.I must warn this is long; it is more of a lecture than a note, but I hope when you have a moment, you will read, comment, and share if inclined.
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Today we remember Dr Martin Luther King Jr. and his service to humanity.
Everybody can be great... because anybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You don't have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. you only need a heart full of grace. a soul generated by love. - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
In his own words:
MLK Jr. = http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwKIUMbi9Jk
From Miseducation to Re-Education
last night I wrote a note titled: Wake Up Everybody! Seize, don't cede OUR Power...
link = http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=289869571130&id=671666456&ref=mf
In it I expressed some concern with our lack of focus...how we take our eyes off the prize and are easily manipulated by political rancor.
This is no different than the tactics used to cause friction between Washington & DuBois and DuBois and Garvey...
It is ironic that most who followed Garvey's philosophy believed BTW to be a sell out, when it was Washington's strategy that most influenced Garvey.
Malcolm X and Dr. King Jr. were also often (purposely) pitted against each other, forcing community members to pick a "leader" and "strategy". But the masses of our people loved both men because they recognized that both men loved them and wanted the same thing...our freedom.
Some may not have realized how similar MLK Jr. and Malcolm X were in their visions for our people.
I found this series and hope all will take a look:
1. Martin Luther King & Malcolm X: Striking Similarities Part 1 of 3
link = http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tr4JD0QUonc
2. Martin Luther King & Malcolm X: Striking Similarities Part 2 of 3
link = http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LUI_VvrKhSE
3. Martin Luther King & Malcolm X: Striking Similarities Part 3 of 3
link = http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hDxNEcBZJYE
It is very significant that Malcolm X reached out to MLK Jr. in his later years, going from calling MLK Jr. a pawn of white power structure to publicly recognizing that "Dr. King wants the same thing I want -- freedom!"
It is important to understand this because it is extremely relevant to today's ongoing debates between more progressive community members and the masses of African Americans that support President Obama.
The Transformation:
Early Malcolm X = The "white man pays Reverend Martin Luther King, subsidizes Reverend Martin Luther King, so that Reverend Martin Luther King can continue to teach the Negroes to be defenseless."
but in one of his last speeches Malcolm X goes to Selma to speak in front of SNCC and says this:
MALCOLM X: And I think that the people in this part of the world would do well to listen to Dr. Martin Luther King and give him what he's asking for and give to him fast before some other factions come along and try to do it another way. (February 4, 1965)
Context:
(http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/malcolmx/filmmore/pt.html)
In his effort to support a black united front, Malcolm accepted an invitation from SNCC, the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee, to speak in Selma, Alabama. It was the first time he had traveled south to work with the civil rights movement.
OSSIE DAVIS: Malcolm was always involved somewhere in the struggle, and I remember, in January of 1965, Juanita Poitier set up a meeting at her house for the regular civil rights leaders to meet with Malcolm X to work out the differences between us so we could come from that meeting with a common platform. Once again, A. Phillip Randolph were there, Whitney Young was there, Dorothy Hieght was there. Malcolm X was there. Several others were there. Martin Luther King couldn't make it, but he sent a representative. And we spent that day discussing Malcolm's philosophy, the mistakes he made, what he wanted to do now and how he could get on board the people's struggle that was taking place.
I remember during the height of black nationalism in hip hop most were students of Malcolm X and many believed the caricature of Dr. King the media fed us..."the one dimensional i have a dream" figure...it was not until we got older and wiser that we embraced Dr. King more fully and understood he was no passive integrationist he had been made into (purposely), but a committed servant of all oppressed people with true vision and integrity.
Given the context of their shared vision, I am reminded of Malcolm X's description of liberals, and their need to control black leaders in order to control the black community. From a 1963 speech Malcolm said:
"The white liberal differs from the white conservative only in one way: the liberal is more deceitful than the conservative. The liberal is more hypocritical than the conservative. Both want power, but the white liberal is the one who has perfected the art of posing as the Negro’s friend and benefactor; and by winning the friendship, allegiance, and support of the Negro, the white liberal is able to use the Negro as a pawn or tool in this political “football game” that is constantly raging between the white liberals and white conservatives.
The white conservatives aren’t friends of the Negro either, but they at least don’t try to hide it. They are like wolves; they show their teeth in a snarl that keeps the Negro always aware of where he stands with them. But the white liberals are foxes, who also show their teeth to the Negro but pretend that they are smiling. The white liberals are more dangerous than the conservatives; they lure the Negro, and as the Negro runs from the growling wolf, he flees into the open jaws of the “smiling” fox.
The job of the Negro civil rights leader is to make the Negro forget that the wolf and the fox both belong to the (same) family. Both are canines; and no matter which one of them the Negro places his trust in, he never ends up in the White House, but always in the dog house. (peep that carefully...lol)
The white liberals control the Negro and the Negro vote by controlling the Negro civil rights leaders. As long as they control the Negro civil rights leaders, they can also control and contain the Negro’s struggle, and they can control the Negro’s so-called revolt."
