Malcolm X's Independence Speech and Black Nationalism Today

On March 12, 1964, after being censured by the Nation Of Islam, Malcolm X broke his silence with this statement on his beliefs and his plans for his community.

In 1994/5, I performed this speech many times at speech and debate competitions. Mostly I wanted to be different from the Martin Luther King crowd. back then, I thought there was a difference between Martin and Malcolm. I believed there was a split in the Black thought. I chose Malcolm. My journey showed me there could be split. Once I removed divisive thoughts from my perspective these words made a lot more sense.

After twenty years of forgetting theses words and not seeing them, today I am amazed at having developed a much deeper understanding of Black Nationalism that leads me back to these words...

This is everything I've learned and believe in as it pertains to Black Nationalism. It seems very timely given the atmosphere today...

Because 1964 threatens to be a very explosive year on the racial front, and because I myself intend to be very active in every phase of the American Negro struggle for human rights, I have called this press conference this morning in order to clarify my own position in the struggle, especially in regards to politics and nonviolence.

I am and always will be a Muslim. My religion is Islam. I still believe that Mr. Muhammad's analysis of the problem is the most realistic, and that his solution is the best one. This means that I too believe that the best solution is complete separation, with our people going back home, that is, to our African homeland.

But separation back to Africa is still a long-range program, and while it is yet to materialize, 22 million of our people who are still here in America need better food, better clothing, better housing, better education and better jobs right now. Mr. Muhammad's program does point us back homeward, but it also contains within it what we could and should be doing to help solve our own problems right now while we're still in America.

But internal differences within the Nation of Islam forced me out of it. I did not leave of my own free will. But now that it has happened, I intend to make the most of it. Now that I have more independence of action, I intend to use a more flexible approach toward working with others to get a solution to this problem.

I'm not out to fight other Negro leaders or other Negro organizations. We must find a common approach, a common solution, to a common problem. As of this minute, I have forgotten everything bad that the other leaders have said about me, and I pray they can also forget the many bad things I've said about them. The problem facing our people here in America is bigger than all the other personal or organizational differences. Therefore, as leaders, we must stop worrying about the threat that we seem to think we pose to each other's personal prestige, and concentrate our united efforts toward solving the unending hurt that is being done daily to our people here in America.

I am going to organize and head a new mosque in New York City, known as the Muslim Mosque Incorporated. This gives us a religious base, and the spiritual force necessary to rid our people of the vices that destroy the moral fiber of our community.

Our political philosophy will be black nationalism. Our economic and social philosophy will be black nationalism. Our cultural emphasis will be upon black nationalism.

Many of our people aren't religiously inclined, so the Muslim Mosque, Incorporated, will be organized in such manner to provide for the active participation of all Negroes in our political, economic, and social programs, despite their religious or non-religious beliefs.

The political philosophy of black nationalism means: we must control the politics and the politicians of our own community. They must no longer take orders from outside forces, and we will organize, and sweep out of office all Negro politicians who are puppets for these outside forces.

Our accent will be upon youth. We need new ideas, new methods, new approaches. We will call upon young students of political science throughout the nation to help us. We will encourage these young students to launch their own independent study, and then give us their analysis and their suggestions. We are completely disenchanted with the old, adult, established politicians. We want to see some new faces, more militant faces.

Concerning nonviolence: it is criminal to teach a man not to defend himself when he is the constant victim of brutal attacks. It is legal and lawful in this country to own a shotgun or a rifle. We believe in obeying the law. In areas where our people are the constant victims of brutality, and the government seems unable or unwilling to protect them, we should form rifle clubs that can be used to defend ourselves and our property in times of emergency, such as happened last year in Birmingham Alabama, in Plaquemine, Louisiana in Cambridge, Maryland and in Danville, Virginia. When our people are being bitten by dogs, they are within their rights to kill those dogs. We should be peaceful, law-abiding—but the time has come for the American Negro to fight back in self-defense whenever and wherever he is being unjustly and unlawfully attacked. 

If the government thinks I am wrong for saying this, then let the government start doing its job.

