Censored: Post Traumatic Slavery Syndrome

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I understand that there are epigenetic effects experienced as much as two generations removed from the one who experienced extreme trauma, which can include changes in handling cortisol, increasing the risk for hypertension and metabolic syndrome. African Americans have an increased risk of hypertension and diabetes.

After that, though, what is the professor's main assertion?

I watched the entire video as well as did some research on her speeches. It seems to me that she is saying that the trauma of slavery was passed down from generation to generation. The slaves passed down their families all of the pain and it never healed. Also she seems to be really stressing the fact that the oppressors did everything they could to justify their treatment of slaves. Saying the slaves didn't have souls, they didn't feel pain and they were not bothered about the slave owners selling their children and breaking up the families. The repercussions of those atrocities never healed and AA still perpetuate the ills of slavery. I loved the example she gave about how AA complement their children compared to white parents.. I find myself doing exactly what she described. I never knew why, but she perfectly explained it. It really spoke to me.

I do wonder what her white peers say about her beliefs. I would imagine that some find her very controversial. No matter, I am drinking her Kool-aid and I am so glad OP posted this. I purchased one of her books from Amazon today. I mean just the information about The Statue of Liberty was stunning to me. I really wonder how many people know that it was meant to be a symbol of freedom from slavery, not this welcoming immigrant thing. How many people know about the chains? That alone really inspired me to investigate more.

[Anonymous]

Her interesting spin on things has made her a lot of money from books, lectures and more... wonder if she really believes it, taught herself to believe or its all about profit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Her interesting spin on things has made her a lot of money from books, lectures and more... wonder if she really believes it, taught herself to believe or its all about profit.

How does that matter though? Doesn't everyone who writes books and/or lectures want to profit from it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I taught some of her work in class two weeks ago. The students were already familiar with historical trauma through their readings on PTSS.

Where do you teach? Who are your students?

In social work. It's highly-relevant to understanding clients from a number of populations.

Where in social work? What school? Class name? I am a social worker (msw) and missed this class. Would have taken it if I'd known it exhisted.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Her interesting spin on things has made her a lot of money from books, lectures and more... wonder if she really believes it, taught herself to believe or its all about profit.

How does that matter though? Doesn't everyone who writes books and/or lectures want to profit from it?

As one in education, I'm always leery of any educator who makes a profit. Enlightening people is good; enlightening them with a cost isn't IMO. How much does she get for lectures?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Way to plant a post for free advertising, OP.

PTSD is triggered when you are actually in a life threatening situation--like war, rape, or an actual slave. Unfortunately, there are still slaves in the world.

You don't get PTSD from history. Call things by what they are--"minor cardiac event" is a heart attack, "Operation Iraqi Freedom" was invading a country based on trumped up evidence. It's not to say that someone isn't the victim of historical oppression, current institutional racism, or actual prejudice, but equating it PTSD is insulting actual survivors of trauma.

So yes, I get that she's trying to be provocative calling it "Post Traumatic Slavery Syndrome," but she's further creating a culture of victimhood: https://hereandnow.wbur.org/2015/09/28/microaggressions-cultural-shift

Nope. It's a real thing and has been extensively studied. There's loads of fascinating work surrounding historical trauma and Native American health. Look it up, it's worth the read.

Also, you're wrong about PTSD as well. Review definitions there to better equip yourself for understanding what contributes to PTSD.

So my question is this. Considering Jews and Africans were persecuted - ripped away from family members, raped, tortured, killed - why were generations of Jews able to move forward? b/c of Israel? b/c of admittance of wrongdoing? b/c slavery lasted MUCH longer? b/c the US - in this case - was the "good guy?"

not being snarky, just trying to make sense of this b/c I don't see Jews as victims

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Her interesting spin on things has made her a lot of money from books, lectures and more... wonder if she really believes it, taught herself to believe or its all about profit.

How does that matter though? Doesn't everyone who writes books and/or lectures want to profit from it?

As one in education, I'm always leery of any educator who makes a profit. Enlightening people is good; enlightening them with a cost isn't IMO. How much does she get for lectures?

So you work for free?

