Divide and Conquer Politrix: Malcolm X explains Liberals v. Conservatives

Last month I wrote two notes that are good reads for Black History Month.

Title #1: Wake Up Everybody! Seize, don't cede OUR Power...
link = http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=289869571130&id=671666456&ref=mf

Title #2: In Honor of A King: Keep on Keeping On
link = http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=278067051130

The second note was posted in honor of Dr. King on his holiday last month. In it I wrote about the efforts to pit Dr. King and Malcolm X against each other.

As we remember the assassination of Malcolm X 45 years ago today, i wanted to re-share a part of one note that highlighted the speech Malcolm X gave on liberals v. conservatives. While it is not one of his most popular speeches, I think it is one of the most relevant given today's political climate where the media continues to suck most into the traps of politrix.

Miseducation and the Divide and Conquer Strategy

Malcolm X and Dr. King Jr. were 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.

When successful, this strategy of divide and conquer leads to a lack of focus where it becomes easy to be 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.

A friend of mine teaches in Black LA and most of her students 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 don’t even know who Malcolm X is! One asked if he was an extreme sports star! We still do not know who our enemy really is...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 because they are not our (BPP) enemy.

From Miseducation to Re-Education

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!"

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)

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 US and undermining OUR revolt? Are we serving OUR communities and uniting OUR people or are we falling into the same old traps?
By the look of things...i would say Politrix is alive and well.

Malcolm X Fought the Real War

The truth is we live now in a corporatist/fascist state where our "democratic elected representatives" are bought and sold, and without an active citizenry, this will remain the case. 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).

Malcolm X's speech highlights the ongoing racial struggle in this country...the RACE WAR that has been at the center of this country from its founding to today.

With progress made, there is always 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-enlaved 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)..led to whole free state/slave state - congressional politics of representation 3/5 clause etc.

BACKLASH:
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 - 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 instead of organizing actions (which i argue is very purposeful and again refer to Malcolm X speech on foxes and wolves..liberals and conservatives)

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 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.

The Burden...and Freedom...of Reality

One of my favorite quotations to cite in class, post on here, and spam elsewhere whenever i get a chance is by James Baldwin:

We are capable of bearing a great burden, once we discover that the burden is reality and arrive where reality is. – James Baldwin

I post it often but have realized that very few people engage in dialogue about the heart of the matter...what this quotation really speaks to...and why it matters.

There is no shortage of people and energy that want change...but why does it seem so fleeting? Why do imperial forces seem to always "win" and progressive efforts for a more equitable existence for all humankind seem like such a pipe dream? again, the answer lies in the quotation.

The political circus that has become health care reform is yet another lesson in why this quotation's insight is so critical if we ever want to see real change.

For me, the debates raging on blogs and FB act as a constant reminder of how far we are from this reality. For many, it is easier to debate principles, ideology and philosophy...but reality is rarely engaged. I wonder....where will this lead us?? and the answer is the same answer it has been for all times....nowhere.

And then we wonder why nothing changes? Really? How can things change in a society where we have made even reality debatable? And as long as that is the case, we will not be able to agree on the path forward.
There ain't no substitute for the truth....either it is or isn't - India Arie

Keeping the quotation above as my guiding principle, and trying to arrive where reality truly is, I am going to try to answer these questions:

So what is our REALITY?
What is the truth?

1. Change is possible...but

2. it is NOT through leadership or policy unless....

3. There is an active electorate (the engine of a true democracy = people power) ....but

4. There is no active electorate... why?

5. Fascists and Hegemonic power control not only masses but progressive movements...how?

6. Fragmented/Polar interests (no unity) and Miseducation. ...so what can we realistically do?

7. KNOW all are not fighting for the same PROGRESS so it will be a continuous struggle, ACCEPT the power within to BE the change we need by SERVING our communities and working to ORGANIZE the masses.


OKAY now this is the REALITY we must really deal with...People I have the utmost respect for are not intellectually honest with themselves or others when they do not speak to these realities. The progressive movement in this country will never succeed as long as progressives continue to follow the same script:

1. blame leadership
2. blame the "ignorant" and "disengaged" masses
3. believe progress is possible without the masses; that they can make change alone, not realizing that even if this was a true democracy and worked as such, they would still lose by the numbers and resources.

I address most of these issues in the previous post (Dis'United States of America) particularly the issue of fragmented and polar interests, so in this essay, I want to speak more specifically about the reality of miseducation in our lack of progress for a more equitable society.

