"From the Arabs to the Indians to the Chinese, Black people have been used as pawns in struggles that were never their own. Yet, the history of Black people's plea to simply be treated as human beings on this planet is nothing but a series of betrayals."

 A History of Betrayal: Black People and the Global Fight for Justice

It’s time for those who’ve stood by, apathetic or complicit, to realize that without justice for Black people, there can be no true justice for anyone.

Since the beginning of history, Black people have fought for justice and equality alongside every other group. Yet, time and time again, they have been used, betrayed, and discarded by those who should have stood in solidarity. Whether by Arabs, Indians, Chinese, or Western powers, Black people have consistently been exploited in the pursuit of others’ interests. Once the storm passes, once the battle has been won, Black people are often cast aside—forgotten, ignored, and dismissed.

The recent comments of figures like Vivek Ramaswamy, whose Freudian slip exposed his disdain for Western culture, serve as yet another glaring reminder of this betrayal. Ramaswamy, an Indian-American businessman and politician, may not be “white” in the sense of traditional Anglo-Saxon identity, but his comments about Western culture—a culture that has historically oppressed and marginalized Black people—reveal the hidden truths about power, identity, and betrayal. He may never be fully embraced by the white Anglo-Saxon Protestant (WASP) elite, but in his attempt to distance himself from Black people, he plays the same game of exclusion and derision. His rhetoric is a cruel reminder that even when some people of color rise to power, they often do so by aligning themselves with the oppressors, forgetting the history of exploitation and suffering of Black people.

Vivek Ramaswamy isn’t the first to betray his Black counterparts. From the Arabs to the Indians to the Chinese, Black people have been used as pawns in struggles that weren’t their own. When European and Arab slave traders teamed up, Arabs played as much a part in the selling of Black bodies as the West. Many of the enslavers, in fact, shared features with the people they enslaved. Yet, Islam, which is often hailed as a faith of equality, turned a blind eye to slavery, even though it could have been a force for liberation. The Crusades also saw Black men fighting alongside the forces of Christendom, like Saint Maurice, whose legacy has been all but erased by history. These are just a few examples of how Black people have been used to further the goals of others—while being discarded the moment the fight was over.

One of the most painful betrayals in this long history is the way certain political figures, like Priti Patel, have publicly displayed disdain for the very people who their ancestors once relied on for survival. Patel, a British politician of Indian descent, has shown nothing but apathy—or worse, outright hostility—towards African people, all while being the beneficiary of the struggles of those who came before her. Priti Patel’s ability to dismiss Black people’s struggles in favor of white conservatism only underscores the hypocrisy at play in the global fight for justice.

The world continues to witness these betrayals at every level. Whether through apathy, outright hate, or calculated political maneuvering, it is evident that no matter the group, Black people are often left standing alone after the fight is over.

This history is more than just a series of unfortunate events—it speaks to something far deeper. It is not merely conditioning; it is a genetic flaw in how history has been shaped. The “two mothers” story from King Solomon’s wisdom comes to mind: two women fight over a child, each claiming to be its mother, but only one is willing to sacrifice for the child’s well-being. It is not just about what is fair, but who truly has the heart to protect and honor what is right.

From the time of ancient slave trades to the modern-day political and economic systems, Black people have been exploited and betrayed by those who claim solidarity. No group—be it Arabs, Asians, or Western powers—has proven to be consistently loyal or truly committed to justice for Black people. It is a history that continues to repeat itself, one that should leave us asking: when will Black people stop being the sacrificial lambs, the pawns, in other people's games?

It’s time for those who’ve stood by, apathetic or complicit, to realize that without justice for Black people, there can be no true justice for anyone.

Examples of Betrayal Throughout History:

• Arab Slave Trade: While the West is often blamed for the Transatlantic Slave Trade, the Arab world was responsible for the largest slave trade in human history, lasting over a millennium, and enslaving millions of Africans. Despite their apparent solidarity with Black people through shared religious traditions, many Arabs actively participated in the oppression of their African counterparts, betraying any true sense of unity.

• Indian Betrayal: Figures like Vivek Ramaswamy, who attack Western culture but align themselves with the same forces of power that oppress Black people, reflect the deep-rooted betrayal within communities of color. The Indian community’s role in the slave trade and its continued apathy towards Black struggles should be critically examined. Ramaswamy’s political rhetoric reveals how even those who have suffered from their own forms of oppression can turn against the very people who have fought alongside them in the struggle for justice.

• The Crusades: Forgotten figures like Saint Maurice, a Black Crusader, remind us that Black people have often been on the front lines of wars and struggles they did not start, only to have their contributions erased or diminished in history. The Crusades, which were supposedly waged for religious freedom, involved Black soldiers fighting for a cause that had little regard for their welfare or their rights.

• Priti Patel’s Hypocrisy: As a woman of Indian descent, Priti Patel has shown disdain for African people in her political career, despite benefiting from the struggles of those who fought for her family’s place in Britain. Her actions reflect a broader pattern of people of color who, once they rise to power, distance themselves from the very communities that helped them get there.

