From the RampartsJunious Ricardo StantonWhat Would Malcolm Say About Barack Obama?“You're not supposed to be so blind with patriotism that you can't face reality. Wrong is wrong, no matter who says it.” Malcolm XOnce Malcolm Little, a.k.a. “Detroit Red”, “ Red” and Satan joined the Nation of Islam and became Malcolm X, he experienced an ongoing personal transformation and growth that continued until his murder in 1965. During his sojourn within the NIO Malcolm’s hard work, eagerness to learn, charisma and skills enabled him to rise within the organization to become their national spokesman. Malcolm’s keen insight into both human nature, history and global socio-political dynamics enabled him to speak truth to power, terrify slave minded Negroes, vex and confound Europeans of all stripes and persuasions while igniting the flame of Black consciousness that still flickers today.Malcolm’s publicly stated intention and plan to take the United States before the World Court and charge the US government with genocide and human rights violations made him persona non grata to most white people. Malcolm uncompromisingly told the truth about the U.S. evil empire much to the chagrin of the powers that be. Malcolm’s words cut to the quick and ossified the government’s propaganda, lies and hypocrisy. To neutralize Malcolm’s plan, the US government along with other state and local law enforcement and intelligence agencies cunningly exploited a feud and split between Malcolm’s new organizations the Organization of Afro-American Unity, Muslim Mosques Inc and the Nation of Islam. The state apparatus adroitly used this public rift and break up as the backdrop and cover for his assassination.Malcolm wasn’t the first black man to threaten to expose US hypocrisy, human rights violations and war crimes against its own citizens as well as the world to a world judicial body. A generation before Malcolm X, Paul Robeson also was in the process of exposing US governmental criminality and brining the US up on charges to the United Nations and World Court. The US government went after him, using tactics they would subsequently incorporate into COINTELPRO ten to twenty years later. COINTELPRO was a vicious counter insurgency program initiated by the US government to stifle dissent and squash the truth. COINTELPRO and whatever its predecessors were code named, was used to not only get rid of Malcolm but also Martin Luther King Jr. and a host of other black leaders and spokespersons over the years. Many including myself believe a COINTELPRO counter insurgency plan is still active and operational today.With Paul Robeson, the US government initiated a program designed to discredit him. The demon label back then was “communist”, it was akin to calling someone a terrorist today. The government took away his passport and prevented him from making a living as a singer, actor and activist. From the government’s perspective men like Paul Robeson and Malcolm X were serious threats to their bogus image as a bastion of freedom and democracy. What set Malcolm aprt from Paul Robeson was Malcolm actively sought the assistance and support of African and Asian leaders in his quest to bring the US before the world Court. To off Malcolm, the U.S. government helped hype an atmosphere of antagonism towards him which led to his murder. The Black men who pulled the triggers unwittingly did the bidding of their oppressor, “ the blue eyed devil.”As we pause to acknowledge his natal day and honor the legacy of Malcolm Little, a.k.a. Detroit Red, a.k.a Malcolm X a.k.a. El Hajj Malik El Shabazz a.k.a. Omawole (The Son Who has come home the name he was given when he visited Nigeria) , I wonder what he would say about Barack Obama and the current US system? I wonder what Malcolm would say about the mindless sycophantic idolization of Barack Obama by most black folks? While he was alive, Malcolm railed against the Democratic Party because it was controlled by sheet wearing racists from the South. He chided Negroes for putting so much faith in the Democratic Party. Malcolm exhorted Black folks to not continuously fall for the okey-doke of white liberals and the government. “Today our people can see that we are faced with a government conspiracy. This government has failed us. The senators that are filibustering against you and my rights, that’s the government. Don’t say its Southern Senators, this is the government; this is a government filibuster, it’s not a Southern filibuster. Any kind of activity that takes place on the floor of the Congress or the Senate, that’s the government. Any kind of dilly-dallying, that’s the government . Any kind of pussy footing, that’s the government. Any kind of act that is designed to deprive you and me of getting full rights, that’s the government that’s responsible. Any time you find a government involved in a conspiracy to violate the citizenship or the civil rights of a people then you are wasting your time going to that government expecting redress. Instead you have to take that government to the World Court and accuse it of genocide and all the other crimes that it is guilty of today.” Malcolm demanded that Black politicians represent the interests of the Black community. Malcolm would be the first to point out Obama