The Agenda

Marching is fine. It's a symbol of unity. A symbol that the people are dissatisfied and feeling under represented.

                What we are missing is an agenda. I was initially distraught at so many people I look up to repeating March, March, March and wished they would stop saying march and get to work. However, as it seems to be the case so often lately I must be the only one willing to do the work. So, since no one else is willing, I have some ideas...

                Police brutality in America, especially New York City, has become expected. The deaths of black men young and old at the hands policemen across the country has nearly become the expected end to police brutality. As tragic as these recent events have been, what is most disheartening has been the response by the 'representatives' of these affected neighborhoods. The severe lack of representation in Ferguson, MO and other cities like Tompkinsville, Staten Island is devastating. That there can be a city like Ferguson where the vast majority of its citizens aren't being represented should be a signal of distress across the country.   What the people demand is proper representation in the pursuit of justice. These citizens have been begging for representation long before this year. It took these tragic events to catalyze them into the streets.  Now is the time to act. Attorney General Holder is holding a civil rights investigation. The White House must come out of that investigation with some concrete actions. The following is what the citizens of this country demand and I expect:

1. There will be immediate elections in cities, like Ferguson, where the officials are obviously not able to represent the interests of the citizens of the city
2. There will be empowerment of organizations like the Staten Island Community Board to "police the police," to do the job they were created to do, represent smaller communities within larger cities like New York.
3. There will be mandatory body cameras on policeman all across the country. 
4. There will be election reform across the country to make it easier for citizens to vote and virtually impossible for any other interest to restrict voter access.
5. There will be a, new, national committee focused on collecting data to ensure the above actions are being fulfilled.

This is just the beginning. There will be more specific demands as the people continue to see holes in their representation that need to be filled. We will continue to march until justice is served. Justice can no longer be subjective. Today justice is not available to all of America's citizens. We must make it so. It is for each of us a sacred duty.

The time to act is now. We have the freedom to ask, as well as the freedom to act. We will be free.

What I Learned In Church: New Years Day

 For the New Year I went back to my Catholic roots. The first stop was Holy Name on Arlington and Jefferson. We walked in a little late. It was no one’s fault (Gina). We walked in on the gospel. (My father says if you make the gospel and Communion, you went to church.)

The readings were from Numbers chapter 6, Psalms 67, Galatians chapter 4 and Luke chapter 2. Sometimes you have to turn a picture sideways to get all one-thousand words. We start with God’s promise to bless Israel. Then we practice praying for God’s mercy. THEN we look back on what God gave us in Jesus’ life. We were all unable to live under the law and Jesus presented the key to our salvation. He gave his life to teach us how to Love. AND THEN we go back to His birth. The shepherds, the wise men, the magi, the priests, the scribes, indeed the entire nation of Israel and the world was waiting on something to help them in their lives. So desperate were a few that they looked to and celebrated the questionable birth of Jesus to unwed parents.

How desperate are we to get out of our situations. Would we worship a child? Would we follow a man who threw his inheritance away to travel the world with a bunch of hippies? When we are lost, do we know where to turn? When all seems lost are we willing to follow the lead of a man who couldn’t/wouldn’t stop himself from being crucified?

Looking back on all of this now, we can see the power of God but, what about today? What about right now in our very own lives? Following Jesus’ example sometimes means utter and complete humiliation. Who is willing to give up their swag/pride for a minute/day/year for God’s promise?

When we walked in, the celebrant was going off on a tangent about black Jesus. Standing in front of a huge white Jesus on a cross, the celebrant explained that a black Jesus should be in the manger. “It is racially insensitive to not have a black baby Jesus in the manger” And this was a week after Christmas. It was my first visit to Holy Name so I don’t know when they put the Christmas decorations. I do know that it seemed a little late to be discussing Christmas decorations. I’m just saying

Focus

What a show! Who says Catholic Church is boring?  The celebrant (I don't know if he was a Deacon or a Priest) was colorful. After calling white Jesus racially insensitive, he proceeded to sing with the choir, walking around the sanctuary dancing. He reminded me so much of a wino (Gina said his name is Ned-The Wino) who just wandered in and started talking and singing and dancing. I'm waiting on him to fall down and start crying.

