Is it worthy to say "Eskimo"? – Reclaiming Worth and Sovereignty through Karmic Balance
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| An ice cream bar that has been on the Danish market for many years was forced to change its name from Kæmpe Eskimo (Giant Eskimo) to Kæmpe Solbær (Giant Blackcurrant), as the use of the original name was deemed racist and politically incorrect. Thanks to the Greenlandic girl for posing and showcasing the ice cream. The image was created via Midjourney for Lars Laursen, and the ice cream bar does not look like the actual "Kæmpe Eskimo." |
Greenlanders and Inuit in Canada do not wish to be called "Eskimos." Consequently, Greenlanders also object to an ice cream being named using that term.
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| The ice cream formerly known as "Kæmpe Eskimo" (Giant Eskimo). |
Some Danes wonder why Greenlanders (who call themselves Inuit) take issue with the word and expect us (Danes) to view it as problematic as well. Some even accuse them of excessive political correctness.
But why were they called Eskimos in the first place?
To understand the issue, let’s look at what various Indigenous peoples have been called, using examples from North America.
Original tribal names in their own language vs. colloquial names
A tribal people always has its own name for the tribe. However, neighboring tribes may have a different name for them. In fact, it is rare for these names to mean the same thing. Let’s look at the difference between a tribe’s own name and the names given to them by neighboring tribes or white settlers.
- Own name: Inuit ("The People")
Others' name: Inuit; also Eskimo, derived from a Cree name for the Inuit meaning either "eaters of raw meat" or "one who laces snowshoes." - Own name: Aniyunwiya ("Principal People")
Others' name: Cherokee/tsalagi, from a Muskogee word meaning "speakers of another language." - Own name: Atikamekw ("Whitefish People")
Others' name: Atikamekw; also Tête-de-Boule meaning "round heads." - Own name: Kanienkehaka ("People of the Flint")
Others' name: Mohawk, from an Algonquian word meaning "man-eaters"; Iroquois, from an Algonquian word meaning "true snakes." - Own name: Tsitsistas ("The People")
Others' name: Cheyenne, from a Sioux word for the tribe likely meaning "relatives of the Cree." - Own name: Dakota ("The Allies"), Sisseton ("Marsh Dwellers"), Wahpeton ("Forest Dwellers")
Others' name: Yankton ("dwells far away"); Dakota Sioux. The word "Sioux" comes from an Ojibwe word meaning "snakes." - Own name: Dene ("The People")
Others' name: Chipewyan, from a Cree word for "pointed shirt," referring to a traditional clothing style. - Own name: Wendat ("Island Dwellers")
Others' name: Wendat/Wyandot or Huron, from a French word for "wild boar." - Own name: Wolastoqiyik ("Beautiful River," the name of the river flowing through their homeland)
Others' name: Maliseet, from a Mi'kmaq word meaning "speaks imperfectly." - Own name: L'nu'k ("The People"), Mi'kmaq ("My Friends")
Others' name: Mi'kmaq. - Own name: Gayogohono ("People of the Swamp")
Others' name: Cayuga; also Iroquois, from an Algonquian word meaning "true snakes." - Own name: Dene Tha ("True People")
Others' name: Slavey, an English translation of the Cree name for them, which meant "servile people."
What do the names of the U.S. states originally mean?
Speaking of tribal and national names—do you actually know why the various states in the U.S. are named what they are?
Prepare to be surprised by British creator Rob’s breakdown of the 50 American state names and their etymology. It serves as yet another underlining of the point made above: the strange names others give a people versus what they call themselves.
For example, the states of:
Alabama is named after a phrase used to describe a tribe in the area: "Here we rest" (or "I clear the thicket").
Arkansas means "People of downstream river."
Kansas stands for "South wind" or "People of the south wind."
Missouri comes from "People of the wooden canoes" (specifically dugout canoes).
Oklahoma allegedly means "Red people."