avoids identification with Black people and our issues and struggles!Malcolm’s keen insight into global politics would make things extremely uncomfortable for President Barack Obama, especially since Obama is pursuing the same imperialist policies of George W Bu$h in Afghanistan and Iraq. Malcolm railed against the US involvement in Vietnam long before such dissent was popular. What would Malcolm say about Obama’s buck dancing and shuffling to the military industrial complex and staying in Iraq? What would Malcolm say about Obama not investigating and prosecuting Bu$h, Cheney, Rice, Powell et al as war criminals?What would Malcolm say about Obama’s tap dancing to Wall Street’s tune and his bailing out the banks while ignoring the plight of Main Street’s poor folks? What would Malcolm say about Obama’s failure to address a “black agenda” while kissing up to other ethnic groups? I suspect Malcolm wouldn’t have too much positive to say about Obama other than he was a good family man, if that in fact is the case. He would look at Obama’s actions: the millions of campaign money he took from corporations and Wall Street banks, Obama’s failure to end the wars, bring the troops home and his dismal record of helping poor and working class folks during a worsening economic downturn that was caused by the same banks Obama is now helping. Just as Malcolm exposed the hypocrisy and ruthlessness of the political system of his day, I think he would shoot holes through the Obama phenomena. Based upon his past, his intelligence and his integrity, I can’s see Malcolm X giving Obama a pass or a passing grade.-30-
One should never give support in the unconditional manner that we did to Obama. Once his campaign knew that we would not question him and once Tavis and Jessie were put in their place, his campaign was confident that they had the full support of Black America. They are quoted as saying something to that effect. They knew that there would be no promises to made. And we accepted this hands down.
Unfortunately we have accepted symbols as a saving grace for us today. And the political symbols, Obama and company, are very much a part of the so called "new world order" that only has interest in folks of African descent where exploitation is concerned.
Audrey your emotions were shared by many Africans in AmeriKKKa and around the world because deep down we all yearn for sanity, wholeness, fairness and a sense there is true justice in the world. Alas this system is so corrupt and wicked even if Obama was all that and a bag of chips (and he isn't) we still would be facing a massive onslaught of global Caucasian fascism, militarism and imperialism on the world's melanated people led mainly by the US, England and Israel. Don't fall for the okey-doke or the Obama hype. He is just like Colon Powell, Kindasleezy Rice, Clarance Thomas and the rest of the House Negroes who buck dance, shuffle and grin for the New World Order crowd. They are not us, they are not for us and they do not have our best interests at heart. Their loyalties lie with the oppressors. Stay strong!
JRS
Yes, none of us know what Brother Malcolm would say but as Brother Junious has so eloquently recounted above, we can feel assured that Brother Malcolm would remind us that Obama was supported by the very same forces in this society that treat African Americans as a whole with disdain and lots of contempt.
Let's not fool ourselves into believing that the substantive change that we need as a people will come from the ballot box reguardless of who holds the presidency. We have never obtained change that really affects our quality of life in that way. The kind of change we need is radical and transformational and historically has come to us as African Americans by us challenging the system primarily through protests.
While Obama and his family represent a very powerful and important symbol for our times, we will NOT get the radical change that is necessary to alter the dire situation that the masses of our people find themselves in with him in the White House. I do not say that to disparage or discount his election. I do feel that his win is important in many ways and I admit that I for one still get misty eyed when I see he and his family on TV. However, symbols are fine for inspiring one to want to do better but real change that alters quality of life issues such as health, education, and employment cannot be achieved through "mindless, sycophantic idolization" of one or more persons.
While none of us really knows exactly what Maclom would say, we do know based upon his personality, his integrity and his love for African people he would exhort us to stand up for ourselves,not to depend upon the AmeriKKKan system for our freedom or to solve our problems. Malcolm would scold us for falling for Obama's okey-doke and the lame flim-flam of the two major political parties. Think for yourselves and stay strong!
JRS
"You know, right before he was killed he came down to Selma and said some pretty passionate things against me, and that surprised me because after all it was my territory there. But afterwards he took my wife aside, and said he thought he could help me more by attacking me than praising me. He thought it would make it easier for me in the long run."
