Authority in the View of Man: A Black Political Theory Paper

During the time after the revolutionary war while the colonists were laying the foundations for the United States and continuing as time progressed there have been African American thinkers who have analyzed the Euro/American white traditions in which they claim authority and supremacy. From selected readings there is evidence that the black thinkers saw the Euro/American white as hypocrites, and the black leaders of the time saw that they could not follow these Euro/American white traditions, but they had to find their own way, which is how they attempt to transcend the restrictions of the laws of the conventions found in the environment of this time and in this paper evidence is will be given to show that the idea to surpass the traditions follows the Adam II model of man in nature. Also the paper will compare Antigone and Nat Turner on their relationships with authority showing many similarities between them.

First, to identify authority it is necessary to look at Hannah Arendt, essay "What is Authority". Arendt says in her work: "Since authority always demands obedience, it is commonly mistaken for some form of power or violence. Yet, authority precludes the use of external means of coercion; where force is used, authority itself has failed." With Arendt analysis of authority one can conclude that the white slave masters were not true authority, because they used force and coercion on the slaves. In my thoughts, I think that many slaves did not see the white slave masters as an authority but as an oppressor, and that although their faith was taught by their oppressor, they still understood God and the authority of God. Hence how the black thinkers and leaders concluded that the Euro/American whites were hypocrites. David Walker presents this attitude in appeal saying:

"Indeed, the way in which religion was and is conducted by the Europeans and their descendants, one might believe it -was a plan fabricated by themselves and the devils to oppress us. But hark! My master has taught me better than to believe it- he has taught me that his gospel as it was preached by himself and his apostles remains the same, notwithstanding Europe has tried to mingle blood and oppression with it." (Walker 55). Is basically saying that the way in which the Euro/Americans were teaching Christianity as they enslaved black men and women they were causing Christianity to be false. With the same thinking in mind Richard Allen was able to separate from white Methodist to create the A.M.E church. Because through the actions of whites they appeared a hypocrites, preaching that all men were created equal, but black men did not have this natural right or other natural rights, because white men had force (not authority) that kept blacks in this condition. Richard Allen's separation in response to flawed preaching by whites is one way in which the man in the society has looked at the restriction of the laws in the traditions and has tried to get over the restrictions to live based on a religion he could preach though truthfully and not half way. Hypocrisy can be seen with the clergy men that Martin Luther King Jr. was responding to. If they were battling the same thing he was battling and they saw the injustice that was occurring then why would they speak against what he was doing in response to the injustice. His idea of civil disobedience is a way in which man can be shown in attempt to rise above the restrictions of the traditions. The tradition or conventions in place were what Walker, Allen, and King were trying to rise above. The thinking that had developed in religion and they new that true authority was God and that if you believed in Christianity that you followed the bible correctly. Taking away freedom and equality goes against the bible and God the authority. But these leaders did not think of the possibility that blacks should have a different God from Whites, Elijah Muhammad's thinking goes further to introduce a new God and new way to think for black people, which has probably been the greatest example of how man has attempted to transcend above the laws of conventions. Explained in both Dr. Wright's essay and Muhammad's work it is explained the Muhammad saw that there was God for blacks and that there was reasoning for the ignorance of the black man and how the evil whites were developed. This thinking gives authority to blacks and also for blacks to recognize the knowledge of self. He also shows how the black man lost himself and if he knows how he lost himself he should be able to figure a way to find himself once again. And as the black leaders discussed early, Muhammad saw that Christianity was knowledge of deception, but he saw that Islam was knowledge of self.

This all follows the Adam II model, because each leader was trying to grow from the thinking that was taught by the oppressor and move into a place that which they could expand the thinking. All have shown that there was a history involved especially Muhammad, who explained a history far from the traditions. They all were trying in to serve God without hypocrisy that left them in an Adam I position of waiting for the white men, who claim to have authority, to tell them what to do. The same can be seen in both the story of Antigone and the Confession of Nat Turner.

In the story of Antigone, the main character Antigone explains her traditions basically saying that she is to serve the Gods and not the laws developed by humans. Also there is major concern for those who die. In order for the spirit to rest there should be a proper burial.

Antigone says:
"but I will bury him: well for me to die in doing that. I shall rest, a loved one with him whom I have loved, sinless in my crime; for I owe a longer allegiance to the dead than to the living: in that world I shall abide for ever. But if thou wilt, be guilty of dishonouring laws which the gods have stablished in honour."

Nat Turner had a huge belief in prophetic Christian beliefs. He always felt compelled to fulfill the purpose of his life that or calling of his life told to him by God through the spirit. Nat Turner says in his Confessions:

"Now finding I had arrived to man's estate, and was a slave, and these revelations being made known to me, I began to direct my attention to this great object, to fulfill the purpose for which, by this time, I felt assured I was intended. Knowing the influence I had obtained over the minds of my fellow servants, (not by the means of conjuring and such like tricks - for to them I always spoke of such things with contempt) but by the communion of the Spirit whose revelations I often communicated to them, and they believed and said my wisdom came from God."

Nat Turner also talked about a time in which he ran away, but returned saying:"But the reason of my return was, that the Spirit appeared to me and said I had my wishes directed to the things of this world, and not to the kingdom of Heaven, and that I should return to the service of my earthly master - 'For he who knoweth his Master's will, and doeth it not, shall be beaten with many stripes, and thus have I chastened you.'"

This shows just as in Antigone, that he has a great belief in God and the divine laws. He went back to a state of enslavement to for God, until further notice of his purpose.

Antigone and Nat Turner are tragic heroes who are following what they believe is the right thing to do as faithful believers in God or in Antigone's case the Gods. Also Antigone and Nat Turner are both oppressed, but it different ways. It is clear that Nat Turner was oppressed due to his status as a slave as were many blacks at this time. Antigone was oppressed because she had not only lost some status as royalty due to previous tragedies that discusses her father's and mother's deaths she was also a women. Her sister, Ismene says in response to Antigone's plan to bury their brother: "We twain are left alone, and if we brave the king's decree, an unhappy death awaits us. Weak women such as we cannot strive with men; rather were it seemly to bow to those that are stronger than ourselves. The dead, who lie below, will deal leniently with us, as forced to yield." This acknowledges that they were weak and shouldn't go against the King. Nat Turner and Antigone saw that the people who oppressed them were not the authorities of their lives. They both knew that authority was divine as Hannah Arenth explains in "What is authority"; saying that authority is not Man made but it is given in divine law or natural law. Also as Dr. Wright explained in his Essay "Elijah Muhammad's Political Thought on God and Authority, like David Walker and Richard Allen, Antigone and Nat Turner did not think they had different gods from those who oppressed them but they felt that those who oppressed were hypocrites. Also what was similar between Antigone and Nat Turner was that they were trying to liberate people. Antigone was trying to liberate her brother's spirit and Nat Turner was trying to liberate slaves.
Although Turner was in the Adam I model waiting for the spirit to speak to him and prayed waiting on God's purpose for him, knew that the place in which he was and other slaves were that the had to be a change, but he also knew his history was always prophetic and he was always close in the relationship with God. Though, he waited for commands. Whereas Antigone knew what her Gods would want and proceed to take care of the situation without hesitation, which is related to Adam II.