There was a Re-Commitment Ceremony too! Father Joe reminded us that the marriage bed is undefiled and only judgment awaits the unmarried (ahem…) [Hebrews 13:4]. The couple was in their fifties. They had been married for a while. It was wonderful to see the spark still there. They had a youth to them. Most of all there was Love. Thank God they chose to share it with us all in the church.

We ran over into the Spanish mass. Bless their hearts. They just came on in. Nothing can stop God's worship. 

All in all, the message is the same as it always was. God is Love. He Loves us so much, He sent His son to show us how to Love on His level. Jesus’ example was evident in the married couple that day. God promised us the greatest blessings. The greatest blessing is Love. It’s here now all around us. We just have to remember to look for it and most of all give it.

Conspiracy Theories

Maisha Perkins set it off with this one.

Two things have been troubling me this week. One was The Tavis Smiley and Al Sharpton disagreement. The other was this Black Abortion/Genocide debate. In some kind of way, I think the two are connected.

Let me begin by saying these are two of the most ridiculous things I have heard in a long while. At least since niggers were scared to vote for Obama because they believed he would be assassinated.

I heard about the abortion thing first but I ignored it. So let me do the same now and talk about Al Sharpton. I don’t agree with Al Sharpton all the time. Obviously! His eulogy for the N word led me to call people niggers more than ever. I dig Tavis Smiley and I REALLY dig Cornell West. But I was actually reversed in this situation. We don’t need to be calling each other out for trivial issues like who called whom and who didn’t.

AND we need to get off Obama’s dick. (I know I’m vulgar but I’m that serious about it.) We got Tavis Smiley and Cornell West (Sorry Dr. West) accusing the Obama administration of being politicians. WTF! Is anyone in the government NOT a politician?
Didn’t he wild out enough? Let’s not forget the past two term presidents all save the MAJOR wilding out for the last term.

We’re so wishy washy, all this jaw jacking could lead to Obama only serving one term. The BEST politician Washington has seen in decades and WE could fuck it all up. SMH. Do we have to complain that much? Do we really NEED to complain this much?

And now, we’re letting conservatives stir us up into believing someone wants to kill our babies. SMH. (did I just shake my head two paragraphs in a row?)

Birth control is everything from abstinence to condoms to the pills to abortion. Conservatives don’t think so but we live in America. Church and State remain separate for a reason. Everyone should know how I feel about naked-dickin (if you don’t please read). I can’t pretend it doesn’t happen though. Like I be trying to tell Al Sharpton, just because you don’t say a word doesn’t mean niggers and naked-dickers don’t exist!

I’ve lived in three chocolate-cities. In all three, the rate of teenage pregnancy and STDs are ridiculously high. In all three, I have witnessed an over abundance of birth control. From cases (CASES) of rubbers in the projects in New Orleans (I didn’t even have to buy rubbers. I just went to the projects and picked up a case.) to barrels (BARRELS) of rubbers on the streets of Atlanta. And still naked-dickers choose to risk disease and pregnancy.

I remember begging (PLEADING with) a young man in New Orleans to wear a rubber to no avail. I also remember the same night a young woman insisting that I naked dick her. As beautiful as she was, all I saw was the promise she was throwing down the drain on momentary pleasure.

Before I get off too deep on Naked-Dickers let me just sum up. These are the cases we are dealing with. This is not genocide. (I beg people to watch – Idiocracy) If anything, capitalism would promote naked dicking. I would. As a business owner, I need cheap labor. Since slavery is over and Hispanics are starting their own businesses, niggers and naked-dickers seem the best candidates.

“You can’t afford this child you are about to have? Poor baby.” “Don’t worry! We’ll keep him for you in foster care. Then we’ll hold him in prison for a few years. And by the time he’s out and has given up his hip-hop dreams, I’ll hire him. He’ll be perfect! Prison will have him up early all time. And at 35, he’ll be broke down enough to take WHATEVER I choose to pay him.” Can we say Win-Win?

