Former President Donald Trump consistently mispronounces Vice President Kamala Harris’ name in an effort to diminish her significance. PHOTO COURTESY OF KAMALAHARRIS.COM

“Othering” is a form of domination, and abuse. It is particularly problematic when practiced in the political sphere. Playground fights attest to why calling a person out of their name is a veiled threat to Black folk.

Deliberately mispronouncing the name of Kamala Harris, the Democratic Party nominee to the presidency of the United States, is a form of “othering” and akin to a bygone era of enslavement when our original names were taken away from us and replaced with frivolous and demeaning monikers such as “Topsy,” “Toby,” “June Bug,” etc. Naming is so important to African descendants that once emancipated, many formerly enslaved people named themselves, often rejecting the master’s surname. Immediately after emancipation, the Freedman’s Bureau registered a plethora of Williams, Freemans and Lincolns.

I recently experienced a naming ritual when I visited Ghana where I received a shawl with my born on day name (Ama) embroidered in gold. It was part of my full immersion into the culture; profound and healing. It was empowering to be endowed with a legitimate name.

Likewise, world view is a matter of perspective. Is that glass really half empty or half full?

The matters of Black folk, worldwide, are usually given minor coverage in major news outlets, except for a few headline-grabbing stories. Every morning, I read the headline news stories from CNN, FOX, BBC and Al Jazeera, just so I can understand other point of views of the world. They are often different, and it is fascinating to compare what is covered – and what is left out – on each thread.

Consider the biased reports of the political recalculations taking place throughout Africa, where people were divided along artificial border lines drawn by European colonists who separated existing nations and tribes; or unbalanced reports about the few heinous murders committed by a Black person in America (usually against whites); or the whitewashing of police brutality committed against Blacks everywhere; and how all political power brokers use Blacks in photo opps, only to drop them after elected.

Perspective matters.

Dangerous rhetoric and “othering” are increasing amidst the threats to make America great again – returning to a time of constant threat and intimidation. The rhetoric is seldom subtle, oftentimes overt. Listen closely and examine various sources of information. Examine the visual images being promulgated by the party advocating return to the past. Not much subtlety in them, either.

We may be absent or poorly represented in so-called mainstream press, but how effectively are we telling our own stories?

Narrative matters. We must tell our own stories.

For instance, there are places in the world where servitude, to varying degrees, is acceptable and integral to the socio-economic infrastructure of a tribe, territory or country. News stories about that system usually pop up when abuses arise. Only then are we made aware of unfair or illegal practices as humanitarian issues. The economic system of servitude, or modern day slavery, is seldom condemned.

On the other hand, chattel slavery in America is now considered to be an evil practice. Yet, when slaves rebelled and sought to free themselves, by any means necessary, they were often called terrorists, and treated as such. Denmark Vesey and Nat Turner, two of the best-known leaders, were killed for their antislavery efforts.

Imagine that during the time of our enslavement, some leading authorities questioned why slaves would even want to run away.

In 1851, Dr. Samuel Cartwright, a well-known physician, published his theory about running away. He diagnosed that behavior as a mental disorder, classified as “Drapetomania.” Cartwright believed that enslavement was an improvement for the Black chattel, and that it was unnatural to desire to escape from the care and comfort of a master.

But what if we controlled those narratives? Vesey, Turner and all the others who attempted to lead folk out of slavery would be called super-heroes, runaways would be awarded medals of freedom, and we would all get meaningful names; names depicting our place in our family/society, our relationship to our kinfolk, our birth order, or other aspirational or beautiful descriptions, such as Kamala – the lotus!

Warning: There are movements underway to reverse voting rights, or to eliminate abortion rights in various states, as well as emerging policies such as Project 2025, which will return Black folk to an inferior status.

Stay focused. Read. Discuss. Debate. Seek out and research the truth, your truth. Where can we seek the truth today? For one, we must support this publication and the scant few other Black-owned media that are still open for business. That includes print, broadcast and internet platforms.

We must be prepared to question any information that doesn’t fit our truth and experience, which does not uphold our dignity, or validate our worth. And, it is urgent that you take as many with you as you can, to vote. Vote. Vote. Toniwg1@gmail.com