Black Bird Press News & Review

Thursday, September 20, 2012

Live from the American Gulag: Mumia Abu Jamal

Return of the Clinton

[col. writ. 9/7/12] © ’12 Mumia Abu-Jamal

I’ve not wasted a lot of time watching the conventions, for conventions are essentially – well – conventional.

Politicians make promises that they have no intention of keeping, and do so with earnest smiles; even tears, if need be.

Today’s conventions are the creation less of political parties than of corporate paymasters (called “sponsors” in news speak)

The sites, provisions, transportation and hotel accommodations are often corporate gifts; the ‘better to bribe you with, my dears!’

With the possible exception of Massachusetts senatorial candidate, Elizabeth Warren (who made her name criticizing the bank bailouts), few speakers held my interest, even if Michelle was a beautiful sight to see.

What I found most remarkable was the presentation of ex-President, Bill Clinton, and his oratory about jobs and the economy.

Clinton, easily the most masterful politician of his generation, is so distinguished precisely because he’s also probably the smartest.

What Clinton knows is that no matter who gets the nod in November, jobs – good-paying, manufacturing gigs – are gone for good, thanks in large part to his gift to the business and financial bigwigs in 1994: NAFTA.

NAFTA (the North American Free Trade Agreement) opened the doors abroad for business flight to countries with lower labor costs, dooming millions of American jobs, forever.

I bet, even if you watched every moment of every convention – you didn’t hear the acronym NAFTA once.

I betcha.

For NAFTA, which also affected tariffs, textiles, and loosened controls on banks and high finance, it too put a barrier on high, working-class manufacturing wages – by giving businesses a way out – abroad.

Clinton not only signed it, he campaigned for it.

He represents the party politics of betrayal that is at the very heart of the corporatist electoral machinery.

To have Bill Clinton talk about jobs is a lot like Dracula giving advice on blood banks (he knows a lot about it, but from the wrong end)

That’s today’s political system, and why so many are so turned off.

Marvin X's TSU Lecture: The Hustler's Guide to the Game Called Life

As Marvin X concludes the Houston leg of his national book tour, on Friday he lectures at Texas Southern University on the Hustler's Guide to the Game Called Life. Actually, this is the title of Volume II, the Wisdom of Plato Negro, parables/fables. Volume II is unpublished, but the author who teaches at his Academy of da Corner, downtown Oakland, will discuss entrepreneurship or how to do for self in the era of declining jobs for American workers, let alone North American African workers.

The American corporate bandits and bloodsuckers of the poor shall not pay American MBAs $140,000 per year when they can pay Indian MBAs $14,000 per year. In the mind of filthy capitalist swine, it just doesn't make sense, no matter that Obama has promised if he is reelected their shall be hefty tax brakes for corporations who bring jobs back to America.

Marvin X at the University of Houston on Tuesday after speaking with students in Dr. Malachi Crawford's Introduction to Africana Studies class

photo Michael Demaris

Marvin X contends if US military veterans returning from the global battlefields with post traumatic stress syndrome are being ushered into college and university programs that teach entrepreneurship, the same must be done for brothers and sisters in the hoods and colleges. Degree or no degree, brothers and sisters need work. Many of them, especially the brothers, possess criminal records, suffer a dual diagnose of drug and mental health issues, thus they are not suited for the workplace, perhaps, only if they operate their own businesses. This is what the government has decided many veterans must do, so we maintain those North American Africans who are victims of America's domestic war against the poor can only be salvaged by doing for self economically.

www.blackbirdpressnews.blogspot.com

Going Too Far: Essays About American's Nervous Breakdown

Going Too Far: Essays About America's Nervous Breakdown

Challenging a prevailing attitude, this account disputes the idea that racism is no longer a factor in American life. Based on cultural and literary evidence—including Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn—it argues that, in some ways, the United States very much resembles the country of the 1850s. Not only are the representations of blacks in popular culture throwbacks to the days of minstrelsy, but politicians are also raising stereotypes reminiscent of those which fugitive slaves found it necessary to combat: that African Americans are lazy, dependent, and in need of management. Bold and direct, this book brings an important debate to the surface.

"In the past 40 years, Reed has published more than 20 books and has also made his mark as an editor, publisher, critic, journalist, songwriter, librettist, and fearsome letter-to-the-editor writer. . . . Reed is among the most American of American writers, if by 'American' we mean a quality defined by its indefinability and its perpetual transformations as new ideas, influences and traditions enter our cultural conversation." —New York Times

"Just when you think that Reed is exaggerating or being one-dimensional in his analysis of racial issues, he'll open another page of American history and show you something new." —David Homel, Rover Arts

"There is brutal candor in Reed's argument, which often feels refreshing in light of the euphemisms and platitudes typically expressed in both polite discourse and the media's self-scrutiny. . . . Whether or not one agrees with Reed, one can only be entertained by his gleeful barbs and edgy turns-of-phrase. He names names and shames with derision." —Caroline Brown, English professor, Université de Montréal for Montreal Review of Books

"Reed's writing is incisive and astute, impassioned and amusing. He fully researches his topics and makes a decisive stand based on the facts, as he sees it. Whether you agree with him or not, you at least get to explore a different viewpoint." —Gabrielle David, Phati'tude Literary Magazine

Manhood training for young black boys?