Illinois is named after "Those who speak ordinary language," distinguishing them from those speaking "foreign" or "tribal" tongues.
Idaho is believed to come from the Kiowa-Apache word "ídaahé," meaning "enemy"—a word used by a different tribe to describe them.
The Land of "Far, Far Away"
Certain names imply that a tribe resides far away.
In the Danish translation of the Walt Disney Donald Duck comics (Anders And), several stories feature a land located very, very far away called Langtbortistan. This fictional country likely first appeared in the Danish edition in September 1959.
The story, featuring Dumbo, the flying elephant, as the lead character, was written by Carl Fallberg and drawn by Paul Murry (USA, 1958). In the original version, the country was called Faroffistan. The Danish translation, Langtbortistan, was coined by the Danish translator Sonja Rindom. In Norwegian, it is called Langtvekkistan, in Swedish Långtbortistan, and in Dutch Verweggistan.
In Denmark, Langtbortistan has become such a well-known and widely used term that it has even been included in the official Danish Spelling Dictionary (Retskrivningsordbogen). It doesn’t get more official than that! Linguistically, there is clearly a need for a word to describe an undefined, distant land.
What do the words of others truly mean?
There is more than one layer to these nicknames.
A people will often refer to themselves as:
"Human beings"
"Our people"
"Our nation"
"We who live here"
Meanwhile, neighboring tribes have labeled them:
"Those who speak a language different from ours"
"Those who live far away"
"Those who are different from us"
"Those who do things differently than we do"
"Those who are like snakes"
"Those who are enemies"
In an era without formal geographical borders between nations or tribes, members of other nations were described using words that today could be interpreted as "foreigners" or "aliens."
Example: The word Eskimo ("eater of raw meat" or "one who laces snowshoes") is thus something another tribe called the Inuit. It is not a name they gave themselves. The Inuit simply did something that, to the members of the other tribe, was different from their own customs.
Is there any people who consider themselves foreigners in their own land?
That is to say, they view themselves as "others", "strangers", "aliens"—or simply "foreigners."
When a people is named based on how others describe them—such as "strangers," "snakes," or "foreigners"—one can certainly understand why it is problematic.
This situation can be summarized by a gruk (a short aphoristic poem) written by the Danish poet, inventor, and mathematician Piet Hein:
"Our country differs, for example, from all other lands by being the only country that is not located abroad."
The Greenlandic name for their country, Kalaallit Nunaat, means "Land of the People."
However, a musician of Greenlandic descent wrote the following to me:
"I recently read an op-ed in Atuagagdliutit/Grønlandsposten (Greenlandic Post) stating that the word 'kalaaleq' (plural 'kalaallit') originates from Faroese and means 'a cowardly person.' The Greenlandic band SUME made the album 'Inuit Nunaat,' which translates directly as 'Land of the People.' Over time, the preference shifted to 'Kalaallit Nunaat'."
As we can see, future challenges may arise regarding the Greenlanders' own designation for themselves and, consequently, their self-perception. In other words: "Fight for your right to self-determination and sovereignty!" They have not escaped external labels entirely...
It is characteristic that many ethnic groups have words for others that essentially mean "not us," "speakers of another tongue," "different," or simply "foreigners" or "strangers." But which people say of themselves, "We are foreigners"?
Let’s investigate. Below is a list of various nations' words for themselves versus their words for foreigners:
| Country | Inhabitant (own language) | Foreigner (own language) |
| Denmark | Dansker | Udlænding / Fremmed |
| Norway | Nordmann | Utlending |
| Sweden | Svensk | Utlänning |
| Finland | Suomalainen | Ulkomaalainen |
| Iceland | Íslendingar | Útlendingur |
| Germany | Deutscher | Ausländer |
| France | Français | Étranger |
| USA | American | Foreigner / Stranger / Alien |
| Netherlands | Nederlander | Buitenlander |
| Spain | Español | Extranjero |
| Ukraine | Українець (Ukrayinets') | Іноземець (Inozemets') |
| Russia | Русский (Russkiy) | Иностранец (Inostranets) |
| Saudi Arabia | سعودي (Su'ūdī) | أجنبي (Ajnabī) |
| India | भारतीय (Bhāratīya) | विदेशी (Vidēśī) |
| China | 中国人 (Zhōngguó rén) | 外国人 (Wàiguó rén) |
| Greenland | Kalaallit | Qallunaaq |
As seen above, none of these nations use the word "foreigner" to describe themselves—not even the Greenlanders!
