Faith in Action

Well, according to the United States he was a terrorist, but now he is a highly respected international diplomat. Mandela was on the United State’s Terror Watch List which made sure he had to jump through extra hoops to gain entry into the U.S. I’m sure his name being on that list also authorized the CIA or FBI to take some “other” actions against him as well. [read: wiretapping and other surveillance activities. I'm sure we'll read about it in a book after Mandela has made his final earthly transition.]

While most world leaders applaud Baba Mandela today (some going so far as to suggest that he is nearly a saint), he wasn’t always so celebrated - of course most of us know about his being an anti-apartheid political prisoner for 27 years in Robben Island Prison, but I wonder if most people know that Mandela came to be a proponent of armed self-defense in South Africa. Consider this quote from his Opening Statement in his defense case before the Pretoria Supreme Court in April 1964 entitled, “I Am Prepared To Die.”

At the beginning of June 1961, after a long and anxious assessment of the South African situation, I, and some colleagues, came to the conclusion that as violence in this country was inevitable, it would be unrealistic and wrong for African leaders to continue preaching peace and non-violence at a time when the Government met our peaceful demands with force.

This conclusion was not easily arrived at. It was only when all else had failed, when all channels of peaceful protest had been barred to us, that the decision was made to embark on violent forms of political struggle, and to form Umkhonto we Sizwe (Spear of the Nation). We did so not because we desired such a course, but solely because the Government had left us with no other choice. In the Manifesto of Umkhonto published on 16 December 1961, which is Exhibit AD, we said:

“The time comes in the life of any nation when there remain only two choices - submit or fight. That time has now come to South Africa. We shall not submit and we have no choice but to hit back by all means in our power in defence of our people, our future, and our freedom”.

They say that the conservatives of today were the radicals of yesterday. While I wouldn’t say that Mandela is a “conservative” it is interesting studying his development. I have serious doubts about whether or not he would support armed self-defense today. Or maybe he would. Who knows.

What I do know is that the revolutionary spirit is alive and well in the world, especially in Nigeria where members of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), are engaged in guerilla warfare against Western oil companies (Shell, Chevron, and others) who are extracting the “liquid gold” from their land and leaving the indigenous people to live in extreme poverty. Being that the government of Nigeria is not advocating for the masses of poor in the nation and non-violent rallies and protests are not working, groups like MEND have begun a campaign of sabotage, kidnapping, and murder of Western oil workers in order to aggressively reconstitute the redistribution of resources in their nation.

Now who are the terrorists in Nigeria?

How does this apply to other conflicts in the world? (i.e. Hamas, Hezbollah, Palestinians, the Israeli Government, FARC, the Columbian Government, etc.)

How does this apply to historical conflict and its traditional re-telling? (i.e. the Black Panthers, American Indian Movement, Pilgrims, Black Muslims, Puerto Rican Independence Movement, the Central Intelligence Agency, Bloods, Crips, Black Guerilla Family, Young Lords, the Weathermen, MOVE, etc.)

Talia Marie Pleasant, a true angel who brought so many people together as she courageously battled cancer, passed away over the weekend making this Memorial Day special in more ways than one. Talia was a precious gift to her parents and family. She will be missed, but many are taking solace in the fact that she is no longer suffering from the scourge of cancer.

My prayers are with Talia’s family, especially her father, Jerome.

Here is a thoughtful video which tells a piece of Talia’s story through pictures and song.

God bless.

Dr. Joy DeGruy Leary, author of Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome: America’s Enduring Legacy of Injury and Healing, addresses the residual impacts of trauma on African Descendants in the Americas. Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome lays the groundwork for understanding how the past has influenced the present, and opens up the discussion of how we can use the strengths we have gained to heal.

The book has been praised by Randall Robinson, Bill Cosby, Al Sharpton, and many more. Susan Taylor, Editorial Director of Essence Magazine says that “Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome is a master work…Her book is the balm we need to heal ourselves and our relationships. It is the gift of wholeness.” Adelaide Sanford, Vice Chancellor of the Board of Regents for the State of New York states that “Dr. Joy Leary’s mesmerizing, riveting book is vital reading for our time…With Dr. Leary’s potent words we can and will heal.”

