Marvin X Now Available for Readings, Lectures, performance

photo Don J. Usner

Marvin X produced the 80th Birthday Celebration of his elder, Dr. Nathan Hare, at Geoffrey's

Inner Circle, Saturday, April 13, 2013

Marvin X speaks on Black Theatre 

University of California, Merced 

May 30, 2013

Marvin X will discuss his plays Flowers for the Trashman and One Day in the Life. Flowers for the Trashman was produced by the Drama Department at San Francisco State University, 1965, while he was an undergrad.

One Day in the Life is a docudrama of his addiction and recovery from Crack, 1996. It includes his last meeting with Black Panther co-founder Huey P. Newton in a West Oakland Crack house. Ishmael Reed says, "One Day in the Life is the most powerful drama I've seen!"

Dr. Ayodele Nzinga, Marvin X's top student who directed and performed his play In the Name of Love, Laney College Theatre, Oakland, 1981. Years later she directed and performed his play One Day in the Life, 1996-2002, the longest running African American drama in Northern California. Dr. Nzinga now has her own theatre The Lower Bottom Playaz in West Oakland. She recently produced and directed his classic Flowers for the Trashman, a one act first produced at San Francisco State University, 1965, while Marvin was an undergraduate.

Marvin X speaks at the University of Houston, Africana Studies Department

Dr. James Conyers, Chair, Africana Studies Dept, University of Houston and Marvin X

Black Power Babies, Brooklyn NY

Black Power Babies and parents, Left to Right: Michael Simmons, Aishah Shahidah Simmons,

Amiri Middy Baraka, Jr., Bunmi Samuels, Muhammida El Muhajir, Marvin X, Oba Adefunmi II,

Mrs. Amina Baraka, Nisa Ra, Aaliyah Madyun, Malika Iman, Barbara Rivera and daughter.

Black Power Babies, produced by Muhammida El 

Dr. Molefe Asante, Mrs. Amina Baraka, Marvin X, Amiri Baraka, Jr., Kenny Gamble

Black Power Babies in Philly w/ Marvin X, Amina Baraka, Amiri Middy Baraka, Molefi Kete Asante, Michael Coard, Lois Fernandez + Bumi Fernandez. A Sun in Leo x 900AM WURD collaboration

WURD Speaks: Black Power Babies

Please take a peek into the discussion that took place on Sunday, February 10, 2013 at our first WURD Speaks event of the year titled Black Power Babies. It ...

Silencia Por Favor

It is only when we reach this age

we come to see we know nothing

knowing is beginning

yet it is The End

and so we begin and end with ignorance

it is the only thing we can claim for sure

ignorance and illusion

we are sure about this

after all the women, wine, dope, money

illusion

momentary passions in the night

early morn

things unsatisfied

things eternally oppositional

The moment can transcend the moment into the eternal

and if we don't get there so what

let's have ease after difficulty

no oppositional personality

silencia por favor.

no words can cover all the years tears fears

silencia por favor.

--El Muhajir (Marvin X)

3-28-13

The Best of Marvin X 

on KPOO Radio, San Francisco

Marvin X reads and interviewed by Sister Pam Pam, KPOO Radio, San Francisco.

 Files (10 MB) | Download All

• Marvin X - The Gangster.mp3
• Marvin X..... on Books.mp3
• Marvin X....Old Man Young Girl.mp3
• Marvin X....on The worst enemy.mp3

Marvin X  

now available 

readings/lecturers: 

jmarvinx@yahoo.com

510-200-4164

Marvin X interviewed at the Black Power Babies Conversation, Philadelphia, PA.

He also participated in the Black Love Lives Conference (produced by Nisa Ra), University of Penn, reading with Philly's living legend, pianist Alfie Pollitt, at the Cleft Jazz Club. 

Marvin X  

now available 

readings/lecturers: 

jmarvinx@yahoo.com

510-200-4164

Eldridge Cleaver: My friend the Devil, 

a memoir by Marvin X 

Black Bird Press, Berkeley CA 2009

Marvin X wrote his memoir of Eldridge Cleaver in three weeks, posting a chapter per day on the internet.

See www.nathanielturner.com. 

