Revolutions in Libya and Egypt have Blacks in America asking “Is it time for a Pan-Africanist Revolution?”
I have intentionally not written about the uprisings in the Middle East because I think every pundit with access to a keyboard or touch pad beats the subject to death with every new development. But I cant help touching on the impact of these uprisings on Blacks here in America.
Just a few days ago, President Barack Obama said the uprisings across the Middle East offer a “huge opportunity” for the U.S. and describes the uprisings as “winds of freedom.”
When are we going to get our asses out of the nightclubs, bars, movie theaters, and malls and into the streets to struggle for real change?
Now ask yourself, what exactly are they fighting to be free from? What are they rioting for?
- Are they in the Middle East rioting to end police-state brutality? YES! Who here rioted when 15 year old Chad Holley was hit by a cop car and then beaten senseless as he lay on the ground? Or how about when Oscar Grant was shot in the Back on New Years Day by a Transit cop who was then sentenced to two years with double credit for time already served, reducing his term by 292 days? Or how about when Sean Bell was shot at over 50 times and killed on the morning after his bachelor party? How about when Star footbal recruit Billy Joe Johnson was found dead from a 12-gauge shotgun blast after he was pulled over by George County Sheriff’s Deputy Joe Sullivan for a traffic violation. Sullivan said Johnson shot himself while Sullivan was at his patrol car conducting a driver’s license check…and the Grand Jury in Mississippi let the cop go. Shawn Johnson, Henry Madge, and many thousands of others are great examples of our very own police-state brutality.
- Are they in the Middle East revolting for better access to opportunities without government interference? Yes! Who called for revolution when Kelley Williams-Bolar was arrested and SENTENCED TO FIVE YEARS IN PRISON, SLAPPED WITH A FELONY, FORCED TO SERVE 80 HOURS OF COMMUNITY SERVICE, PAY BACK THE $30,000 THE SCHOOL DISTRICT SPENT ON A PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR TO SPY ON HER, AND PLACED ON PROBATION FOR 3 YEARS to give her children better academic opportunities?
- Are they in the Middle East fighting for their freedom? YES! And here we are, the LEAST free people in this country, with an incarceration rate 6 times that of whites! And not because we are “worse” than them, but because of America’s deliberate efforts at mass incarceration. Who amongst you rioted to set the Scott Sisters free?
- Are they in the Middle East fighting to build new nations out of the old ones? YES! And here we are, Black men and women with no nation to call our own, unwilling to die from exhaustion, heartsickness, exposure, exile, or assassination for the one small hope that we can finally have a nation of our own
Now here is America, the most corrupt nation on the planet, supporting the uprisings going on around the world. Would they support an uprising right here in this country? Would they use violence against us, despite statistics that they themselves compiled showing them why we have every reason to demand our own revolution?? If there is any group of people who need to be tearing some shit up, its Blacks in America. We have plenty of great reasons to!
So is it time, Black people? If not now, how much more atrocious must conditions become before it will be enough? How many more of our children must be beaten in the streets by police, killed in the womb by Eugenicists, unlawfully imprisoned and made to slave in an economic system build on white values of exploitation, and denied access to RIGHT education?
When are we going to get our asses out of the nightclubs, bars, movie theaters, and malls and into the streets to struggle for real change? When are we going to stop with the disgusting obsession with media and material and start paying homage to our martyrs? I know that there are many of you who are young, unemployed, who see very few prospects for your future in this country ruled by the same old white values system!
You can be sure that a revolution is coming. And it will either come from us as a unified and clear-headed collective, or from them as a preemptive strike.
So is it time?
RBG UP!
Comments from FreshXpress syndicate:
Asad March 17, 2011 at 12:34 pm
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You need to read
http://unitedblackamerica.com/gaining-economic-sovereignty
http://unitedblackamerica.com/building-black-cooperative-empire
and
http://unitedblackamerica.com/real-price-nation-buildingDo something. If you know that a problem exists and you are unwilling or afraid of solving it, then you are part of the problem.
Will you start supporting black businesses? Will you devote some measure of your time and energy and MONEY to help solidify a movement? Your statements smack of slavery and self-hate, so isnt it time that you did something to cure those maladies?