I'm not talking about the extra hours that I know you put in planning, grading, emailing parents, etc. I mean you don't get a salary? Because if you are running a charity school here in the DMV, I know a reporter who would love to talk to you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I haven't watched the video yet, but had the pleasure of hearing her lecture at Penn State earlier this year. Her words still resonate with me. I thought I knew "Black History". I have a masters on the history of an an enslaved community. I've taught AA History for years as a stand alone course and over a decade as part of US History. I walked away from her lecture feeling like a neophyte.

Recently, someone here on DCUM posted about metabolic issues and eating behaviors of the children and grandchildren of Holocaust survivors. If we can recognize the legacy received by future generations of 10 years of horror, why can't we do the same for 400 years?

DeGruy talks about this in a lecture posted on YouTube. An historical trauma framework has been applied to a number of populations, including survivors of the Armenian Genocide, Native Americans, and, of course, the Holocaust. It's also referred to as Inter-generational Trauma. But, there is a general hesitance, noted by DeGruy in this lecture, to apply it to African Americans. You can see why, as evidenced by many of the responses of this thread. People are more comfortable sharing this perspective in historical contexts in which they play no part. It gets uncomfortable when the effects are shown all around you.

Good point

What does that actually mean in real life? That people are uncomfortable when the 'effects of slavery', i.e. bad behavior, are shown around us?

It says SO much about you that you identify "bad behavior" as the sole effects of the legacy of slavery?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Way to plant a post for free advertising, OP.

PTSD is triggered when you are actually in a life threatening situation--like war, rape, or an actual slave. Unfortunately, there are still slaves in the world.

You don't get PTSD from history. Call things by what they are--"minor cardiac event" is a heart attack, "Operation Iraqi Freedom" was invading a country based on trumped up evidence. It's not to say that someone isn't the victim of historical oppression, current institutional racism, or actual prejudice, but equating it PTSD is insulting actual survivors of trauma.

So yes, I get that she's trying to be provocative calling it "Post Traumatic Slavery Syndrome," but she's further creating a culture of victimhood: https://hereandnow.wbur.org/2015/09/28/microaggressions-cultural-shift

"But Wesley, what about the ROUSs?"
"Rodents of Unusual Size? I don't think they actually exist."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Way to plant a post for free advertising, OP.

PTSD is triggered when you are actually in a life threatening situation--like war, rape, or an actual slave. Unfortunately, there are still slaves in the world.

You don't get PTSD from history. Call things by what they are--"minor cardiac event" is a heart attack, "Operation Iraqi Freedom" was invading a country based on trumped up evidence. It's not to say that someone isn't the victim of historical oppression, current institutional racism, or actual prejudice, but equating it PTSD is insulting actual survivors of trauma.

So yes, I get that she's trying to be provocative calling it "Post Traumatic Slavery Syndrome," but she's further creating a culture of victimhood: https://hereandnow.wbur.org/2015/09/28/microaggressions-cultural-shift

Nope. It's a real thing and has been extensively studied. There's loads of fascinating work surrounding historical trauma and Native American health. Look it up, it's worth the read.

Also, you're wrong about PTSD as well. Review definitions there to better equip yourself for understanding what contributes to PTSD.

So my question is this. Considering Jews and Africans were persecuted - ripped away from family members, raped, tortured, killed - why were generations of Jews able to move forward? b/c of Israel? b/c of admittance of wrongdoing? b/c slavery lasted MUCH longer? b/c the US - in this case - was the "good guy?"

not being snarky, just trying to make sense of this b/c I don't see Jews as victims

because they are not black. Just as the Irish were eventually accepted in this country, despite past dehumanization, so were the jews. Us vs. them in the US came down to white vs. black. Jews are perceived by most of us white Europeans as being white. Whether the jews would agree is a different matter...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I understand that there are epigenetic effects experienced as much as two generations removed from the one who experienced extreme trauma, which can include changes in handling cortisol, increasing the risk for hypertension and metabolic syndrome. African Americans have an increased risk of hypertension and diabetes.

After that, though, what is the professor's main assertion?