The Wisdom of Plato Negro 

parables/fables

"Marvin X is Plato teaching on the streets of Oakland."--Ishmael Reed

His most recent book is The Wisdom of Plato Negro, parables/fables, Black Bird Press, Berkeley, 2012. President Davis and Reginald James, students at Marvin X's Academy of da Corner, Oakland
President is now at Howard University, Reginald at UC Berkeley. Pictured at Sankofa Books, Washington DC.

Two Founders of The Black Arts Movement: East Coast/West Coast

Marvin X opened for Keyshia Cole with a poem.

Fly to Allah is the seminal work in Muslim American literature, 1968.

Marvin X and his mentor, the legendary poet-philosopher-musician Sun RA

Writings in Anthologies

The writings of Marvin X appear in the anthologies Black Fire, New Plays from the Black Theatre,  Let Loose on the World, Bum Rush the Pages, Mumia,  Black California; the forthcoming Stand Our Ground and the forthcoming D'jango. He edited a Journal of Pan African Studies Poetry issue. He is project director of the Community Archives Project and teaches at Academy of da Corner, 14th and Broadway, downtown Oakland.

Marvin X's most famous play Flowers for the Trashman appears in Black Fire, 

along with his most famous poem on the 1965 Los Angeles riot/rebellion 

Burn, Baby, Burn!

Book Description

Publication Date: April 5, 2007 | ISBN-10: 1574780395 | ISBN-13: 978-1574780390

The defining work of the Black Arts Movement, Black Fire is at once a rich anthology and an extraordinary source document. Nearly 200 selections, including poetry, essays, short stories, and plays, from over 75 cultural critics, writers, and political leaders, capture the social and cultural turmoil of the 1960s. In his new introduction, Amiri Baraka reflects nearly four decades later on both the movement and the book.

New Plays from the Black Theatre, 

edited with an introduction (interview by Marvin X) 

by Ed Bullins

Bantam, New York, 1968

From top left: Herbert Stokes, Ben Caldwell, Salimu, Charles Fuller, Sonia Sanchez, LeRoi Jones, Ed Bullins, Marvin X, N. R. Davidson, Jr.

Bum Rush the Page 

is a groundbreaking collection, capturing the best new work from the poets who have brought fresh energy, life, and relevance to American poetry.

“Here is a democratic orchestration of voices and visions, poets of all ages, ethnicities, and geographic locations coming together to create a dialogue and to jam–not slam. This is our mouth on paper, our hearts on our sleeves, our refusal to shut up and swallow our silence. These poems are tough, honest, astute, perceptive, lyrical, blunt, sad, funny, heartbreaking, and true. They shout, they curse, they whisper, and sing. But most of all, they tell it like it is.” 
–Tony Medina, from the Introduction

Marvin X, Dr. Julia Hare, Dr. Nathan Hare and Attorney Amira Jackmon, Senior Agent of the Community Archives Project. The project is agent for the Dr. Julia Hare and Dr. Nathan Hare archives. Stanford University has requested to view the Hare papers for possible acquisition.

L to R: Marvin X, daughter Muhammida El Muhajir, Dr. Julia Hare, Nisa Ra, mother of Muhammida, and Dr. Nathan Hare. Nisa Ra interviewed the Hares for her film project Black Love Lives.
photo Gregory Fields

Marvin X  

now available 

readings/lecturers: 

jmarvinx@yahoo.com

510-200-4164

Title: Stand Our Ground:Poems for Trayvon Martin and Marissa Alexander

Publisher: FreedomSeed Press (Philadelphia, PA)

Paperback, 272 pages

Publication Date: April 22, 2013 (Pre-Order Now)

$25.00

All proceeds will be shared with the families of Martin and Alexander to aid in their respective pursuits of justice.

Stand with us! This will be a limited publication run. Purchase your copy today!

Stand Our Ground is available online exclusively at StandOurGroundBook.com.

