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Monday, June 30, 2014

Pure Truth




The Republicans advancing imperial wars, tax breaks for select corporations, gerrymandering, voter suppression laws, eliminating environmental regulations, fake ads/billboards, austerity, refusing to expose the system of white supremacy (we know many of these extremist Tea Party members ally with neo-Confederates), refusing to expand health care for humanity, etc. are disgraceful. That is why we as black people need to be political Independents. We can take solace in the fact that we will never be like them (or the racists and reactionaries). We believe in justice for our people. We believe in expressing the ideals of excellence, mutual respect, and the love of Africa as we are of black African descent. Our destiny lies in the growth of our communities and the establishment of a society where civil liberties are truly honored. We seek for ourselves and our posterity the same things that our ancestors fought for (which deals with freedom, justice, and equality). Not to mention that we express compassion for the poor and we greatly believe in economic justice. We are an international people and there is nothing wrong with having a great understanding of not only things going on in America, but empathizing with our people who exist in the four corners of the world. The words of Ida B. Wells, Fannie Lou Hamer, Malcolm X. Dr. King, Marcus Garvey, WEB DuBois, and so many other Brothers and Sisters ring true today. When we have faith and use proactive action, then solutions can flourish. I respect so many human beings in the world that are fighting for the truth (they know who they are). These racists failed at Appomattox, we defeated them in the many slave revolts globally, we won many victories in America, and we will win in the end. Obviously, the Tea Party is filled with extremists, neo-Confederates, and demagogues. People have the right to disagree and oppose the agenda of the Tea Party. I thank God that I will never ally with them at all. More and more Black people should be angry at the War on Drugs, misogyny (since when a people disrespect women, they are disrespecting all genders too), the evils of colorism, self-hatred, and the nefarious corporate system exploiting the lives of black people. People have the right to be angry at injustice and to ACT in a proactive fashion, so the masses of black people can improve their own lives. I am not worried about the haters since the haters not only can't stand the truth. The truth is not in them. We have a lot of work to do, but doing the work is so much more important than distractions. True unity in our people along with fighting injustice are quintessential concepts that are necessary for our real liberation. I am not going anywhere and we will continue to express our ideals and to adhere to the excellent, authentic values that our elders and families love.



First, the right to vote is a human right. It must be protected. The NAACP has made errors. Back in the day, many of their leadership supported the unjust Vietnam War and some in their leadership have been too moderate (or bourgeois. Some NAACP has done some good over the years too). Now, regardless of the issues folks have with the NAACP, voting suppression efforts are real. Many Voter ID laws restrict the days where human beings can vote, limit the places where citizens can vote, and use other reactionary measures. That is real and has been documented by credible scholars. Many federal courts have struck down some voter ID laws as well. So, we need to discuss about these issues. One weakness of the NAACP is that they need to be more revolutionary. Some want our families to be improved upon (there should be more unity among families. We need to improve our morality. More men and more women should stand up for what is right. A man has every right to express his manhood and a woman should never be ashamed of her womanhood either. We need to be upright and stand up for honesty) and I have no issues with that. Yet, that is not enough. We need political action also to address unemployment, poverty, and other real issues. That means that workers must be treated right (& have a living wage), that the poor should have power & justice. Health and educational problems ought to be addressed. That means that we should not support imperialist policies or neo-liberal economic extremism. Voting should be part of a larger program that ought to address the needs and aspirations of black people. Advancing voting rights is fine, but voting rights alone can never totally liberate us. Folks can Google the stories of Dorothy Cooper, Willie Mims, etc. to see that the struggle continues. It is a shame that the rights of these human beings have been violated. A solution resolves around a cogent plan. We have to organize and mobilize as a means for us to advance our socio-political interests as human beings. Also, we have to assert our political independence. We should not bow down to the Democrats or the Republicans. An elephant or a donkey should not own us. We own ourselves. Standing up for ourselves doesn't cost a penny. There is nothing wrong with self-determination either (i.e. building up own institutions as a means for us to address the needs of our people is a common sense action). Freedom, justice, and equality means that racial oppression and class oppression ought to abolished. We want Africa to be free too. We have the right to think for ourselves.


Both parties have been disgraceful. Also, John Boehner has been very hypocritical. He has not been doing his job in advocating real solutions that can help the Americans. Boehner is apparently afraid of the Tea Party base instead of being a true independent and condemn the massive folly which exists profoundly in both of the major political parties. He has not advocated an end to the war on terror (yet, he loves the Patriot Act and policies that represent a neo-imperialist agenda). He has blatantly been responsible for the austerity policies that have caused havoc in our economic system. He has not called even for a slight increase in the minimum wage that most Americans enthusiastically support. He refuses to expose the nefarious deeds of the NSA and he has not advocated affordable, quality health for all Americans universally. He only promotes the status quo. We have to be reminded of important issues. Our health is very important to protect. I am glad that the innocent black man was not falsely imprisoned in Ferndale. Also, we have to deal with issues of stop and frisk (including other matters that relate to our civil liberties. The opposition to unreasonable searches and seizures means something). Like always, we should grow, continue to learn, inspire people, and have love for our people including Africa. Africa is our ancestral homeland. Also, our elders back in the day opposed colonialism and imperialism, so we should continue on with expressing disagreement with any neo-liberal imperialist policies in the world (without equivocation). Dangerous diseases are serious. Black men should receive physicals regularly as a means for people to possibly identify diseases early on. Also, they can inspire people to improve their health more. Being diagnosed sooner of diseases like colon cancer can make all of the difference. Exercise and eating healthy correlate into better physical vitality and greater emotional strength as well. We have to eliminate poisons and to eat more fruits & vegetables. There should be more awareness about colon cancer in the black community. Sheriff Arpaio is an enemy of liberty loving peoples. He has violated the law and federal courts have condemned many of his actions as illegal. He has supported the wickedness of the War on Drugs (he enforces those laws and he easily publicly condemn those federal laws, but he doesn't. Also, the War on Drugs influences local and state policies, which he can condemn), which people from across the political spectrum has opposed. He has been pictured with a Neo-Nazi (as proven by the article writer Stephen Lemons. The Neo-Nazi has left that movement). He enforces the law and he can refuse to enforce them via resignation in protest of unjust laws. He doesn't. That is why we have every right to condemn the War on Drugs, and any evil. We have the right to stand up for justice for real. He is a hypocrite by claiming to express respect for the law when his policies are all about advancing reactionary evils.


Robin Thicke has a bizarre video called “Get Her Back.” The video is self-explanatory. In the video, Robin Thicke wants to get Paula Patton back in a desperate plea. Robin cheated on his wife and Paula has left him for real. Time will tell what will happen, but Robin is pleading to her to take him back. The video deals with the themes of desperate and even death. The imagery of the video is disturbing. The video shows the story of a stalker with violent plus suicidal tendencies, who harasses his ex-lover. Robin Thicke is well known for his performance with Miley Cyrus where he fondled her when he is married (the couple divorced a few months ago). He did this in the 2013 VMAs. His new album is entitled, “Paula.” The music video is bizarre, emotional, and it shows many messages. Many artists like Robin Thicke promote the mixture of art, music, love, and relationships with sick, twisted, and debased messages including imagery. The song talks about how he or Robin Thicke should have never raised his voice and should have done better actions in his life. The video sows images that could be actual text messages between Thicke and Patton. Robin Thicke shows his faced as bloody. We don’t know exactly why he did it. The video continues with many “positive” words mixed with images of evil and violence. The industry in real life deals with double speech, deceit, semi-subliminal messages, and evil. The words “I’m sorry” in the video with a shady figure looking to claw someone to death. The video has a person with a mask and a devil face flashing for a section. These images exist to appeal to the subconscious mind. There are images of death and a woman drowning while fighting for her life. The video is about the desperation of a man seeking to reunite with his ex-lover. The video has much mind control imagery, images of death, and a sense of creepiness. Many of Robin Thicke’s videos and performances deal recently with either degrading women or acting desperate towards women. Obviously, the video is not a true representation of love. Love is about moving forward, peace, holiness, life, and peace. We don’t need an Eyes Wide Shut situation in the world. We need relationships filled with altruism, love, peace, and human justice.