It’s all about options. Adoption isn’t really an option for Black children. It's simple supply and demand. Black children don't get adopted. There is a high demand for white children. As Dana (On Mai Perkin’s Page) said, if we increased the demand for Black children in adoption, then abortion wouldn't be the primary option for unplanned pregnancies.

I’m all about being positive and being a math major I know that sometimes the most positive thing is the least negative. In some cases, abortion is the least negative. Contrasted against a life of poverty, never having existed is a much better option. And, remember, we are talking about the point when prospective parents decide they can’t afford a child.

The conspiracy is simple. Capitalists should and probably would support naked-dickin. Pro-Lifers are crazy! They will do anything. They blow up buildings like terrorists. And now they want to use Black people.

Despite this alleged recession, America is in good shape. Black America is in great shape. (We’ve been recession proof since forever!) Let’s not be distracted by finger pointing and conspiracy theories. There are still some miserable people around. We all know misery loves company and depressed people spend money. (It’s always about the money) Let’s keep our focus. Our communities and our nation have a bright future.

Shame on anyone who says otherwise!

God’s Plan

I’ve been hearing a lot of people say, in various ways, “Let Go and Let God.” I may have even mentioned it. But how many of us are ACTUALLY doing it. How much letting go are we doing? And how much letting God is going on? Are we blaming God for doing for we really wanted to do the whole time? Or are blaming God for not facing our fears?

I spoke briefly on how hard meditation is. Let me repeat. THAT SHIT IS HARD! It makes me wonder how a person can just say – Let go and let God. It’s Lent now. We are honoring the 40 days and 40 nights Jesus went into the wilderness before beginning his ministry. Our challenge is sit still and control our thoughts for 30 minutes a day. How is that going for us?

We are so quick to call ourselves Christian. But are we? How far away is 30 minutes from 40 days? (That’s if we are even committed to that type of meditation.) But we are letting go.

Letting go is key to letting God. Maybe, if we can achieve mental silence, we can see what’s inside of us. Then we can let go of the past and look forward to the future. Maybe we can see what’s really going on around us right now. Perhaps, we’ll be able to see which decisions we’re making as a result of which emotions.

I was thinking that perhaps we aren’t being as assertive in our own lives because we don’t know what God wants. So we sit back, chill and wait. But if we don’t know how to listen (better yet!), if we don’t know what/who to listen to, how will we ever know…

The Joys Of Niggardom

Quite often, when discussing niggers and niggardom, I have been overly critical. Let me try a different approach. Let's talk about the benefits of niggardom. When done correctly, a good nigger can lead an easy, responsibility free, and perhaps (in a very few cases) rich life!

Let’s look at just a few of the reasons why niggardom has spread across race lines and even nationality. (Believe me there are French niggers and Australian niggers and even Swiss niggers.) And if you don't believe me -

Jersey Shore Thursdays @ 10pm on MTV.

#1. You don’t have ANY responsibilities.

•  EVEN if you have kids, someone else is taking care of them! You and your kids live at your mom’s, grandma’s, aunt’s, or all the above’s house. You don’t pay bills because you are perpetually “getting on your feet”. [What the fuck does that mean?]

#2. Anything you do is overachieving.

•  You don’t do shit...
  That’s it.

#C. It’s not your fault. They were just hating.

•  The cops were just hating on you when they busted your meth lab. It had to be your beggin ass neighbors, complaining because you went up on the price. So what if the neighbor’s shed on the other side of you blew up mysteriously a few months ago. That ain’t no reason to be snooping around. Trailer parks blow up all the time!

#Last. You don’t have to be on time.

•  This probably derives from not having responsibilities. No one expects you to be anywhere. So why would you get there on time?

Oh yeah. I ain’t stopping. How many people thought this was actually going to be positive? Niggers beware. I’m going harder than ever!

You Might Be A Nigger

[WARNING: The following contains fequent use of the “n” word. And by the “n” word I mean nigger. And I don't mean that in a good way!]

