A Controversial Quote

I wrote an article a few days back (Hare Krishna Women Attempt To Link ISKCON with White Supremacism) where I claimed that Srila Prabhupada did not say blacks should be enslaved. However I recently came across this quote:

Room Conversation Varnasrama System Must Be Introduced — February 14, 1977, Mayapura

Prabhupada: "Sudra is to be controlled only. They are never given to be freedom. Just like in America. The blacks were slaves. They were under control. And since you have given them equal rights they are disturbing, most disturbing, always creating a fearful situation, uncultured and drunkards. What training they have got? They have got equal right? That is best, to keep them under control as slaves but give them sufficient food, sufficient cloth, not more than that. Then they will be satisfied."

Would it be a sin to agree with that statement? Certainly it is incredibly unpopular, volatile, and potentially dangerous to do so. But is it a sin? Is it actually morally and ethically wrong? I can testify to many of the facts of that statement from my personal experience. Certainly a vocal position like this could even get someone killed. Is that the reality of siding with the truth? The big fear associated with making statements about race, is the implied violence that it potentially condones. But does a statement like this promote violence or actually prevent it? In Prabhupada's case we know that he was a follower of the Vedas, and the Vedas do not authorize violence towards any living entity, not even an ant. This principle is called Ahimsa. This principle was popularized by Lord Chaitanya 500 years ago, and more recently by Ghandi in India, and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr in America.

The most clear word equivalent in the English language for the Sanskrit word Sudra is slave. Sudra basically means one whose all actions are monitored or controlled. Also 'one who does not move without sanction.' We do know that blacks were identified as Sudras in the Vedic society. The Sudras were uneducated servants and laborers, whose duties also included performance, acrobatics, magic, dance, entertainment and the like, they are also known to have served on the battlefield. We also know that the Vedic system identified one on the basis of qualification. catur varnyam maya srstam, guna karma vibhagasah Bg.4.13. So by definition of qualification one may be a white skinned Sudra as well. We also know that in the age of Kali everyone is considered a Sudra, kalua sudra sambhava.

I lived on University Street in Atlanta Georgia, an all black neighborhood. I was literally the only white person (target) in the entire neighborhood. I can tell you that what Prabhupada says about blacks is relatively mild in fact, speaking from my own personal experience. This is certainly not the popular position to take, but this is where I diverge from the rest of the so called politically correct followers of Srila Prabhupada who openly disagree or refuse to acknowledge this quote. Just go to any American Ghetto, or go to Durban or Cape Town in South Africa, for your experience, or read Indradyumna Swamis' latest article: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=8389

Should blacks be enslaved? Many of them already are. In the United States Penal System. Consider the following. Prabhupada was speaking to a universally observable social problem in the United States. He was speaking from his observed practical experience, however popular or unpopular that subject may be. He was not trying to demonize anyone, neither am I, and it is not the point of this article.

Despite being free for nearly 150 years in America blacks have failed to integrate into mainstream society. The majority of so called black culture in America and around the world is one that is extremely degraded. Try to listen to the lyrics of say Eazy E or Too Short, two popular black American artists for a sample. The fact is in America the majority of crime is black on black. How do you account for it? How do you account for the fact that Black Africans had as much time to evolve and develop their cities without European influence but they still remained eating each other, even after the Europeans banned the practice? Even to this day, it is a custom to eat the heart of the spiritual master. David Ickes' so called spiritual guide a Zulu, admitted this on tape. Another African tribe to this day, eats the brain of the grandfather.

The Native tribes in North America had thousands of years without European influence. What did they do then? Well from their own oral traditions, they were widely feudal and in many cases also cannibalistic. I also lived on a Native American Indian reservation when I was a kid, and later in a town with an Indian Colony. And again, I can testify from my own experience the distinctions between our Nature and theirs. Its simply a matter of practical experience. Although Prabhupada did not mention Native Americans in this particular quote he did mention the 'Red Indians' in other places. My point in mentioning Native Americans is to point out racial distinctions.

History today is apparently a highly subjective and biased subject matter. But studied objectively we are faced with some puzzling questions. Like why is racism promoted so heavily today? Why is it ok to call whites racist but not blacks, or other races? Why are exclusively ethnic and racial organizations like NAACP, and La Raza supported and funded by the US Federal Government? There are clear and wide spread examples of so called reverse racism pervading American society today. Affirmative action is a perfect example.