100 Black Men of the Bay Area, Inc.

Opens New School To Help Black Boys

By Jill Tucker, San Francisco Chronicle

In the first hour of the first day of school Tuesday, the sixth-grade Oakland boy was sure he was in trouble for goofing off.

His teacher, Peter Wilson, had stopped his lesson in mid-sentence and turned his attention to the African American preteen, who now wore an uh-oh expression as he braced for a rebuke.

"Did you eat breakfast this morning?" Wilson asked quietly as the confused boy shook his head no. "Your actions are telling me you're hungry."

The teacher, also African American, then promised to bring fruit and granola bars the next day and returned to teaching. The boy's behavior immediately improved.

That might not have been the result at other Oakland middle schools, where a third of black males were suspended at least once last year.

But at the 100 Black Men Community School, a new all-male public charter school, educators and organizers say they refuse to accept those odds - or any of the other statistics associated with black boys that include higher dropout rates, lower test scores and disproportionate placement in specialeducation programs.

The school, started and financially supported by the Bay Area chapter of the 100 Black Men nonprofit organization, is open to all male students, but it was created specifically for issues facing black boys - including difficult family lives, street culture, community violence and lack of male role models outside professional sports and the music industry.

"We know our children can perform as well as any other children," said Dr. Mark Alexander, an epidemiologist and chairman of the board for the local 100 Black Men. "We're going to create a culture that hopefully will be stronger than the streets."

Not About Segregation

While the idea of a black boys school might sound counterintuitive given the efforts of past generations to desegregate public schools, it's not about racial segregation, school organizers said.

Derrick Bulles, of the Bay Area 100 Black Men. It's about recognizing that the status quo isn't working and identifying the specific needs of African American young men. Not all teachers are prepared to deal with those needs, said too often, African American boys get marginalized; teachers don't understand them or fear them, Bulles said.

It's about recognizing that the status quo isn't working and identify

A Dialogue on the Afro American Association

The National and International Roundtable 09/19 by Solutions | Blog Talk Radio

'Arif Khatib is the main host of this show, a discussion of the historic Afro American Association in Oakland. Arif, Donald Warden, aka Dr. Mansour, and Oakland Post Publisher Paul Cobb were founders of this organization, along with Ed Howard, Donald Hopkins, Henry Ramsey et al.

This program features the living legend Donald Warden, aka Dr. Khalid Abdullah Tariq Al Mansour,

Paul Cobb, publisher of the Oakland Post and founding member of the African American Association along with Donald Warden. One of the hosts is Afrif Khatib, also a founding member of the AAA.

This organization was the pivotal group that gave black consciousness to students at Oakland's Merritt College, including Huey Newton, Bobby Seale, Ernie Allen, Mamadou Lumumba, aka Kenny Freeman, and Marvin X. The AAA thus influenced the founding of the Black Panther Party, Black Studies and the Black Arts Movement. Maulana Ron Karenga was the Los Angeles representative of the AAA. The Kwanza ritual came out of the AAA in Oakland.

A white view of Dr. Khalid

A native of Texas, Khalid Abdullah Tariq al-Mansour earned a bachelor's degree from Howard University and a law degree from UC Berkeley. Today he is an attorney who has sat on numerous corporate boards, including those of the Saudi African Bank and the Chicago-based LaGray Chemical Company. Mansour made headlines in 2008 when it was revealed that he had formerly been a patron of a young Barack Obama, whom he recommended for admission to Harvard Law School in 1988.  It is likely that the two first met at Columbia University in the early 1980s, when Obama was a student there and Mansour was a guest lecturer.

Before converting to Islam, Mansour (whose original name was Don Warden) was heavily involved in San Francisco Bay Area racial politics as founder of the African American Association in the early 1960s. He also served as a personal mentor to Huey Newton andBobby Seale, helping the pair establish the Black Panther Party; a subsequent falling-out, however, caused Mansour to end his association with them.

In the mid-1970s, Mansour met and became an advisor to Saudi Prince Alwaleed bin Tatal, who today is best known for having offered a $10 million donation toward 9/11 relief efforts in 2001 – an offer that was rejected by New York City mayor Rudolph Giuliani when the prince suggested that the terrorist attacks were an indication that America “should re-examine its policies in the Middle East and adopt a more balanced stand toward the Palestinian cause.” Not long after meeting the prince, Mansour in 1977 was introduced to the king of Saudi Arabia and became his attorney.

