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Just keep on bending
by Baba Jahahara Amen-RA Alkebulan-Ma’at
6262 AAAK / Revolutionary Black August 2022 JC-PG
Africans Deserve Reparations! ‘Cause, Black Lives Matter!
Blessings of IMANI (FAITH) Beloved, Brilliant, Bold, Brave and Beautiful G-o-ds, Elders, Sis-Stars, Bro-Stars and Youthful Revolutionaries!
May our Most High Divine Mother-Father Creator of and in All – and incredible Ancients and Ancestors from past millennia, yesteryears and, literally, yesterday – find you and (y)our extended Family thriving and in healing Spirit, Loving Every Life and seeking sacred MA’AT. WE are honored to share this latest offering from the unceded, occupied sacred home-lands of the OHLONE Indigenous nations – named oakland-san francisco california bay area by the murderous European and united capitalist prison terrorist states of america (ucptsa) racist colonizers, land-grabbers, genocidal missionaries and gold-seeking settlers.
WE again encourage you to do your best to keep your immune system strong and practice proven safety measures, including wearing masks, as protection against the variety of viruses that are surging and threatening our health, lives and futures. If Prez Biden, Dr. Fauci and other privileged classes with the best of care can get (re)infected, then any of us can. Amen. Asé.
And, a quick self-editing note for our readers: In my writings over many years, i use lower-case letters when writing the names forced on to lands stolen and occupied by the European enslavers and colonizers. For instance, america, new york, berkeley, virginia, washington, johannesburg, state of isreal etc. Our beloved SF Bay View editor Nube Brown has asked me to be more consistent in my writings so as not to confuse our readers. Amen. Asé.
Honoring a few of our new Ancestors
WE pay tribute to several recent Spiritual transformations, including: friends and class-mates VINSON WEBB, BETTY ROLAND, ERNEST SAWYER and DENNIS “HARD-HEAD” HARDIN. Amen. Asé.
Longtime activist, political leader as well as former new york city council-member and new york state assemblyman, Dr. AL VANN, aka Vann the Man. Amen. Asé. Neighbor and “president” of lake merritt, WILLIE ELLIS. Amen. Asé.
Another good neighbor, ULYSSES “STEPH” SMITH. Amen. Asé. Baba FRED T. SMITH, long-time commUNITY organizer/contributor and former Black Panther Party member. Amen. Asé.
Our brilliant and dedicated educator, Dr. RUTH B. LOVE, who served as superintendent of our public schools in both chicago and oakland. And, beloved freedom fighter PAUL REDD, who stood for human rights and justice for the incarcerated, during and after his release from more than 44 years of unjust imprisonment. Amen. Asé.
As always, WE pay respect to the stolen lives of so many victims of the capitalist-imperialist-military terrorists, gangsters, murderers and polluters – from washington and wall $treet to London, Brussels, Paris, the apartheid state of isreal, Moscow et al. – who continue their massive production of deadly weapons; denial of human rights; withholding of basic necessities like food, water and housing; as well as genocidal and murderous-climate chaotic wars against the people and environment in Congo, Yemen, Palestine, Syria, Haiti, Sudan, Afghanistan, Ukraine, around Turtle Island (so-called “americas”), here in the ucptsa and so many other areas of our world. Please stay informed of the latest criminal blog by visiting our Black Alliance for Peace at https://blackallianceforpeace.com/.
Long Live the Spirit, legacies and numerous contributions of these new and All our incredible Ancients and Ancestors. Asé. Asé. Asé-O!
Forward forever!
“The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.”
During a number of conversations and mostly zoom meetings over the past few months, i have dug out this quote quite often from the abolitionist Minister THEODORE PARKER in the 1850s. It was later paraphrased and popularized by Rev. Dr. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. over a century later. My intention was to provide some younger and newer activists, as well as myself, some perspective on some of our recent “set-backs.”
This past Spring, key organizations in our movement for reparations had lobbied by phone and social media (due to the pandemic), convincing 217 members of the House of Representatives to support our H.R. 40 legislation. With one more congressperson, WE would have reached the magic number of 218 to move forward the bill.
However, WE were, unfortunately, turned away by one vote. Some newer to our movement were ready to give up. That is why WE collectively decided to switch our tactics, at least on the legislative front. Our focus is now on forcing President Biden and V-P Harris to issue an executive order for our Commission to Study and Develop Reparations Proposals for African Americans Act. You can help us, yourselves and your family’s legacy by going to https://www.hrw.org/ReparationsNow.
Several months ago, our goal of seeking reparations for all people of African ancestry in the ucptsa harmed by this confederacy of states, was thwarted, again by one vote, by the california Reparations Task Force. Again, some new to our movement became distraught. Particularly, because it was other people of African ancestry opposing all Blacks who were not born here receiving reparations in this state.