The fact is a large number of 'Free Negroes' owned slaves in the United States. If I were a betting man, I would wage that one could scour every single text book in the United States Public school system and would never find that fact. Why is there such an obvious bias against this type of truth today?
http://americancivilwar.com/authors/black_slaveowners.htm

Racism. Today its practically like a four letter word. But the fact is that races are distinct all over the world. Genetically, by habit, actions, culture etc. Blacks were enslaving blacks (and eating each other) along time before whites ever came to Africa, and black on black slavery still exists in Africa today. Black slavery has existed in Africa for the past 10,000 years. Documented. Fact. Cold Hard Fact. Jews controlled and dominated the majority of the global slave trade not whites, another historical fact. But you won't find that out from any of your textbooks. Black Africans did not develop or exploit the vast resources of Africa. They did not develop a refined scientific system. No widespread universal governmental services or welfare. The majority of Africa remains feudal to this day.

Back to the United States.
1860 US Census: less than 5% of White European Southerners owned slaves. Less than 1.4% of ALL Americans owned slaves. Accounting for the massive influx of European immigrants in post slavery America, we are left with less than ONE HALF OF ONE PERCENT, of white Americans whose forefathers owned slaves. White Americans owe Blacks Reparations??? The leading African American Historian John Hope Franklin of Duke University, records that in New Orleans 28% of Free Negroes owned slaves. That means that free blacks in New Orleans were five times more likely to own slaves than the average White Southerner of European descent.

These days unfortunately, its not only unpopular but outright dangerous to side with the truth. Prabhupada said: you Europeans, Indo Europeans, are of Aryan stock. It is his opinion that Europeans are descendants of the Ksatriyas whom Parashuram drove out of India. I agree. Europeans and Americans of European descent exhibit highly distinct tendencies towards Administrative capacity. Popular 'extreme' sports, and combat martial arts such as the UFC are mostly made up of those of Ethnically European descent. He also vaguely referred to Indians as the Brains and the Americans and Europeans the brawn. India has a long standing tradition and history of emphasis on education; oral debate, philosophy, grammar mathematics, physics etc. It is evidenced today, Microsoft for example is outsourcing a tremendous amount of its work force to India.

On the positive side of Black Culture, blacks have contributed a tremendous amount to the arts, music, dance etc. The point being, there are obvious distinctions in race. These are not absolutes, this is the world of relativity, there are exceptions, but statistically speaking, we make this analysis.

And certainly and moreover these distinctions should not be taken as any disqualification for the advancement of any individuals advancement and culture of spiritual knowledge, regardless of race, sex, religion, ethnicity, caste, or creed, rich, poor, Sudra or Brahman, black or white, of any nationality, education, or background etc et al. Prabhupada also said: 'Unity in Diversity.' Anyone can take to Krishna Consciousness, in the line of Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, and be elevated to the highest platform of love of God, provided he or she is willing to abide by the order of the bonafide spiritual master following in the line of disciplic succession.

This whole subject is quite complex in the face of modern society, (Judeo/Christian/Zionist New World Order focal) and all of its political wrangling, overt manipulation, and word jugglery. However in the light of the Vedic histories of the Mahabharata, and Puranas, we find that Sudras were historically happy and productive members of the Vedic Social system. They were not abused, talked down to, insulted, or killed arbitrarily. Additionally we find some members of the Sudra class attaining highly prestigious and respected positions in Vedic society. Such as that of Vidura who served in the Royal Court of Maharaja Dhritarashtra. He was considered a trusted and highly respected adviser. We also find the example of Pariksit Maharaja in the Srimad Bhagavatam, he found a Sudra (Black Man) who was abusing a defenseless animal (the bull) and was dressed as a king, Pariksit Maharaja however gave him shelter, and allowed him to live, outside his Kingdom, after he repented. We should be careful not to confuse the Vedic System and its view point with that of the Abhrahamic Faiths (Islam/JudeoChristian), so called White Supremacists, nor the Romans, ancient Egyptians, the Greeks, the Africans, Persians, Turks, Ottomans, or modern secular European and American societies views on slavery. There is a markedly distinct and definitive difference. So then from the Vedic perspective, is slavery violence? Unequivocally the answer is no.

Overall it is highly biased, subjective, and ignorant, to offensively label His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada without having a thorough understanding of the Vedic Culture he represents. Serious students would due well to make a comprehensive unbiased study of Mahabharata, Bhagavad Gita As It Is, Srimad Bhagavatam, and Chaitanya Caritamrta, and additionally the works of the Six Goswamis of Vrindavan, before rendering their analysis and commentary on the great respected Bhagavat Personality His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada, and his authoritative body of work.