From Ujjain to Greenwich – the Greatest of all Colonial Thefts.

From Ujjain to Greenwich – the Greatest of all Colonial Thefts.

Robin di Angelo is doing long overdue work in the field of “Whiteness studies”. The fact that she is white, helps enormously since at least the ‘white fragility’ infected hordes might pause momentarily for reflection, before snarling, shutting down and responding with customary emotional or intellectual violence.

The biggest challenge to the “Whiteness Standard” being persistently maintained and continuously imposed, is “Whiteness Studies” but it is the greatest need of the time, especially since a core component of Whiteness is unfetterred consumption supported by an ill conceived notion of utility and the Earth itself is now suffering from the excesses of this rabid consumption.

Whiteness justifies every act of violence with an argument, usually sanctimonious, which rests upon a “colonialist entitlement” based principle of utility, whereas Dharmic, indigenous people base choices instead, upon whether the act is a violation, either physical, intellectual or emotional.

“If its benefitting our children, then its justified to conceal the Eastern origins of mindfulness teachings, if you got the job interviews then what’s wrong in calling yourself Simon and denying your Hindu ancestry? If I like the taste of beef, whats wrong with killing a cow, if I need an organ why can’t I take it from another person, if I want power why can’t I oppress people, if I want Iraqi gold why can’t we go to war, if I want Iranian oil, why can’t I just take it because its in my national interest as I define it …..” . The common denominator in each of these choices is Whiteness centric utilitarian violence. For an indigenous person, having to use a Whiteness pseudonym in order ones’ career to progress is a violation, an act of himsa, as are all the other examples.

It’s noticeable that the “Whiteness infected” missionaries, spreading their infection across the “third world”, complete the process of infection by changing the name of their intended victim. A Jagdish becomes a Joshua, a Hari becomes a Thomas and with each infection, Lord Macaulays mission of producing “Whiteness infected” brown people, of spreading Whiteness, continues.

Not teaching European school children that what they are being taught in “mindfulness and meditation” is YogaAbhyasa and has Hindu roots is himsa, justifying this lack in the name of protecting psychologically fragile parents is himsa. The real reason is the need to maintain Whiteness as the root perspective.

Interesting to note in this whole debate is the resistance of Europeans to being put under the spotlight by the use of the term Whiteness. Using BAME, black and minority ethnic, is however deemed perfectly acceptable and yet no one seeks to question the obvious disparity. Reflection raises the possibility that because this perspective maintains the meridian, the standard the benchmark as White, it is acceptable by default, this conclusion becomes further reinforced when we see that the moment this standard is shifted, the uncomfortable squirming of former colonialists starts in earnest.

The last thing which the “Whiteness infected” will allow is for the standpoint to be shifted in a manner which allows the magnifying glass of scrutiny to be re located, for Whiteness to become the lens in the hands of the indigenous peoples, by which the descendants of Colonialists, are measured and judged.

Once upon a time, at least as far back as 4th century BCE, the global meridian was in India at Ujjain, which lies on the Tropic of Cancer. Whiteness needed for it to be relocated to Greenwich and the greatest of all thefts, the theft of all meridians, the Meridian of Time and Distance was completed, the base of all ancient references was itself stolen. What was until then clearly the West, now became the zero point, the point from which everything is measured, physically intellectually and emotionally. In this rapacious need, we recognise that Whiteness is “himsa (violence) incorporated” and the colonial history of Europe, of Christendom, of Whiteness is finally understood.