The Black Panther Party [RECONSIDERED]- A book by Dr. Charles E. Jones. In our HipHop society it is stated that the most dangerous
thing is “Being a nigger that doesn’t give a fuck!”. Well, to be honest it’s far from being as dangerouds as being
a Soul who does care. Here is a book that is dangerous to have.
Not nicely illustrated with pictures. You have to read to draw
the picture, seems logic. It takes you back to the Summer Of Love and Burn Baby Burn. Oakland, October 15, 1966, two men, Heuy P. Newton and Bobby Seale, found the Black Panther Party For Self-Defence. And the thirty years that followed. It goes deep on all aspects
in the rise and fall of the Party. It’s heritage and legacy. On
August 12, 1989, on the streets of West Oakland, California, USA, Newton was shot death by Tyronne Robinson, a twenty-five-years-old street level drug dealer.
Too many of us do not know because of our own stupidicy. This
book is one you should pick up. The Party was often portraited
as a racist movement. But as P.E. already thaught you: "don’t believe the hype". Check out the message out for yourself at the source, cause
you are able to: “We are not a black racist organization, not a racist organization
at all. We understand where racism comes from. Our minister of
Defens has taught us to understand that we opose all kinds of
racism.” Or in more simple words, Newton remarked that: “We don’t hate white people; we hate the oppressor. And if the
oppressor happens to be white then we hate him.” The Party was here to free those who wanted te be free. And they
started at the only place you can start a revolution: freeing
the mind.
The Black Panther Party was the first movement that recognised
the opression of the gay and lesbian people in 'the land of the
free'. As illustrated in the book, Newton wrote:
“We have not said much about homosexuals at all, but we must relate
to the homosexual movement because it is a real thing. And I know
through reading, and through my live experience and observations
that homosexuals are not given freedom and liberty by anyone in
the society. They might be the most opressed in the society.”
Newton concludes,
“We should be careful about using these terms that might turn our
friends off. the terms ‘faggot’ and ‘punk’ should be deleted from
our vocabulary, and especially we should not attach names normally
designed for homosexuals to men who are enemies of the people,
such as Nixon or Mitchell. Homosexuals are not the enemies of the people. We should try
to form a working coalition with the gay liberation and women’s
liberation groups. We must always handle social force in the most
appropraite manner.”
If you say you are the land of the free people, than your people
need to be free. What the Black Panther Party did was trying to
finish the American Revolution. As it is a revolution that still is a evolution. Cause that
was a revolution to free all the people wasn’t it? Why do I started
this piece with homosexuals? Well, the most will be turned off
right away. But why? Is it a treathing you? Is it scary? Why can’t
the majority not be free in mind? What is wrong with people loving
each other instead of hating each other? Why do people hate? Because
it’s something we don’t know or is it something we do know? The
Panthers broadcast a message which is dangerous to be heard.
The issue illustrates how progresive and revolutionary these common
man and women where and still are. And that made them the “PUBLIC ENEMY NUMBER ONE” according the J. Edgar Hoover, director of the FBI.
Armed resistance. The panthers represented the institutionalization
of Malcom X’s notion of self defense. Newton explained:
"Although Malcolm’s program for the organization of Afro-American
Unity was never put into operation, he has made it clear that
Blacks ought to arm. Malcolm’s influence was ever present. We
continue to believe that the Black Panther Party exists in the
spirit of Maolcolm… ever-present.”
What started out as a simple act of self-respect: if somebody
is violating your freedom you do something about it. What Heuy
P. Newton and Bobby Seal did was exactly what America showes the
rest of the world to do: if somebody endagers the American interest
you protect it by all means necessary.
The movement was disturbing the American dream. And saying ‘No’ (as in Chuck D’s song) to the American Dream. That dream was (and still is)
a nightmare for those have-nots. They formed an army to defend
themselves against and oppressive system. 'America is the leader
of the world. Land of the free, home of the brave. Upholder of
democracy, every vote counts.’ When the American civil-rights
where written, the blackrace was considered nothing more than
propety. The Party was a movement that showed the world what was
an economic prison, that there was a war going on ‘back home’
and not only abroad. United Nation concluded in an investigation that the USA indeed hold POWs, Prisnors Of War. The most famous: Assanta Shakur who fled to Cuba. Where she now enjoins political asylum. Check out A Song For Assata by Common.
What was facing the Black Panthers was a system opressing a huge
part of it’s people. If these people stopped and started to say
‘NO’, they would threathing the ruling class ‘properties’. Well,
that is what some feared and still fear.
“The FBI continued its efforts to stifle radical dissent during
the World War II era. Congress aided Bureau activities with the passage of two
pivotal laws in 1941. The Alien Regitration (Smith) Act made it illegal to advocate the overthrow of the United States
goverment, and the Voorhis Act required ‘all subversive organizations having foreign links’
to be registered with the federal government. As the FBI pressed
forward in its efforts to imprison or silence those thought to
be Communist, the agency did nothing, however to disrupt the cozy
relationship several U.S. corporations enjoyed with Nazi Germany. Indeed, J. Edgar Hoover and his agents looked the other way
when Standard Oil, International Telephone and Telegraph, Chase Bank and General Motors helped arm and finance Hitler’s genocidal war machine.” So besides that the USA Armed Forces where part of the Allied
Forces who liberate Europe. The American industry and it’s leaders
helped starting that same war. With that knowledge you getting
your doubts about the Marshal-Plan. The plan to give big finacial and material help to rebuilt those
countries destroyed by WWII.
But about people who fought their rights to be free, and spread
love instead of hate:
“Hoover ordered that Martin Luther king Jr. become the object
of goverment surveilance. Hoover launched a campaign to discredit
the civil rights leader shortly after King’s historic “I Have
A Dream” speechin 1963.” “At one point the, the Bureau launched a concerted but unsuccessful
effort to drive Martin Luther King, Jr., to commit suicide. King
remarked: “They are out to get me, harass me, break my spirit.”
Panther activities were also targets of repression, especially
the organization’s Free Breakfast Program. J. Edgar Hoover was extremely perturbed by the overwhelming
success of the program, calling it a “Real long range threat to American society.” Elvis once remarked that The Beatles were a threath for the American
youth too…. See MOJO's special on John Lennon. The Bureau directed
most of its efforts at destablizing the program by targeting its
supporters. How sick must you be to not support, even worse, attacking
those who are feeding hungry kids?
The Panthers are a subject that is to big to cath in one article.
Or even to catch it in a movie. If you want to know more pick
up this book and start reading. But you have to understand that
when you do, that what you know can put you in danger. This book
will let you understand the truth about the most powerful people
movement in the ‘free world’ and how it was destroyed by the most
powerfull ‘free’ nation on this planet. It will get you on track
to find out even more. Think before it’s illegal.
Boombox AQ
Black Classic Press
P.O.BOX 13414
Baltimore, MD 21203
United States of America
In The Netherlands to order at:
Sarafina Books
Tel: 020-6108657 or 06-22147498
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