N”COBRA-Chicago’s Press Conference Address on the Omissions by the Pope on His Visit to America
Good Evening. N’COBRA, the National Coalition of Blacks for Reparations in America, Chicago Chapter would like to thank everyone for coming out this evening. We are here to address the Omissions from the Pope’s messages during his visit to the US in relationship to people of African descent. In addition, we are calling on all people of African descent, with a special invitation to Black Catholics, and the Catholic community in general, to stand with us. Our efforts here are to continue a conversation - to continue honest dialog, with aims at righting historical wrongs committed by the Roman Catholic Church against Africans and people of African descent – wrongs that continue to negatively impact us globally on a daily basis.
We are not here to cast in dispersion, confront or attack the Catholic Church, Pope Francis, or the Catholic community in US, Chicago, or world-wide –Black, white, Hispanic or other. We are here to tell the truth and, again, call for action that would assist in the repair of African peoplehood globally.
Let us begin by indicating that we were pleased that Pope Francis evoked the memory and spirit of our great ancestor, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr during one of his addresses. And I quote Pope Francis, "To use a telling phrase of the Reverend Martin Luther King, we can say that we have defaulted on a promissory note and now is the time to honor it."
In invoking Dr. King’s spirit, with this particular statement, Pope Francis has opened the door to the discussion on reparations. As we know, Dr. King made this statement in the context of calling for reparations or reparatory justice in America.
Since this door was cracked by Pope Francis, we would like to open it fully so we can see the depth of the Church’s role in the injury of African people and the fullness of Its obligation to join in our repair.
First the injury.
Historical record will affirm that Roman Catholic Church:
- Ordered the destruction of African nations, the genocide of Native nations and the enslavement of Africans and their descendants
Beginning in 1411 and 1430 Pope Martin V issued two papal bulls said to have created and established the international slave trade. Ordering the Portuguese to go into Africa ignoring all laws of sovereignty and divine rights and invade, plunder and reduce its inhabitants to perpetual slavery. His successor, Pope Eugene IV, ratified his orders in 1438, extending to Spain the same mission in what would become the Americas.
In 1452, Pope Nicholas V wrote in a separate edict for Spain ordering and granting
"free and ample faculty to invade, search out, expunge, vanquish and subdue all pagans and enemies of Christ whosoever placed, and their persons to reduce to perpetual slavery, and all their kingdoms, possessions and goods to apply and appropriate, …
In 1458, his successor, Pope Calixtus III, continued this grant to Spain and Portugal.
Papal Bulls of 1492 and 1493 authorized the Monarchs to “Invade, search out, capture, vanquish, and subdue” all and appropriate and “goods whatsoever held and possessed by them and to reduce their persons to perpetual slavery.”
Finally 1537, Pope Paul III abolished the enslavement of indigenous peoples in the Americas, denying the humanity of Africans and setting in motion the brutal enslavement of Africans and people of African descent that continued for more than 350 years after.
- Inaugurated the racial hatred and racial structuring of the world that has Africans and African descendants on the bottom of humanity in the areas of the recognition of the value of their humanity and the safety and respect of their persons and property. Prior to the orders of the Church mentioned above, Africans and people of African descent where held in high esteem, and in many cases the highest place of esteem and respect globally among humanity.
For instance, when the first Europeans entered Africa -Egypt, the Greek historian Herodotus – who described them physically as having wooly hair and burnt skin, also described them as gods and the Greeks as children in caparison. The Romans held the Ethiopians in high regards and enjoyed diplomatic relations as equals.
In the East, we know that the first Chinese dynasty was founded by African descendants. Statuary all over the Orient shows that Buddha, himself, was of African descent. And in Japan, it was commonly asserted that in order to be a true Samaria, you had to have part African blood.
Throughout Eastern Europe prior to the Church’s orders, the Black Madonna and Child were venerated in nearly every cathedral for hundreds of years. Even in what is now called the Americas, Afrikans were held in high esteem, as the temples and colossal heads of the Olmecs, the first American civilization, attests.
It was only after the Church’s official orders and the actions of those who received them, did Africans begin to suffer from this global abuse of denigration of our unique historical character; and
- The Roman Catholic Church has, and is still, benefiting the most from those crimes against African humanity. To quote a internet sites,
“The Catholic Church is the biggest financial power, wealth accumulator and property owner in existence. She is a greater possessor of material riches than any other single institution, corporation, bank, giant trust, government or state of the whole globe”
And
“[The Church’s wealth] in the US alone is greater than that of the five wealthiest giant corporations of the country. When to that is added all the real estate, property and stocks and shares abroad, the staggering accumulation of the wealth of the Catholic Church becomes so formidable as to defy any rational assessment.”
Now, the Church’s obligation.
With the Church’s history described above, in addition to Its global position, and at a time when Black life is being extinguished in America in epidemic numbers, it is of grave importance that Pope Francis specifically address this history and the need for America and American Catholics and their institutions to focus their attention and resources on these conditions of African descendants.