This article entitled, "Lupita Nyong'o and the Media's Conditional Fascination with Black Beauty" is very excellent. People should read this article, because it discusses issues that totally outline the truth about true beauty. Lupita Nyong’o is a very talented and beautiful Sister. Also, we have to allow the Sister to grow. Some folks want Lupita to fulfill their expectations. No, she should fulfill her own expectations and fulfill her own dreams. She is an individual and she is part of the collective beauty of black women in general. Like always, everybody should reject colorism and fetishism which unfortunately exist in the world (Hollywood have advanced those 2 evils for decades. That is why Brothers and Sisters have stood up against the injustices in the world, so future generations can exist in the better world in the future). Lupita did the right thing in giving an excellent speech in expressing opposition to the evil of colorism. I do believe in solidarity among black people in the world. We need more unity as black people since more UNITY EQUALS INTO MORE STRENGTH AS A PEOPLE. Dark skinned black women should be respected and treated with dignity just like all human beings should be treated. Her career is bright and I wish the best for her. She is a role model for Sisters and all women globally. The only way that we can find solutions is by discussing about these issues relating to race and diversity (and using policies that address issues too. Some have made the great point before that either we have to deal with other fairly as human beings or society will fall apart.. There is strength and power when we respect each other, work together, and proactively establish solutions. Decency is a great ideal to follow as well). We have to express true understanding about each other and respect the cultures of the world. Many people are absolutely right that the Republicans and the Democrats are funded by the same corporate elites. For a long time, both parties have advanced imperialism, neo-liberalism (people have the right to express compassion to the poor since austerity has harmed the lives of the poor. There is no sin in fighting against record income inequality too. Income inequality is real and I want those who deny it to come to the faces of the poor and homeless and say that income inequality is nonsense. The same ones that try to lecture to us refuse to advocate revolutionary solutions as a means to handle poverty. It is just to believe in human justice as Dr. King, Malcolm X, Ida B. Wells, Ella Baker, and the rest of our real heroes have advocated too), bad trade deals, the War on Drugs, NSA warrantless spying, etc. We have the right to assert our own political independence. Not to mention that our soldiers like Patrice Lumumba, the old school BPP, etc. wanted economic justice too. So, folks who try to mock real causes for freedom and liberation are completely wrong. Our people shed blood in opposition to the military industrial complex, legal apartheid (here & abroad), class exploitation, human civil liberty violations, and neo-colonialism. Only a traitor would ally with neo-Confederates (who are nothing more than protofascists) ideologically and politically. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. died for the rights of sanitation workers in Memphis, Tennessee. Even Malcolm X questioned capitalism and died for the liberation of Africa. I follow these men ideologically beyond the views of neo-Confederates. Edud, keep up the great work and you have made it perfectly clear that you are not a Democrat or a Republican (yet, ignorant people seem to forget that. Others including me have exposed the evils of the Democrats and the Republicans for years. I have written and voiced my opposition to both parties for a long time). We are political Independents. We are not reactionaries. We are revolutionaries. All of this information is documented. We are above the propaganda from reactionaries and sheeple. I have no problem with the late Brother Chokwe Lumumba's advocacy of economic cooperatives too. Chokwe Lumumba was a real political Independent (not a pro-Tea Party extremist). RIP Chokwe Lumumba. Communities need unique solutions. Corporate personhood should be banned, there is nothing wrong with environmental improvement, and black people have every right to build up their institutions & support their own interests.


By Timothy

Friday, June 27, 2014

Friday News in late June of 2014

Also, the Eyes of the Prize series is an excellent documentary series too. I saw it when I was in elementary school during the early 1990's. If we don't learn lessons from the past, we could repeat the mistakes of the past. The crimes of racist white folks are wicked. Bigotry, racism, etc. are sicknesses and evils that people have the right to confront. Any racist is wrong. Kennedy had to wake up. Kennedy at first was a strong Cold Warrior. He was a moderate. Events in Birmingham and in other places caused him to wise up (by 1963) and realize that people have the right to have full equality now. Racism is based on hypocrisy. The racists glamorize Jim Crow segregation, but they forcibly used Africans in their own infrastructures. Forced segregation is immoral. Jim Crow is immoral, because its rules violated human rights and it restricted the economic & political rights among black people. I have no issue with independence and liberation, but I reject Jim Crow segregation completely. Our people were fighting for freedom and liberation. HUMAN RIGHTS ARE SUPERIOR TO STATES' RIGHTS. That is why it is so important for human beings to learn about the past and to act righteously in the present, so a better future can exist. Kwame Ture (formerly Stokley Carmichael) wanted to advocate self-defense. He believed in confronting evil by using direct resistance. He was the bridge between Dr. Malcolm X and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. He, like Dr. King, had great experience in working in non-violent civil rights groups. Like Malcolm X, he believed in self-defense and viewed nonviolence as a tactic, but not something that people should follow unconditionally. There is nothing immoral about fighting back at all. Another great lesson that the Brother Kwame Ture taught us was about the love of Africa. He said that we are Africans irrespective of where we live in the Earth. He was right. We love Africa a great deal. In the final analysis, we are all of Black African descent. The BPP worked to advance self-defense, free health care clinics, free breakfast centers for children, and self-determination. Kwame Ture was a member temporarily of the BPP. He left by 1969 as a means for him to advance Pan-Africanism. Many human beings (including my friend Courtney) are absolutely right that the wisdom and strength of Dr. King, Malcolm X, and the BPP were about us watching our backs (and to seek social development in our communities). These people were not irrational. They were reacting to centuries of oppression, which is normal. These human beings were fighting for their humanity and dignity. The Eyes of the Prize (which was more comprehensive than the CNN documentary obviously) did came on the PBS channel. The Eyes of the Prize series has inspired humanity in many ways. Numerous people have to wake up and see that racism is immoral and only justice can fully address the needs of the people.



This action is totally wrong. The war on terror is filled with contradictions. The Western elite claims (in justify imperial plunder, neo-colonialism, and the economic exploitation of resources globally) that they are battling al-Qaeda, but this $500 million package will aid al-Qaeda related terrorists in Syria (which ironically the West is funding). The Western elite have aided such terrorists in Libya and throughout the Middle East. Back decades ago, the U.S. military industrial complex has funded the mujahedeen including the Taliban too. These Syrian rebels are not moderate. That’s laughable. These rebels (who are linked to ISIS) have killed Shias, Christians, Sunnis, and other people (in Syria) that oppose their barbarism including terrorism. The military industrial complex grows while our domestic responsibilities are further ignored. Our people have expressed the anti-imperialist spirit and we must continue in that spirit now, in the future, and forever as Brothers and Sisters. That is why I disagree with imperialism 100 percent. What is needed is a political solution including the end of the war on terror. There are a lot of job creation programs, infrastructure development plans, etc. that can be used with $500 million. We need revolutionary solutions. The most important truth is that the child is safe (In New Orleans). I am glad about that. The criminals should be found and greatly punished for their numerous nefarious deeds. The father made many bad choices. He should have never left the key in the car with a child in the car (when the door was unlocked). The father can easily carry the child with him to and from the gas station area. This story reminds us that life is precious and you have to use wise decision making as it pertains to everyday life. Yes, water is a very precious resource. Water rates’ increasing into record levels in Detroit is truly a disgrace and an injustice to the people of Detroit. I have been researching how many multinational corporations want to exploit water resources internationally too. The situation in Detroit has been in the making for long decades. There has been not only deindustrialization, but we have witnessed some big banks exploiting Detroit resources (via unaffordable mortgages) for years too. The democratic rights in Detroit have been compromised when select managers control a large part of the political systems of Detroit too. Some people have a wicked mind and they want to use vicious language instead of constructive ideals to explain the problem. Part of it deals with the struggling infrastructure found in the city of Detroit. Water has great value. Without it, we won't survive literally. Some of the water systems have been planned to be privatized. There have been many water shutoffs too. Obviously, this situation is an emergency. Even the United Nations have issued a statement that the shutoff of water to thousands of residents of the city of Detroit is wrong. “Disconnection of water services because of failure to pay due to lack of means constitutes a violation of the human right to water and other international human rights,” the statement read. It was signed by three representatives of the UN’s Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights: an anti-poverty advocate from Canada, and law professors from Colombia and the United States. The OCHCR deals with violations of human rights, torture, capital punishment, racial oppression, the abuse of women plus children, mass starvation, epidemics plus the social consequences of flood, drought, and other natural disasters. Their reports heavily deal with problems in many nations of Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Detroit has been harmed by many complex factors. Detroit was once a huge hub of manufacturing. Shutting off people from water has been part of the restructuring of Detroit after it filed for bankruptcy. Emergency Manager Kevyn Orr controls a great deal of the policies of Detroit. The Detroit Water and Sewerage Department began mass disconnection of water services from households more than two months behind on their bills—owing as little as $150. More than 7,500 homes have been disconnected. Some speculate that this action could affect 150,000 customers or nearly half the households in the city. Many have fallen behind on water bills under conditions of widespread poverty, unemployment, and cutbacks in food stamps, unemployment compensation and other forms of aid. According to the water department, two-thirds of those cut off service pay their bills within 48 hours. This does not mean, as city officials claim, that these are people who would not, rather than could not, pay their bills. It only means that under threat of shutoff, money that would have gone to pay rent or utilities, buy food, or keep a car running to get to a low-paid job, went instead to keep the water on. Living without water means that you can’t shower, cook a meal, wash your hand, or use a toilet. This is a disgrace in America. Running water has prevented diseases like cholera and dysentery. The decline of capitalism is shown by the problems in Detroit. People’s pensions, health benefits, and other assets of the city have been dismantled. Big banks have increased their power. Resources have been privatized too.