A friend of the late professor Edward Said, Mansour -- a black nationalist -- is an outspoken hater of the United States, Israel, and white people generally. In recent years he has accused the U.S. of plotting a "genocide" designed "to remove 15 million black people, considered disposable, of no relevance, value or benefit to the American society." He has told fellow blacks: "Whatever you do to [white people], they deserve it, God wants you to do it, and that's whether you cut off the nose, cut off the ears, take flesh out of their body, don't worry. God wants you to do that." Alleging further that Palestinians in Israel "are being brutalized like savages," he accuses Israel's Jews of "stealing the land the same way the Christians stole the land from the Indians in America."

Mansour's has written numerous books, including such titles as The Destruction of Western Civilization as Seen Through Islam and Will the West Rule Forever?

On Ishmael Reed's book Going Too Far

--- On Thu, 9/20/12, rudolph lewis wrote:

From: rudolph lewis
Subject: RE: ad - Going Too Far by Ishmael Reed
To: "Marvin X"
Date: Thursday, September 20, 2012, 10:05 AM

Thanks, Marvin. I did not know that Reed had a new book. I am very much for the early 1970-ish Ishmael Reed. The 21st century Ishmael Reed I do not find all that attractive: he's too close to the liberal mainstream. That seems to be the audience he directs his criticisms. He is their conscience. That's fine and good as far as it goes. But it does not go far enough to satisfy me.

Reed's politics are a bit strange in how he reads history. For me the 1880s seem much closer to the present politics. The 1850s slaves and freedman had little hope of change. Yes, there was the rise and prevalence of minstrelsy. Nationalism was rather nascent, which suits Reed's own political prejudices.

The 1860s and 1870s however promised hope and nationalism was on the rise with black men in uniform, like the 1960s and 1970s. There was a delivery of the goods of a postracial society in both instances but the country could not sustain the Southern reaction. Issues like states rights to suppress freed negroes, voter suppression, criminalizing young blacks, reactionary laws of every sort to suspend free speech, free access, and free movement, and economic mobility--all characterize post-Reconstruction and the present "new jim crow" (as Michele Alexander characterizes the Now).

This later period into mid-20th century took minstrelsy into film and other communications like radio and TV. We grew up with it. What is happening now is more characteristic of what has been happening for more than a century. There was somewhat of a respite for a decade or so but it has been more and more of the same shit in subtler forms and images.

Maybe the Triple A's are right about the threat to our existence. But I do not think that young people will allow that to happen unless it is the entire nation jeopardized in its existence. Our foreign policies and militarism are indeed a present danger and threat to the nation.

In short, Reed may be a much better fictional writer and poet than an essayist. As a non-fiction writer and a poet I find you Reed's equal or his superior. In any case, the politics of your non-fiction is of greater interest to me than that of Ishmael Reed.

Loving you madly, Rudy

Rudolph Lewis, Editor
ChickenBones: A Journal
www.nathanielturner.com

Date: Wed, 19 Sep 2012 23:35:01 -0700
From: jmarvinx@yahoo.com
Subject: RE: ad - Going Too Far by Ishmael Reed
To: rudolphlewis@hotmail.com

You think he's a madman too? Or is it Oakland? I still think he made a most profound statement in his review as per if not for black nationalism we would be extinct. I will send you the link of a blog radio talk tonight with Dr. Khalid Abdullah Tariq Al Mansour, aka Donald Warden of the African American Association, who said we shall indeed become extinct at the present rate of things. Although I think this has been his long felt view.

FYI, it was his organization, the AAA, from which sprang black consciousness in the Bay and especially at Merritt College, e.g., Black Panthes, Black Studies and the Bay Area Black Arts Movement. Dr. Khalid has been a lawyer for OPEC and the Saudi royal family.

--- On Thu, 9/20/12, rudolph lewis wrote:

From: rudolph lewis
Subject: RE: ad - Going Too Far by Ishmael Reed
To: "Marvin X"
Date: Thursday, September 20, 2012, 6:28 AM

Marvin, I got it. It seems Reed is trying to kepp up with your book production.

Loving you madly, Rudy

Rudolph Lewis, Editor
ChickenBones: A Journal
www.nathanielturner.com

Date: Wed, 19 Sep 2012 19:53:18 -0700
From: jmarvinx@yahoo.com
Subject: Fw: ad - Going Too Far by Ishmael Reed
To: rudolphlewis@hotmail.com

Rudy, let me know if this works. peace and love, Marvin

--- On Wed, 9/19/12, Robin Philpot wrote:

From: Robin Philpot
Subject: ad - Going Too Far by Ishmael Reed
To: jmarvinx@yahoo.com
Cc: "Ishmael Reed"
Date: Wednesday, September 19, 2012, 8:44 PM

Hello,

As requested, please find attached the ad for Ishmael Reed's latest book of essays.

Best regards,

Robin Philpot

Baraka Books

133, rue de la Commune Ouest

Bureau 200

Montréal, Québec

H2Y 2C7

514-858-6333, poste 226.