Therefore, we calling all religious and spiritual people to stand with us as we call upon Pope Francis and the Roman Catholic Church to
- Offer an official apology of these actions by the Church that has led to the continued devastation of African life and limitation of their life chances in America and globally.
- Full recognition of the role It has played in shaping a global racial consciousness that discriminates against, marginalizes and oppresses Africans and people of African descent 24/7/365 no matter where we exist on the planet.
- Immediate and full use of its global resources to assist reparatory justice organs in reversing this anti-African global racial consciousness and its effects;
- Immediate and full use of Its geo-political influence in calling on America and all Western countries to move swiftly and without reserve in acknowledging, observing, and fulfilling the mission of the International Decade of People of African Descent 2015-2024, declared by the United Nations.
N’COBRA thank all for coming out and urge you all to contact the Archdiocese in Chicago to share your views on this important issue of reparatory justice and demand a continuation of this conversation that Pope Francis has begun.
A Luta Continua - The Struggle Continues Kamm Howard http://www.scribd.com/doc/102900213/A-RBG-Guidebook-for-Reparations-Studies Amos N Wilson Institute GB2B N'COBRA www.ncobra.net www.ncobra.org(archives) "Power concedes nothing without a demand." Frederick Douglass Black Is Back Coalition Blackisbackcoalition.org
Tue Sep 29, 2015 7:17 pm (PDT) . Posted by:
"Kamm Howard" khoward.amenta@sbcglobal.net
"Reparations For African" listserv is operated by the Information & Media Commission of the National Coalition Of Blacks for Reparations in America (N'COBRA). For more information on N'COBRA visit: www.NCOBRA.org
We encourage public discussions, led by the injured, to determine an equitable remedy for the African Holocaust of Enslavement. All African descendents have a right and responsibility to work towards defining and achieving Reparations. The opinions and actions reported on Reparations For Africans are those of the person(s) representing them and in no way should be viewed as N�COBRA�s unless clearly stated.
We encourage public discussions, led by the injured, to determine an equitable remedy for the African Holocaust of Enslavement. All African descendents have a right and responsibility to work towards defining and achieving Reparations. The opinions and actions reported on Reparations For Africans are those of the person(s) representing them and in no way should be viewed as N�COBRA�s unless clearly stated.
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Replies
Teach them to love THEIR CULTURE as they have loved american culture
#2 Teach them how to raise their consciousness of self & to love themselves
Teach them about our history, our heritage, our achievements
Teach them the Nguzo Saba and how the use it in their everyday lives
Teach them to open their eyes, all three of 'em
(Teach them but know, that they learn best by example)
Brother Kamm - this essay is a prefect example of how to Teach Them. Now, if We could connect the lesson to the needed direct action, the lesson would be more meaningful. For example, We need to urge all to contact their local Archdiocese to share your views on this important issue of reparatory justice and demand a continuation of this conversation that Pope Francis has begun. Also, We need to connect all the local conversations to develop a pragmatic action plan for Healing & Repairing the injures to People of African Descent.
Hopefully, the development of the Pragmatic Action Plan will be on the agenda during the upcoming National Board Retreat in MedgarEversville {bka Jackson}, miss at the end of this month.
Here are some of the particulars -
MEET & GREET N'COBRA
The National Board Of Directors
Date Friday, October 30, 2015
Time: 6-9pm
Where: Chokwe Lumumba Center - 939 West Capitol Street
MedgarEversville {bka Jackson}, ms
Who: National Board of Directors & You - Our Community
National Coalition Of Blacks for Reparations in America (N’COBRA)
What: Roundtable Discussion on Atonement & Self Healing & Repair
6pm - Mix & Mingle Networking Session
6:30pm - National Co-Chairs
7:00pm - Regional Reps
7:30pm - Community Discussion
Why: 'Cause mississippi Must Atone and provide the resources necessary for Self Healing & Repair of & by People of African Descent.
Cost: FREE! and refreshments will be served.
Contact: Baba Asinia Lukata Chikuyu
jackson_ncobra@yahoo.com
Call 601.383.5564 or 601.918.2698
YES We Can! Heal Ourselves.
There is nothing that's broken with us.
There is nothing that needs to be "Heal"-ed.
We are whole, complete and perfect - just the way we are.
There may be barriers to our experience of being whole, complete and perfect.
Who will remove those barriers?
Surely, not someone who believes that we need to be "Heal"-ed.
Will the physician "heal" himself?
Or, will the blind "heal" the blind?
I am for the physician healing himself rather than haughtily pointing to "Teach them how to raise their consciousness of self & to love themselves"
How about putting on the oxygen mask before reaching out to save others?
How about letting "them" be and life a your life - and examplary life - that inspires "them" to see you as a shining beacon.
The problem is not "them" but with he who is pointing at "them".
RE N'COBRA'S POST ON THE POPE'S VISIT TO THE USAdded by Ras Jahaziel
THE HOLY SCRIPTURES ON REPARATIONS
http://www.rastafarivisions.com/the-holy-scriptures-of-reparations-...
Ras Jahaziel
www.rastafarivisions.com
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