SOUTH FLORIDA – Among others, French Caribbean activist and psychiatrist Franz Fanon identified a special psychosis inside of colonialism. In the great wars, other specialists identified this illness where the oppressed identify with the oppressor to the point where they themselves become oppressors.
Inside of immigrant communities a similar dynamic is at work. New citizens of host countries become so super patriotic that a special kind of stubbornness that sometimes bear no resemblance to connections with reality.
In our community here in south Florida for example, some of us become so right wing we are more so than natives we came here and saw. Some even go so far as to find the need to use the name of a party attached to us as identification. Other stay far away from their ethnic and national background even at enormous cost financially and otherwise.
Others embrace the notions of people in matters like gun ownership that is at the extreme, yes even among nationals of the host country. Some writers who live in the colonial countries end up flat out rejecting that they were ever nationals elsewhere.
Martinique born Franz Fanon, like others of his discipline have declared the behaviour patterns referred to above, constitute a special type of psychological aberration, not some new found grand revelation of heaven finally arrived at.
Voice your opinion on the “Open Line” with Winston Barnes daily on WAVS 1170AM or listen on-line www.wavs1170.com
Photo Credit: Leroy “Dreamy” Riley
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