NO PROGRESS. They won't even admit the knife is there: http://youtu.be/SzuOOshpddM
The Way It Is/Changes = http://youtu.be/-72yh0QXXMA
I want to expand on a note I wrote on February 21, 2010 that highlighted the speech Malcolm X gave on white liberals v. conservatives. I think it is one of his most relevant speeches given today's political climate, where the media continues to suck most of us into the traps of politrix.
EXCERPT:
"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)
Miseducation and the Divide and Conquer Strategy
When successful, this strategy of divide and conquer leads to a lack of focus where it becomes easy to be manipulated by political rancor. These tactics were used to cause friction between Washington and 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.
Most of my students in Black LA know only the caricature of MLK Jr. the mainstream has created...They know "I have a Dream" MLK, but not "Stop the Vietnam War" MLK. And as incredible as it may seem, many know very little about Malcolm X or Black History Month in general. Few can identify the origin of the RBG flag. Some don’t even know who Malcolm X is! One middle school student once asked if he was an extreme sports star!
"Who are you?" - Malcolm X
The truth is many still do not know who our enemy really is...and as long as that is the case, we will not know who we are. It reminds me of a quotation attributed to Black Panther Bunchy Carter where he explains that "there should never be any hostilities between Black organizations (referring to BPP v US) because they are not our enemy."
Malcolm X and Dr. King Jr. were often (purposely) pitted against each other as well, forcing community members to pick a "leader" and "strategy". But the masses of our people love 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.
Martin Luther King & Malcolm X: Striking Similarities Part 1 of 3
link = http://youtu.be/c-5F8DW9G4c
Malcolm X Fought the Real War
Yes, we now live now in a corporatist state where our "democratic elected representatives" are bought and sold, and the 1% are gaining more wealth and power every day. But we also have to deal with the reality that even if we lived in a TRUE democracy where our representatives actually represented us and our interests, we live among a nation of millions that want to hold us back (PE).
Understanding and dealing with WHITE SUPREMACY is critical to building class consciousness...it has not only been A strategy of the status quo power structure, it has been THE strategy, since before this country formed...back to colonial days...
For working people to come together, they must first recognize the humanity they share...and white supremacy is the roadblock denying that truth. That is what the white middle class has done for this system...people will continue to support a system that only benefits 1% until they recognize that they are not a part of that 1%...they are a part of the 99% masses across the globe of all hues...
Malcolm X understood this and fought the real war...the RACE WAR that has been at the center of this country from its founding to today.
With progress made, there has always been backlash...
TO secure our freedom:
1. David Walker's Appeal (calling for enslaved Africans to secure freedom by any means)
2. Bacon's Rebellion (class based revolt)
BACKLASH:
1. racialization of slavery (from indentured servitude to slave for life)
2. black codes for non-enslaved AA
THEN WE:
1. Abolition movement to end slavery (from reform tactics like pressure though press and courts to radical revolts to moral religious tactics)
BACKLASH:
1. led to whole free state/slave state - congressional politics of representation 3/5 clause etc.
2. SECESSION
THEN to secure freedom we:
POST Civil War - RECONSTRUCTION ERA
1. Federal FREEDMAN'S Bureau
2. gains in education, land, and political representation
BACKLASH:
1. Domestic Terrorism, birth of KKK
2. Legalization of Jim Crow
THEN WE TRIED:
1. Booker T. - building institutions but not fighting racism,
2. DuBois - NAACP, tried reforming system, holding to its ideals,
3. Garvey - actually inspired by Booker T., self determination, building black institutions and economic empowerment with black money not white donors like Booker T. had
BACKLASH:
1. J Edgar Hoover hired first black agent to infiltrate UNIA.
2. Black leaders pitted against each other as tactic (Washington v. DuBOis, Garvey v. DuBois)
3. Internal strife (movements brought down from within/tactic used in revolts earlier too)
THEN we HAD:
1. CRM, BPM - Emmitt Till, montgomery bus boycott - masses organizing, SNCC, BPP, etc
BACKLASH:
1. COINTELPRO
2. MLK v. MALCOLM, take sides (tactic divide and conquer which Malcolm X later rejected)
THEN:
hip hop - voice for youth coming of post-CR era
BACKLASH:
commodified - frame one dimensional and sell for profit while reinforcing stereotypes..see BAMBOOZLED
THEN:
OBAMA is elected in this country...lol
BACKLASH:
1. tea party
2. "liberal" squabbling on politics (for/against Obama) instead of organizing actions (which i argue is very purposeful and again refer to Malcolm X speech on foxes and wolves..liberals and conservatives)
3. the fear of a brown planet (immigration debate, 14th amendment, etc.)
4. stand your ground laws and the growing police state
I write all this to basically point out...we have to make sure we know not only WHAT we are fighting for...but WHO we are fighting FOR, and who we are fighting AGAINST...because there have been many times in history we have been pitted against each other as a tactic when we could have united and been a powerful force for our own freedom...we can either learn lessons of history, or continue to repeat them...Malcolm X understood this and it is why even after his trip to Mecca and break from the NOI, Black Nationalism remained his strategy to achieve human rights for all.
He understood self determination was not just a strategy...it was the ONLY path to freedom.
also see:
link = http://www.blackpast.org/1964-malcolm-x-s-speech-founding-rally-organization-afro-american-unity
