Friday, July 23, 2010
Parable of Pull Yo Pants Up fada Prez and Yoself Ideally,Plato Negro would like to cause a paradigm shift in youth culture.Using his hometown, Oakland, as a Model City, in the lingo of Mayor RonDellums, we want the youth of Oakland to serve as a model of radicalyouth behavior by pulling up their pants and their minds, and at thesame time we want the City of Oakland to pull up its pants byrearranging its budget wherein presently 75% of the budget goes topolice and the fire department. We want 75% to go for youth projects,including jobs, education and recreation, also to anger management andconflict resolution.
This would immediately decrease the need for police to consume such a large portion of City finances.
Justas America has done in Iraq to decrease violence by employing youth tosecure their communities, Oakland can do the same, including upgradingeducation with relevant curriculum
and providing housing fit for human beings.
Sinceshe is preparing to allow the growing of marijuana to increase her taxbase, she must simultaneously decriminalize the selling of marijuana onthe street, especially since we know persons selling drugs suffer anaddiction to either use or selling, additionally they are most oftenmentally ill, thus dual diagnosed, suffering addiction and mentalillness, equally in need of medication. We cannot permit one segment ofthe population to sell drugs (whites) and criminalize another section(blacks)--this is blatant racial discrimination.
Shall the police arrest a person who legally purchases marijuana at a club, then steps outside the door and sells it?
Andwhy should not youth in the green revolution be allowed to growmarijuana in community gardens just as Oakland is in the process ofallowing corporate growers to do?For sure, these corporate growers willbe white!
At the very least, police should immediately stoparresting youth for selling marijuana. And all those incarcerated shouldbe given a general amnesty.
This is all about pulling up thepants, but with dignity, honesty, justice and fairness. Adults cannottell youth to do anything while adults themselves are livingcontradictions. As Amina Baraka said, "Youth cannot learn from ourmistakes if we are still making them."
How can Oakland permit thegrowing and selling of marijuana by rich, white corporations butcontinue the criminalization of youth for selling and/or growing thesame?
This is sufficient reason for youth to keep sagging theirpants as a symbol of rebellion, in short, telling adults to kiss theirass!
--Marvin X
7/23/10
Pull Yo Pants Up fada Prez and Yoself
Essays on Obama Drama
Marvin X
Black Bird Press, 2010
48 pages
Donation $19.95
Order from the publisher:
Black Bird Press
1222 Dwight Way
Berkeley CA 94702
jmarvinx@yahoo.com
Also available at:
Academy of Da Corner
14th and Broadway
downtown Oakland
https://theblacklist.net/
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