Contact: Ewuare X. Osayande

StandOurGroundBook@gmail.com

Black California

---

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 2011

150 years of the California African American experienceBlack California is the first comprehensive anthology celebrating black writing through almost two centuries of Californian history. In a patchwork quilt pieced from poetry, fiction, essays, drama, and memoirs, this anthology traces the trajectory of African American writers. Each piece gives a voice to the resonating rhythms that created the African American literary tradition in California. These voices speak of dreams and disasters, of heroic achievements and tragic failures, of freedom and betrayal, of racial discrimination and subsequent restoration all setting the pulse of the black California experience.
Early works include a letter written by Pao Pico, the last Mexican governor of California; an excerpt from mountain man, freed slave, and honorary Crow Indian James Beckwourth; and a poem written by James Madison Bell and recited to a public gathering of black people commemorating the death of President Lincoln. More recent contributions include pieces from beat poets Ted Joans and Bob Kaufman, Black Panther Eldridge Cleaver, Black Arts Movement poet Marvin X, comedian Brian Copeland, and feminists Lucille Clifton and June Jordan.

Marvin X, aka Plato Negro,  at Academy of da Corner, seated beside him is Prof of Legal Affairs, Gregory Fields.

Academy student Jermaine Marsh, Civil Rights attorney Walter Riley, Blues living legend Sugarpie de Santo and Marvin X at Academy of da Corner, 14th and Broadway, downtown Oakland.

Oakland Post Newspaper publisher Paul Cobb and Marvin X. Paul and Marvin are childhood friends from West Oakland. Pictured at  Academy of da Corner. "Paul knows more stories about my father than I do."
photo Attorney Walter Riley

Marvin X  

now available 

readings/lecturers: 

jmarvinx@yahoo.com

510-200-4164

 Black Panther Co-founder Bobby Seale and Marvin X celebrating Black History Month at the Joyce Gordon Gallery
Bobbly Seale, Huey Newton and Marvin X attended Merritt College
where they engaged in self study to gain revolutionary Black consciousness, 1962

 Juan Quinoez, Amina Baraka, Amiri Baraka, Marvin X
New York City, 2013

Amira, Nefertiti, Muhammida and father Marvin X

 Marvin and Fred Hampton, Jr

 Marvin X and violinist Tarika Lewis

Marvin X and fan at Howard University, Black Power to Hip Hop Conference, 2012

She insisted on posing with the poet holding a copy of his most controversial pamphlet:

The Mythology of Pussy and Dick--a manual for a male/female rites of passage

all

Marvin X at the Malcolm X Jazz Festival, Oakland, May 19, 2012.
photo by Pendarvis Harshaw

A beautiful day in the Bay for Black people and the socalled People of Color.

Ma Rainey's Black Bottom

Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom by anzinga

Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
By August Wilson
Presented by: Prescott Joseph Center For Community Enhancement
Starring: The Lower Bottom Playaz
Directed by: Ayodele Nzinga

The Prescott Joseph Center For Community Enhancement is proud to present August Wilson’s Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, starring The Lower Bottom Playaz, under the direction of Ayodele Nzinga. The play will open at The Sister Thea Bowman Memorial Theater, on July 13th and run though the 22nd of July. Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom is the first of two works by Wilson slated to be directed by Nzinga as a part of Theater in the Yard, Season 11.
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom is the third of the Pittsburg Cycle by Wilson to be presented at The Sister Thea Bowman Memorial Theater in West Oakland. Although Wilson’s Cycle is set for the most part in the Hill District of Pittsburg PA he sets this work on the South Side of Chicago. This work will not be “relocated” to West Oakland, as is Nzinga’s habit with work for The Lower Bottom Playaz. Audiences should be able to make the leap on their own. Chicago’s correlation to West Oakland as a migration destination along with the history of Chicago’s Black Belt and Oakland’s 7th St. as two of the countries important North American African musical centers is obvious. Both were stops on the “chitlin circuit” and in both the North American African community lived similar lives with identical constraints and motivations.
Wilson’s raw and gritty expose of the American music industry allows us to look at a community developed as a result of the Great Migration. The work is pushed by and pulled out of the music of people in transit on a quest to a life they can imagine but can not touch; it is the music of loss and desire. The music is a story in and of itself. But the people who bring the music are the heart of this piece. The story within the story is always as instructive as the main event in Wilson’s work. In the sorrowful funk and divine fury of the music there is a delicately etched study of humanity for us to consider if we want more than entertainment from our theater.
Wilson celebrates the complex existence of North American African men in North America. The story within the story in Ma Rainey is as timeless as is Wilson’s exploration of the exploitation ever present in the music industry. He looks at power relations, voice, injustice, and manhood in a series of beautifully lucid profiles of the men behind the music. Wilson wants us to have a front row seat, he invites us to walk into the angst, anger, and hunger of the men in Ma Rainey, so we can walk out of the theater knowing something more about what resides in the spirit of men who walk our streets and live amongst us.
Join the Lower Bottom Playaz at The Sister Thea Bowman Memorial Theater in their celebration of America’s Shakespeare as they continue the tradition of Theater in the Yard, Season 11!

Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
July 12, 13, 14, 15 & 20,21,22, 2012
Sister Thea Bowman Memorial Theater
Box Office: 510332-1319
920 Peralta St., Rear yard
Oakland CA 94607
Information: wordslanger@gmail.com
www.lowerbottomplayaz.com

Marvin X on Same Sex Marriage

We were taught the purpose of marriage was for the procreation of the species. If this is still the purpose of marriage, then we must be against same sex marriage, but if marriage is for love then it does not matter if the marriage is same sex or not. For sure, same sex couples cannot procreate the species, but they can fall in love and remain in love as long as straight couples. We think same sex couples, absent the procreation motive, have every right to marry, especially when we consider that 50% of straight marriages end in failure. Can the same sex couple do better, time shall tell. We know they don't do much better in the area of partner violence, verbal and emotional abuse. Shall we say they are simply normal human beings in this regard?

As per our President coming out in favor of same sex marriage, we expect a politician to be political, to evolve at the expeditious moment for political gain. Yet we must be truthful and recognize this is but another diversion from the very serious economic matters facing this nation. What do the homeless and jobless care about who's marrying whom? They have more important matters that approach life and death, thus they would have misplaced priorities to concern themselves with same sex marriage. The President should be inclined to concern himself with more pressing matters, especially since he only made a personal not policy statement.

Enter the reply from his worthy opponent Mich Romney, "I support marriage between a man and woman." Now we could believe this statement if it weren't from a Mormon, a religious group that still practices polygamy or plural marriage, if only on the down under. But if you are familiar with Mormons, we know many of them are hardly down under, they are open and unashamedly practicing their religion that did indeed ban polygamy officially many years ago.

Monkey Mind Media and "The First Gay President"

So the Monkey Mind Media that perpetuates the world of make believe is off and running with "The First Gay President," taking our minds completely off pressing economic issues. But we are too old to be concerned with what other people do in public or private, whether straight or gay/lesbian.

We must admit we like the natural order of things, though as an artist we are known to transcend the natural, so perhaps we should shut up since no one wants to hear what an old man thinks, especially one who has transcended so much of what normal people consider natural. Alas, my son cried, "Dad, why can't you drink like normal people!"

Today, though, much of what used to be natural is no longer such. Because of growth hormones in meat and other genetically altered foods, it is not surprising to find the emasculation of man and the masculation of females, i.e., black is white and white is black or the upside down world of today.

What we are alluding to is not solely sexual but political and economic. It is a political policy when women are entering colleges in great numbers and earning advance degrees while men, especially in the black community, are entering prison. Imagine the result of this social-sexual economic reality on the black family in particular. Not only are the prisons a breeding ground of homosexuality with the concomitant diseases, including HIV/AIDS, but such behavior is forcibly altering the sexual identity of men and women, for if the men are wards of the state, what choice do women have but to love each other, whether they want to or not? With men as prisoners of war, the women must bond with each other, often times for sexual and economic reasons. Yes, women are pimping these days, after all, brother pimp is doing twenty-five to life! Need we mention the economic independence of women in general. Even though black mothers have had to play the male role for, yes, centuries, it is even more pervasive today, to the extent the young women are saying, "He the baby mama, I'm the baby daddy. He stays at home babysitting while I work." Indeed, someone remarked recently how many young men can be seen on the streets pushing baby carriages during working hours.

Same Sex Chickens, Cows

Long ago we heard about animals, chickens, cows, turning homosexual. We know a diet of Big Macs and KFC is consequently altering the sexuality of our boys and girls. We know hormones are recycled in the water, and even chemical residue from plastic water bottles is polluting the water and  causing sex changes in those who drink it.

