Mr. Hotep, How did you start paying attention to history?
Hotep:
When the government destroyed my businesses, I finally had time to listen to radio programs. I found that most of the regular station were not stimulating so I tuned in to the Indian stations.
I heard pundits explain many things, which I felt, were correct and many other things, which I felt just did not make sense. One day I heard a host explain to a caller that African people came about when Ram burned Rawan. I also heard them explain the classification of people in Hinduism. They were explaining that certain people were born Brahmins who were to rule over other people. They explained that even if other people were skilled or intelligent they were not to be worshiped because they were not of the Brahmin stock. They were explaining these social structures as divinely ordained principles.
This reminded me of what I had already observe taking place in the society, amongst people who were not Hindus. It reminded me of things I struggled against in school and of values I was spending my life trying to rise above. This is the reason I went into business. Here it is I was hearing that this inequity was divinely ordained.
I wondered if these teachings enraged other people. I wondered if other people were unconsciously following these teachings as I had observed these ideas being practiced by most other people.
I started buying the same books that these pundits were reading and I found out that these ideas were in numerous books, and were being taught under the disguise of religion. I wondered if people were always so wrong in their views. I researched all the major religions in the country and further researched the history of the people. These 'born-to-rule' ways were all over. What was the basis for condenming colonial rule if the same wrong was being condoned. Where is the self determination and meritocracy if some people were divinely born to rule over other people. Something was wrong!
My relief came when I found out that it was just some early white people who superimposed their warped views and values over those of other indigenous people. I was relieved to find out that all was not lost, people would just have to revisit their foundations to reclaim a better story for themselves.
I realized how widespread mental slavery is.
I became a student of history searching for answers to the numerous questions I had. This led me towards finding the answers in myself.
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