I was wrong: There actually is one people that calls itself "foreigners"!
Rob, the narrator in the video below, explains that the name for the region of Wales in the UK originally means "slave" or "foreigner." The area was given its name by the Saxons. Interestingly, the Welsh themselves have historically used this designation. Today, however, many Welsh people prefer to call their country Cymru, which is their own word for their land and language.
Listen to British Rob explain why England is called "England" and the strange origin of the name "Wales."What do Greenlanders call Danes?
A user on the online service Quora asked:
"Is it true that Greenlanders use the word 'qallunaat' for Danes, and that the word's original meaning is 'those with big eyebrows'?"
A Dane who has lived and worked in Greenland for 22 years replied:
"Actually, two body parts are at play here:
'Qallut' (eyebrows) and 'Naat' (stomach).
Thus, qallunaat means 'Those with the big eyebrows and big bellies.'
Having lived in Greenland for 22 years now, it doesn't bother me. Greenlandic is often a highly descriptive language."
Qallunaaq – A foreigner in one's own country?
Can you be a foreigner in your own country? 25-year-old Christian Ulloriaq Jeppesen was born and raised in Nuuk, the child of a Greenlandic mother and a Danish father. However, he does not speak Greenlandic and feels like a qallunaaq: a stranger in his own land. What is he—Danish or Greenlandic?
Listen to the journalism student's well-told and youthful three-part podcast in Danish on the Danish Public Broadcasting Radio Station DR P3: "Qallunaaq – What am I?"
The Etymology of European Nations
Ever wondered about the original meanings behind the names of European countries? They are very much in line with what is described in this post. British Rob takes an etymological look at Europe's country names—and it’s anything but boring!
What is this really about?
One thought is that this is about the reclamation of dignity—in one's own eyes and the eyes of others. It is about standing tall again, gaining dignity or simply "worth," and recognizing the worth of others. Namasté!
For instance, many wise quotes from Native American chiefs have appeared in my Facebook feed in recent years. If anyone held a negative view of Indigenous peoples in North America, such quotes certainly challenge that perception. In Denmark, no one seems to have an issue with American Indians, though the situation may be different in the U.S.
The mere fact that we call them "Indians" (American Indians) is remarkable in itself.
Historically, explorers sought a western route to India from Europe. When they hit land, they believed they had found the western part of India—the West Indies. Thus, the natives had to be "Indians." In reality, these indigenous people are "foreigners" in their own land—even though they are the ones who are least "foreign" to the Americas! Are they living in exile? They certainly do not consider themselves Indians, let alone West Indians.
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| Here the 9-year-old Danish prince Joachim is having a "Negro Kiss" (Cream Puff), in Danish now called "Cream Puff". Colored with Photoshop. |
The "Cream Puff" Debate
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| A Negro Kiss: Yummy! |
The term negerkys was originally used to describe a tasty, chocolate-covered whipped egg-white treat.
It sounds like a sweet name, and Danes themselves did not see anything racist in it, but others insisted the word should be considered racist. Eventually, the name was changed.
Denmark is not the only country with such a chocolate treat. In Austria, they are called Schwedenbomben (Swedish bombs). Is that a problem for the Swedes?