There are certain conversations I refuse to take part in with Black People. I don’t discuss oppression in groups. I wouldn’t talk about Obama’s campaign with people unfamiliar with him before 2006. (Admit it now! Most of you didn’t think it would happen. And don’t let me even pay homage to the conspiracy theories out there.) Speaking of which, I don’t do conspiracy theories. (OhMyGod! The inane pothead logic I have been subjected to recently…[I will go to re-hab for you!]) And, just recently, no Tiger Woods, no Serena. I never really asked myself why I avoided these certain conversations.
Then I saw and read “The Secret”. THEN I asked myself why and the answer was clear. I just don’t want to hear the negative Bull Shit! Before “The Secret”, I would wonder how someone could have money but still be with that nigger shit. I would figure they had some secret to be able to support such negativity and still come out ahead. But that’s not how it works. After “The Secret” I could see the same successful people bringing negativity upon them selves in the exact manner in which they would ask the universe for it. They would talk about people stealing and MORE people would steal. They would ask for people to sue them and they would! Then let’s not start talking about losing money! These are Bill Gates/Oprah people I’m talking about. These are hood rich people, ghetto fabulous people, people who live in the same neighborhood as me. These people are very dynamic and have accomplished a lot. But just being around them I can tell they have to ability to accomplish SO much more.
If only they could move forward…

All of these people were just like so many other unsuccessful people. They achieved a little success but that was the only difference. They were trapped just like their workers. Trapped by their own niggardom. Always looking over their shoulder for “The Man” to shut them down. No awareness of the abundance life has to offer. Scared to leave the familiar confines of the hood. Not scared to travel. But scared to step outside of the mental enslavement of niggardom. So that means niggers have been to all six major continents but as the saying goes…”You can take the boy out the hood, …”. (I don’t even want to finish) They are trapped by their fear of growth or change or new things.
The hardest part of practicing the Law of Abundance is reacting to negativity. It could be bad news or it could be negative people. As I struggled to stay positive, I noticed that everyone does. Except niggers. Niggers don’t struggle. Because, as we all know, niggers don’t like to work. Niggers like to cry about whatever is happening and wonder why nothing is changing for them. It is easy for so many niggers to get trapped in the vicious cycle of self-pity and despair. And we can’t be too hard on the niggers. They have a good excuse!
Willie Lynch.
[Sidenote: I don’t believe the person or letter ever existed. The effects of slavery on the Black community are apparent. And Willie Lynch is a symbol of those effects.]
As we all know, all a nigger needs is an excuse! Doesn’t even have to be one like Willie Lynch. And Willie Lynch is the best one ever. Willie Lynch allows niggers all over the world to hang on to their negativity. After all, it’s not their fault. They’ve been institutionalized.
I know it sounds harsh but I have been having the time of my life lately and it just keeps getting better. It makes me want to do everything I can to erase the negativity so that I can focus on growing the positive. Plus, I have less than a month to tell 100 niggers to get off my dick and get out of my life!
So people, be careful!
Life is good!
The only hard part is defeating the negativity that tries to distract us from growing our abundance. So if you find yourself embracing negative thoughts and emotions. Ask yourself why. You may be suffering the lingering effects of niggardom. Hell, you may in fact still be a nigger!


[If you read my previous posts you know that I don't use nigger to refer exclusively to Black people. So others, you all be careful too! Niggardom knows no color!]

Yall Trippin: Nelly for President

This is to all the people who keep talking about how much money Oprah has. YALL TRIPPIN! She don't even have no bling. Have you seen how many chains Nelly has!?! CRAZY. What Oprah got? Books?!? Books don't shine! Shit! Even I got spinners! (On my keychain). And people keep saying she getting paid for producing. I ain't heard her name screamed on no records. And we play all the hot shit at Club Crunk. QUIT TRIPPIN! Forget Barack Obama. Its all about Nelly for president.












I'll bet multiple people all around the country have these dumb assed thoughts. When did we decide to support our insecurities. When did over compensation become confidence and waste spell success? We look up to some of the most insecure people on the planet and end up guided by their fears. The result being a radical multiplication of our own fears.





So maybe when we complain about Oprah not being in the "hood" all the time, maybe she is actually doing more for us by not misleading us than some others are who continue to mislead us everyday.






[This blog is almost 12 years old. Below are the comments from my MySpace readers.]




hilarious but sad cuz it's oh so true!