I am a political Independent, so I realize the errors made by both parties. There are other nations that ended slavery completely before America. Haiti abolished slavery in 1804. Greece abolished slavery in 1822. Serbia abolished slavery in 1835. So, the reactionaries who worship the GOP are in error. Jingoistic patriotism is folly to me. Many reactionaries don't like my views, but I will never back down. The Republican Party even in the 19th century was divided in different factions. Many Republicans did not agree with eliminate emancipation of slaves. In the final analysis, it took mass struggle to inspire change throughout human history. The JBSs have slandered civil rights heroes as Communists and even falsely called a Republican President Eisenhower as sympathizing with Communist interests. The JBSs even slandered a center-left President like JFK as a pro-Communist. The mistakes of the Democrats are well known. There is no justification for them and reactionary extremists can’t cite a single word where I justify the errors of any Democrat at all. The Democrats supporting Jim Crow policies were reactionaries who loved states’ rights and believed in the violation of the human rights of black people. Their economic views were heavily conservative or pro-corporate elite. By the 1960’s, the Dixiecrats in high numbers went into the Republican Party. The Republican Party instituted the Southern Strategy, the War on Drugs, the Iraq War, supply side economics in a high level, etc. which harmed American society in many ways. Income inequality is not a fallacy. Scholarly reports show that income inequality is real. Between 2009 and 2012, total US income grew by 6 percent, according to an updated study by economists Emmanuel Saez and Thomas Piketty. However, 95 percent of this growth went to the top 1 percent. For the bulk of the population, real incomes have fallen sharply. There are other studies like this. Folks, who don't care about the poor, should tell that fallacy of income inequality propaganda lie to the poor, to the homeless, and to those suffering. I never said that all income should be equal. I do believe in mechanisms and regulations to improve the lives of the people like an increase minimum wage, eliminating unfair corporate loopholes, a guaranteed annual income, etc. Also, wealth has been unfairly redistributed from the poor to the wealthy for eons. People like me want wealth to be fairly redistributed. There must be a change in the system and in the overall structure. Yes, it must a revolutionary change.



There has been an increase of the profits of the military industrial complex. We realize that the two major beneficiaries of the two major wars launched by the U.S. government have been domestic and foreign. Lockheed Martin (LMT), Northrop Grumman (NOG), and Raytheon (RTN) have delivered record shattering returns to their investors, CEOs, and investment banks during the past 15 years. The West has benefited economically from the war on terror. Israeli government leaders have used the war on terror as a means to expand its territory, dispossessed Palestinians, and continue their regional hegemon. Iraq before the 2003 invasion was a major Palestinian ally. The invasion allowed cover for the Israeli settler expansion in occupied Palestinian territories. The Iraq War allowed Western forces (and its allies) to destroy Iraq’s armed forces and civil infrastructure. Iraq has damaged before of such events. U.S. occupation has removed one of Israel’s regional rivals. The cost of the war on terror has caused thousands of U.S. soldiers to die including millions of civilians. Many soldiers unfortunately suffer severe physical and mental injuries. Some soldiers have committed suicide. The whole situation has cost us trillions of dollars. The military industrial complex still want us to embrace a wartime economy. The Pentagon’s budget is in record highs. This reality has harmed or undermined the domestic social safety net and standard of living of numerous nations (including America). There are new conflicts in Syria, Iraq, Ukraine, Libya, etc. According to a recent study by Morgan Stanley (cited in Barron’s, 6/9/14, p. 19), shares in the major US arms manufacturers have risen 27,699% over the past fifty years versus 6,777% for the broader market. In the past three years alone, Raytheon has returned 124%, Northrup Grumman 114% and Lockheed Martin 149% to their investors. The current administration continues to aid this system by give emergency supplemental funds to cover the costs of these wars. In this new generation, proxy wars are common. The military industrial complex has worked with the neo-conservatives and liberal interventionists too. The extremists even feel that President Obama must bomb Syria and refuse to allow the withdrawal of troops from Iraq and Afghanistan. Also, the veterans deserve their health care and benefits too. The issue is that veteran health care costs are expected to double. One reason for this is the closure of scores of Veterans Administration hospitals and a reduction in retiree benefits, using the pretext of fighting fraud, incompetence and poor quality service compared with the ‘private sector’. The same corporate warlords and lobbyists who clamor to send US troops to back to Iraq and to new wars in Syria and Ukraine, where young lives, limbs and sanity are at great risk, are also in the forefront of a fight to slash funding for the veterans’ medical care. The corporate warlords are urging Congress to increase co-pays, enrollment fees and deductibles for veterans, retirees and active duty personnel enrolled in military health insurance plans, such as Tricare, as well as limiting access to the VA. So, real people are desiring social justice not war. We need health services for veterans, etc. not record corporate profits that assist the military industrial complex.


People know the truth about Hillary Clinton. She has allied with the establishment for decades. She has received millions of dollars in speeches all over (with as high as being paid 200,000 dollars for a speech). In the fifteen months since Clinton left office as Secretary of State, she has made over $5 million in speaking fees, putting her squarely within the top 0.1 percent of income earners. She has spoken in favor of the interests of the CFR. Wall Street bankers and even Boeing have funded her. She obviously agrees with the policies of the military industrial complex (which has brutalized people of color including other people in multiple continents). She is very hawkish by voting for the invasion of Iraq, she supported the NATO bombing in Libya, and she agreed with the troop surge in Afghanistan. Imperialism (especially under the guise of so-called "humanitarianism") is wrong in any form. So, folks know the truth. Also, I don't believe that she should be disrespected. Any evil or sexist remark about Hillary Clinton should be repudiated, but people have the right to disagree with her in a rational fashion. Dr. King, Malcolm X, Fannie Lou Hamer, and Kwame Nkrumah are right. Each of them believed that we must end racism and class oppression. They taught us that we can never be free unless all of the Third World is liberated from poverty and imperialism (as also said by Sister Assata Shakur). Small businesses existing to solve problems are fine. Yet, that is not enough. There must be a massive structural change in society and there ought to be a radical redistribution of economic & political power, so all people can be assisted (including the poor and the working class). The poor needs power. Corporate power must be confronted and we have to condemn labor exploitation. The hypocrisy of a society advancing "socialism" for the rich and rugged free enterprise capitalism for the poor is immoral. Putting people to work is one thing, but people need living wages, legitimate benefits, and the right to collectively bargain as well. The ideal of community is certainly a great ideology. Men and Women have the right to be strong, to stand up for freedom, and to advocate economic & social justice. White supremacy and institutional racism must end. Being politically independent is the way to go.


By Timothy

Wednesday, June 25, 2014

50 Years after Freedom Summer


We have to learn about such events. Freedom Summer was about the collaboration among many groups to end legal apartheid and voting rights discrimination in America, especially in the Deep South (in states like Mississippi). It was a movement that opposed the agenda of white supremacy. It wanted revolutionary democratic power to be in the hands of the people. One great lesson from Freedom Summer dealt with the actions from SNCC and MFDP. The MFDP was created, because the Democratic Party in Mississippi was racist and denied black people the right to vote or to have basic human rights. SNCC and MFDP stood up the Democratic establishment when that establishment offered them a token compromise during the 1964 National Democratic Convention. The compromise was about the Democrats offering MFDP two at-large seats and the entire Dixiecrat delegation would be seated too. SNCC and MFDP rejected the deal outright. They were right to do that. SNCC wanted liberation, they soon believed in self-defense, and they became even more militant than the SCLC. SNCC’s great value was that it broke away the psychological shackles that many black people had in relations to the vicious power structure. SNCC gave confidence to many black people. SNCC encouraged independent thinking in our people. SNCC courageously opposed the Vietnam War and they allied with Malcolm X as well. SNCC was the bridge between old school civil rights leaders and the Black Power Movement (with groups like the Black Panthers, etc.). During Freedom Summer, a lot of courageous human beings died for the cause of freedom and justice. We have to acknowledge the fact that people shed blood in order for us to be blessed to live during this age. Another lesson that we can learn from Freedom Summer was that it used grassroots educational programs to help the people. Many of the tactics that they used back then are some of the same tactics that we can utilize today. The reason is that we still face economic injustice, educational complications, and other issues. Yes, we still have to fight laws that restrict the voting rights of human beings today. The Voting Rights Act ought to be totally defended as Sister Angela Rye has accurately said. We have a lot of work to do. *Yes, Fannie Lou Hamer was a great organizer of Freedom Summer too. Ella Baker, James Forman, Kwame Ture, John Lewis, and Robert Moses are some of the many heroes of SNCC. We want social justice and we want black people to be fully free. There have been many who have not heard of the words or actions of SNCC. Kwame Ture (who loved Africa. One of his gifts was that he wanted us to have solidarity with Africans globally. We love Africa too. Kwame Ture's mentor was Dr. King) and Brown opposed imperialism. They were right to disagree with the Vietnam War. Also, the value of SNCC was that they advocated courageousness and a revolutionary spirit. I have heard many of Kwame Ture’s speeches before. It is rare for people in this generation to say the words that he has said in public. Dr. King admired the strength of Kwame Ture and Brown, even though Dr. King was in favor of nonviolent resistance. So, Dr. King and Kwame Ture were great friends. SNCC did the positive thing of inspiring Dr. King to be more militant and he became more militant overtly by 1967. More Brothers and Sisters need to know this information about our real history. All people are entitled to justice. Our people never stood down in the midst of oppression. In every era of American history, black people fought for their rights that should have been ours by birthright.