The Roots of Miseducation: How the Masses were taught Powerlessness

Carter G. Woodson details how we were taught to be powerless in his classic text, The Miseducation of the Negro. Masses have been taught to accept their powerlessness; that they have no power to change things and must depend on leaders (white supremacists).

If this miseducation is not combated, it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy because when leaders do not bring change, masses become more cynical and disengaged believing they tried to elect change but got more of the same. They learn the "power" they thought they had (in a democracy) is of no significance so they must accept their lots in life.

Leadership, at best, brings only temporary and incremental progress (and usually with backlash), because once leaders are neutralized, so is the progress. History has taught us this lesson over and over again: well known leaders like Toussaint L'Ouverture, Nat Turner, John Brown, Sojourner Truth, Harriet Tubman, Marcus Garvey, Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, and the BPP all gave their life works for black liberation, but black liberation is still a dream deferred. And while no one can deny the significant progress all their efforts made to advance black liberation, their most significant achievements were organizing the mass "followers" they emboldened to action. Alone, they could accomplish little, but leading the people, they helped us on our path from slavery to freedom...a path we still are on today.


Woodson's solution to this miseducation of looking to leadership to save our communities, comes in the chapter titled "Service over Leadership". He says we need to start serving our communities, investing and trusting in our own people to realize self determination.


Interestingly enough, this powerlessness is mirrored in much of western philosophy and traditions, and religion is probably the main way it is taught.


Manifest Destiny

Although I did not realize it at the time, the combination of growing up going to a Catholic school, and having a father who was an avid reader and student of not only the Bible, but eastern philosophy (ex. Book of Tao), and new age spirituality (exs. Wayne Dyer, Marianne Williamson, Deepak Chopra) impacted my worldview tremendously.

In eastern philosophy, much focus is placed on inner power.

Catholic training actually emphasized service and sacrifice. While evangelicals seemed to focus on Jesus as the way to salvation, I learned more of his acts of mercy and treatment of the poor.

In Mass, this is the scripture I remember getting most attention:

Matthew 25: 34-40
³⁴Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. ³⁵For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, ³⁶ I was naked and you clothed me,I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.' ³⁷Then the righteous will answer him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? ³⁸And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? ³⁹And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?' ⁴⁰And the King will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.'



When I listen to most evangelicals discuss the Bible, they focus extensively on this passage:

John 6: 40-46
⁴⁰And this is the will of Him that sent Me: that every one who seeth the Son and believeth in Him may have everlasting life, and I will raise him up at the Last Day." ⁴¹The Jews then murmured at Him, because He said, "I am the Bread which came down from Heaven."⁴²And they said, "Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How is it then that he saith, `I came down from Heaven'?" <sup>43</sup>Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, "Murmur not among yourselves.<sup>" 44</sup>No man can come to Me unless the Father who hath sent Me draw him; and I will raise him up at the Last Day.<sup>45</sup>It is written in the Prophets: `And they shall all be taught by God.' Every man therefore that hath heard and hath learned from the Father cometh unto Me. ⁴⁶Not that any man hath seen the Father, save He that is of God; He hath seen the Father.


Comparing these two passages provides one powerful lesson. The first focuses on service. The latter teaches that no one is saved unless they come through Jesus; it is the script that many "Christians" use to damn all non-Christians to hell. It also basically teaches that the power comes from accepting, not doing. Salvation comes from accepting Christ as Savior, not being Christ-like. This is a very powerful lesson in teaching powerlessness.

Interestingly enough, later in the book of John, Jesus says:

John 14: 12

"Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father."


This passage is hotly debated as to whether Jesus meant we could "really" do all he did now on Earth...

but in Luke 17: 5-8 Jesus also says:

⁵ The apostles said to the Lord, “Show us how to increase our faith.” ⁶ The Lord answered, “If you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘May you be uprooted and thrown into the sea,’ and it would obey you!


These last two passages speak to the same inner power eastern philosophy often speaks to, but these passages are treated as more figurative while the John 6:44 is treated more literally; again, playing down "namaste" to reinforce that power comes from an outside force.



This western way of thinking has implications in all we do...and don't do; what we believe we are capable of...and not capable of...what is possible, and impossible. The reality is this miseducation heeds progress, and this is the burden we continue to bear to this day. But this is one burden we can cast off once we accept the power within us to be the change we want and need. So in reality, the obstacles are great, but despite the interests that work against progress, our power is greater if we embrace it fully...and the truth is...the REALITY is...we REALLY can change the world...so, let's get free. Namaste.


