In 1970 the Republican Administration deemed the Black Panther Party the greatest threat to US national security. They jailed Angela Davis for eighteen months while they assassinated or otherwise disposed of many black power advocates.
Angela Davis and Kathleen Cleaver to the Rescue
Very few media, business and Congressional leaders allow the public any say in what goes on. This herding of the citizens has taken a huge hunk out of their national character. Three generations have been dumbed down to the point the malleable brain tissue doesn't function. George Romero had no casting problems for the "Night of the Living Dead" and his successor would have an easier time of it today. To see if Americans have any gumption left, I posted a diary on Angela Davis and I hope OEN will accept an Article on Kathleen Cleaver. They aren't well written, but at least they are upbeat for human rights fans.
The Author Sees Through the Rubbish to the Human Heart
Just
before I read this I submitted a quicklink to a fine NY Times time-line on Judge
Sotomayor. It too offers good insights into the controversy surrounding her
nomination.
Some of us remember the negative reaction of the US working class to the Civil Rights Act of 1965. This racism was the major tool for corporate America to destroy the labor movement. The Republicans are using racism to derail much needed reforms. Rather than displaying empathy and understanding to minority groups, too many white folks prefer joblessness, homelessness and economic ruin. They surrender their chances for a healthy old age.
Bush and Cheney Have Molded America's Future
Bush and Cheney may have left office, but the forces that made them powerful are alive and well. So far, the leftists are free to rant and rave. If they ever gain media attention or succeed in indicting someone, they can anticipate a home visit by Blackwater.
At OEN we seem to have a new cause every few days. We don't wait long for a new outrage to absorb our attentions. Dropping the old cause like an overused toy, we rush to the latest fad. We find ego satisfaction in this, but never resolution.
Why does the historical Black Panther Party have relevance to today?
Too often our
articles are so issue specific we fail to present the all-important context of
an event. The birthers relate to racism, talk show hosts, Blue Dog obstruction
of single payer, corporate media lies, public misinformation and so forth. God
forbid we should bore everyone, but the citizen must learn to relate a current
ill to past ones.
To me, the current situation resembles actions taken in 1970 to destroy the
Black Panther Party [substitute the US middle class]. I depend on the
wisdom of Angela Davis who saw many of the current ills forty years ago. We can
learn from the Black Panther failure to reform racists for example.
As we are dealing with a ruling criminal class, the first task is to put as
many people in the hoosegow as we can. Until then, we have accomplished
nothing.
Racism, in the first place, is a weapon used by the wealthy to increase the profits they bring in by paying Black workers less for their work
(thinkexist.com)
The work of the political activist inevitably involves a certain tension between the requirement that position be taken on current issues as they arise and the desire that one's contributions will somehow survive the ravages of time.
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