WOW..
im frightened



Keep keeping it real bro. Keep Keeping it real.



Oprah doesn't need to be "hood." And a lot of those rappers aren't all that "hood" either. Anytime they're trying to go to Hollywood and shit. It's the dumb followers who buy into that bs. How can LIL Wayne be gangster if he's working on everyone's cds. lol I met him in person and despite all the tattoos, he's an intelligent lil guy.

I would like to meet Oprah one day because she understands the concept of do what u can, when u can. How much money does a person need to live off on? Think Bill Gates.



I appreciate this blog and the recognition of this thought and breakdown.

Willie Lynch [Update]

[This is the Shit Starter! I tried it on MySpace. Let me give it one more whirl before the rewrite for the book. This is a topic I WILL NOT let go. This is the essence. This is the root of niggardom. If we are to get anywhere in this country, we must get past this. So I will keep poking (in the EYE!) until someone speaks out.]

Posted Date: : Feb 13, 2006 1:53 AM

There's this letter that I have seen over and over circulating through intellectual circles. Most recently it was posted on a friends blog. I have to take this opportunity to further enlighten.

First here is the letter:

This speech was delivered by [b]Willie Lynch on the bank of the James River in the colony of Virginia in 1712. Lynch was a British slave owner in the West Indies. He was invited to the colony of Virginia in 1712 to teach his methods to slave owners there. The term "lynching" is derived
from his last name.

"Gentlemen. I greet you here on the bank of the James River in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and twelve. First, I shall thank you, the gentlemen of the Colony of Virginia, for bringing me here. I am here to help you solve some of your problems with slaves. Your invitation reached me on my modest plantation in the West Indies, where I have experimented with some of the newest and still the oldest methods for control of slaves. Ancient Rome's would envy us if my program is implemented. As our boat sailed south on the James River, named for our illustrious King, whose version of the Bible we Cherish, I saw enough to know that your problem is not unique. While Rome used cords of wood as crosses for standing human bodies along its highways in great numbers, you are here using the tree and the rope on occasions. I caught the whiff of a dead slave hanging from a tree, a couple miles back. You are not only losing valuable stock by hangings, you are having uprisings, slaves are running away, your crops are sometimes left in the fields too long for maximum profit, You suffer occasional fires, your animals are killed. Gentlemen, you know what your problems are; I do not need to elaborate. I am not here to enumerate your problems, I am here to introduce you to a method of solving them. In my bag here, I HAVE A FULL PROOF METHOD FOR CONTROLLING YOUR BLACK SLAVES. I guarantee every one of you that if installed correctly IT WILL CONTROL THE SLAVES FOR AT LEAST 300 HUNDREDS YEARS. My method is simple. Any member of your family or your overseer can use it. I HAVE OUTLINED A NUMBER OF DIFFERENCES AMONG THE SLAVES; AND I TAKE THESE DIFFERENCES AND MAKE THEM BIGGER. I USE FEAR, DISTRUST AND ENVY FOR CONTROL PURPOSES. These methods have worked on my modest plantation in the West Indies and it will work throughout the South. Take this simple little list of differences and think about them. On top of my list is "AGE" but it's there only because it starts with an "A." The second is "COLOR" or shade, there is INTELLIGENCE, SIZE, SEX, SIZES OF PLANTATIONS, STATUS on plantations, t-- of owners, whether the slaves live in the valley, on a hill, East, West, North, South, have fine hair, course hair, or is tall or short. Now that you have a list of differences, I shall give you a outline of action, but before that, I shall a-- you that DISTRUST IS STRONGER THAN TRUST AND ENVY STRONGER THAN ADULATION, RESPECT OR ADMIRATION. The Black slaves after receiving this indoctrination shall carry on and will become self refueling and self generating for HUNDREDS of years, maybe THOUSANDS. Don't forget you must pitch the OLD black Male vs. the YOUNG black Male, and the YOUNG black Male against the OLD black male. You must use the DARK skin slaves vs. the LIGHT skin slaves, and the LIGHT skin slaves vs. the DARK skin slaves. You must use the FEMALE vs. the MALE. And the MALE vs. the FEMALE. You must also have you white servants and over- seers distrust all Blacks. But it is NECESSARY THAT YOUR SLAVES TRUST AND DEPEND ON US. THEY MUST LOVE, RESPECT AND TRUST ONLY US. Gentlemen, these kits are your keys to control. Use them. Have your wives and children use them, never miss an opportunity. IF USED INTENSELY FOR ONE YEAR, THE SLAVES THEMSELVES WILL REMAIN PERPETUALLY DISTRUSTFUL. Thank you gentlemen."