And finally, we must consider that we are at the end of an Age of Time, entering a new cycle that is bringing forth a new consciousness. The old patriarchy is giving way to a balance between the patriarchy and matriarchy or Ma'at. In this process of transformation, we must be aware of the crisis in sexual identity as men and women seek to put themselves in harmony with the universe. Although so much of the ancient teachings may be considered reactionary, we think manhood and womanhood rituals are urgently needed so our boys and girls have some understanding of gender roles. For sure, men must no longer think of women as their chattel property. And this must be true for same gender loving persons in general. 
--Marvin X
5/14/12

Huey Newton on Gays Rights

From: riverfl0w@riseup.net

http://hiphopandpolitics.wordpress.com/2012/05/11/looking-back-at-huey-newtons-thoughts-on-gay-rights-in-the-wake-of-obamas-endorsement/

Looking Back at Huey Newton’s Thoughts on Gay Rights…In the Wake of
Obama’s Endorsement

This was a speech given August 15, 1970 by Huey Newton co-founder of the
Black Panther Party. Here he addresses the issue of Gay Rights… It's
serious food for thought coming in the aftermath of President Obama
endorsing Same-sex Marriage…

Dr. Huey P. Newton

During the past few years strong movements have developed among women and among homosexuals seeking their liberation. There has been some
uncertainty about how to relate to these movements.

Whatever your personal opinions and your insecurities about
homosexuality and the various liberation movements among homosexuals
and women (and I speak of the homosexuals and women as oppressed
groups), we should try to unite with them in a revolutionary fashion.
I say ” whatever your insecurities are” because as we very well know,
sometimes our first instinct is to want to hit a homosexual in the
mouth, and want a woman to be quiet. We want to hit a homosexual in
the mouth because we are afraid that we might be homosexual; and we
want to hit the women or shut her up because we are afraid that she
might castrate us, or take the nuts that we might not have to start
with.

We must gain security in ourselves and therefore have respect and
feelings for all oppressed people. We must not use the racist attitude
that the White racists use against our people because they are Black
and poor. Many times the poorest White person is the most racist
because he is afraid that he might lose something, or discover
something that he does not have. So you’re some kind of a threat to
him. This kind of psychology is in operation when we view oppressed
people and we are angry with them because of their particular kind of
behavior, or their particular kind of deviation from the established
norm.

Remember, we have not established a revolutionary value system; we are
only in the process of establishing it. I do not remember our ever
constituting any value that said that a revolutionary must say
offensive things towards homosexuals, or that a revolutionary should
make sure that women do not speak out about their own particular kind
of oppression. As a matter of fact, it is just the opposite: we say
that we recognize the women’s right to be free. We have not said much
about the homosexual at all, but we must relate to the homosexual
movement because it is a real thing. And I know through reading, and
through my life experience and observations that homosexuals are not
given freedom and liberty by anyone in the society. They might be the
most oppresed people in the society.

And what made them homosexual? Perhaps it’s a phenomenon that I don’t
understand entirely. Some people say that it is the decadence of
capitalism. I don’t know if that is the case; I rather doubt it. But
whatever the case is, we know that homosexuality is a fact that
exists, and we must understand it in its purest form: that is, a
person should have the freedom to use his body in whatever way he
wants.

That is not endorsing things in homosexuality that we wouldn’t view as
revolutionary. But there is nothing to say that a homosexual cannot
also be a revolutionary. And maybe I’m now injecting some of my
prejudice by saying that “even a homosexual can be a revolutionary.”
Quite the contrary, maybe a homosexual could be the most
revolutionary.

When we have revolutionary conferences, rallies, and demonstrations,
there should be full participation of the gay liberation movement and
the women’s liberation movement. Some groups might be more
revolutionary than others. We should not use the actions of a few to
say that they are all reactionary or counterrevolutionary, because
they are not.