Joy March 20, 2011 at 8:41 pm
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First way to make money is with an education and don’t give me the bull about not having the best books or schools or teachers. Black people were becoming professionals before we even had schools to attend. Mathematics, Science, and Technology need to replace game systems, TV, and any type of a ball, and mindless surfing on the internet. How many black children know how to do anything with a computer besides going on youtube, myspace, facebook and twitter. How many know how to design templates like the girl did for myspace and got paid from it. How many black kids know how to write a basic program or know how a computer functions.
Knowledge is power. The STEMS are very important the: science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. If we could produce children who knew these subjects better than video games and any sports game we would produce a ton of middle class and millionaires.
Eps March 25, 2011 at 10:47 am
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Or we could produce kids who produce the video games.
Media Anarchist March 17, 2011 at 10:06 amBlacks are too fuckin scared to start a revolution, especially bloggers!
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Very true. But with that being said, are you too scared to start a revolution? I read your blog and I agree with your position on Marijuana legalization. Are you willing to more publicly raise the issue?
There are bloggers out there that are actually putting in work. Blogs for activists are journals where we record what we are doing and why, not an outlet for mental masturbation.
Take LEAP (Law Enforcement Against Prohibition) for example. Yes, they blog, but they also lobby, volunteer, petition, raise funds, and produce both legislation and media support material.
Bloggers too scared to do what they write are no better than hood rappers from the suburbs.
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Perhaps you haven’t read my mission of my blog. Revolution begins with viable solutions we can all attain. The problem is that we have to many Black folk runnin’ around and hiding behind the “Black Flag”, pretending to be concerned about our communities. I’ve been heavy in the streets mentoring and networking with entities in law enforcement,non-profit, and local government and witnessed more bullshit than you can ever imagine. If we don’t rise up soon, then perhaps cognitive dissonance will be the death of our culture smh. Read Media Anarchy World War II: March Madness and you will get all of your questions answered. http://mediaanarchist.com
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MLK had the Lincoln memorial to speak in front and now we have keyboards for niggas to act ignorant behind smh!
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Right!
Joy March 17, 2011 at 6:19 pm
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So true.
Juneau Epsilon Azul March 17, 2011 at 10:11 amI feel KD’s comment is slightly self-defeating. Yes, there should be an uprising that political-minded Blacks can benefit from, financially, spiritually, intellectually, mentally, and physically…
However, not only is this subject tedious, but no one seems to care that much to invest in social change that isn’t geared towards sports and entertainment. If this were not the case, FXP itself would host 50% LESS articles about mainstream black entertainment and sports, or, FXP would up such articles geared towards political and social change by at least 45%.
People would rather be amused above all. Having the discipline to dedicate oneself to an idea like this depends solely on whomever wishes to devote their time and energy to it. The incentive has to be bolder.
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“People would rather be amused above all.” Well said!
Mike Phil March 17, 2011 at 11:51 amI all for it. I feel riots brewing in my blood. I have too many reasons to be discontent with the treatment me and mines receive in this country. We have been silences for too long. Anyone with me?
Nats_ March 17, 2011 at 12:17 pmI’m in, its time for a change. And a big one at that…
Asad March 17, 2011 at 12:18 pmI dont slightly disagree with KD’s comment, I TOTALLY DISAGREE AND REJECT HIS COWARDICE AND LACK OF VISION!
His attitude, specifically “All this Pan-African Black power talk is some bullsh%t if you can’t finance it to the point where it solidifies itself” is THE PRIMARY PROBLEM WITH BLACKS IN AMERICA!!!!
Do you think the Palestinians, the Israelis, the FIRST FREAKIN WHITE AMERICANS had this attitude? HELL NO! Do the Egyptians, Libyans, Baharanians have that attitude? No!
At the same time, there were always naysayers on the sidelines.
Harriet Tubman carried a pistol around, not for slave catchers, but for the slaves who refused to go to freedom. For her, and for them, it was freedom or death.
KD, you are both a coward and a house negro, and real Black men and women wouldnt tolerate your cowardice for a minute.
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Preach!!!
