Thoughts of an Oppressed People
Juneteenth 2024 Essay
It is the position of all the oppressed to idealize the world in a state in which they are
no longer oppressed. They idealize what it would be to feel safety and comfort instead of
stress and danger. In this idealization, they realize that humanity must be unilaterally
recognized as deserving of peace and prosperity. They may come to the realization that their
oppressor has the ability to change and become humane. Their idealized version of reality is
not dependent on their oppressor’s change, but will always make room for said change.
Beautiful and humane, but naive.
This is why the most radical, or the group of the oppressed who do not leave room for a
sudden awakening of their oppressor’s humanity, are demonized and targeted for division
among the oppressed.
Oppressors feed on the trauma of the oppressed. To feed implies a nutritional value to
the trauma of the oppressed. This is the unconscious, and in some cases conscious, mental
image oppressors create of those they oppress.
They cannot see their lives without the nourishment of the oppressed.
They cannot view their lives without this sustenance.
So any movement, sentiment, and call to action that aims at freeing the oppressed is viewed
as taking the “food”, “energy”, and “fuel (or god’s petrol dollar)” of the oppressors' livelihood.
Therefore in the oppressor’s mind, it is an attack on their very lives. They are psychologically,
and many times, economically dependent on the oppressed. They perceive reality through
this dependency and are unable to separate their enjoyment of life from their availability of
the oppressed’s nourishment. The trauma of the oppressed is seen as necessary for the
oppressor’s success and satisfaction with existence.
The life of the oppressor cannot exist without the trauma of the oppressed.
This is understood by all oppressors. Whether conscious or unconscious.
The idealized world cannot be realized.
The idealized world is worse than damnation.The idealized world’s room for their change is a threat to their life, children’s lives, and the end of their bloodline.
This belief comes from their perceived reality. The oppressor’s mental image of the
oppressed blinds them, just as the view of their ability to change blinds the oppressed. The
burden of blame rests on the oppressor. Their perceived reality causes trauma and violence.
Psychological, physical, economical, political, etc.
The idealized world may be blind, but it frees many from trauma. It even frees the oppressor
of the need for sustenance. It frees reality from needing human inflicted hardship.
Oppressors can take many forms: abusive parents, racism, caste system, class, ableism,
theocracy, sexism, etc. Colonial settler white supremacy usually takes bits and pieces from all
types of oppression. Blending them into an oppression soup they market as an original
creation of the European mind.
Life can be pleasant for all. Hardship would still exist, for it is the product of chaos and time.
Being alive can feel whole, but everyone must choose collectivism and conscious humanity.
Reconciliation starts with accountability, remorse, and most of all empathy.
- D.M.G
Happy Juneteenth
Embrace humanity & Free the World from Oppression