We should deal with the factions just as we deal with any other group
or party that claims to be revolutionary. We should try to judge,
somehow, whether they are operating in a sincere revolutionary fashion
and from a really oppressed situation. (And we will grant that if they
are women they are probably oppressed.) If they do things that are
unrevolutionary or counterrevolutionary, then criticize that action.
If we feel that the group in spirit means to be revolutionary in
practice, but they make mistakes in interpretation of the
revolutionary philosophy, or they do not understand the dialectics of
the social forces in operation, we should criticize that and not
criticize them because they are women trying to be free. And the same
is true for homosexuals. We should never say a whole movement is
dishonest when in fact they are trying to be honest. They are just
making honest mistakes. Friends are allowed to make mistakes. The
enemy is not allowed to make mistakes because his whole existence is a
mistake, and we suffer from it. But the women’s liberation front and
gay liberation front are our friends, they are our potential allies,
and we need as many allies as possible.

We should be willing to discuss the insecurities that many people have
about homosexuality. When I say “insecurities,” I mean the fear that
they are some kind of threat to our manhood. I can understand this
fear. Because of the long conditioning process which builds insecurity
in the American male, homosexuality might produce certain hang-ups in
us. I have hang-ups myself about male homosexuality. But on the other
hand, I have no hang-up about female homosexuality. And that is a
phenomenon in itself. I think it is probably because male
homosexuality is a threat to me and female homosexuality is not.

We should be careful about using those terms that might turn our
friends off. The terms “faggot” and “punk” should be deleted from our
vocabulary, and especially we should not attach names normally
designed for homosexuals to men who are enemies of the people, such as
Nixon or Mitchell. Homosexuals are not enemies of the people.

We should try to form a working coalition with the gay liberation and
women’s liberation groups. We must always handle social forces in the
most appropriate manner.

Truth Transcends the Left/Right Ideological Divide

Truth Transcends the Left/Right Ideological Divide

As poet Amiri Baraka said some time ago, the intellectual lives a privileged life: after all, the common person cannot afford to think and/or write 24/7. The common man/woman hardly has time to think, let alone write that book they eternally claim to want to write. When I tell them to start with a page a day, most don't have the time or will, i.e. discipline, to fulfill such a seemingly simple task.

But as per clarity of perception, too often intellectuals might be better off not thinking or writing as well, or perhaps should be sent to the country side to endure forced labor as Mao made  them perform during his Cultural Revolution. Intellectuals are many times so ideologically divided they cannot examine reality for themselves and certainly not for  the common people. As Harold Cruse said, they are in a perpetual crisis, to the degree the people are leading the leaders, yes, no matter they are are unread and unpublished, still they are endowed with common sense so lacking in intellectuals.

Social Darwinist Planned Parenthood

For sure, neither the Left or Right, Black or White, has the moral high ground. Yes, they all fall short of God's glory. The most horrific example is how the Left supports the social Darwinist Planned Parenthood that originated in Eugenics, that pseudo-science that reached its perfection  during the Nazi era, but was borrowed from America. But the Left supports birth control--we say the woman's body belong to her and the man lost any say after he deposited his sperm--yet the Right is just as hypocritical since its Right-to-life ideology seeks to preserve the child's life until it is old enough to die in imperialist wars or become a life-long cog in the wheel of capitalism and wage slavery. As per the Left and Right, therefore, it is only a difference of time in the life of a child.

White Supremacy in the Tea Party and Occupy Wall Street

For sure, the Left and the Right both suffer the addiction to white supremacy, whether Tea Party or Occupy Wall Streeters, neither is serious about detoxing and recovering since both groups enjoy white privilege. During Occupy Oakland the whites could park in bus zones to unload where blacks would be ticketed $350.00.

The White Woman Can Jog All Night Long in the Hood

Socalled white liberals have no qualms about enjoying the fruits of gentrification or Neo-Negro Removal coast to coast, i.e., the total destruction of the economic and cultural vitality of the Black community from Harlem to Fillmore. In the high crime area of West Oakland, white women can jog all night without fear of attack, after all, the "criminal" blacks know to touch her is a possible hate crime punishable by death. Meanwhile black on black crime is pervasive in the same neighborhood. The Black Left and for that matter the entire community is hypocritical about black on black homicide but march throughout the land when a white murders a Trayvon Martin or Oscar Grant, but they practice Silent Night while Chicago enjoys 45 dead or wounded young black men during a single weekend.

