We, as black people, are born to not be very limited in our stories. We love diverse stories from about music to about political matters or fashion. There is no need for the limitation in how we express ourselves or see ourselves. Back even during the 1990's, there was the Parent Hood, Moesha, and many shows that were lively, creative, and very interesting. There are tons of unsung black writers, producers, etc. who put in the work, but many of their voices aren't heard in the mainstream level. Our imagination is very strong. We have created massive buildings, great literature, excellent inventions, and explored the world. The mainstream readily repels diverse, positive shows of black people (which show black people in a positive way) today. When we show our gifts to the world without oppressive restrictions, then we thrive. We will always fight for our black people and we believe in justice wholeheartedly. I do agree with Sister Michele Roberts. There should be improved drug policies. The situation in sports is a microcosm of what's happening nationwide. Improvements can be made ad improvements should be made. What Lamar Odom is going through is certainly terrible. We want him to have a full recovery. This is a national and worldwide problem. We desire for lives to be saved and comprehensive policies to address drug issues.
There is no question about my views on this issue. Malcolm X condemned the bad treatment of the Palestinians by the Israeli oligarchy. Many activists in the present have done the same. There is massive discrimination and racism directed against Palestinians, and black Africans in Israel. These facts have been documented by tons of sources. Injustice anywhere is a threat for justice everywhere. It isn’t just Arabic people expressing solidarity with the human rights of Palestinians. Many black people and many progressive Jewish people have shown solidarity with Palestinian human beings as well. This is about human rights. Many Palestinians have spoken up for the rights of black people. Black people have spoken up for the rights of Palestinians. Now, we shouldn’t bow before Palestinians like mental slaves. We shouldn’t ignore the necessity of black liberation. We want liberation. Yet, I can’t be silent when I see babies being murdered by brutes. I can’t be silent when I see excessive checkpoints. I can’t be silent of any oppression. I can't be silent of brutal occupation. Therefore, it is right to stand up for the human rights of the oppressed. I’m not surprised at what Lauryn Hill did, because she has always been a conscious Sister. Murder, racism, oppression, imperialism, and injustice must be opposed domestically and internationally. We should never forget about how neoliberal extremists cut water in Detroit, about how crooked cops killed innocent black people, and how structural racism is a real problem in America. Like always, I believe in black liberation, Black Love, and Black Power.
We live in a time where there is mass police brutality, racism, and ecological problems. The song is certainly powerful in not only bringing awareness on important issues, but it advocates change. For the proceeds of “Chains” going into Sankofa is really great. We know that respectability politics doesn’t work and we need social justice in the world. It is wrong for crooked cops to kill unarmed Black Brothers and Black Sisters. Our ancestors have experienced chains via the Maafa (which was an exercise of brutal terrorism and capitalistic exploitation). Today, we are still fighting for liberation. The song’s emphasis on chains carries the message home succinctly. An economic system that is based on the exploitation of the majority of the people for the benefit of a few (where in the USA alone, 90 percent of the wealth is controlled by less than 5 percent of the population) is abhorrent. So, we want revolutionary change. We need to address economic inequality and the structural problems of racism, the prison industrial complex, and misogyny. We want crooked cops to be in prison and we are dedicated to the development of our communities. We will never forget the names of Sean Bell, Rekia Boyd, Aiyana Jones, etc. So, we will stand up for our community and we will continue to believe in standing up for our lives as black people. We are all called to make a contribution in the lives of our black people and we will continue to put in the work. Collective power is important too. Selfish individualism never works as proven by the Great Recession (of the 21st century as many privatized banks used dangerous derivatives in the economy. Also, many banks used bad loans and some bankers acted in a criminal fashion, which contributed to foreclosures and massive job loss). We want our people collectively to grow. One of the lessons of the elders is about forming networks of helping the poor, embracing solidarity, uniting working class power, and forming other community development programs. Solutions will include many things. We certainly want structures of oppression to end. We want to exist in the world where true justice is a reality.
These words are dedicated to Ruby Dee, Dorothy Dandridge, Bette McLaurin, Edna Mae Harris, Pearl Bailey, and so many other Sisters whose talent is eternal. In our generation still, many black people lack the same opportunities that white people have in terms of acting and other areas of the industry. There are masses of black people struggling for acting roles. Viola Davis’ speech was a speech of showing the reality that black talent is not limited. Black talent is strong and vibrant plus diverse. Whoopi Goldberg is known to minimize the problem of racism in the world and she (as Sister Mary Burrell has mentioned) supported a white man using blackface on himself. That alone tells me where Goldberg is at. Whoopi didn't know what Viola meant. We know what Sister Viola meant. Viola Davis said that being black is beautiful and that real opportunity should be given to qualified black actresses in a fair fashion. Real influence and real power is not just black actresses and black actors being placed in front of the screen. It is about also black people being involved in production, directing, owning facilities, and other actions that denote real, authentic power. We still have a problem where stereotypical roles are found in Hollywood and Whoopi ignores that. We, as black people, never want crumbs. We want the bread, the factory that made the bread, and we want to control on the recipe too. We want to altruistically share the bread fairly in our communities. That’s real talk.
The U.S. troops will deal with surveillance and not combat missions in Cameroon. Boko Haram is a counter-revolutionary, evil organization. It has kidnapped people and killed black people. I have no respect for Boko Haram. The extremists of Boko Haram are evil. They want to use misogyny, terrorism, authoritarian theocracy, and murder. We are opposed to those abominations. There should be both a long term political solutions where the conditions of Western Africa are addressed in a political way and African nations must have their own independence without neocolonial control from Western powers. There is the real issue of Africom and their goal to spread U.S. hegemony in the Motherland. There are already French troops in Mali and Niger now. The NATO bombing in Libya has increased instability in Libya where cliques of terrorists are in battle in a brutal Libyan civil war (which continues to this very day). The New York Times revealed that the U.S. has been running a secret program to train counterterrorism battalions for Niger and Mauritania. Elite Green Berets and Delta Force forces are instructing handpicked commandos in counterinsurgency in Mali, as well. Five to eight thousand U.S. troops plus mercenaries are training, arming, and fighting alongside and against African militaries and rebel groups in nearly every nation in Africa. That is why there must be independence for Africans and the end of reactionary terrorism (this terrorism has been done by Boko Haram and other Western backed puppet regimes in Africa). U.S. war crimes are forms of terrorism too. There should be questions asked about these policies and this is an international crisis. The solutions require international collaboration, international solidarity among the oppressed, more unity including coordination among African nations (to save lives and defeat Boko Haram), and a political solution long term.
#BringBackOurGirls.
By Timothy
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