Thursday, February 21, 2008

OBAMA ASSUMES THE REINS OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY


In today's Financial Times (02/21/08) Stephen Graubard offers Hillary Clinton a way out with dignity and strength. The article "Clinton Must Step Aside Today to Win Tomorrow" ecourages Clinton "to surprise the nation and the world by announcing her decision not to contest Texas, Ohio, or Pennsylvania, and "accepting Barack Obama as the Democratic presidential nominee in opposition to John McCain."

This would be a wise course of action for Clinton because short of something catastrophic or underhanded, it would appear that given Obama's momentum coming out of Wisconsin, he seems certain to win both Texas and Ohio. Clinton risks losing any bargaining chips should she lose those primaries or win by narrow margins. The stakes are too high and the risks are too great in a world where the US economy is in meltdown and where for many countries around the world, the operative word is "decoupling." In other words, they are saying that they must lessen their dependence on and connection to the US economy.

If Obama wins Ohio and Texas, he becomes the undisputed head of the Democratic Party and in one fell swoop, eliminates the Clintons, Howard Dean, and the superdelgates from positions of power and influence within the party. This would necessitate a new and much needed realignment of forces within the Democratic Party and in the American body politic.

As Robert Nesta Marley said, "There is a natural mystic blowing in the wind." Don't ask me why."

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

KEEPING UP A BIG FUSS

When I met Fidel Castro in the the Spring of 2001, it was the highlight of my life. Once when asked who was the most famous person that I had met, my immediate response was Fidel Castro. There were two other people whom I would add to that category: Mohammed Ali and Yasser Arafat. I never had the fortune of meeting Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X or John Coltrane who, along with my parents, were great inspirations and role models for me. Of all of these, Fidel Castro has been the most influential person for all freedom fighters and democratic-minded people throughout the world.

We admire him because he, along with Che Guervara and a small group of men and women, overthrew a tyrant and puppet of US imperialism. We admire him because he has given aid and comfort to revolutionary movements around the world. Once when asked why Cuba had sent troops to support the independence struggles in Africa, Fidel replied without hesitation, "Africa is in our blood." Indeed it is, for at least seventy percent of all Cubans are of African descent. We admire him because in the face of assasination attempts, an economic blockade, the fall of the Soviet Union, and the lies and deceptions of the west, Castro and the Cuban people have remained steadfast in their opposition to world imperialism and in their committment to real democracy and human rights for all people. They have built health and educational systems which far exceed anything that western countries have been able to deliver for the majotity of their citizens. We should be so lucky in this great free and democratic society of America to have a modicum of health care and education as they have in Cuba. Shame on this country! Instead of emulation, we have chosen annihlation as the way. We are grateful to Fidel Castro and the Cuban people for staying on the path.

When I met Fidel Castro he said something to me which my limited Spanish ear did not pick up. I asked for a translation and was told that he said, "I bet you're keeping up a big fuss." (an obvious refence to my work at WPFW radio station in Washington, DC) I think we are all grateful that he has kept up a "big fuss" for over fifty years.

Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Its After the End of the World, Don't You Know That Yet?





We must not allow our self doubt, self hatred, and distrust of this country to cloud our understanding of the global political economy and what is and will be the impact on people of African descent. Look at the condition of African people all over the planet. Obama has ignited a much needed discussion among us. We have been forced to face the jive way in which we have been fronting and not taking the correct position on Zimbabwe, Rwanda, Haiti, Cuba, or on the jive bankrupt politicians who have been misrepresenting us. We, as a people, have not taken any collective stands on anything. The fault is not in Obama but in ourselves.

Obama is running for the Presidency of the United States of America. We should not have any illusions about this fact.Because many rich and powerful white people see him as a better representative of their interest when it comes to China, the Middle East, Africa, the Caribbean, Latin and Central America than Hillary Clinton,does this mean that we can't be for him? An old man once told me that "it is a skill game and a fool can't play it". We must quit being slaves and fools to our own fears and use this precious moment to organize and unite African people in the tradition of Dubois, CLR James, Amilcar Cabral, Marcus Garvey, George Padimore, Malcolm X, and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Yes I said Dr. King who said in a speech to SCLC in 1967 that" we must move from reform to revolution" and "from civil rights to human rights". He also said that "power without love is reckless, but love without power is sentimental."We need to stop being sentimental and reckless with our thoughts and actions. It is 2008 and as Sun Ra said "it's after the end of the world, don't you know that yet"

Saturday, February 2, 2008

PanAfricanism: Now More Than Ever



A united Africa was long the hope of men like Dubois, Padmore, Nkrumah, andGarvey. Yet, that reality has eluded the people of Africa. Colonialism and neo-colonialism have been the major culprits, leaving in their wake the assassinations of and coups against the most progressive leaders and their governments. The assassinations of Patrice Lumumba, Amilcar Cabral, Eduardo Mondlane, Chris Hani, Walter Rodney, Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X have stifled and silenced the voices of real democracy in Africa and have encouraged tribalism and ethnic conflict as a tactics to keep the masses in turmoil and confusion.
Africa continues to be the richest continent on the planet and the race for control of its resources is at a feverish pitch. While the Chinese are making strong economic inroads into Africa and are assisting in building much needed infrastructure, the western powers, particularly the United States, have countered with the building of military bases. The United States has established military bases or a military presence in Senegal, Djibuti, Sao Tome and Principe, and Uganda. These so called "jumping off points" are to "fight terrorism" and to "protect oil" resources. Since the United States does not have the economic resources to compete with India and China in Africa, it is ushering in a new era of "gunboat diplomacy," this time with modern technological warfare.

The Zimbabwean land reform movement offers the brightest hope at the moment. If the land and other African resources are not controlled by the people of Africa, all is lost. Pan- Africanism which promotes the economic, political, social, and cultural integration of African people is both a way around the abyss of tribalism and ethnic conflict and a way forward to a brighter future. We must begin this discussion now.