WHEN: Wednesday, May 7, 2008
TIME: 7:00 PM
WHERE: Clarence Mitchell School of Engineering Building
Morgan State University
1700 East Cold Spring Lane
Baltimore MD 21251
ADMISSION: FREE and Open to the Public
For Further Information: Charlotte St. Pierre at 443.885.3006 or Ray Winbush at 443.722.0783

“Without the African connection we are a disjointed people…begging for entry into somebody else’s house”

The Institute for Urban Research will host scholar, Dr. Marimba Ani, author of Yurugu: An African-Centered Critique of European Thought and Behavior, on Saturday, December 1, 2007 6PM - 10PM at Morgan State University’s Engineering Building Auditorium.

The long anticipated 2nd Edition of Yurugu marks a milestone in the long career of Professor Ani’s contributions in the deconstruction of western thought and behavior.

Marimba Ani holds a BA degree in Philosophy from the University of Chicago, and the MA Ph.D. degrees in anthropology from the Graduate Faculty of the New School University.  Professor Ani has taught at Hunter College in the Department of Black and Puerto Rican Studies for the past 25 years and was a colleague of the eminent Black historian, Dr. John Henrik Clarke.

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This past Friday, I attended the MICA Black Panther Rank & File Symposium featuring Sherry Brown, Connie Felder, Dr. Judson Jeffries, Marshall “Eddie” Conway, and Kathleen Cleaver.  The panel discussion was hosted by Marc Steiner. 

I was a member of the planning committee for this symposium and was a bit concerned at first that the exhibit would be too academic.  While the acquisition of knowledge is still a primary interest of mine; I am no longer interested in gaining knowledge just for the sake of saying I know something.  Knowing without Doing is irrelevant.  Thus the planning committee was initially a concern, but I was glad to see other activists invited to the planning table - that helped assure me that radical and revolutionary aims would not be isolated and sanitized out of the symposium altogether. 

There were a few highlights of course.  First, having Kathleen Cleaver, former wife of Eldridge Cleaver, on the panel was exciting.  Ms. Cleaver has a certain “fieryness” about her after all these years that provided some insight into the vigor of the innerworkings of the Black Panther Party. 

 [NOTE: This picture is a powerful one.  I am standing in between two of the most revolutionary women on the planet.  On the left, Sista Yaa from Solvivaz Nation and on the right Kathleen Cleaver.]

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I used to be one of those people that had a lacksadaisical attitude toward politics. Yea - I saw it on the news, but I didn’t pay it much mind.  But for the past two years, I have really developed a strong passion for community organizing, advocacy, and public policy.  Once I learned that I could manipulate my environment (I got two bills passed last year in Maryland); my appetite to be involved in more systemic change quickly developed.  I began learning A LOT!  And finding out that so much was being HIDDEN from the general public concerning the political process like where the money is going, and who really makes up the Power Structure. Let me give you an example.

See this guy?

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Last week which began on Wednesday for me started with a visit to a local transitional organization I support called Caring Through The Spiritual Eye, Inc.  The organization was started by Shirell Tyner who by the grace of God overcame drug use and incarceration to start this organization - while in prison - to support women in recovery. 

From there I was supposed to go to Community College of Baltimore County (CCBC) to hear Dr. Michael Eric Dyson speak about his book on the Hurricane Katrina tragedy called Come Hell or High Water, but I think that he - and Bill Cosby - may have lost their minds.  Dyson because he published one of the weakest arguments that I’ve read to date opposing Dr. Delman Coates and the Enough is Enough Campaign.  His position wreaks of personal allegiance to Debra Lee (you have noticed an increase of his appearances on BET haven’t you?) and attempts to distract readers from the central issue at stake - corporate responsibility in American media.  Cosby because his latest book Come on People bares his behind and exposes him for the well meaning, yet disconnected elitist that he has become - Come on Bill! - if you gotta problem with poor Blacks, challenge institutional racism, help to finance the creation of institutions in the ‘hood AND lovingly teach the least among us to do their share to resist their own oppressive conditions.  Don’t just beat people over the head with the negative stats, facts, and figures, that we’ve heard over and over again.  Well, as you may have guessed by now - I passed on the opportunity to hear the rhetorical revolutionary whoo the crowd with his loquacious oratorical presentation and verbose verbage devoid of any sincere and/or strategic solutions for systemic change. (Didn’t know I could speak Dyson did you?)