Now here are the facts. Willie Lynch never existed. The letter is fake. The sentiment is real. Slave owners did discuss tactics of controlling slaves with each other much like business owners discuss management techniques today. The system of slavery is over. Black people are still disjointed. Poor people are still disjointed. The techniques discuss in this fictitious letter are still used in business today. It drives not racism but a much larger more important system. In fact racism is, if anything, derivative of this system. The system is capitalism.

Capitalism is what drives this country. It drives the world economy. In order for it to continue. Certain techniques have to be employed. These are the same techniques that were employed during slavery both in America and around the world. In order for there to be a ruling class in this land of opportunity there has to be working class. A lesser class. No one grows up wanting to be a janitor or a servant or anything menial. No one also grows up with their sole goal in life being to make another man wealthy. But that is what happens. And no one ever asks why.

Why are music stars unconcerned about being robbed and making less money than a label owner when they are the talent, they create the music? Why do we get mad at athletes for wanting more money when a talent less old man is making more just for owning a group of athletes. Or better yet why isn't education mandatory for athletes? Who would really want an athlete to really know what's going on with ALL the money that is made in the sports industry? Why is the emphasis on fake weapons and so called terrorists? Why was the richest oil country on the top of the "terrorist" list when it was one of the countries least friendly to terrorists?

The bottom line is that these are all distractions. The techniques described in the Willie Lynch letter are still in affect today with Black, White, and every other type of poor person today not because of racism but because of capitalism. If we are all running around chasing our tails, then the wealthy will just strap us into the system and let out running spin the wheels of the economy. In the end we may get rich but the wealthy will always get more. I know what I intend to do about it. But its really up to yall and what yall want to do. But knowledge is power, so there you go.

Be good babies!

[Update] I really, really need feedback. I know this is a volatile issue. I know people say don't discuss religion, politics, or (something else-I don't listen to BS as much as I should). But guess what...THOSE people DO discuss religion and politics. And we don't because we feel a certain way. And THOSE people who do talk keep the upper hand while we are afraid to discuss something we feel so strongly about...SMH...

We're running out of time. We better get with it!

NIggahs (Updated)

This is the one. Even though I am in the process of deleting friends, this will make some people just jump ship on their own.
I wanted to post the actual news footage on here but here is the link:

Here is a quick recap. A black boy in some part of America got into some kind of disagreement with his white teacher. The white teacher then told the boy to go sit down, niggah NOT nigger, but niggah. There was definite distinction made between the two words and both agree that is was niggah not nigger. The white teacher says the black boy called him niggah first. It is likely but there was no one around to verify whether the boy said that or not. The boy denies it.

I know you know where I am going with this. What you may not know is my position on this subject.
Let me start out by saying that I am sick and dead dog tired of this topic. What sickens me most is that so-called intellectuals get hung up on this subject. Carter Woodson spent his entire epilogue explaining why the names we use are the least important to our progress. I have had friends argue that the internalization of derogatory terms that brings us down. But we internalize the term ourselves and we bring our selves down. But that is a divergent train of thought. Back to the main topic.

I’m sure everyone has seen parodies of the white guy who gets beat up for saying niggah around black people. I’m sure some of us have been in the real life situation. I have to say that I don’t care. I have only ever been called nigger once. It was by an old black woman. I have been called niggah millions of times by virtually all of my friends. It’s no reason to call the NAACP.

I see many millionaires on TV who most likely can’t read. Call the NAACP for that. I decided long ago that we would never be able to stop Black people from using niggah. Therefore, I just dont care if another race uses that word. Jews don’t go around calling each other kikes or whatever. No other race does that. Its just insanity! Don’t we have better things to do.