• Cecil Rhodes – A British imperialist and businessman, Rhodes' legacy is built on the back of African exploitation, particularly in Southern Africa. As the founder of the De Beers diamond company, Rhodes extracted wealth from Africa's natural resources while simultaneously creating apartheid-like policies that kept Black people in a state of subjugation. His belief in white supremacy was unwavering, and his actions laid the foundation for racial segregation and exploitation that endured for generations. Rhodes’ legacy is a bitter reminder of how Africa’s wealth was stolen to fund the imperial ambitions of the West, and his enduring influence continues to fuel racial inequality today.

• Winston Churchill – A revered British Prime Minister, Churchill played a pivotal role in shaping Western politics. Yet, his attitudes towards Africa and its people were steeped in deep racism. He viewed African nations and their people as inferior, and his policies as colonial secretary during the early 20th century led to the exploitation of African labor and resources. Churchill’s indifference to the plight of African nations, particularly in times of famine and crisis, and his steadfast belief in the superiority of the British Empire, only add to the long history of betrayal and neglect of Black people by those in power.

• King Leopold II of Belgium – While not a Westerner in the traditional sense of being British or American, Leopold II’s actions are a clear example of how a European monarch benefitted massively from the exploitation of African people. His personal ownership of the Congo Free State resulted in the brutal exploitation of millions of Africans who were forced to work under horrific conditions. Millions died, and yet Leopold’s atrocities were initially covered up or downplayed by the European powers of the time. After extracting unimaginable wealth from the Congo, Leopold maintained an iron grip on the land, and his legacy is still one of the darkest chapters in the history of African colonization.

• Donald Trump – The former U.S. president’s history of racist rhetoric and actions stands in stark contrast to his business dealings, which were deeply entangled with the exploitation of Black communities. From his real estate business, where he was accused of racial discrimination in housing practices, to his comments about African countries being “shithole” nations, Trump’s views on race have been consistently exclusionary. His presidency highlighted the ongoing betrayal of Black Americans, whose labor and struggles have been co-opted by a system that continues to marginalize them in favor of the elite few.

• Vivek Ramaswamy – While an Indian-American, Ramaswamy’s comments reflect how even those from marginalized groups can betray their own allies in the struggle for justice. As an outspoken critic of Western culture, especially in his views on identity, Ramaswamy’s rhetoric has been marked by a dismissal of the Black struggle in favor of a capitalist-driven agenda. His refusal to acknowledge systemic racism in favor of personal advancement mirrors the broader betrayal of Black people by those who rise to power but refuse to use their position to fight for true equity and justice for all marginalized communities.

• The British Royal Family – The monarchy's wealth has been built, in part, on colonial exploitation, including the transatlantic slave trade, and the extraction of resources from Africa and the Caribbean. Their refusal to fully acknowledge or make reparations for the harms caused continues the cycle of betrayal.

• Thomas Jefferson – As one of the Founding Fathers of the United States, Jefferson profited from the labor of enslaved Africans, yet his personal writings were steeped in white supremacist ideals, and his views on race contributed to the systemic oppression of Black people for centuries after his time.

• George Washington – The first president of the United States, Washington was a slave owner and benefitted directly from the forced labor of African people, even while promoting ideals of liberty and freedom. His actions and legacy have long been criticized for perpetuating a system of racial inequality.

• Andrew Jackson – As a U.S. president, Jackson was responsible for implementing policies that led to the forced removal of Native Americans, yet his strong support for slavery and his role in expanding the institution only deepened the exploitation of Black people in the American South.

• Margaret Thatcher – The British Prime Minister’s policies towards Black and African communities, particularly in her support for apartheid South Africa and her refusal to impose sanctions, highlight how her government benefitted from maintaining systems that oppressed Black people.

• Henry Morton Stanley – An explorer who profited from exploiting Africa’s resources and people during the colonization of the Congo, Stanley's actions helped facilitate the mass exploitation and deaths of countless Africans under the rule of King Leopold II of Belgium.

• Christopher Columbus – His voyages to the Americas initiated the brutal colonization of the Caribbean and the exploitation of African slaves to work the sugar plantations, which directly led to the enslavement of millions of Africans. Despite being hailed as a hero, Columbus’ actions were deeply harmful to Black and Indigenous communities.

• Henry Kissinger – The U.S. Secretary of State’s policies in Africa during his tenure, particularly his support for apartheid South Africa and dictatorial regimes, were designed to maintain Western geopolitical control, while turning a blind eye to the suffering of Black communities.

• These are just a few more figures whose actions either directly or indirectly led to the exploitation of African people, and whose later attitudes or policies displayed a disturbing disregard for the struggles and humanity of Black people.

• The broader scope of these betrayals spans across centuries and continues to this day. The history of Black people’s fight for justice is riddled with such betrayal.