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| Many Danish children's perception of the vibration of the name for this specific type of chocolate-covered treat. Created via Midjourney for Lars Laursen. |
Etymology and Connotations
The word "Negro" comes from the Latin negro (or nigro/nigra – black), which translates to "I am black" or "he who is black." What other connotations the Romans attached to the word, I do not know.
One reason the word has become politically incorrect is that dark-skinned residents in Denmark discovered that in documents from the era when Denmark held slaves in the Danish West Indies (now the U.S. Virgin Islands), the words "slave" and "Negro" appeared to be used synonymously. A modern Dane does not associate these two meanings at all, but the rules must be the same for everyone. If someone, somewhere, has a problem with a word, we are all expected to adopt that stance—at least until they have resolved their issues.
Little Black Sambo
A Scottish children's book about a little South Indian boy, "The Story of Little Black Sambo," who outwitted a group of hungry tigers, was for a period removed from Danish libraries. It was labeled both racist and politically incorrect because critics claimed it portrayed a caricatured and stereotypical image of Black people. Interestingly, in several African countries, "Sambo" is a surname, possibly meaning "second son" in a West African language.
In the British-American world, the name Sambo became a derogatory term for dark-skinned men in menial positions. In Spanish and Arabic, it can be a derogatory name for a slave. Having read the book myself, I find nothing offensive or derogatory in the story. On the contrary, it is an uplifting tale with spiritual significance—albeit one not well known in Western culture.
The only possible point of contention is naming an Indian boy after Africans. This perhaps says more about the person using the name than the person being named. It may also be a matter of karma and dharma.
So, who really had the problem with a one-dimensional view of dark-skinned people? 🤔
It was likely those who wanted the book removed...
Is it actually the critics who are being racist? Are they compensating for their own racism by removing a book that is simply about a dark-skinned protagonist?
Can they not handle a book where a Black person is the hero? Does that make them the racists?
Is a book featuring only Caucasian people also racist and racially stereotypical? Or a film? Or a TV show?
Other Food Examples
One can ask a series of rhetorical questions regarding the use of certain words:
Jewish Cake (Jødekage): Is it racist simply because the word "Jew" is included?
Finnish Bread (Finskbrød): Is this a racist use of the word "Finnish"?
Danish Pastry: Called Kopenhagenerbrot in Austria and simply "a Danish" in America. In an old TeleDanmark ad, someone said, "Danish? Ain't that something you eat?" Is that racist toward citizens of Vienna, Copenhagen, or Danes in general?
Hamburger: Isn't a hamburger a citizen (Bürger) of Hamburg?
French Bread (Franskbrød): Is it racist toward the French?
Berliner: Is it racist toward the people of Berlin to be synonymous with a sugary pastry?
Frankfurter: What do Germans from Frankfurt think about their city's name being used for a sausage?
French Fries: Do the French hate that the word "French" is used here?
Americano: A strong cup of black coffee. Is the word "Americano" politically incorrect?
Parisian Steak (Pariserbøf), Wiener Schnitzel, Peking Duck, Mandarin Orange/Duck, Hokkaido Soup, Champagne, Bordeaux Wine.
And what about the specific sexual connotations (in Danish) of words like Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, French, Greek, American, Spanish, Russian, Dutch, Italian, German, Hawaiian, Esperanto, Japanese, and Swiss? Are these national designations used in an offensive or derogatory manner?
"Wordless" and "Worthless"
According to the Danish Language Council, we lack a good Danish alternative to the word neger. We may call them "Black," but we often have to use linguistic gymnastics to describe people with dark skin. When we lack a word for something we are no longer "allowed" to name, we become "wordless"—which, strangely enough, rhymes with "worthless."
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| The swallow-like bird formerly known in Danish as 'Kaffersejleren' and Swedish 'kafferseglare' (latin Apus Caffer) is now called 'hvidgumpsejleren' (White-rumped Swift). |
Politically Incorrect Bird Names in Sweden
Following a debate in Sweden, several bird names were changed to be more politically correct:
The Negro Finch is now called the Nigrita.
