I Won

[Omollo]

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Finally I can say I won. My views are now mainstream. The days I used to be banned and vilified are gone:
https://www.theeastafricanreview.info/op-eds/2019/07/20/why-im-no-longer-talking-to-kikuyus-about-tribe/

[Nefertiti]

I have not lived as an adult long enough in Kenya so I don't know about "privilege". But the Kikuyus I know tend to be quite entitled with a superiority complex. To lead, own, dominate, be heard, be understood, be accommodated, etc. To them it is an anomaly to have a non-Kikuyu leader - such as the Moi error - it is certainly not the good or democratic scenario to have. Jomo basically continued with the colonial playbook of wanton favoritism of one group over another. He favored the Kikuyu, then the Embu and the Meru. Because it comes down to resources, I think federalism and the parliamentary system are good anecdotes to this malady. Once resources are split roughly fairly there is less to be privileged about.
 
Yes there is lots of white privilege here in the US - and they act so oblivious it's annoying. Male privilege or sexism nope - I never have to explain why am female. But black - from where again? - with a PhD??

I also disagree with the author's characterization of herself as underprivileged being Asian. No, Rasna, Indians and whites -  and now the Chinese - are privileged groups in Kenya. She belongs to the privileged race and tribe right above the Kikuyus. Only their tiny population makes Mhindi privilege and brazen racism sufferable.

I disagree too that the onus of raising awareness of privilege belies the beneficiary. That's a wrong assertion and mediocre strategy. Both should address it and especially the sufferer. Because obviously it is contradictory to say the privileged are mostly oblivious or unaware of it - so how would they raise awareness? Does a fish know it's wet? For instance the Kikuyu hoi polloi who are conditioned to feel privileged - these are as much victims as the other tribes - and would also benefit from the awareness they clearly don't possess. The kikuyu also have a besieged syndrom - that alien leadership would impact on them specifically negatively. In the end, tribalism is just another human malady same as racism or sexism - which are variously exploited by politics. Having a proper, balanced, mature perspective and appreciation of the root of such vices and other social problems makes them more bearable and even addressable.

[Kim Jong-Un's Pajama Pants]

[Nefertiti]

Depending on the wearer of the shoe Kikuyu favoritism might hurt as much as white privilege. Personal experiences matter. Where I totally disagree with Rasna is her ignorance of Asian privilege and their brazen racism on Africans. She is actually as privileged and as annoyingly oblivious of it as the Kikuyu and whites she pontificates about. This glaring ignorance of her own privilege however perfectly works out in favor of her views on the subject.

[Kim Jong-Un's Pajama Pants]

Depending on the wearer of the shoe Kikuyu favoritism might hurt as much as white privilege. Personal experiences matter. Where I totally disagree with Rasna is her ignorance of Asian privilege and their brazen racism on Africans. She is actually as privileged and as annoyingly oblivious of it as the Kikuyu and whites she pontificates about. This glaring ignorance of her own privilege however perfectly works out in favor of her views on the subject.

[Nefertiti]

Depending on the wearer of the shoe Kikuyu favoritism might hurt as much as white privilege. Personal experiences matter. Where I totally disagree with Rasna is her ignorance of Asian privilege and their brazen racism on Africans. She is actually as privileged and as annoyingly oblivious of it as the Kikuyu and whites she pontificates about. This glaring ignorance of her own privilege however perfectly works out in favor of her views on the subject.

Yes - with a big but - that the Whites and Asians in kenya are a tiny minority so that their privilege is largely ignored and unfelt. Not so in the wild west.

About class bias -  this is very real but not nearly as bad as tribe or race. Why? because the sufferers delude themselves as capable of scaling the class as well - acknowledging their bleak options is giving up pride. An overwhelming majority choose the bliss of ignorance and false hope of some future privilege once they make it. Tribe or racial bias pains so much because the sufferer is subjectively not to blame but passes the buck to the privileged. Thus Rasna's contradictory assertion about the onus of the oblivious privileged to raise awareness.

[Omollo]

It's always refreshing to read Robina & Termie - when they are not blindly backing Pundit. At least they read and understands stuff unlike some of the zombies I used to see on RCBowen and Nipate.com.