By the way the boy was lying. He called his teacher niggah first. And the whole community gets behind THIS boy. I can’t get behind a liar.

I hope the link works and I hope yall get a new perspective. The teacher was very eloquent in his defense of his use of the word. Holler at me yall. I want some dialogue but I want to see and end to this discussion.


[Comments]

the link doesn't work and i'm being lazy, so based soley on your blog from what I gather, yes the teacher was dead wrong. i try not to assume people's meanings in the things they say or do so I honestly have no opinion on the fact that Teacher used a form of the "nigg(er)/(ah)" term but I feel he was wrong to call the child out of his name period. he's the teacher. he's here to set an example and be the bigger person; teach lessons through his own actions. that being said though and aside from the "racial" factor, sometimes with kids, you have to flip the situation on them and make them walk in the tennis shoes that they themselves lace up for other people by doing to them what they do, for lesson's sake. so they know and understand how it feels. i don't know the details of this story and i'm certainly not justifying the teacher for saying what he said, i was just pointing out the bold print for the hell of it now as for the term and who gets to say it - i could care less. i say it. i say it all the time. in my personal Ceballos Dictionary, Tami L. Edition, it is a term for one person or persons, regardless of color or race and i 've always used it as such. it only bothers me when people outside my black heritage says it and means it derrogitorily (hey this word is also in my dictionary) for a fact, and is purposely demeaning my race. I'll check the link at some point and be back.…

Good answer. You are right about teachers being responsible. I was talking about the uproar over the word. The link mot working is probably why people haven't been responding. Sorry

checked the link. my first reaction without giving too much thought (to avoid a tangent) is the hoopla over it all is dumb. the teacher's response is good enough for me, whether he's just using that as a crutch to not make the intent of matters as bad as some may view it. in particular, i'm referring to him saying that he hears NIGGA/(s) all the time in the hall. i'm big on folks being a product of their environment and learning from example and classic conditioning. if you hear a song over and over again, you learn the words. if you are put in a foreign country, even if for needing to be there for years, being surrounded by only their language, you pick it up; you learn it; you adapt to how certain terms and phrases are used and what tones they are used in. call me dumb, but to me this is the same thing. the man hears it all the time, you don't expect him to slip, though i don't think it was that he slipped in this particular case, but he mentioned using the term before. he says he said it back in retaliation, so to speak because i don't recall right now the phrase he used exactly when explaining saying whatever to the kid, and if so, i don't care. see original comment. some kids need to experience what they dish...but the kid says he didn't use the term...kids lie especially when they want someone in trouble. notice at the end he wasn't big enough to say, "...apology accepted," he said that he thinks the teacher deserves not to work there anymore and i'm sorry but it seemed like he said more like a naner naner naner, i got you fired for saying that to me sort of thing. i may be wrong, but it was how i felt after watching that bit. anywho j, your point was the uproar and once again i've talked too much. the uproar to me was overrated.

amen and i agree with you. once again, people are worried about the wrong damn thing. worry about the starving children around the corner or the economy, not the white man's use of a word we use ourselves every day. Even though I don't feel there is always a distinction between nigger and nigga when someone of another race uses it, it was obvious to me from watching the clip that the teacher was trying to prove a point, and was not totally out of line. Granted, he is a teacher and should never call a student a name, but I bet otherwise that smart-ass kid wouldn't have sat down - so the teacher got his attention and people want to jump on the bandwagon to have him strung up by his toenails now. doesn't make any sense. i wonder if the teacher had been black if they would have just laughed it off?

[2010 Update]
This was before the Al Sharpton “Death Of The N Word”. You know that I now fully embrace the word and will use it freely and descriptively as often as possible. In fact, I wish the teacher had used it in a bad way. I would be on his side still. Niggardom is completely unacceptable. I hate label children but this was three years ago the kid’s grown now. That kid was a nigger. He deserved more than to be called niggah by his teacher. I truly wish we could all get past this word. The only way to do so comes from eradicating niggardom first. Let’s get to work!