I am glad that more stories about Afro-Brazilian people exist. The issues in Brazil deal with both race and class. There is racism and class oppression there, which has caused many Afro-Brazilian peoples to suffer injustices. "Black in Latin America" DVD have documented how many black Brazilians have been stigmatized in an evil fashion by the corporate elite including societal structures in Brazil. There are many Black Brazilians producers (including filmmakers like Eliciana Nascimento and Viviane Ferreira), business people, and civil rights activists existing now in Brazil. Benedita da Silva has fought for the rights of black people in Brazil for decades. I do find that many black Americans are treated with a certain level of token "respect" in Brazil including other foreign nations (because of economic reasons not because these authorities actually respect black Americans as equal human beings) while other black people living in those countries experience massive oppression. I have no problem with the growth of black institutions in Brazil, but Afro-Brazilians have the right to fight indignities (plus call for social, political, and economic revolutionary changes in Brazil. Many Brazil leaders are wrong to aid the UN/Western occupation of Haiti). The deal is that we are still fighting the system of oppression (self-hatred in Latin America ought to be combated too) plaguing throughout the Americas. There should be structural changes in Brazil as a means to address not only economic inequality, but police brutality including access to services too. There is still a strong MNU movement in Brazil. "Race, Class and the World Cup in Brazil" is a great article written by Mike LaSusa that talks about this issue and more too. Forever, I am in solidarity with the Afro-Brazilian peoples. RIP Abdias do Nascimento.


If black people have said some of the comments the Tea Party members and white reactionary extremists say in public, then black people would be investigated by intelligence agencies, jailed, imprisoned, fired from their jobs, etc. That is just being real. Scholars have documented white privilege in society. The video is interesting and should cause discussion and debate. The truth is that many white people have conversations like this all of the time. So, this is not surprising. Also, we ought to know another lesson. Black people have diverse interests. Just because a black person have diverse interests or have eclectic tastes doesn't mean that this black person is acting "white" or wants to be "white." People should be judged on the content of their character not on their accent or their legitimate interests. A black person can still love black people, defend black people, work with black people, and still have a myriad of interests at the same time (black people have every right to hike, to camp, to listen to music, to build, to engineer, to discuss about shows, etc.). Not to mention that black people have the right to express natural hair, to honor our heroes, to respect black culture, to express our creativity without apology, and to love Africa. We as a people should learn diverse topics, so we can further grow our social potential as human beings. People should discuss about these matters, so we can make solutions. It is very important for us to not only defend voting rights, to defend human rights, and to fight for civil liberties. We must continue to oppose U.S. military interventions in Africa. We see how imperialism from the West has harmed Iraq, Libya, and Syria. Since 9/11, Western forces have continued to expand their economic and political power. For over 522 years, the Western powers have used mass slaughter, rape, torture, pillage, perpetual war, cultural degradation, social divisions, psychological manipulation, etc. against humanity. That is a historical fact. We see that the war crimes, the cluster bombs, etc. never represent true egalitarian democracy. These actions represent the need of the oligarchy to dominate human beings based on economic, energy, and political reason. Millions of lives have been killed by the war on terror alone. Even drone attacks killing civilians have occurred under the current administration. We know that NATO aided terrorists, who killed innocent black Libyans. We know that the West has aided some al-Qaeda affiliated terrorists in Syria when these terrorists have killed many innocents. We know that white supremacist capitalist power has aided reactionary regimes in the four corners of the Earth including Africa. Even the U.S. aided Portuguese forces via NATO fight against the courageous African freedom fighters in Angola and Mozambique. Many faux liberals have even collaborated with imperialists and their agenda under the guise of “humanitarianism.” We should talk about these issues and ally with independent political movements that are anti-imperialists as well. We have to be in solidarity with the African peoples desiring liberation.



I did my research. Rangel has praised the Dominican Republic's apartheid anti-Haitian court decision. That is very disappointing. In the final analysis, the voters must decide who will represent their district. I see that Espaillat has opposed the decision (yet, he has supported the new 2014 Dominican immigration policy law). Sometimes, you have to allow new blood to represent the people. Regardless, I hope the best for the district and for all NYers in general. Black people in the Americas have experienced the worst human rights atrocities in world history, which were the Maafa & slavery in the Americas (including colonialism in the Motherland). He is right to make that point. He is right to mention that the Maafa, slavery, Jim Crow, etc. have harmed a lot of black people psychologically, emotionally, and socially (even in our time emotionally). Now, we are not genetically predisposed to degeneracy collectively, but our ancestors have suffered a lot. Many of the struggles of our ancestors are struggles that we still suffer today. There are many legacies of slavery that still exist today from unwarranted & abusive spanking, disrespect to black people, the soul food, the divide & conquer strategies, and other evils. Our DNA is from Africa, so our original DNA has nothing to do totally with the Maafa. The legacy of the Maafa and slavery just harms us to this day though. Many illnesses and troubling behaviors are passed down from generation to generation (still, these things exist from the context of white supremacist oppression not our original state). Not to mention that true black culture is not equated to savagery. Black culture in human history has been related to governmental growth, honor, family development, communal organization, etc. It is just that the white supremacist culture has brainwashed some black people to act in contrary to their natural essence. Our natural essence is about civilization building, love of family, and a fight for justice. That is why when our people established Black Wall Street, white racists attacked it unjustly. So, we need not only to wake up, but we need to protect ourselves and to grow our Power. Sister Trojan Pam has written a lot about this issue in her books. Scandal and other shows stereotype black people in sexualized terms. Many black women are objectified in society as shown by the Olivia Pope character (which is a throwback to how our Sisters were raped, mistreated, and exploited by white racists. Scandal is about the events of a black female victim who suffers at the hands of a powerful white President). Also, black men have been objectified too in sexual terms by white racists too. I read about how black men are sexually exploited in the Caribbean and in Africa by numerous white women. This oppression occurs among both genders of black people. The stereotypes among both genders ought to be fought against.




Fundamentally, we can’t be liberated unless we have the KNOWLEDGE OF SELF. We have to know who we are if we want to be fully free. Also, many of our people need therapy as a means to experience healing and renewal. The truth is that black women collectively should not be scapegoated for all ills in the black community. Black women are not responsible for the War on Drugs, for the Maafa, for massive discrimination, for imperialism, for high black unemployment, for many other issues in our community. The reason for these things deals with the racist white supremacist power structure including economic oppression. It is better for a person to advocate building up black women, encouraging black women, and giving real advice to black women instead of denigrating black women. No one is perfect. We can honestly talk about our issues without harming each other. Males and females have similarities and differences. The more we respect our similarities and differences, the better off we will be as members of the human family. A black man has to respect a black woman and a black woman has to respect a black man. Not to mention that society has bashed black men and a black man’s dignity should be honored. A black man should never be ashamed of his masculine essence. Some in our community do have issues and that can be solved via programs, therapy, and other solutions not scapegoating. Numerous people are correct to expose people like Tommy Sotomayor (he is a reactionary and he is allied with the white racist talk show entities) who disrespect black women. He exposed the hypocrisy of the anti-black women bashers. The bashers claim to adhere to the vanguard of revolutionary thinking, but they readily refuse to criticize the white racist power structure in a real way (while bashing black women in a vulgar fashion). A Black woman is the first woman on Earth. In African culture, women are heavily praised and respected. It is found in white supremacist culture that bashes women in general or relegates them into a second class status. Religious and spiritual traditions (from black people and humans of color) have always respected the feminine archetype. Any black man disrespecting black women in an offensive way is wrong period. That is like disrespecting a person’s mother. Black women should be respected. So, many people have connected many dots on why things are in the first place. Even through all of the turmoil our people suffered, there are still strong, upright black men and black women fighting the good fight. A man has every right to express strength and to follow the truth. A woman has every right to show strength and to follow the truth as well. So, we should learn about our culture, our history, and continue to build in society.



By Timothy

Monday, June 23, 2014

Words of Wisdom

King was not about to oppose or denounce an anti-colonial movement even if he sometimes disagreed with its tactics. He had friendly correspondence with revolutionaries in Africa regardless of whether or not they were committed to nonviolence. He mentions comradely dialogue with Ben Bella, a ;leader of Algeria's armed revolution against French colonialism. (Malcolm X also met and conversed with Ben Bella). King didn't denounce Ben Bella, Nelson Mandela, Nkrumah, Fanon,. Ho, Giap or any other freedom fighter against colonialism. Colonialism and imperialism (of which American racism is a part) are evil. And King blamed the violence of colonialism and the insurgent counterviolence of anticolonial resistance for the entire nightmare of bloodshed. Still he favored the way Luthuli and Gandhi. Similarly King never denounced Malcolm or Kwame Ture. It's never ceases to amaze me that even your simple mind cannot grasp that freedom fighters may agree on objectives with differing on methods. '

-Savant


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Take a look at the film: AT THE RIVER I STAND, and./or read the book entitled GOING DOWN JERICHO ROAD: THE MEMPHIS STRIKE, MARTIN LUTHER KING'S LAST CAMPAIGN by historian Michael K. Honey. There was an organization in Memphis which called itself THE INVADERS, let by Charles Cabbage, Coby Smith and others who saw themselves as Black Power advocates. Honest and attentive readers of my posts--even when they disagree--know that I don't make statements without THOUGHT and EVIDENCE. You can probably google information about the Invaders--whose choice of a name may have been influenced by a 1960s TV series called The Invaders.