"Look at yourselves. Some of you teenagers, students. How do you think I feel and I belong to a generation ahead of you - how do you think I feel to have to tell you, 'We, my generation, sat around like a knot on a wall while the whole world was fighting for its hum an rights - and you've got to be born into a society where you still have that same fight.' What did we do, who preceded you ? I'll tell you what we did. Nothing. And don't you make the same mistake we made...."
Ditto! Ditto! Now that Malcolm is no longer here we indivually, yet collectively, must do what Malcolm would do! Malcolm understood that "practice proves and makes possible everything."
Dr. Maulan Karenga in his article, Remembering Malcolm: Being and Becoming Ourselves reminds us that, "Standing up in Malcolm’s liberation ethics encompasses three basic practices:
(1) bearing witness to truth; (2) living the truth of a recovered and reconstructed self, and (3) struggling to achieve a context of freedom, justice and equality indispensable to realizing the fullness of our personhood and the possibilities within us. To bear witness to truth is to teach and uphold the good andexpose and condemn evil, to speak up in the midst of fear and silence, to refuse to go along and get along with oppression and oppressors and to reaffirm the right to a good life for everyone.
Dr. Karenga continues,
"Malcolm's teaching on standing up, like his other teachings, is both rooted in and reflective of his own personal recovery and reconstruction. His experience teaches him that standing up is essentially offering one's
life and death as a "testimony of some social value", in a word, being willing to live and die as a mirror and martyr for liberation and securing good in the world. This morality of self sacrifice in the cause of a better society and world, and humbleness about what one can do and has achieved, are at the core of
Malcolm's ethical concept of standing up."
So, I say, I am Malcolm X, you should say, I am Malcolm X, we all should say, I am Malcolm x! Say it...
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Comments
JRS
One should never give support in the unconditional manner that we did to Obama. Once his campaign knew that we would not question him and once Tavis and Jessie were put in their place, his campaign was confident that they had the full support of Black America. They are quoted as saying something to that effect. They knew that there would be no promises to made. And we accepted this hands down.
Unfortunately we have accepted symbols as a saving grace for us today. And the political symbols, Obama and company, are very much a part of the so called "new world order" that only has interest in folks of African descent where exploitation is concerned.
JRS
Let's not fool ourselves into believing that the substantive change that we need as a people will come from the ballot box reguardless of who holds the presidency. We have never obtained change that really affects our quality of life in that way. The kind of change we need is radical and transformational and historically has come to us as African Americans by us challenging the system primarily through protests.
While Obama and his family represent a very powerful and important symbol for our times, we will NOT get the radical change that is necessary to alter the dire situation that the masses of our people find themselves in with him in the White House. I do not say that to disparage or discount his election. I do feel that his win is important in many ways and I admit that I for one still get misty eyed when I see he and his family on TV. However, symbols are fine for inspiring one to want to do better but real change that alters quality of life issues such as health, education, and employment cannot be achieved through "mindless, sycophantic idolization" of one or more persons.
JRS
Dr. Maulan Karenga in his article, Remembering Malcolm: Being and Becoming Ourselves reminds us that, "Standing up in Malcolm’s liberation ethics encompasses three basic practices:
(1) bearing witness to truth; (2) living the truth of a recovered and reconstructed self, and (3) struggling to achieve a context of freedom, justice and equality indispensable to realizing the fullness of our personhood and the possibilities within us. To bear witness to truth is to teach and uphold the good andexpose and condemn evil, to speak up in the midst of fear and silence, to refuse to go along and get along with oppression and oppressors and to reaffirm the right to a good life for everyone.
Dr. Karenga continues,
"Malcolm's teaching on standing up, like his other teachings, is both rooted in and reflective of his own personal recovery and reconstruction. His experience teaches him that standing up is essentially offering one's
life and death as a "testimony of some social value", in a word, being willing to live and die as a mirror and martyr for liberation and securing good in the world. This morality of self sacrifice in the cause of a better society and world, and humbleness about what one can do and has achieved, are at the core of
Malcolm's ethical concept of standing up."
So, I say, I am Malcolm X, you should say, I am Malcolm X, we all should say, I am Malcolm x! Say it...