Store
by Elbert “Big Man” Howard
Can Americans feel proud of the results of handing over their power of government to George W. Bush?
Can Californians feel proud of handing state power over to a wealthy movie actor?
In both these cases, citizens can clearly see now that the state and entire country has been robbed, raped and pillaged by these so-called political leaders and elected officials. Most people just sit there, immobilized it seems, staring at their television sets like deer caught in the headlights, transfixed by the latest news of despicable behavior by these low-life scum, who they voted into office.
These politicians fail to respond to the needs of the people, treating them as non-entities, the same people who ensured their getting into office. The people that voted for them are ignored or stomped on by police power if they protest too loud.
It is demanded that the public respect laws that are passed with no respect for their wishes, desires or needs. Citizens’ taxes, savings and property are snatched up and used at will for whatever the powerful and wealthy desire as we are told everything done is “within the law.”
People are told that they must swallow and digest an agenda of behaviors, activities and wars which have nothing to do with any code of ethical behavior. The public is told that these actions are instituted all on their behalves, but they are excluded from the entire process and marginalized and lied to and kept in the dark.
The media is a well-honed tool used by these political criminals to divert our attention and keep us entertained, thereby helping to keep us preoccupied and calm and therefore lessening our rage at the true realities of our lives, obscuring what is really happening. Aware citizens might get angry and rise up and protest the criminal acts our leaders are creating, implementing and condoning.
Now, after most American people voted for the ideas about a global economy and Fair Trade sold to them by these hypocrites, industry in America has come to a near stand-still and jobs have vanished. Many skilled and semi-skilled workers now find themselves in the same ranks as the unskilled, the state of which is being either marginally employed or unemployed. Many of those who were formally producers as well as consumers are now only consumers and desperate ones at that.
The question I ask is: Will these newly disenfranchised, struggling people join the ranks of the historically disenfranchised, so-called minorities, like the African Americans, when they find themselves devoid of the things which bring them respect and self-worth? Will they join ranks with others and protest and rise up to create change?
Or will many turn to feelings of self-hatred and then vent their hostilities and frustration with reactions such as murdering their entire families, former bosses and co-workers, or committing suicide?
There are increasing stories of people committing these acts, feeling so overwhelmed, depressed and useless and feeling that they can no longer provide for or protect their families.
Huey P. Newton once said, “Men were not created in order to obey laws. Laws are created to obey men. They are established by men and should serve men.”
He also stated, “Rewriting unjust laws is a basic human right and fundamental obligation.”
If the United States monopoly capitalists persist in making their people and people in other nations suffer, the day will come when these criminals will be punished by their own people before the whole world, and all their weapons and storm-troopers will not be able to protect them, as the people will see them for the criminals they are and demand justice and change.
Elbert “Big Man” Howard is one of the original six founding members of the Black Panther Party; he served as the first editor of the Black Panther newspaper and as party spokesperson. He is also a founding member of the Police Accountability Clinic and Helpline (PACH). An activist, author and lecturer, he resides in Sonoma County. He can be reached at bigman0138@aol.com.