Are white liberals controlling Obama? If so, why are they turning on him? Or are they controlling US and OUR revolt to serve OUR communities and unite with OUR people?
Who best fits the description when Malcolm X describes "civil rights leaders"? Is he speaking of MLK Jr.? Leaders like Obama? or "Black progressives" who find themselves more aligned with white "liberals" (and conservatives for that matter) than the oppressed communities they supposedly are fighting for?
Every day, posts about Obama highlight the honeymoon between Obama and progressives is over. I understand people's frustration, but by making Obama the issue, we have been bamboozled by the media....and conservatives and liberals alike. It is always important to watch the company one keeps. If 90+% of Black people are with Obama but white progressives (or liberals) are against him, the progressive hip hop community needs to consider its alliances VERY carefully.
And while the reasons the masses of our community are supporting Obama may not be the most principled or conscious, they still are united. That is a starting point we must build on, not work against. Consciousness is a luxury few can afford in these serious times....survival is key... A friend of mine teaches in LA and most of her black students know only the caricature of MLK Jr. the mainstream has created...and many don’t even know who Malcolm X is! One asked if he was an extreme sports star! And we think our problem is that Obama is not addressing political issues like we want in this country where millions still deny our humanity? I’m sorry….it doesn’t even make the top 10. ...and systemic racism and poverty which are at the top of the list won't be fixed by Obama, period. It can only be fixed by US when we seize and stop ceding our power.
It is interesting how we criticize Black politicians and leaders who disappoint but never do the same with white politicians and leaders with the same level of passion, as if we take it more personally with the black leader...In Obama's case, that is a stretch given his biracial lineage and upbringing in Hawaii...lol...but I'm as guilty of this higher standard for black leaders as the next person. A favorite line I use in class when teaching about Thurgood Marshall is to call him the "first and only Black Supreme Court justice". lol...Clarence Thomas is no worse than Scalia..but our hatred is saved for Thomas. Why is that? Miseducation and mental slavery. Emancipate ourselves from mental slavery..none but ourselves can free our minds (Marley).
A King's Example
King himself took the higher road, rarely criticizing Malcolm but also refusing to publicly debate him. King would not debate, his secretary told Malcolm, because "he has always considered his work in a positive action framework rather than engaging in consistent negative debate." (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/malcolmx/peopleevents/e_civilrights.html)
On this note, Dr. King was a true visionary because this "consistent negative debate" is still a problem today and takes up critical time that could be spent serving our communities.
Keep On Keeping On
To honor Dr. King, let us understand his philosophy completely, honor his sacrifice, and live his example, not just on this day of national service, but everyday. But more than anything, we must keep on keeping on, understanding that the promise land (progress) is not a destination...it is a journey.
Thank you Dr. King for giving us your love, your vision, your service...your life.
Song Title
Keep on Keeping On
link = http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-l91O9VxN0
Artist(band)
Curtis Mayfield
Album
Gospel Greats
Everybody gather round and listen to my song
I've only got one
We who are young, should now take a stand
Don't run from the burdens of women and men
Continue to give, continue to live
For what you know is right
Most of your life can be out of sight
Withdraw from the darkness and look to the light
Where everyone's free
At least that's the way it's supposed to be
We just keep on keeping on
We just keep on keeping on
Many think that we have blown it
But they too will soon admit
That there's still a lot of love among us
And there's still a lot of faith and warmth and trust
When we keep on keeping on
Before we dismiss, one thing I insist
When you have your young, remember this song
And our world surroundings, its leaps and bounds
Ups and downs, is reality
Teach them to be strong, and when they are grown
They can proudly imply that we were an alright guy
For all the wrong now is right
This nation's people are now united as one
And we just keep on keeping on
We just keep on keeping on
Many think that we have blown it
But they too will soon admit
That there's still a lot of love among us
And there's still a lot of faith, warmth, and trust
When we keep on keeping on
Keep on keeping on, ya'll
Keep on, keep on, keep on, keep on
Keep on, keeping on
(Keep on, keeping on)
We got to move on up, ya'll
(We got to move on up)
Keep on, keep on, keep on, keep on, keep on
Some years back I remember
Still in my mind so well
My mama made this [Incomprehensible]
And I found it never fails
Never worry too long
(Worry too long)
About what goes on
(About what goes on)
Today it's sorrow
(Today it's sorrow)
Look like joy tomorrow
(Look like joy tomorrow)
Keep on keeping on
(Keep on keeping on)
Keep on, keep on
(Keep on, keep on)
We just keep on keeping on
We just keep on keeping on
Many think that we have blown it
But they too will soon admit
That there's still a lot of love among us
And there's still a lot of faith, warmth, and trust
When we keep on keeping on
Ooh ooh ooh ooh
(Ooh ooh ooh ooh)
We're gonna move on up
(We’re gonna move on up)
Keep on keeping on
(Keep on keeping on)
Move on, move now
(Move on, move now)
Keep on keeping on
(Keep on keeping on)
©WARNER-TAMERLANE PUBLISHING CORP
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