“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

----from A Return to Love, by Marianne Williamson.

The Miseducation of a Nation: Unveiling the Illusion of History

As always, I'd like to begin by offering peace and respect to all that honor humanity in words and deeds. The struggles of daily life often create distractions, and I like most become a victim of life circumstances, but as long as we are living, we must keep striving for higher ground. To do that, we must first accept that history is a matter of perspective (place, space, and time), but truth is universal and transcending. Perception makes it difficult to recognize truth. One’s perspective is based on one’s experience. People cannot understand of what they have had no experience. This is understandable and in many ways hard to argue against. I can’t fault my students for not knowing material I have not taught them…but if I teach them a lesson, they are then expected to know it.

White Delusion, Black Disillusion

The history of the United States is one of multiple experiences depending on place, space and time. For white Americans, it has been a history of struggle but opportunity. They believe the ideals of the Declaration of Independence and Constitution even if their actions often contradicted the ideals. For African Americans, the same history has been a war between ideals and a very different and cruel reality. Frederick Douglass expressed this best in his speech about the different meaning of the Fourth of July celebration for whites and blacks:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mb_sqh577Zw

In reality, what the vast majority of Americans (and all people globally) have in common is a history of hard labor. The vast majority of people worldwide work hard and have very little to show for their efforts. Despite this truth, many have been taught to believe the lie that hard work pays off – meritocracy exists. While it is easy to accept how one’s experiences shape perception, how can we explain perspectives that run counter to our experiences? How does this happen?

Perception coupled with power creates frames that the masses will accept as the truth despite the evidence in their lives to the contrary. The result of this power has been white delusion, black disillusion, and a history of mass illusion. We need to lift the veil of history to reveal the face of reality. James Baldwin said it best: “We are capable of bearing a great burden, once we discover that the burden is reality and we arrive where reality is.”

To illustrate, here are two examples of how powerful and dangerous ideology can be:

1. Whites in this country have nothing in general...but white supremacy has veiled that reality...so they allow corporate capitalists to convince them that their interests are best protected in status quo...health care for profit for example..but as long as you can convince the people to NOT believe their reality you can continue to manipulate them.

2. On the left, many look at government programs as "help" ex...social welfare programs, etc. But the motivation for these programs is NOT to benefit communities in need; it is to keep them dependent and most importantly, complacent...bad off but surviving...in many ways, any “top down government assistance” is given to avoid the REVOLUTION that would come.... from a PEOPLE with nothing to lose.

The world for a sociologist is one big science experiment. Wasting away hours on Facebook, reading through the chatter of numerous internet sites and blogs, or watching the propaganda of cable news provides a plethora of data to analyze. The conclusion I reach time and time again is that most are living an illusion, busy with daily distractions, manipulated by powerful OR ideological interest groups on all sides of debate. Most approach the world experiment through a veil of perception instead of reality.

It explains why a Latina woman from the Bronx who graduated from elite universities and became a Supreme Court nominee can be called a racist, but a system that has had 108 white men Supreme Court justices is “color blind”.

It explains why health care for profit benefits someone who can’t afford to pay for it and not the entities that profit from it, but public health care for all hurts those that will be covered (many for the first time).

It explains how a white cop who arrests a black professor for talking shit is not expected to apologize but a black president has to (for calling said cop stupid). It makes it possible for white and blacks to see the same situation completely different. Most whites believe the cop was in the right; most blacks believe that if the professor had been white, he would not have been arrested in his own home…no matter how much shit he talked.

It explains why corporate interests can decry government regulation but accept government funds for bailouts.

It is explained by rising racial violence in a supposedly “post-racial” world.

It is explained by leftists who criticize Obama for compromising to get things done in Washington, but never question the compromises they make in their own lives (jobs, habits, actions or…more correctly inaction).

It explains how if you say 9/11 and Saddam Hussein in the same sentence enough times you can create the illusion of a connection that will lead to an endless war that kills, maims, and displaces hundreds of thousands of Iraqis, and kills, maims, and mentally and emotionally scars, thousands of young GIs.

It is framing. And it is THE true threat to reality and humanity. Chuck D was right…Don’t believe the hype! Take off the veil…be it your ideology, perception, or miseducation. There is a truth out there…and it is universal. We reap what we sow. No need for intentions, explanations, rationalizations, or repudiations; just actions. First plan of action: Seek the truth.