

 stolen property or people, nor do I happily

 celebrate the death of a person—regardless

 of who they are.

Death is not the solution to injustice, nor 

does it heal the wounds caused by life for 

those who remain in the wake of a leader 

who refused to stand boldly against injustice. 

Collective change and each person 

benefitting from racial and economic 

castes surrendering that privilege is 

the answer. I warmly embrace the 

opportunity for change, and each of 

us seeing our part (not a monarch's) 

in loving one another.

I pray that God and loved ones comfort 

Britain's past Queen's loved ones and

 community. And that the UK makes 

amends for its current legacy which

 she oversaw, and the next leader who

will also have the option to change 

courses from global militarism, 

White supremacy, and hypercapitalism.

I wish the same for my US leaders and nation.

May the Queen Rest In Peace.

Xavier Ramey

Crossposted from LinkedIn 

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From: usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com <usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Toyin Falola <toyinfalola@austin.utexas.edu>
Sent: Thursday, September 8, 2022 2:31 PM
To: dialogue <usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com>; ya <yorubaaffairs@googlegroups.com>
Subject: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Fwd: BREAKING: Queen Elizabeth, Britain's longest serving monarch, is dead

 

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From: Premium Times <newsletter@premiumtimesng.com>
Date: September 8, 2022 at 1:04:21 PM CDT
To: Toyin Falola <toyinfalola@austin.utexas.edu>
Subject: BREAKING: Queen Elizabeth, Britain's longest serving monarch, is dead
Reply-To: Premium Times <newsletter@premiumtimesng.com>

 "The Queen died peacefully in Balmoral this afternoon. The King and Queen Consort will remain in Balmoral this evening and will return to London..."

Share Tweet Forward Breaking News Queen Elizabeth, Britain's longest serving monarch, is dead "The Queen died peacefully in Balmoral this afternoon. The King and Queen Consort will remain in Balmoral this evening and will return to London tomorrow," the Royal Family tweeted. Read More... Find more "Trending Stories" on PREMIUM TIMES today Copyright © 2022 Premium Times, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: newsletter@premiumtimesng.com Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.

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