The Absurdity of the term "Boat People"

Dearest Brothers and Sisters,

In short, "Boat People" is one of the more ridiculous terms that popular culture still uses presently.  This outdated term is based on unfounded Conservative fears that "White people" seem to have consciously and subconsciously entrenched into their minds and vocabulary.   Historically, it's also ironic that "Westerners" uses the term "Boat people" on Asians, Central Americans, Latin Americans, and North Africans who migrate to Western countries in search of opportunities to better themselves.  In fact, it's the West that first launched their Colonial Expeditions, during the "Age of Discovery" and crossed the Oceans by BOATS in search of opportunities to enrich themselves and their nations.  It's these "Boat People" from the West that in fact not only eradicated whole populations and cultures when they arrived on their "newly discovered" lands but also transformed lands and people into mere exploitable commodities.  It's these "Boat People" that eradicated Aboriginal and "Native" peoples and cultures (as well other communities) that had arrived before the West even stepped foot on these lands.  It's these WESTERN BOAT PEOPLE that in fact should have been feared when they arrived on "newly discovered" lands.  Instead of referring to ALL people as "Boat Peoples", the West and it's institutes created a historical narrative where Western Boat People were romanticized.  The travel of Westerners into foreign lands was made to seem heroic, courageous, and brave.  This narrative created an inferiority complex for all those of a darker skin color and a darker skin complexion in relation to those of the "fairer" and "lighter" skin color and skin complexion of the Western Boat Peoples.  A inferiority complex that still subconsciously and consciously exists in the minds and hearts of people of darker skin color and darker skin complexion presently -something which must be eradicated immediately for the healing to begin.

"The fall of Constantinople in 1453 severed European trade links by land with Asia leading many to begin seeking routes east by sea and spurred the age of exploration. Historians often refer to the 'Age of Discovery' as the pioneer Portuguese and Spanish long-distance maritime travels in search of alternative trade routes to "the East Indies", moved by the trade of gold, silver, and spices.  The 'Age of Discovery' can be seen as a bridge between the Middle Ages and the Modern era, along with its contemporary Renaissance movement, triggering the early modern period and the rise of European nation states. European overseas expansion led to the rise of Colonial Empires, with the contact between the Old and New Worlds producing the Columbian Exchange: a wide transfer of plants, animals, foods, human populations (including slaves), communicable diseases, and culture between the Eastern and Western hemispheres, in one of the most significant global events concerning ecology, agriculture, and culture in history. European exploration allowed the global mapping of the world, resulting in a new world-view and distant civilizations acknowledging each other, reaching the most remote boundaries much later".

In conclusion, for all my brothers and sisters trying to move forwards in life and seek better opportunities (whether it's in the lands you find yourself in presently or in "Western countries" with people(s) of a lighter skin color or a lighter skin complexion -never hold your head down or feel inferior in any way.  In most of the Western world, people of color who are also considered "visible minorities" are outnumbered (80% : 15%).  This often creates alienation, toleration, and isolation from both sides (by the "white" majority and by the "visible minority") as well as creating cultural enclaves in urban cities all over the West whether it's in Toronto, New York, Paris, London, Berlin, etc.  These cultural enclaves have been used and politicized by the West to say that their "cultures" are being attacked by immigrants and refugees who are flooding into their countries "en masse".  Do not fall into that argument for those that use this argument have very little sense of historical knowledge or have very little control over their emotional fears.  

People of a "visible minority", do not allow yourself to have an inferiority complexity in regards to your skin color, or culture, or religion due to the historical suppression used by the "BOAT PEOPLE" of the WEST.  The "Boat People" of the West through their social institutes created the maps and created the nationalities that engulfed many nations in civil wars (since Colonialism "ended").  In creating the maps and nationalities which exist presently, Western nations created a way to constantly enrich themselves, and their cultures, and their people. This has enabled the West to continue to perpetuate themselves as heroes in the eyes of the global masses and has given them power to intervene on a "humanitarian" level (which is also ironic since the West are also the ones who create much of the destabilization in those areas they are intervening in).  

My brothers and sisters, as you age and mature in the physical reality you find yourself living in -instill in yourself, instill in your children, and instill in the people you come across a correct narrative of history.  Do not let the mainstream and institutional narrative become your narrative. Eradicate and eliminate prejudicial and racially discriminatory views you have of other cultures and people.  Eliminate racially prejudicial terms from your mind and mouth such as "boat people", "fob", etc.  For people of color, who have mixed blood or find themselves "fairer" or "lighter" than that of the people they live beside -do not hold yourselves as a higher race/higher culture because you too continue a learnt practice that was instilled inside the global masses during times of subjugation, imperialism, war, and conquest. 

Historical narratives are not "mute points" in our physical living reality but rather "talking points" that we all have a responsibility to overcome when we come across inaccurate information.  If you choose not to talk about, make sure that at least you believe in yourself enough and respect your own history and the history of all the people that struggled to get you to the stage you find yourself presently.  People of color have overcome much.  We as a people must overcome this historical narrative as well and be confident in the future we hand over to future generations.

SIDE NOTES:
The Earth is circular, therefore stop thinking of the World with a Euro-Centric view.  Stop putting Europe and North America at the top.  Stop looking at Africa, Asia, and Latin America at the bottom. Flip the map around and see the world for what it is.  There are many subtle historical ways "people of color" are made to feel inferior to "White" people from the West.  Maps also subconsciously play a factor.  Flip the map and realize we do not have to look at the world map with the West at the top and everyone else at the bottom.