Rasna acknowledges her own privileged background. Kenyan Asians are a mixed bag of candy and nuts. They are guilty of a different sort of sin: They open their thighs to whoever and whatever group is enjoying the privileges she describes so well. They backed Uthamaki I then Kalenjin Empire and now are solidly behind Uthamaki II - the most vile of the Uthamakis

On who bears the responsibility to tell the fish you are wet:

You may recall Omollo writing about the Kikuyu Intelligentsia. The reaction was as predictable as has been described by Rasna Warah. This malady like cancer has different stages. The lowest of the Kikuyu - the barefooted (and sadly jiggger infested pauperized) Kikuyu is like the Hyena (Opul) who enjoys the scent and smell of delicious meals cooking inside the big house. He knows his chance of tasting it will come when the garbage is disposed of at the end of the party. He can go away and come back in the morning when they are cleaning... but he just hangs around. He can not disabuse himself of make believe privilege.

This "thing" is really with the Kikuyu Intelligentsia.

Awareness is something the oppressor has the luxury of consuming in at his own pleasure.

Resistance & Fighting Back is when oppression is stopped in its tracks and rolled back.

That aside what the Kikuyus are currently doing has happened before with terrible results: The Hutu Privilege in Rwanda. They too felt they were chosen by God to rule Rwanda and Burundi. They took oaths to prevent a Tutsi ever taking power. They exiled Tutsi's (we are slowly moving to that with the MIguna case). They killed who they wished and got away with it. Elections were mere charades where Habyarimana "won" with ever increasing percentages

In the end the made the choice for the Tutsis: There was nothing to lose but the miserable life which they will lose anyway. The rest is history.

I would like to know a place where such privilege has lasted for ever. White privilege in the US is having its last kick. Trump came to finish it off much as he thinks he is reviving it.

This same thing led to other tribes forming a near permanent alliance against the Baganda and the Ibo.

[Dear Mami]

Yes there is lots of white privilege here in the US - and they act so oblivious it's annoying. Male privilege or sexism nope - I never have to explain why am female. But black - from where again? - with a PhD??

I agree with both you and Termie: In Kenya, your tribe is most important in politics/elections, not day-to-day life. The only "priviledge" the ordinary Kikuyu enjoys is bragging rights on the streets/twitter against the others, same as football fans; hiyo tu! No one gets special favours for being Kyuk unless you're 'well-connected'. What we have in Kenya is classism with an ethnic twist, not ethnic priviledge broadly speaking. It's really like the Great Houses the GOT series. The ordinary Northerner is no better off than someone from the Reach or Dorne; Only those connected to the Houses enjoy priviledge and much more so if their House captures the Iron Throne. I thought it was a very 'Kenyan' story before it went to the dogs in the last season esp, due to poor writing.

I agree with you guys too, that the 'Whiter' minorities do enjoy a genuine priviledge, and I'll include Arabs along with the other kinds of Asians and the Whites in Kenya, though theirs is still less than Indians and much, much less than proper Whites. The White people enjoy maximum priviledge in that country! The police won't even dare question them for anything unless something major happens; they're always presumed to be a 'big' person (automatically belonging to the top class) that you don't trouble messing with.

I also reject any notion of 'male priviledge' in the West. As far as I'm concerned, White women use that to sneak out of the 'priviledged class' category and the baggage it comes with. But they were right along their men in the oppression of Black people for centuries, often being the cause/instigators of the lynchings of Black men ala Emett Till in the US (for the crime of daring to be attracted to White women, being the mongrels they are); They got the right to vote back when Black people had to share taps with dogs. They have no place whatsoever with Black people and other minorities in the priviledge discussion. It shocks me that people just go along with that story line, with #metoo and other things overhyped to take the focus off of Black Lives Matter and other genuine issues.