-Savant


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There are no lies in ANY of my posts. Simply accusing someone of lying is not the same as PROVING he is lying. King mentions (with obvious sympathy) socialism on numerous occasions. I've seen them even in his student diaries (Vol1 of King Papers), in a letter to his then fiancée Coretta Scott, in his Autobiography, and in address at an SCLC meeting in Frogmore in either 1966 or 1967. That's probab ly why the FBI suspected him of being a Marxist Communist. King did not expect that the Poor Peoples Campaign would suffice to effectuate radical, and even thought he and his supporters could be driven from the capital as were the Bonus Marchers during the Depression. But it might be a beginning of an anti-capitalist Movement. and liberation of the poor. Also, he intended something much more confrontational than Resurrection City, including the occupation of public spaces in such a way that might actually shut down the government of the USA.

-Savant


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What's up, bro. Long time no read. How are things out in your neck of the woods? The King book comes out in paperback soon, maybe already out but haven't arrived yet. I believe this is the 50th anniversary of Freedom Summer, a campaign which help win us the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and became a step toward winning the Voting Rights Act of 1965--which the Supine Court gutted last summer. Did you get the info I sent on Eddy Conway. There's an interview of him and Paul Coates in Truthout. Leaders of the Bmore BPP. I honor them as my elder brothers in the Struggle. And the Struggle continues? But you've been away for awhile. We need to catch up on some stuff.

-Savant

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Hello Mr. Savant ..Lisa here :) I think the timing for relationship building between Black Africans and Western Black is about ripe "once again"...What my African parents experience with AAs in the 60s and 70s was nothing short of constant praise....although my own in say the 00s-current falls short of it.. I do believe many younger 2nd generation or so African immigrants are open to bonding with Western Blacks and that the hurdle of differences can be overcome with time...that's with respect and understanding of ones' culture.. I supposed that comes to listening, learning, and acceptance.

-Proud Sis
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Yes. In fact, a good number of my students are children of African and African American parents. I do recall some African students who were at a "Free Eddy Conway" event, and one of whom said his father instructed hi to limit his contact with American Blacks. Well, his Black American girlfriend was with him at the event. So, I don't think he was paying his dad no never mind. And concerning your observations regarding your parent, one thing that strikes me is that from the 1960s--1970s, both Africans and Blacks in the West were engaged in momentous struggles against colonialism, racism and exploitation. And SOME African, African-American and other Blacks of the West surmised that they were involved in a common struggle.. In the wake of Malcolm's travels abroad there were African voices heard to speak out against the racist violence inflicted on Blacks here. And a number of Blacks here would take an interest in the fight against colonialism, and especially the fight against vicious white settler regimes. Perhaps that solidarity born of a sense of a common can happen against.

-Savant





Monday News in late June of 2014

That is why I believe that both laws have to be changed to give those who paid their debt to society opportunities (for example, I believe in giving felons voting rights after they have paid their debts to society) and instructing people to try their best not to go back into prison ever again (if they were once prisoners). There is absolutely no excuse to intentionally harm another human being or to do unjust crime consciously at all. Even most homeless people don't murder, commit massive robbery, commit forgery, or commit violent acts, because they are homeless. I believe in second chances, but not giving excuses for unjustifiable behavior at all. The prison industrial complex is a place that has trapped many of our people for years and decades. Many Brothers and Sisters in prison have written about the corporate exploitation going on in prison too. We have to inspire and work with our people to defeat oppression. We have to be strong, compassionate, and real. Obviously, we are not talking about innocent people in prison. We are not talking about people in prison who have experienced an injustice. We are talking about those who committed unjustified crimes. People can change their lives as others have mentioned. Once they have changed their lives and paid their debt, then their total rights ought to be restored. Life is not easy, but a person improving their lives to be better is a blessing. It is better for a person to work from the bottom socioeconomically than to harm others. Ethics and common decency ought to be further advanced in our community. That is just common sense. Also, the structures of society must change as a means for society to be fairer. The research from Brother George Jackson and Sister Angela Davis comprehensively outline the rundown of the exploitation readily found in prisons worldwide (not just in the prisons in the States). Many prisoners are paid pennies and more and more prisons are being privatized. Some prisons exist near local communities that harm the economic strength of various locations too. So, there are complex social dynamics as it relates to the current prison system. That is what our legacy is all about. People who treat another person right, work hard, follow honesty, etc. should be rewarded. Also, those who have been wrongly convicted should be freed too. So, we can both condemn evil crime and still stand up against the imperfections found in the prison industrial complex at the same time. Revolutionary actions have nothing to do with hurting innocent people or taking things from others unjustly. Revolutionary actions deal with working in the community and confronting the powers that be. Nothing is easy in life totally, but the long term reward of doing what is right is so much better than a get rich quick scheme or any other futile deed. We want our people to succeed and win honorably.

There is the issue of undocumented immigrants. The White House said on Friday that they plan to accelerate the detentions and deportations of undocumented workers. Most of them are found from Central America. The announcement is blatantly a cruel response to a flood of immigrants in recent months, many of them are children. There has been an influx of underage immigrants, which has developed into a human rights crisis. Since the beginning of 2014, 11,500 children have been arrested from Guatemala, 13,300 from Honduras and 11,600 from Mexico. They entered by themselves across the U.S./Mexico border. It is estimated that between 60,000 and 74,000 children will be detained this year. More judges will be appointed to expedite deportation hearings. The state is creating new detention centers. The DHS or the Department of Homeland Security is also expanding the use of electronic ankle bracelets to monitor those released. This has been done to cut down on the number of children who do not show up for deportation hearings. The White House on Friday blamed the increase in immigration on rumors that families with young children are being offered entry permits to stay in the US. By quickly arresting and expelling those who come to the country out of desperation, the administration hopes that it will prevent others from making the attempt. Cecilia Muñoz, director of the White House Domestic Policy Council, denounced “misinformation that is being deliberately planted by criminal organizations, by smuggling networks, about what people can expect if they come to the United States.” Vice President Joe Biden came into Central America recently. He announced a $255 million in financial assistance to several states, mainly to expand policing and establish programs to “repatriate” immigrants deported from the United States. Biden said that the growth of immigration was caused by “poverty, insecurity and the lack of the rule of law” in El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras. When you look deeper, you will see that the disastrous social conditions in these nations are a product of U.S. policy over decades. Central America has been exploited for cheap labor. The West funded reactionary military coups as a means to defend its interest. The White House has used mass deportation since 2009. Since 2009, more than two million undocumented workers and family members have been deported, which is a record for any President. Earlier this month, DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson said that the child immigrants from Central America were “priorities for removal.” He added, “Those who cross our borders today illegally, including children, are not eligible for an earned path to citizenship.” Human rights groups have exposed how these children have been treated with callousness and experience squalor. Some are forced to be treated in detention centers and were poorly fed plus forced to live in unsanitary conditions. Detainees are denied soap, toothbrushes, and even sanitary napkins. Detainees with serious and chronic medical conditions are denied treatment. A report from the American Civil Liberties Union and other organizations earlier this month documented beatings, sexual assaults, inadequate food and other brutal conditions prevalent in DHS detention centers. Last year the legal aid group Americans for Immigrant Justice (ALJ) filed a federal tort claim on behalf of eight individuals subjected to egregious violation, including the confiscation of medications. The ALJ website described cases of diabetics denied their own insulin and of other immigrants kept under overcrowded and unsanitary conditions. Central America is suffering. The 2 parties are battling each other politically on desiring deporting immigrants and increasing policing. Republicans Friday denounced Obama’s policy of deferring deportation of children brought into the US before 2007, while the administration insisted that this program does not apply to any of the tens of thousands of children in border detention centers. House Speaker John Boehner called for deploying National Guard troops to Texas. The White House immigration plan includes beefing up security on the borders and speeding up deportations of undocumented workers, while also establishing an onerous and punitive “pathway” to citizenship for a small number of those already in the US. We have to fight for human rights. Human rights is human rights.