The South American Gypsy Bird has become the Hoatzin.
The Kaffir Swift, spotted once in Sweden, is now the White-rumped Swift (vitgumpseglaren).
A bird with the word "kaffer" in its name turned out to be a cuckoo, which is why it is now referred to as the Black Cuckoo.
The word "Kaffir" referred to the bird being mostly black. It’s a bit like having a human race that is dark-skinned except for a very light-colored lower backside. Suddenly, calling them "black" becomes incorrect, and the new term becomes "white-back." (In Danish, we already have a bird called a Svartbag or Great Black-backed Gull).
What does "Kaffir" mean?
The term Kaffir is an exonym and an ethnic slur, particularly common in South Africa. In Arabic, kāfir ("infidel") was originally used for non-Muslims of any background before becoming a term for pagan Zanj (sub-Saharan Africans) used for slaves. In the 20th century, it became an extremely offensive hate-speech term associated with Apartheid. It is now referred to euphemistically as the "K-word."
Is there a connection between Kaffir and Coffee? Apparently not. Coffee (Danish: kaffe) allegedly comes from the Kaffa region of Ethiopia via the Arabic qahwa ("coffee, wine"), related to qahiya ("to lose one's appetite"). However, the etymological mists of time, linguistics, and geography might suggest a mix of meanings: coffee is a black drink, grown in Kaffa, and Kaffir was used for dark-skinned groups.
Slavs and Slaves
Similarly, to the east, there is a people called Slavs. This is reflected in names like Yugoslavia, Slovenia, and Slovakia (the latter two meaning "Land of the Slavs"). Many Russians and Ukrainians are also Slavs.
Have you ever considered that the English and Danish word for slave actually originates from the name of these people? Most people don't give it a thought. But the word slave is derived from the Medieval Latin sclavus ("Slav, slave"), first recorded around the year 800—the Viking Age.
According to Norwegian archaeologist Cat Jarman, the early monks who chronicled the birth of Russia emphasized that the Slavic peoples asked the Rus (who were actually Vikings) to settle and bring peace because the local tribes were constantly at war. The word "slave" comes from "Slav" simply because the Vikings took so many Slavs as thralls (the Old Norse term for slave) and sold them.
In Scandinavia, we have the word træls (annoying/tiresome), which literally means "like the work of a thrall"—unpaid labor for the benefit of someone else.
This shows that in Scandinavia, "Slav" and "thrall" were once synonymous. No one thinks about it today. The karma must have been balanced. Or are we currently being repaid through the "woke" movement?
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| N Bar Ranch in Montana, USA. This is the ranch's logo, a cattle brand consisting of the letter N with a bar below it—or simply: a brand. |
Branding and Karma: From Cattle Brands to National Identity
It is said that the letter "A" was originally written upside down, with its two legs pointing upward to resemble the head of a bull or a cow: "∀". Perhaps it was first used as a brand on livestock. Due to the monosyllabic sound for "bull" or "cow," it evolved into an Egyptian hieroglyph. Alternatively, it might have been the sound of the name of a great ranch owner in Egypt who used the "∀" brand. It may even have emerged during the astrological Age of Taurus. Perhaps it was even a symbol for God—Alpha or Aleph: ﺍ (Arabic), ܐ (Syriac), א (Hebrew/Aramaic), or the Phoenician equivalent.
After being rotated 90 degrees twice across several early writing systems, it was eventually adopted as the first letter of our Latin alphabet.
The English word brand (possibly derived from Old Norse/Danish brandr, meaning "fire" or "burning wood") today refers to a trademark for a company's product. However, the term originates from the branding of agricultural animals, such as cattle.
During the era of slavery in the United States, branding was also inflicted upon slaves of African descent. This was usually reserved for "highly disobedient and recalcitrant slaves," or those who had attempted to escape their plantations.