And how much furor has the Left made over the 700,000 mostly young black and Latino men stopped and frisked on the streets of New York, but after all, most of the stops occurred in black and Latino hoods. Would the Left or Right be silent if 700,000 white boys were stopped and frisked? But after all, white crime is done in suites, not streets!

Recolonization of Africa

While Left liberals, Yuppies and Buppies, gentrify the hoods of America, their Right wing brothers and sisters are recolonizing Africa, the continent blessed with an abundance of human and natural resources, allowing the world to enjoy cell phones and Ipads and a plethora of electronic devices, while most Africans subsist on less than a dollar per day, lack clean drinking water and wallow in ignorance and disease.

Let us be fair and balanced: the Chinese Communists are in protracted struggle over Africa's resources. They are just as vicious as the Whites to secure all they can of the Black man's land.

The Arab Spring

We can only moan for the Arab Spring because we know there shall be little substantial change, especially as per the rights of women so long as the Muslims remain steeped in patriarchal tribal and  Islamic mythology. We predict the Arab Spring shall die a natural death if the Muslim fundamentalists have their way, even though the Islamic path is a legitimate response to white supremacy colonialism and neo-colonialism. Under the old dictatorial regimes, the mosque was the only refuge of the masses, thus we cannot dismiss the Muslim ideologues, even with their reactionary views and practices to suppress the rights of women. Revolution is a long process, not an overnight product. And yes, often, the more things change, the more they stay the same. My dear friend, Syrian poet Mohja Kahf's poem My Little Mosque is a classic statement on the second class status of women in Islam globally. It is a disgusting narrative of Jim Crow Islam as per women!

Left/Right Violence Against Women

On the Left and Right, violence against women is pervasive. And when it is not outright partner violence, certainly verbal and emotional abuse is the order of the day. Even I confess that although I long ago stopped my physical violence of females, I am still guilty of verbal and emotional abuse. We thank the French for recently passing a law against the verbal abuse of women or partners.

A Sense of Humor

We must applaud the Right for at least having a sense of humor, so abysmally lacking on the Left. The Right's expression of its ideological stance is an outlandish revelation of moral myopia. They don't have a clue how sick they are and this is what is most laughable. The Left needs a good laugh because often their reporting of reality and truth is so Miller Lite, yet they imagine to be utterly profound. We urge the reader to get beyond Amy Goodwoman and company to digest Coast to Coast AM, a radio show that deals with the metaphysical or the deep structure of socalled reality.

In Defense of the Rich

The Right's defense of the rich is obscene, in spite of the Biblical admonition that it is harder for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for  rich man to enter heaven. Clearly, the Right in general and the Christian Right in  particular, suffer amnesia on this point, along with several other points mentioned in the Sermon on the Mount.

2012 Election

The 2010 election is a farce: Obama has out Bushed Bush. Obama's Right wing policies, whether foreign or domestic are an embarrassment to Black people and many Whites as well. The assassination of American citizens without charges and/or trial is an abomination of the US constitution, as well, the arrest and detention of US citizens without charges and/or trial. And Obama is supposedly a constitutional lawyer?

For a Leftist, he is shameful with his employment of the Right's trickle-down or Voodoo economics, including the bailout of the Wall Street bankers and US corporations, not to mention to trillions given
international finance. Meanwhile, there has been no program of substance for the millions of jobless and persons suffering home foreclosures due to the sub-prime loan scam. While Obama's health program was a noble exercise, it was essentially a sellout to the insurance lobby. And furthermore, without jobs how in the hell is one to pay for health insurance? It's like putting the chicken before the egg.

Obama said, "If I cannot turn this economy around, I don't deserve a second term." We agree. And yet the Right cannot denounce Obama for his meager support of the poor and middle class, i.e., the Food Stamp President!

After all, the Right perennially supports corporate welfare in the form of subsidies and bailouts while adamantly denouncing social economic support for the poor.

In conclusion, I said long ago in Jet Magazine (the Negro  Bible), "I don't want the black truth, white truth, Christian truth, Muslim truth, Communist truth, Gay/Lesbian truth, I want the whole truth, so help me God."
--Marvin X
4/26/12