The idea that a woman in the West is a victim of special targeting seems made up to me. I've been here for a while now and I haven't yet seen it! It's like big foot. On the other hand, on my first day here, I was greeted at the airport in Schipol with obvious and open racism and proceeded to encounter evidence of it everywhere. I will say being from Africa or being Arab and Muslim is what'll get you treated poorly here: Too many people who think Africans are really from backgrounds such as depicted in The Gods must be crazy and that Muslims are all Al-Ashabab waiting to happen. But being targeted for being a woman? Like I said, big foot-That's my conclusion. Racism, Islamophobia, and contempt for the third world (especially Africa) are the things that you'll encounter in your life here, not sexism. No one will stop you and put you through 'extra hoops' because you're a woman, but be prepared for that if you're African and want to keep your sanity! You just don't get a fair shot because you must first work to dispel the crazy presumptions (about low intelligence, bad character, primitivity, and extreme lack) that put a distance between you and an uncomfortably common type of person here, right from the get go. I became very bitter about it for a while but I've learned to deal with it now and it doesn't bother me as much. It also helps that it doesn't happen everywhere. 

[Nefertiti]

Lol kadame. That's a perfect story about racism in the west. I have camouflaged my names to sound "western" - which combined with my learned accent is perfect cover. I am just black - the 3rd world detail is veiled except where more formality is needed. At work they respect me cause there is some years of evidence of great ability. Hopefully the "woman of color" crap that makes the white boys treat me like an egg will wear out to zero. The red passport works the charm at Heathrow or Schipol - no vexing assumptions. These adaptions have minimized the occasions that used to make me pull out my hair.

[vooke]

[MOON Ki]

I am somewhat "ambivalent" when it comes towahindis in Kenya.   Whenever I visit one of their shops, I am appalled and disgusted by the abuse and racial contempt that they dish up for their employees.   I walk away thinking that Idi Amin might have been wrong, but his actions were probably understandable for a "native"  African.

On the other hand, where I grew up (Kisumu) schools, clinics, businesses ... that used owned by the wahindis were quickly trashed when the "natives" took over.   (My old primary school today looks like some place in Damascus or Baghdad, and it took only a few years to get to that state.)  Not bothering enough, too many opportunities for "eating", etc.

Here's I "resolve" things: We (the "natives") are the majority.   We have the political power, the military power, etc.   But we still suck up to them or at least tolerate all sorts of crap from them.   So, why complain?

[Kim Jong-Un's Pajama Pants]

It just boils down to getting the benefit of the doubt and the attendant respect that goes with it.  Mweusi in the west is constantly having to justify his presence even subconsciously; it's as if it's not natural for you to be just there.  You show up jogging in a park and all eyes are on you(and it's not curiosity).  Some of it is actually funny.

That is why ultimately minorities tend to settle in bigger cities where there is less of that crap.

[Nefertiti]

It just boils down to getting the benefit of the doubt and the attendant respect that goes with it.  Mweusi in the west is constantly having to justify his presence even subconsciously; it's as if it's not natural for you to be just there.  You show up jogging in a park and all eyes are on you(and it's not curiosity).  Some of it is actually funny.

That is why ultimately minorities tend to settle in bigger cities where there is less of that crap.

Yup - it's the equivalent of being a walalo in Kenya immediately after the Westgate Al Shaabab mayhem. You're automatically suspect in many places.

[Nefertiti]

I am somewhat "ambivalent" when it comes towahindis in Kenya.   Whenever I visit one of their shops, I am appalled and disgusted by the abuse and racial contempt that they dish up for their employees.   I walk away thinking that Idi Amin might have been wrong, but his actions were probably understandable for a "native"  African.

On the other hand, where I grew up (Kisumu) schools, clinics, businesses ... that used owned by the wahindis were quickly trashed when the "natives" took over.   (My old primary school today looks like some place in Damascus or Baghdad, and it took only a few years to get to that state.)  Not bothering enough, too many opportunities for "eating", etc.

Here's I "resolve" things: We (the "natives") are the majority.   We have the political power, the military power, etc.   But we still suck up to them or at least tolerate all sorts of crap from them.   So, why complain?

The ineptitude and clumsiness of the African is the principal cause of the mistreatment - the mhindi's racism is secondary. I mean like in your case about the school - both the natives and the Asians subconsciously get the message about the pecking order.