The men experienced an overt injustice. The agitation against their dignity has been done not only by the NYPD, but by Koch, Trump, and others overtly. Trump should be ashamed of himself too. Much of the media have profited from the suffering of these innocent men, which is disgraceful. Regardless of what the post racial skeptics say, racial stereotyping is still a problem in America and we have every right to confront racism & any form of injustice in the world. Much of their lives have been ruined by them unjustly experiencing prison time. No amount of money in essence can compensate their hurt and pain. Their stories represent the overt corruption and problems found in the criminal justice system and the prison industrial complex. The settlement is the least that the authorities can do. I hope that each of the men can find some peace of mind. From time to time, I will mention quotes from historic people who stood up for the truth. The point is that the oppressor in an imperfect society will never relinquish his power to the people. That is why the people have every right to stand up firmly and courageously against injustices in society. As human beings, that is certainly our duty. When we see five human beings being wrongly convicted, then we will speak up about it. Their story is related to us, because if it could happen to them, then it could happen to us. A threat to justice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. This is a new era. Many of our elders from Ruby Dee, Maya Angelou, etc. have passed on. They are now with the ancestors. So, it is our responsibility (those in the Joshua Generation) to continue onward with the work that the elders have done. This incident represents the need for us to continue to oppose the tragedies found in the prison industrial complex. Even the 14th Amendment permits slavery under certain circumstances, so human rights are important to protect. I will never compromise my core convictions at all. I will still believe in the right to protest. I still believe in human rights and black people having the right to express self-determination. I still believe in the prosecution of any Wall Street banker who committed criminal activities. I still believe in love for black people and equality among all in the human family.


We all want peace and human dignity to be established in the world. Too many people seek tensions and injustice. When a member of our community is hurting, we have to find out why. What we see is that many social conditions and other reasons lie at the heart of why numerous complications persist in our world. We have to be honest about WHY things exist in order for us to formulate real solutions. Common sense tells us that black men and black women caring for each other, respecting each other, and loving each other will carry huge dividends in the short term and especially in the long term. Individually, we have to improve our lives. We have individual responsibility and we have every right to UNITE and utilize collective power as a means to advance our interests (plus establish the real POWER). True education can help to fight poverty (I have no issue with real education), but that is not enough. As Dr. Martin Luther King said before he died in 1967: "...We must recognize that we can’t solve our problem now until there is a radical redistribution of economic and political power… this means a revolution of values and other things. We must see now that the evils of racism, economic exploitation and militarism are all tied together…you can’t really get rid of one without getting rid of the others… the whole structure of American life must be changed. America is a hypocritical nation and [we] must put [our] own house in order.” Like always, our people are entitled to a living wage, to democratic power, to self-determination, and to health care (and health care should be for all not some). Economic exploitation is linked to Western neo-colonial and imperial policies. So, we must be in solidarity with our Brothers and with our Sisters worldwide. We are an international people. Yes, it is important to note that hate groups are not just those who wear sheets. They are also found in those who wear suits and ties who perpetuate racist, legal policies and support a nefarious system that also harms the poor among the human family. Being proactive is the right thing to do. The truth is that tons of black people from the ghetto to richer communities are hard workers. Nothing will change unless the structural problems in the system are addressed. Morality is not enough. You can be the most moral person in the world and face income inequality, discrimination, and poverty. So, we have to both be moral and address the injustices going on in society. Continue on showing your views Brother, because your wisdom is highly appreciated here. We have the right to not only be politically Independent, but to reject reactionary plus retrograde views. Power should be reserved for the people not for a select oligarchy. I appreciate the words of many Brothers and Sisters that enlighten, inspire, and educate people. WE HAVE EVERY RIGHT TO ACT IN A PROACTIVE FASHION TOO. Congratulations to Rachel Jeantel. She is a Strong Sister and her resiliency is inspiring. I wish her all of the best in her life. Fundamentally, compassion for humanity, love for truth, and fighting for justice are succinct ideologies that all of us should embrace in our hearts. Bless her. :)


There is a great point that many have advocated. We should be political Independents (as advocated by the late Malcolm X). Both parties of the Republicans & the Democrats have been blatantly funded and aided by the one percent. The leadership of both major parties have supported imperialism, massive privatization, the War on Drugs, and economic neoliberalism (which includes harsh austerity measures. Wall Street funds both parties greatly. I have no respect for the ideological views of reactionary GOP Tea Party extremists). We have every right to rise up and stand up against the instruments of white supremacist power. WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO ASSERT OUR OWN POWER. We should never ashamed of expressing militancy against evil, against oppression, and against injustice. That is our duty as black human beings. Also, we should defend the right to vote. Our people died for that right and any policy that restricts the number of days where citizens can vote ought to be opposed. There are many Brothers and Sisters who legitimately oppose police brutality, and oppose imperialism (while having solidarity with African peoples globally). Grassroots community power can improve society. There are many who also love self-determination, economic justice, etc. Not to mention that any Wall Street banker involved in financial corruption ought to be tried, prosecuted, and convicted. We know how monopoly capitalism does not work to solve problems totally. The scholar Asad Ismi has documented that truth in his literature. I have read his literature before too. If we want to be free for real, then we have to advocate an end to racial and class oppression for racism is linked to economic exploitation. There should be a radical redistribution of economic and political power since the 1% has stolen the wealth & the power from the people for a very long time. One important point is that we have to defend the working class and the poor (i.e. the economic and the social rights of the poor should be respected. We have too many people in extreme poverty. Income inequality, record corporate welfare handouts, and further capitalist exploitation has exacerbated the problem of poverty in America). We have to believe in the care for the environment and there is nothing wrong with universal health care either. I have no issues with economic cooperatives and even a guaranteed annual income. A cooperative society where the dignity of people is respected is superior to a society where civil liberties are readily suppressed. There is nothing wrong with being revolutionary and not reactionary.


By Timothy

Weekend News



Lupita Nyong’o does look very gorgeous in the Vogue cover. While I am getting older, I see that our liberation will not be immediate. We still have to fight, but we should also acknowledge courage too. Lupita gave a courageous, magnificent speech on beauty and about the struggles of our people. Lupita certainly is a representation of the strength, beauty, and intelligence of black women. No one said that the fight will be easy. It a’int going to be easy, but now is not the time to give up. We are going to fight and be victorious. Yes, she does look like a Goddess. So, I wish congratulations to Lupita and I wish more blessings for her and her family. In this day and age, the handwriting is on the wall. We have the profound responsibility to take care of our business, and work together as a team in order for us to reach that prize of liberation. We have every right to dialogue and learn from each other. The fundamental point is that programs helping black males are not evil at all. Programs helping black females are not evil either. True UNITY is better than unnecessary division. The struggle for freedom continues, but we will always believe in integrity, strength, and self-determination. This story is interesting. The Texas Board unintentionally doing this is very ironic on many levels. The issue of reparations is a controversial issue. We know the facts. We know that many people in America were given reparations like Japanese Americans, some Jewish Americans (because of the Shoah), and Native Americans. Many Native Americans received reparations centuries after the fact. Black people in America suffered slavery, Jim Crow, the prison industrial complex, and other atrocities. Also, even after the Civil War, numerous black people were re-enslaved via the peonage system during the late 19th century to the early 20th century (as documented by the PBS Documentary called “Slavery by Another Name”). So, there is a historical precedent for reparations. Racist crimes against black people did not end in 1865. They continued afterwards. Also, those who want reparations should mobilize and organize a specific political strategy in how to get reparations accomplished. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X believed in compensatory justice for African Americans back in the day. Crimes must experience recompense. Accountability should not end just because European slave-owners have died. If that was the case, Native Americans don't deserve reparation payments back as late as the 1980’s. Do I believe in reparations? Yes.



Cheney is totally deluded in his own deception. Cheney is desperate. That is what he is. He and other neo-conservatives intentionally promoted war mongering rhetoric as an excuse to cause the Iraq War. Now, we know that their claims about Iraq are false, but some of the neo-con crowd is still desperate to advance their deceptions. Certainly, Iraq was not a direct threat to America and Iraq in 2003 had no extensive, long range weapons of mass destruction at all. Not to mention that the Bush/Cheney team wanted America to invade Iraq long before 2003. The crisis in Iraq with ISIS, etc. existed before the current President was inaugurated. Al-Maliki (who has utilized authoritarian policies) has been a bad leader in failing to institute a political solution, which can cause better relationships among Sunnis, Shias, Kurds, etc. On Thursday, President Barack Obama held an afternoon press conference. He announced that the U.S. would send 300 military advisers to Iraq as part of a military deployment that includes a bombing campaign ostensibly targeting an insurgency led by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).  Following this announcement, a conference call was held with three unnamed administration officials. When a reporter asked whether US attacks on ISIS would be limited to Iraq, given that ISIS operates on both sides of the Iraq-Syria border, and controls significant territory in eastern Syria, one official responded that “we don't restrict potential US action to a specific geographic space.” “The President has made clear time and again that we will take action as necessary including direct US military action if it’s necessary to defend the United States against an imminent threat,” the official added. ISIS “operates broadly, and we would not restrict our ability to take action that is necessary to protect the United States.” The official also included “our homeland” among the regions threatened by ISIS. So, this means that the administration could use more military strikes and more advanced weapons to the U.S. backed opposition in Syria. The overall deal is that the imperialist war in Iraq has harmed Iraq in many ways from spreading ethnic/religious tensions to destabilizing the infrastructure of Iraq. This conflict could threaten to involve all of the Middle East including Turkey. This war on terrorism is filled with contradictions. The West is targeting Islamic militants, but it has covertly funded many of these same forces in Syria, Libya, etc. The civil war in Syria is linked to the sectarian violence in Iraq. Maliki has been a puppet of the occupation regime. All of this is being carried out in complete violation of international law. At Thursday’s press conference, not a single reporter thought to ask Obama what was the legal justification for the announced troop deployments. It is the position of the Obama administration that the president has the right to wage war against anyone, anywhere, without even the pretense of a Congressional, let alone popular, mandate. “We had a good discussion,” Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Republican, said, adding that Obama “indicated he didn’t feel he had any need for authority from us for steps that he might take.” House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat, added that she did “not believe the president needs any further legislative authority to pursue the particular options for increased security assistance discussed today.” It is clear that most Americans don’t want any reentry of the U.S. military in Iraq or military intervene in Syria too. The twin parties of imperialist war have shown folly to say the least.