I watched the entire video as well as did some research on her speeches. It seems to me that she is saying that the trauma of slavery was passed down from generation to generation. The slaves passed down their families all of the pain and it never healed. Also she seems to be really stressing the fact that the oppressors did everything they could to justify their treatment of slaves. Saying the slaves didn't have souls, they didn't feel pain and they were not bothered about the slave owners selling their children and breaking up the families. The repercussions of those atrocities never healed and AA still perpetuate the ills of slavery. I loved the example she gave about how AA complement their children compared to white parents.. I find myself doing exactly what she described. I never knew why, but she perfectly explained it. It really spoke to me.

I do wonder what her white peers say about her beliefs. I would imagine that some find her very controversial. No matter, I am drinking her Kool-aid and I am so glad OP posted this. I purchased one of her books from Amazon today. I mean just the information about The Statue of Liberty was stunning to me. I really wonder how many people know that it was meant to be a symbol of freedom from slavery, not this welcoming immigrant thing. How many people know about the chains? That alone really inspired me to investigate more.

Evidence-free paranoia is unlikely to help much advance one's prospects. But it can be comforting as hell!

[Anonymous]

Can someone give a summary? Couldn't make it past the first 10mins.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I haven't watched the video yet, but had the pleasure of hearing her lecture at Penn State earlier this year. Her words still resonate with me. I thought I knew "Black History". I have a masters on the history of an an enslaved community. I've taught AA History for years as a stand alone course and over a decade as part of US History. I walked away from her lecture feeling like a neophyte.

Recently, someone here on DCUM posted about metabolic issues and eating behaviors of the children and grandchildren of Holocaust survivors. If we can recognize the legacy received by future generations of 10 years of horror, why can't we do the same for 400 years?

DeGruy talks about this in a lecture posted on YouTube. An historical trauma framework has been applied to a number of populations, including survivors of the Armenian Genocide, Native Americans, and, of course, the Holocaust. It's also referred to as Inter-generational Trauma. But, there is a general hesitance, noted by DeGruy in this lecture, to apply it to African Americans. You can see why, as evidenced by many of the responses of this thread. People are more comfortable sharing this perspective in historical contexts in which they play no part. It gets uncomfortable when the effects are shown all around you.

Good point

What does that actually mean in real life? That people are uncomfortable when the 'effects of slavery', i.e. bad behavior, are shown around us?

It says SO much about you that you identify "bad behavior" as the sole effects of the legacy of slavery?

The whole concept is completely squirrely. It sounds as if this woman is stating that looting, attacking others, and killing cops is 'part of being post-traumatic'.

As a Jew, that type of behavior would NEVER be considered even remotely acceptable due to being 'post-traumatic' re: the Holocaust. We are told the best revenge is to be as successful as you possibly can be.

[Anonymous]

fascinating, I'll have to look into her stuff!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I understand that there are epigenetic effects experienced as much as two generations removed from the one who experienced extreme trauma, which can include changes in handling cortisol, increasing the risk for hypertension and metabolic syndrome. African Americans have an increased risk of hypertension and diabetes.

After that, though, what is the professor's main assertion?

I watched the entire video as well as did some research on her speeches. It seems to me that she is saying that the trauma of slavery was passed down from generation to generation. The slaves passed down their families all of the pain and it never healed. Also she seems to be really stressing the fact that the oppressors did everything they could to justify their treatment of slaves. Saying the slaves didn't have souls, they didn't feel pain and they were not bothered about the slave owners selling their children and breaking up the families. The repercussions of those atrocities never healed and AA still perpetuate the ills of slavery. I loved the example she gave about how AA complement their children compared to white parents.. I find myself doing exactly what she described. I never knew why, but she perfectly explained it. It really spoke to me.

I do wonder what her white peers say about her beliefs. I would imagine that some find her very controversial. No matter, I am drinking her Kool-aid and I am so glad OP posted this. I purchased one of her books from Amazon today. I mean just the information about The Statue of Liberty was stunning to me. I really wonder how many people know that it was meant to be a symbol of freedom from slavery, not this welcoming immigrant thing. How many people know about the chains? That alone really inspired me to investigate more.

Can you share some examples?