The Whitest of Whites...

From Eduardo Galeano's Mirrors

A Feast on Foot
"Adam and Eve were black?  The human adventure in the world began in Africa.  From there, our ancestors set out to conquer the planet.  Many paths led them to many destinies, and the sun took care of handing out colors from the palette.  Now the rainbow of the earth is more colorful than the rainbow of the sky.  But we are all emigrants from Africa.  Even the whitest of whites comes from Africa."

My reflections

We all have the same heritage.
But how far removed do I feel
from the black experience...
I know nothing
of my African ancestors.
We all have the blood of Africans,
dark skinned brothers and sisters,
flowing through our veins.
How outraged some would be
at the very thought -
Me?
Share a common ancestry
with blacks?
Never.
Purity comes to mind.
Those who many years ago
tried to prove their purity,
their "better-ness,"
with white lineage.
They just didn't go back far enough...
How easily we forget -
or is it even forgetfulness?
Intentional deception, maybe? 
We are all black
to a certain degree.
Would that statement
be offensive
to dark skinned people of today?
Would it be offensive
to light skinned people of today?
Offensive or not,
there is truth
in the statement
that even the whitest of whites
comes from Africa.
We would do well
to remember that.