Are You Free in the Face of Domination?

When I was young, I was puzzled each time I heard billionaires crying for freedom. Rich folks who said, “My rights are being trampled,” were a true mystery to my naive mind.

It took some time for me to figure it out. When poor people collectively cry for freedom, they want freedom from the oppression of the “freedom-loving” rich. On the other hand, if you are rich and demand freedom, you want it so you can continue to dominate the poor. This all explains why the super-rich person prefers super-rich company and is strangely uncomfortable among the poor, except when the poor provide services. 

Wealthy enclaves provide condoms for their exploits, protecting their consciences from the emotional consequences of their exploitation. Rich-poor apartheid is just so… natural. Their territoriality is invariably tainted with white supremacy.

I don’t mean at all to suggest that all of the rich are white. Still, the Western world presumes freedom for white people, explaining why in 2022 people urgently and rightfully care about Ukrainian refugees while constantly vetting Haitians, other Latin Americans, and Africans. We see multiple reports of the powers-that-be mistreating Africans fleeing Ukraine. Do Afghans, Iraqis, and Somalis not matter? How significant is it to sanctuary states like Poland that Ukraine is only 1% Muslim?

Rich people want their freedoms protected. Poor people would just like to enjoy it for a change. 

Jesus informed his poor companions, “If the Son sets you free, you really will be free.” He also said, “You shall know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” These words empowered them by prioritizing spiritual freedom. He was telling them to decolonize their minds.

Whether poor or rich, only spiritual freedom brings us to love and community. Love and community are disrupted when we hold on to the trivial, and as Thich Nhat Hanh said, “Letting go gives us freedom, and freedom is the only condition for happiness. If, in our heart, we still cling to anything - anger, anxiety, or possessions - we cannot be free.”

Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery.
None but ourselves can free our minds. 

Bob Marley