As you all know, the six justices that i affectionately call the “supreme cult,” recently overturned the legal right of self-determination for women to decide on their lives, bodies and futures. This law had stood for half-a-century. i’ve heard many say they are, in opposition, “leaving this country.” This is similar to when the fascist Trump won election, six years ago.
And, in late June, to use another example, many activists recognized the great opportunity to change the constitution of california, through the ACA3, by removing the language that still allows for “involuntary servitude for those incarcerated.” Some were even jumping ahead a bit, saying let’s move on to change the ucptsa 13th amendment’s enslavement for convictions clause.
However, WE were denied justice by less than a dozen cowardly and unlawful-makers in the state legislature, who claim they are for “democracy.” They exposed their true political colors. And, that color is “green,” in the form of ca$h. These outlaw politicians are more concerned with not paying real wages to those imprisoned, than to outlaw an archaic system of continuing injustice and exploitation.
There are numerous other examples that i could share with you, from this and past years. The main point is WE will always experience ebbs and flows, victories and set-backs as well as successes and challenges in all of our movements. But, WE must keep working, strategizing, organizing, mobilizing, evaluating and bending that arc towards truth, justice and sacred MA’AT.
Our generation might not achieve all that WE are fighting for. However, hopefully WE can run our leg of the race well enough to hand the baton to the next generation to complete the tasks. As the great Pan-Afrikan revolutionary AMILCAR CABRAL expressed: “Tell no lies! Claim no easy victories!” Amen. Asé.
PONGEZI!
CONGRATS to MARCUS (GARVEY) Books, the oldest Black bookstore in the ucptsa now celebrating its 62nd year! For the third year in a row, due to the pandemic, WE will not be gathering at our “Abundant Knowledge” mural for the sacred birthday celebration of our great Ancestor. Still, i encourage our commUNITY to visit the store if you’re in the Bay Area – go to www.marcusbooks.com – WE have also negotiated a 10 percent discount to help you share more of your great wealth. Amen. Asé.
Speaking of Afrikan owned bookstores, CONGRATS to Eso Won Books, for serving our people in los angeles and southern cali over many decades. The store-owners, Elders James Fugate and Tom Hamilton, have decided to close their businesses in Leimert Park/Crenshaw neighborhood. However, they will maintain an online presence at www.esowonbookstore.com.
WE offer our CONGRATS to Queen Asha Grant, whose The Salt Eaters Bookshop recently opened little further south in inglewood! It is, ironically, located at 302 Queen Street, 90301. The website is www.thesalteatersbooks.com.
CONGRATS to beloved Ras Baraka, Sun of Queen Mama Amina and Ancestor IMAMU AMIRI BARAKA! As mayor of newark, new jersey, he just announced a major name change from the downtown George Washington Park to Harriet Tubman Park. The park will honor the Freedom Trail/Underground Railroad that once ran through this last of the “northern” states to end enslavement of Afrikan people.
Also, Mayor Baraka, whose chief of staff is his dear brother Amiri Baraka Jr., recently broke ground on the new RISE Affordable Housing complex in newark. Its major investor is Dana Owens, aka Queen Latifah, renowned rapper, singer, actor and businesswoman. Amen. Asé.
Finally, with CONGRATS to Afrikans everywhere, the African Union and the United Nations have adopted Kiswhaili as an official working language. Swahili is now the 10th most spoken language in the world, with over 200 million speakers, and is the official language in 14 continental Afrikan nations. It’s time to start our Swahili classes again, as WE did at several major universities in the late 1990s. Amen. Asé.
Sisters and Brothers, continue to take (y)our righteous steps … knowing our Divine will do the rest. And, always walk in the Power of IMANI (FAITH) … on each and every day. Amen-RA Hotep! Asé.
#BlackLivesMatter #AfricansDeserveReparationsNow #FreeTheLand #BringOurEldersHomeNow #AbolishPrisonsandPolice #AbolishPatriarchy #LoveandDefendMotherEarth #BlackNewDeal
Jahahara Amen-RA Alkebulan-Ma’at is the fourth of seven Suns of Ancestors Baba CLEVELAND LEE ARMSTRONG, SR. and Queen Mother ELIZABETH ELIZANN OAKS ARMSTRONG. He traces his ancestral roots to the Yoruba and Ewondo nations in Alkebulan-Afrika. He is also the author of several books, including “Many Paths to Kujichagulia” (self-determination). Baba Jahahara is also Life Member, former National Male Co-Chair and Acting West Regional Representative of N’COBRA. Take a listen to a few songs from his musical catalog here. Invite Baba Jahahara to present at your group, school, spiritual gathering or event c/o support@africansdeservereparations.com or FONAMI, P.O. Box 10963, oakland, ca 94610.