One thing that I do believe in is that we can look at different experiences and different point of views as a means to see more of the truth. When you learn, you will grow and we are growing all of the time. I truly don’t agree with generalizing in an evil fashion. We have to look at the experiences of others to not only express empathy, but to figure out how conditions can be improved upon. The valuable thing about the Black in Latin America documentary is that he interviewed the poor or the black people directly suffering oppression. A lot of people don’t know their suffering or their pain. Hopefully, their lives can be better via political activism. It is certainly free to treat people fairly. It doesn’t cost a penny to love someone. It doesn’t cost a penny to give someone greetings and encouragement. That is the value of Love. TRUE LOVE IS FREE OF CHARGE. TRUE LOVE IS ETERNAL AND LOVE IS MORE POWERFUL THAN HATE OR BIGOTRY. One valuable part of life is that when it is all said and done, we have learned lessons, we have improved our actions, and we have helped others. When we help others, our souls are blessed. It just feels good to work in the betterment of humanity. I thought about calling this year the year of cleansing for weeks. I have never expressed this ideal publicly before until now. The improvement of the mind, body, and spirit is part of our journeys. The BPP existed from other influences too. The Deacons of Defense and Brother Williams existed before the BPP. Also, the BPP allowed the world to see the power of manhood and the power of womanhood too. They actively created health care clinics, they instituted breakfast programs for children, and they stood up against police brutality. They made so much progress that the FBI used illegal means to harm them. Crooked police from Chicago murdered Brother Fred Hampton in a sick way. Yet, their memories are still with us. Their dedication to truth and justice is forever etched in our hearts and minds. Their overall intentions were just, because self-determination and loving the power of the people can change the globe. They were right to oppose imperialism and to seek community development. Men have every God given right to protect himself, his family, and his community. Also, Sisterhood is important. Women have every God given right to express themselves, to express strength, and to have their human rights protected too. The value and preciousness of Sisterhood is beautiful too. All people should have justice.





It is a sad story and I feel for the victims of the criminal Ephran Taylor. He stole and exploited wealth from innocent victims, which shows the essence of the wickedness of crony capitalism. The actions of Ephran Taylor totally refute the prosperity gospel lie. That faux gospel has nothing to do with real spirituality. It has to do with the lie that wealth is equated to spiritual prosperity. It is about the lie that anyone poor is lacking human dignity when all people have equal dignity irrespective of class, wealth, gender, or background. Mass consumerism and economic exploitation are the wicked fruits of the modern capitalist system & the prosperity false gospel. The criminal Ephran Taylor should experience justice and those hurt by this man should receive compensation. As a people, we ought to experience independent thinking. Ephran Taylor not looking at folks’ eyes does outline guilt and nervousness. It is important to note that the masses of our people need to learn more of our real history, more of real political issues, etc. Many of our people need more inspiration and motivation to fight poverty including any injustice. We are certainly at war against class oppression and racial bigotry. We have to shine a light on this issue as a means for our people to be better. Now, some folks are right that criminal Wall Street bankers ought to be prosecuted and jailed too. For years, I have known about the racism from the reactionary, white supremacist George Preston Marshall. The name is offensive and ignorant. First, Native Americans exist in many skin tones. Second, racists have always used that slur to disrespect Native Americans as well. Third, people have the right to make their grievances known in expressing opposition to the usage of that slur on the name of a professional sports team. The U.S. Patient Office's decision is just one step. The battle is not over and I hope that those who want Native American dignity respected are successful in their case. It won't be easy, but life is not easy. A name change is long overdue. It is so easy to blame the victim for everything under the sun. Yet, we should never do that. We have to be active and teach our people their human worth and their human value. We have to tell them that black is beautiful, that they have a strong legacy as a people, and Africa is beautiful too. We have to be the living examples of walking upright and to not only stand up for morality in our community (but to expose racism plus economic oppression in the world). We have every right to support those who are legitimately fighting crime, fighting poverty, and working in the community too. Individually, we should do the right thing (as in helping our people) and collectively our power should be utilized in helping society as well. The development of our community and being politically proactive independently are wise decisions to enact. If someone refuses to tell people WHY things are in the first place, no solution will exist. WE HAVE TO TEACH, INSPIRE, WORK, AND ACT. We have to tell people the truth.



A lot of people don’t know about the revolutionary views and revolutionary spirit of the late Sister Ruby Dee. She was born in Cleveland, but she was raised in New York City. Throughout her life, she was a screen actress, a writer, and a social activist. Emma Amelia Benson, her stepmother, studied under W.E.B. Dubois, in Atlanta University. She was a teacher too. Dee attended Hunter College in New York and she graduated from the college in 1945. Ruby Dee and Ossie Davis had suspicions about American capitalism. In an interview, Davis later explained, “Ruby came from Harlem, and in Harlem the Communists were looked upon as very friendly, because in many instances people would have their stuff set out on the sidewalk by the landlord, and the Communists would come along and put it back in! The stigma of being a Communist came later. People felt freer to express themselves any way they wanted to. The Depression had sort of broken down the old political assignments, then World War II had come along.” Dee added, “We felt the excitement of our times, and we were asked—both of us, before we knew each other—we were asked to join [the CP]. But we weren’t joiners; I don’t know why. But many of our friends were, you know.” Ruby Dee and Ossie Davis publicly associated themselves with the opposition of the execution of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg (the state called them Soviet spies) in 1953. In 1983, Davis recalled how the couple was asked to take part in a rally that had been called to protest the electrocution. “And those of us who dared to take that stand could not expect to go unpunished.… We sat down to ponder what we should do. How might this action affect our future? Should we take such a stand in view of the jobs that we held? A second’s reflection produced the startling information: What jobs? There we were, already blacklisted for being black—what would it hurt if we added a little red and got blacklisted too?” Ruby Dee and Ossie Davis legitimately opposed the reactionary McCarthyite witch-hunts. They opposed the Vietnam War and they fought for civil rights. Ruby Dee worked in the massive March on Washington ceremonies back in August 1963.  In 1999, the pair was arrested outside the headquarters of the New York Police Department as part of a protest over the murder of Amadou Diallo, the Guinean immigrant shot 19 times by police. Davis died in 2005, at the age of 87. They also opposed the Iraq War. So, Ruby Dee and Ossie Davis always had revolutionary thinking throughout their lives indeed.


By Timothy


Savant's Words

Martin Luther King kept weapons in his hose for awhile during the Montgomery Bus Boycott. But he also decide to get rid of them, apparently feeling that stocking an arsenal was not appropriate for a leader of a nonviolent movement. But while he insisted on strict at least TACTICAL nonviolence as far as his organization and mass demonstrations were concerned--not being foolish enough to expect MOST people to accept nonviolence as a philosophy of life--he never denied that Blacks did not have a right to armed self-defense. A brother or sister who was nonviolent in a demonstration might very well blow off the head of a Klansman or cop who attacked his home or family. King even had no issue with folk defending themselves. But with regard to MOVEMENT and revolution he was opposed to violence, and favored the idea of revolutionary nonviolence.