KD March 17, 2011 at 5:14 pm
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Harriet Tubman….House Negro….Coward….Lack of vision. What is this the Black Tea Party? Harriet actually carried a pistol in case those that were with her left and then tried to change their mind out of fear. First, I’m not with your fake ass movement to begin with but me and Harriet do have something in common though…moving on. I guess I could get mad at the name calling from my own people but this is the internet where you can get as big as you want to be with keyboard courage. If you really love your people why would you rather them get slaughtered than build a network so vast that it won’t fail? You can slice up my comments all you want but line for line it’s true and thats why you mad.
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You dont necessarily have to be with my movement. You werent selected, nor were you invited. Movements with open enrollment inevitably let in trash.
I only argue with solution oriented men. All others, I teach.
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“I only argue with solution oriented man. All others, I teach.”
Yet you have proposed no solutions or ideologies….what a teacher. I’m done entertaining you but you can keep talking to your fan boys on your own site instead of diluting the quality of FXP, I’m just saying.
thekid March 17, 2011 at 1:24 pmOK OK, i see yall trying to brew up something real big> Buts lets be serious here folks you want to riot, revolt, start a revolution. What are the core basis foundations of the revolution? who exactly are yall protesting to as well?
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Revolution means change, not always through violence dude!
Jen March 17, 2011 at 3:04 pmI’ll be damned if I riot and die to live in this stank country…especially after what you have just described. I feel like we have already tried to live among these people (SEE: the Civil Rights Movement) and it has been made abundantly clear they don’t want us here and are happy to end and ruin our lives to assert that.
I would rather just leave.
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That passion is what we all need. The problem is that we cannot go back to Africa, and we dont have a “home” here. There is a solution though, one that we arent going to discuss here. But there will come a day when all of us will be called to make a choice and take a stand, and it wont involve dying for this country!
E. Reed March 17, 2011 at 3:06 pmI agree with KD.
Last time there was a major revolution in America, it birthed the Civil Rights Movement which produced various legal victories that ended segregation while giving us the liberty to actively participate in the political process.
However, there were no clear economic plans to maintain the “freedoms” that our predecessors fought for.
Integration weakened the economic structure of most Black communities. Many Black businesses closed, and it gave white people an opportunity to come into our communities and exploit us. We began seeking approval from the White establishment, hoping to integrate and be accepted, instead of working to strengthen our own communities.
It’s rare to see Black hands exchanging Black dollars.
Our people saw a revolution occur in the 50s and 60s, but we did not continue building upon the foundation they left. This is a capitalist society, and money is POWER!
We can march all day and have laws overturned, but until we start hitting folks in the pocketbook and wielding our collective influence, we won’t get anywhere. Why else do you think the bus boycotts were so successful??? It wasn’t because the government thought our cause was a worthy one, but rather we were flexing our economic muscle and hitting the establishment in the pocketbook.
It’s revolutionary to get your finances in order! It’s revolutionary to open up your own business and employ others! It’s revolutionary to sell goods and services to others within your own community. It’s revolutionary to eat the right foods and work-out so that you will live a quality life and not develop a life-threatening disease such as diabetes or hypertension at a young age. It’s revolutionary to teach your kids to be financially shrewd. It’s revolutionary to be in a functional and monogamous relationship and raise strong kids. It’s revolutionary to be real with your kids about the racist society we live in.
Simple things are revolutionary, it’s not always about marching and petitioning. We gotta stop trying to beg, whine, and moan for the white man to acknowledge as worthy, we gotta stop waiting on them to understand struggles and plight—
And finally get ourselves in order. There are many resources at our disposal, we aren’t using them to our advantage though.
I love the idealism of a revolution, but also look at it from a hint of realism.
That’s my two cents.
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I can dig that. Very well written comment, and those are the types of revolutions that we should start with! From there, all else would fix itself! And since “there were no clear economic plans to maintain the “freedoms” that our predecessors fought for”, maybe its our generation’s responsibility to bring it into fruition.
I dont compromise on this issue. I am 100% committed to nation building. That might not be your calling (and thats fine), but ask the families of Oscar Grant, Chad Holley, The Scott Sisters, Shawn Johnson, and hundreds of thousands of dead and incarcerated Black men and women if the system needs change, and they would agree!
tellylonglegs March 17, 2011 at 6:21 pm
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Great comment E.Reed.
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@E Reed Well said.
