The very shortened description of hood in the thesaurus is cover, covering, top and lid. Yet the word hood is far more descriptive than this. As a mater of fact, the word hood is far deeper than this short meaning. If you dig deeper, the meaning of hood will bare the soul and the spirit which will exemplify the end results of some not so productive activities surrounding the word hood.
According to history, hood is Middle English, from Old English hōd; and related to Old High German huot head covering, huota guard. The first known use is traced back before 12th century. Perhaps it is not the origin of the word, but it is what it has come to mean through its use through language and the results of its meaning.
You are getting the picture that many groups have been isolated in “hoods” because of ethnic, cultural or differences in appearance, dress or even food related differences. It appears so easy to isolate groups of individuals into “hoods” to continue the belief systems of separatism, yet at the same time, on the surface, declaring all people to be equal. Could the equality reality be based upon the actuality and the action of containing the different people under a hood of difference?
Does it really matter if the hood-contained group takes on the persona of relating to being in a hood or if the group who is containing the other group in the hood perpetuates the separation to validate the disconnection? If this is true, it is very challenging in the “real” world to unify communities, accept the differences, and change the dynamics of the relationships.
Could it be that the issue is not the separatism programming of better than and less than, have and have nots, but the ramification of the culture and the meaning of hood? Let’s for a minute personalize, not take it personal, but personalize the meaning of hood. Could it be that you have been “hood”winked by differences instead of seeing the connection of all living humans on this planet?
Since the 12th Century, in order to keep individuals and groups “un-connected” in hoods; i.e., ghettos, neighbor-“hoods”, slums, skid row, the other side of the tracks, to perpetuate the disconnects, differences became the excuses for partition. Throughout history or “his”story, one group or another had their experiences of being the one separated into the “hood”. Irish, Jews, Japanese, Asians, Arabs, Blacks, Whites across the board…it turns out it is not really the color of the group, but the perceived differences of the limited belief systems, the b.s.!
The truth is everyone world-wide has the same dreams of families who love them, jobs to support their families, a community of acceptance, and a life to be fulfilled…instead of these being the dreams or the reality for someone else. Everyone deserves to live a life that is full filled. With hoods there is little fulfillment.
JUDGMENT AND TAKE-AWAY
Do those who are segregated into “hoods” become the self-fulfilling prophecies of the belief system of the hood? Here’s a thought…what does it mean to be the Boys In The Hood? There are all kinds of expression of hoods. Didn’t Robin Hood steal from the rich to give to the poor. What did that accomplish? Just more conflict and killing? What about the Klu Klux Klan? White boys in the hood. What did they accomplish? More conflict and killing in neighboring neighbor”hoods”?
What about the Crusaders who wore hoods of iron? What did they accomplish? More conflict and killing in someone else’s neighbor”hood”? What about the black boys in the hood? What did they accomplish? More conflict and killing in the neighbor”hood”. What about the German boys in the hood? What did they accomplish? More conflict and killing in neighboring countries? What about the Irish political boys in the hood? What did they accomplish but more conflict and killing in their own neighbor”hoods”. What about the South African whites and blacks in their own hoods? What did apartheid accomplish but more conflict more deaths.
Getting the picture of hoods? Aren’t they predicated on the judgment of others and what takes away from each other by each other and their own selves by embracing a belief system of less than, have nots and absolutely deserving the less? Blind hood belief systems beget blindness, separation, conflict and death! Hoods are life and creativity prevention programs, not just separation and judgment program proliferators.
And what about the invisible, blind hoods, when a blind eye, a hoodwinked eye pretends that child abuse, animal abuse, elder abuse, abuse in general is ignored? If you don’t talk about it, it doesn’t exist? What are the ramifications of the blind “hood”? Many times the invisible blind hood is more heinous because the abuse is out in the open and yet covered over by the “hood” of not acknowledging what is happening.
The pretense “hood” gives permission for the abusers to abuse and the abusees to accept there is no way out. The truth is…as long as the ‘hood” covers up the Truth, separation, apartheid, and division will provide the ways for judgment to take away the life and creativity that is lost because of the blindfold of all the types of “hoods”. In reality a hood is a hood!
As you can “see” there are many descriptions of the word hood, that at the core or root of the word, all mean the same. The hood can be an excuse to act in certain, non life supporting ways. What creativity of ideas are lost because of the injustice of the blind hoods that are worn in “obvious” blindness? No one can know as long as you stay hoodwinked by limited belief systems of disconnection.
Let’s illuminate and eliminate all the hoods. Stop being hoodwinked by disconnected belief systems, the b.s. programs of separation. Everyone is a contributor to life here on his small blue marble, Earth. Let’s get together and contribute to our own selves by contributing and supporting each other’s lives and abilities to contribute. Let’s get out of the hood and see clearly we are all unique yet so connected. How are we connected? Simple! We are all connected because we are human, we are alive and we all have something to contribute to life. Judgment, lack, separation and disconnection are only limited belief systems.
This is not about being a Pollyanna. This is about the involved evolution of consciousness and the connection it brings to all of us who are alive on this planet. Involved conscious evolution includes all living things on this planet. Take off the hoods, imaginary, invisible or whatever. Connect through the heart, not the belief systems in your head! Involved Conscious Evolution…is the way! Become hood-less. Open your eyes. You may surprise your Self and others!