-Savant

Real Truths



Nothing will be easy and we do face an uphill battle. We know that we are up against various forms of inertia. Yet, we can't lose faith. Our ancestors suffered much worse than we do, yet they fought and ended overt slavery in multiple nations worldwide. If our people can survive the inexpressible cruelties of the Maafa, slavery, etc. then we can surely win this struggle for our liberation. Women should always have their humanity and dignity valued. Men also should have their dignity valued. Black people in general should be more united and fight oppression. We have to be revolutionary minded and we are in a war for our liberation. I will always love Africa and I will always respect my heritage. In my view, in our lifetime, we won't see the reformation. It may take 30-50 years from now at least for the liberation to occur in my view. We just have to keep going at it, educate people, and help people. We care. We show that we care on what we do (via helping our community, loving our people, and be active in forming solutions) and treating our neighbors as ourselves. Many people have an obvious ignorance about Africa. Ignorance about life unfortunately has been glamorized in Western society. I would not be surprised if Ellen refuses to apologize or clarify her statements, but we have the right to defend Africa and our people regardless. Too many Americans embrace a stubborn arrogance that denies the interconnectedness of humankind. Many African cities and locations have modern amenities, mass transit, and other forms of great technological development. Ghana is a beautiful nation in West Africa. Ironically, I have been studying about Ghana a lot. Ghana is a nation that has a great importance in the pan-Africanist movement. Kwame Nkrumah (who was a great leader and visionary) was a great leader of Ghana who opposed imperialism. He wanted Africa united and free. Our great heroes like Malcolm X, Dr. King, Maya Angelou, etc. visited Ghana before. We are all of black African descent, so our struggle is ONE. WE ARE ONE PEOPLE. Ghana's economy is greatly growing now and Ghana has the highest per capita income in the region of Western Africa. We should be political Independents. Our people have a great legacy of being against imperialism, of being for civil rights, of being in favor of economic justice, desiring an end to police brutality, and being for self-determination.



This is a great, inspiring story. The story of Festus Ohan should be used as an example of how human resiliency is ever present in the globe. Even when others lied and said that he would never graduate from college, the young man continued onward in his goals despite adversity. Despite obstacles, he graduated from UCLA and many medical colleges want him to go into them. Being a doctor carries a huge responsibility and it is very valuable, because any work that is done to better humanity positively is always a work which should receive massive respect. So, he should pursue his dreams and he will make an excellent doctor. If folks want to get married and have children, they should take their time and make sure that their relationship is based on love, rationality, and real principles. A man and a woman being together for a righteous reason is a true blessing in the world. I believe in love and human beings should find compatible mates as well. Too often, fathers have been denigrated in a vicious fashion (especially by the mainstream media). Hopefully, this will change in the future. We ought to respect the great value of fathers and mothers. Women have every right to celebrate Father's day with men. A stable foundation is so key in maintaining a strong household. A family filled with altruism, almsgiving, a cooperative spirit, and true love can reach others and inspire others to achieve their own full social potential. Also, in civilizations, a strong foundation can maintain democratic rights for people, it can preserve a strong infrastructure, and it can cause great prosperity for humanity. I know countless fathers in real life who stand up for real solutions, who are leaders, who care for their families, who are teachers, who are great clergymen, and who just handle their business in everyday life. Much of the young African American youth (those in Generation Y and Generation Z) are increasingly showing diversity in their interests and in their talents (from stake boarding to loving sci-fi). There are tons of black people loving sci-fi culture. Yes, we have to do what we can to educate people on the truth that African Americans are not to be totally placed in a specific box. Sci-fi is extremely popular in our society. Creativity, mysteries, and philosophy all accumulate in the fabric of sci-fi. Malia having a lot of experience is definitely beneficial for her in the long term.


People have the right to know why Iraq is being torn apart. ISIS has seized Mosul or Iraq’s second largest city. The sectarian violence in Iraq has increased to a level never seen in years. The Guardian even reported that Iran has sent Qasem Soleimani or the commander of an elite division of the Revolutionary Guard (along with other advisers) and 2,000 troops. This was done as a means to shore up the Shia dominated central government in Baghdad. Turkey is contemplating action in defense of its personnel kidnapped by ISIS from a consulate in Mosul. This situation has been greatly caused by the 2003 invasion and occupation of Iraq not the absence of U.S. troops back from 2011. ISIS can about in about 2006 as an offshoot of Al-Qaeda in Iraq. The leader of ISIS is Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. ISIS is a reactionary group. They want a reactionary theocracy in Iraq and Syria. This situation has grown because of the corrupt policies of Nour al-Maliki. Al-Maliki has done a poor job in maintaining an unified Iraq. Many of his policies have been authoritarian against the rights of Shias, Sunnis, and the Kurds. The Iraqi Army even in Mosul have detained people, arrested people, and killed people. So, ISIS has exploited the bad policies of al-Maliki as a means to gain support. ISIS so far has not imposed its harsh version of Islamic law in the conquered territory. ISIS has called for the indiscriminate murder of Shias that stand in their path, which is evil. We know that before this, Sunnis have used nonviolent resistance against Iraq’s central government. Maliki has refused to integrate the Sunni Awakening Councils into the Army; maintained the anti-Baathist law, implemented after the U.S. invasion for use against remnants of Saddam Hussein's regime, to target all Sunni political forces, and went after Sunni politicians and leaders with accusations that they support terrorism. The Sunni population across Iraq responded by fighting for their rights with mass demonstrations and sit-ins throughout 2013. At one point, important Shia leaders like Moqtada al-Sadr, who have their own grievances against the Maliki regime, expressed solidarity with these Sunni protests and threatened to organize demonstrations of their own.  Al-Maliki has responded to this by using repressing, torture, mass arrests, neighborhood sweeps, etc. This caused the growth of ISIS not the withdrawal of American troops. Iraq should not be some Shia autocracy. Iraq should be al inclusive of Shias, Sunnis, and the Kurds. Even before 2003, Iraq has suffered Western sanctions that killed over 1 million Iraqis. Also, in the 21st century, U.S. forces have aided Shia and Sunni forces in Iraq for various reasons, which is similar to a divide and conquer strategy. Imperialism is the problem not the solution. There must be independent Sunnis, Shias, and Kurdish coming together in forming a political solution.


Many articles about Brazil deal with many issues. First, we have to acknowledge the great value of the Afro-Brazilians in the world. They are more black people in Brazil than in the United States of America. Second, we have to condemn anybody trying to go into Brazil to seek some sexual exploitation of Brazilian women. Many who go there believe in the lie that there is some superiority of non-African American women, which is a disrespectful lie. The truth is that a woman is a woman. A woman has diverse interests and they are deserving of respect and dignity. The truth is that African American women have great value and their worth should never be degraded by anyone at all. Men have diverse interests too and they are deserving of respect and dignity. Brazil has grown economically in recent years, but Brazil has experienced massive economic inequality. That is why Brazilians are protesting in Brazil during the World Cup games. Capitalistic exploitation of Brazil has been very common. Brothers and Sisters have experienced classism and racism in Brazil too. It is important to note that not all African American men go into Brazil for lust or for some illegitimate purpose. Some Brothers go into Brazil to sincerely research, to study culture, and to understand Brazil in a progressive fashion. Likewise, we have to express empathy to our Brothers and our Sisters suffering in Brazil too. This article has made a thought in my mind. There is a website called “Black Women of Brazil.” You can google it to check it out. I have looked at the site for many months in order for me to gain understanding about our people internationally. It defends black women and black men too. It also defends black children in Brazil. Therefore, we should be conscious of these issues, we have to condemn misogyny (that some embrace under the guise of “dating”), and we must have solidarity with our people globally. It is very important to note that all people deserve equality and justice. Non-Americans should not be made scapegoats for all of the problems in America either. I reject xenophobia and I believe in love for black people including love for humanity in general. Black people globally deserve justice. There is nothing wrong with visiting or living in Brazil, but folks have to do it for the right reason not the wrong reason. There are a lot of Afro-Brazilians fighting the good fight. They need our respect and our support. One Afro-Brazilian Sister who is my hero is Benedita da Silva, who has defended the rights of our people for decades.



There are a lot of words on black capitalism and the self-help philosophy. There is nothing wrong with black people helping themselves. Also, there is nothing wrong with black people collaborating with each other in forming solutions either. There is nothing wrong with humanity in general working together in fighting for genuine social change either. In my view, black capitalism is wrong, because capitalism historically has exploited humanity and it has caused inequalities in the world. We know that black political power overtly have grown in the decades since 1968, but unemployment and poverty are serious problems in the black community. This reality tells me that political power without economic power is not liberation at all. Now, the question is what kind of economic power do we need. We don’t need some economic power within the confines of the capitalist system. More black businesses mean nothing without workers’ rights, economic justice, and living wages. We need political action as a means to have justice too. We should never acquiesce to the wickedness of the status quo. We must have full civil, political, and human rights. Black workers must be emancipated. Also, the poor and the homeless should be given dignity and their true rights too. Housing, health care, education, etc. are human rights. It is very important to advance black dignity and the great value of black humanity. Also, we have to fight for a better world where humanity is treated fairly (and economic justice is established). So, we know that class and racial oppression are linked. Economic solutions alone can never eliminate racism. Racism must be eliminated by a struggle against racism itself. So, black people have every right to advance progressive self-determination. As we see, the main beneficiaries of this system has been a select black bourgeoisie not the masses of black people at all. The sons and daughters of many of the black businessmen typically became government functionaries and middle-level corporate managers. In 2014, we live in the era of terrorism. We live in the end of the Presidency of Barack Obama. This era still shows how racist and vicious American capitalism has been. We have a very key role in the development of this nation and we are entitled to justice, power, and equality. So, we should not only fight racism and class oppression. We should care for the environment and be anti-imperialist. We should continue to understand issues and help our neighbors.




By Timothy