Joy March 17, 2011 at 6:28 pmBlack people need to stop being scared. And like Jim Brown said black men need to want to shoulder responsibility. And no I am not putting this all on black men but with any war (look in the Bible) it starts with the men of a country or race. The women always jumped in and helped but the men will have to want to stand and put an end to it. Martin Luther King, Malclom X, Medgar Evers, and Khalid Muhammad are true men who stood up and knew that their standing up was going to lead to their death but they stood up because if they didn’t no change was going to be made.
Now to top it of the Mexicans have been thrown into the mix. Killing innocent black people. When is enough going to be enough? I guess not until we are all extinct.
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“Martin Luther King, Malclom X, Medgar Evers, and Khalid Muhammad are true men who stood up and knew that their standing up was going to lead to their death but they stood up because if they didn’t no change was going to be made.”
Right. These men were the exception, not the rule. Most others stood aside and watched. Or made commentary.
I for one refuse the extinction option.
Mr. Riley March 17, 2011 at 6:35 pmThe next revolution that is going to be fought here is the one of class system born out of bigotry and hate…the race issue here has always been paramount and will continue on, but that’s nothing new…MLK spoke about this concerning the next great issue to be confronted within the AA community and in america…until the gap (financial) has been closed for the least of these there would always be turmoil…currently, it is getting worse and reaching feverish pitches..
LCherelle March 17, 2011 at 6:55 pmAll in all, black folks are scared. Revolution starts in the mind. What you physically see (e.g. the marches, lobbying, protests, rallies, etc.) are a manifestation of revolutionary mental and emotional faculties. Unfortunately, we live in a community that rarely fosters any level of thought. And when it does occur, it’s within the same circles (such as us). Our cultural has dumbed down. Therefore, there will be no revolution. However, I’m always hopefully and I’M WILING TO BE ON THE FRONT LINES (physically, financially, intellectually and politically).
Asad March 17, 2011 at 7:17 pmExactly. The number 2,3, and 4 top posts on this site are 2. So, Why Not Keri Hilson?
3. Dear Chris Brown and
4. In Defense of Kanye West, That’s Mr. “Monster” To You
The madness of a lost and dumbed down society!
bitter black dude March 17, 2011 at 8:36 pmblack people cant even agree on if we want to be called black, african-american, mixed, inter-racial, american, or nigga. difference between us in libyans (both have unemployment upwards of 30% btw) is we look at one another and do not see a brother in the struggle. we are seperated and the few things that might unite us like ahem hip hop or jazz or whatever CULTURAL movement we create you got just as many Toms hating it not seeing the point in being anything but fully assimilated. we are divided. its a shame libyans of all religions can get together and foment change, seeing similarities more than differences, but afro ams cant and actually pride ourselves on not being monolithic in anything, from taste in music to politics to culture. be monolithic damnit!! its good some times. strength in numbers and common causes and what not. so i disagree in your hate on culture and find it counterproductive, but i agree in that we should be doing more and working with what we do have which yes includes kanye west and chris brown.
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I am on the same page as you as far as being monolithic, but what principles should we follow, or whose? WHo has the best and most comprehensive plan? I am really not feeling the Nation of Islam, I dont call myself a Moor, I am just a little more progressive than the New Black Panther party, and I think most other Blacks in this country are as well.
I definitely think that culture has its place, but as the saying goes “art imitates life”. But we blacks in America have it backwards, our life imitates art! If you think that statement is false, look at the youth! Those boys become men in body, but remain media-consuming and imitating boys in mind!
All in all though, I am feeling your comment. And Kanye can join the revolution as long as he isnt wearing ass-less leather pants and forces.
Have You Read These Yet?
Man what? I would suggest for my black people to not even entertain this bullsh%t. White and Asian initiatives and people are protected in this country primarily because they economically meet the needs of the Government, State, County, City and then bigotry. Anything outside of the Nation’s economy is considered a nuisance, get real. All this Pan-African Black power talk is some bullsh%t if you can’t finance it to the point where it solidifies itself. Whites buy from Whites, Asians buy from Asians and Whites, Middle-Easterners by from Middle-Easterners, Whites and Asians, Black people buy from Whites, Middle-Easterners and Asians 99% of the time. In this country money begets power and freedom and we as black folks don’t really know how to make money which is the first damn step. Jumping on this Pan-African bandwagon will leave you like that german shepherd with that homeless man in Clifton; f%cked up.