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| Branding: From Gary Larson’s The Far Side. Here, bent in glowing steel: "This cow belongs to Daryl Jones, so keep your hands off!" |
It was a form of branding that made it visible to everyone who the slave (or cattle) belonged to. The brand was permanent. In those days, a ranch might even take its name from the shape of its brand, as seen in the overview below.
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| Page 211 in a book on Texan cattle brands among other things. |
Many ranches in the US are named after their brands—for example, the 1,125 km² N Bar Ranch and the Circle C, both in Montana, as well as the Circle A in Arizona and California, and the Flying O in Wyoming. Cattle branding is also widely used in Australia.
For comparison, the Greater Copenhagen area in Denmark, with its 34 municipalities, covers 3,030 km² and houses over 2 million inhabitants. If the ranch were a perfect square, its sides would be nearly 58 km long, while a similarly square Copenhagen would have sides of 55 km—roughly 91% of the King Ranch area. By further comparison, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg covers 2,586 km² (77% of King Ranch) with a population of approximately 675,000 (October 2024).
Does anyone take issue with the word "brand" in this context? Perhaps the karma regarding the branding of human beings has been balanced.
Do we have a problem with certain names for peoples?
In a way, those who take issue with words like Negro, Jew, or Gypsy are themselves acting from a place of racial prejudice; they believe these words are inherently offensive and must be purged from the language. This can be seen as an affront to the very groups they seek to protect—even when the critics belong to those groups themselves.
The words are not offensive in isolation. They are assigned derogatory connotations or "vibrations." Some people simply cannot let go of these connotations once they have learned them. This is, in itself, food for thought...
Reclaiming Dignity: Back to the Inuit and First Nations
Many peoples and tribes have referred to others using their own word for "snakes." Perhaps they are now receiving "payment in kind" by being referred to by a neighboring tribe’s derogatory term.
This is likely why we see a modern rebellion against these designations. It is an attempt to restore the dignity and self-worth that these peoples have felt was trampled upon for years. They seek a "re-righting" of history so they can once again walk with their heads held high.
Conclusion: As a child on the playground might say: "It takes one to know one!" (or in Danish: "What you say about others, you are yourself!") Or rather: balancing, justice, acceptance, and worth!
The Roots of Tribalism
Where does the tendency to speak ill of other ethnic groups come from? We see it in the Old Testament: "Thou shalt have no other gods before me" and "Be a chosen people."
For the biblical God, it was apparently vital that the Jews did not intermarry or have children with those outside their faith. We see the practical echoes of this today: In which religious tradition should the children be raised? Can the family attend the same temple or church? Even a simple grace before a meal can become a point of contention.
There is also the question of "karmic groups." There appear to be several different "life streams" incarnated on Earth simultaneously, each guided by a high spiritual being—a Manu. What happens when these groups blend? Each group has its specific challenges to overcome and its own virtues to develop.
Imagine there are 48 distinct genetic human groups on Earth. If they were tasked with maintaining their specific cultural and karmic heritage, intermarriage might be discouraged by the "elders" to keep the lineages "pure." What is the life purpose or plan of an individual who is a blend of two such different groups? What "bagage" do they carry from both cultures? For simplicity, we might call these "races," though it is an imperfect word, as many individuals have likely incarnated across many different groups over time.
Throughout history, we have seen migrations where newcomers "invade" and displace original populations. In the end, both groups end up experiencing the same hardships. No one is without fault; everyone has inflicted suffering and everyone has endured it. This is a lesson that can ultimately unite all peoples once the old wounds are transmuted through atonement and karmic balancing.
Again: "What you say about others, you are yourself."
Immigrants and Refugees
In the late 60s and 70s, Denmark invited "guest workers" to fill labor shortages. Many Turkish men arrived to earn money for their families. Eventually, family reunification was allowed. These workers were not on time-limited contracts, so they stayed. While the parents often dreamed of returning home one day, their children grew up in Danish schools, integrated, and built lives.