So that night - Wednesday night that is - I spoke at the NAACP Freedom Fund Banquet after marching for 3 1/2 hours in the March for Jobs and Education organized by the Baltimore Algebra Project, as previously mentioned.  I didn’t have a chance to change so I walked into the banquet damp with the wet of hard-earned “justice sweat.”  I kept my stickers and pins on my jacket and put a “No Education No Life” t-shirt on over my clergy collar.  I thought the ”banqueteers” would enjoy visual encouragement to do less meeting, greeting, and eating and do more bleeding, sweating, and serving.  I was right. 

While at the march I ran into so many people who I have come to know as comrades in the struggle. 

Freedom Writer was there in support of the students.  FW, pictured above with his son, is 1/2 of the dynamic duo, Precise Science, who spit conscious Hip Hop designed to educate Afrikan people.  It’s been a year since I blogged about them.  I’m glad to see they’re still doing their thing.

Another comrade that went hard for the full 3 1/2 hours was Rip The Ruler (left).  Rip chanted at the top of his lungs the whole time, urging passing motorists to honk in support of the students.

“WE DON’T WANT NO PITY, WE WANT FUNDING FOR OUR CITY!”

And that was just Wednesday my friends.

This past Wednesday was a fantastic day for social justice in Baltimore City.  I was privileged to participate as a speaker for the NAACP Freedom Fund Banquet - an impressive fundraiser for the local branch which included such notables as Sen. Larry Young (MC), Pastor Harold Carter, Sr., Fred Mason, and civil rights author, Taylor Branch.

However, the highlight of my day was participating in the march for jobs and education organized by the Baltimore Algebra Project.  A diverse crowd of about 300 activists gathered at City Hall ready to raise their voices and move their feet for a noble cause.  The bottom line is that students in the Baltimore City Public School System have been short-changed for years in the areas of funding, mis-management of acquired funds, and the lack of the same types of resources in the classroom that their peers enjoy in the suburbs.  We also marched to express our disdain for a city that does not provide gainful employment for its youth.  In a city that has construction cranes everywhere, one would think that there would be enough jobs to go around, however, that is not the case.  Young people in strained financial situations often have to make tough decisions regarding how they are going to help make ends meet in their homes. 

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Today I will join members of the Baltimore Algebra Project and their many allies as we march for jobs and quality education for Baltimore City’s youth.  These committed students are extremely frustrated with a government that seems to be more concerned with criminalizing them and/or locking them up than it is providing a quality education for them and securing avenues to gainful employment.  While “gang enforcement” is the buzz word in Baltimore and other cities in the nation, fewer people are talking about the root causes that help to cultivate the growth and expansion of these street organizations.  What many will find is that at the root is social injustice - concentrated poverty, substandard educational systems, aggressive policing, blight, and divestment by the business sector coupled with fragmented families and shotty social support (i.e. unconcerned Faith institutions, dirth of recreational opportunities, etc.) create the perfect storm that propels the disconnected and marginalized to fashion their own “community.”

I join the Baltimore Algebra Project (BAP) in calling on Governor Martin O’Malley, Mayor Sheila Dixon, and all other elected officials (especially the Baltimore delegation) to provide Baltimore City youth with a quality education as mandated by the Maryland State Constitution (and as requested in this 2006 Baltimore City Council Resolution) and to create job opportunities so that the city’s younger population can become members of the city’s workforce.

Today the march will begin at Baltimore’s City Hall, 3:30PM.  For those in Baltimore, I pray to see you there.

Enjoy this rap video by a couple of members of BAP as they offer lyrical expression to their desires. (This video features some of my pictures - Chris! X! Can a brotha get some credit?!)