When the parents reach retirement age, they face a dilemma: they can live well in Turkey on a partial Danish pension, but their children and grandchildren are in Denmark. 
They cannot enjoy the company or the traditional care of their children if they return to their homeland alone. Consequently, they stay.
"They should, of course, return home"
During a visit to Sweden, the Dalai Lama was asked what advice he would give to refugees once their home countries were safe again. To the journalist’s astonishment, he replied: "They should, of course, return home!"
However, if refugees live under the constant threat of being sent back, they may lack the security to pursue education, buy homes, or learn the language. They remain a cost to society rather than an asset.
There are few options left for encouraging repatriation. One is to make stay so unpleasant through legislation that people choose to leave for other countries. Another is through repatriation schemes—offering a "bag of money" to help someone resettle in their fatherland, perhaps with a trial period where they receive support from Denmark. It may ultimately be cheaper for taxpayers to spend 100,000 DKK on helping a person resettle where they feel they belong (with their "neighbors" and karmic group) than to support them through social transfers for the rest of their lives.
Historical Lessons and Legislation
European history has made authorities very cautious about how they treat ethnic minorities. Conventions often bind nations. While Denmark has signed UN agreements against discrimination based on gender or orientation, it has carefully avoided granting foreigners and refugees the same legal standing as citizens.
When mixed marriages and children are involved, things get complicated. Can one justify deporting a spouse on the grounds of "insufficient attachment to Denmark" when they have a child together? Such moves are rarely popular.
Danish immigration laws have tightened significantly over the years. To some, it feels as though the legislation is tripping over itself. For example, some parties want to encourage repatriation but then cut funding for mother-tongue education—which only makes it harder for the children to survive in their parents' home country.
How do we make sense of this "comedy"?
Imagine that these foreigners are coming from countries that have similarly restrictive immigration laws. The Danish legislation acts as a boomerang—a mirror reflection of old patterns. This is karmic retribution and balancing. It is happening now because it must be settled now, not in 50 years.
We can make this transition more comfortable by aligning ourselves with the "new stream"—a new way of thinking and relating to others. I truly hope for the best for all parties, that they may follow the cosmic flow and reach the other side.
What Can We Do About It?
When certain segments of the population strongly oppose immigration for various reasons, the debate risks becoming highly emotional. Some people get carried away. No one seems able to present objective arguments that are both understandable and acceptable to all parties. This can lead to new karmic entanglements between groups. Those most eager to enforce forced deportations—or worse—risk creating new karma that they may eventually have to balance.
There are several ways to achieve this balance. One way is to form a partnership with a person from a different ethnic group. Another is to assist another country in managing its challenges for a period. A third way is to actively engage with people of different ethnic backgrounds in a positive manner. A fourth way is to pray for all parties involved in these inter-ethnic conflicts—to be part of the solution, to assist in the transmutation of old karma, and to help guard a group's "heart flame."
The people involved in such conflicts (which, in practice, arguably includes almost all of us) must somehow find a way to untangle them. It is not without reason that certain religions hold "peace" as a cardinal virtue. In Africa, "brotherhood" may become the defining virtue that vast numbers of ethnic groups (3,000+) must eventually embrace and practice.
Perspectives on Video
Many years ago, I read about a child on a playground who allegedly said to another child who was bullying them: "Whatever you say about others, you are yourself!"
Here are a few Danish-language videos on the subject:
"Det man siger, er man selv!" (Whatever you say, you are!) – A children's song.
"Det du siger, er du selv!" (What you say is what you are) – Advice from a psychologist.
This is a profound thought in our current "woke" era, where the conversation revolves around racism, political incorrectness, microaggressions (which are often not so "micro" at all), blackfacing, and the mistreatment of those who are different from ourselves.
Interestingly, for one reason or another, no white people seem to object when dark-skinned people paint their faces white—let’s call it whitefacing. 🤔
Authored by Lars Laursen.
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