Black Bird Press News & Review: Navigating the perilous mental landscape

Black Bird Press News & Review: Navigating the perilous mental landscape

In my 1968 interview with ancestor James Baldwin, he said, "It's a wonder we all haven't gone stark raving mad." Oh, Jimmy, your prophesy has come true today, 2015: the virus of white supremacy (type I and II, Dr. Nathan Hare, Foreword, How to Recover from the Addiction to White Supremacy, Dr. M, aka Marvin X, Black Bird Press,  2007) is pervasive in North American Africans and Europeans. As a nation we are totally unable to navigate the perilous mental landscape with an iota of soundless or saneness. We are thus the performer on the tightrope about to fall headlong into the chasm or precipice of our own making. Like the hog returning to slop, we wallow in the madness of the times. And yes, the only light at the end of the tunnel is the train coming at us. And sadly, the engineer is busy text messaging as the oncoming train collides with our train and we are derailed and suffer death along with many injuries, physical and mental. We assumed or presumed the engineer was of sound mind, just as we assume our political leaders are of sound mind yet they are not, for they are enslaved to lobbyists of every stripe, pushing every agenda imaginable to advance themselves despite the fact they vowed to promote the consent of the governed upon election or reelection. Their duplicity feeds our madness and derails our mental equilibrium, causing us to descend even deeper into the chasm, confounded us with a plethora of lies and half truths.



We have been programmed by the monkey mind media to profess loyalty to the world of make believe the media magicians  present to us. Thus, we are hoodwinked into believing their fake world. Dr. Nathan Hare says we must understand the Fictive Theory, i.e., everything the white man says is fiction until proven to be fact. This is a most difficult proposition when we have become addiction to white supremacy, i.e., the white man's ice is colder than the Black man's. There are those who will not use their credit cards with Black web sites but have no fear with submitting their credit cards to Amazon.com. I've had customers who declined to use my Square swipe, they rather go to the ATM machine and pay the fee because they don't trust my Square swipe.



Fear and lack of truth is discussed in Step I of my manual How to Recover from the Addiction to White Supremacy. Since this is a Pan African manual of recovery, an African recently said, "Marvin X, we need a book entitled The Mis-education of the African. Talk about those Oxford Africans who are brainwashed worse than American Negroes. Marvin X, I tell you the truth, I rather be a Negro than an African. I would be totally shocked by his statement except an African woman told me the same thing recently. With his and her statements, I am confounded yet humbled by the teachings of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad who told us we were the light of the world, as per Africans and Arabs, especially Arab Muslims. He preached to us to be our aboriginal selves and we would be leaders of the new world now coming into reality.



Master Sun Ra taught us we would not go forward or backward until we did the right thing, i.e., accepted our role in the world, along with our responsibility as the leaders as we enter the new era or the new cycle of history or mystery (Sun Ra) , yes, as we begin another 25, 000 year cycle of time.



So let us be clear on how we can navigate the perilous mental landscape in the now of our lives. Know thyself said the Africans, followed by  the Greek students of the Africans (see Stolen Legacy, George M. James). Knowledge of Self is the first knowledge on the road to us regaining our mental equilibrium.



We cell phones, we can now Google African Knowledge of Self! We can Google any knowledge from anywhere in the world. This makes the Bible saying, "The people were destroyed for lack of knowledge," even more relevant because there is no excuse for ignorance except the desire to remain ignorant. And there are those who desire to remain ignorant. Some of those brothers who stop by my Academy of da Corner, will say proudly, "Oh, Bro, I don't read books, my woman reads." Imagine the depths of this statement, a prescription for some horror story in male/female relations "further on up the road," as that old Blues song tells us. Can't remember if this is a Bobby Bland or BB King song.



I am horrified when brothers come to my Academy and ask for work. As I watch them, I can see their primary objective is my female assistant. I observe that his pants are hanging off his behind, so I know he can't work with me if he has a problem pulling up his pants. Would anyone hire him with his pants sagging showing his drawers. If the white man won't hire him, I don't blame the white man. I know if I came in my Father's house with my pants sagging, I would get a serious beat down. Alas, we know many if not most of these brothers have no knowledge of their fathers, and this fact contributes to their difficulty is navigating their perilous mental landscape.



Manhood training is thus a necessity is regaining our mental equilibrium, and the same for women. What are the fundamentals of manhood and womanhood and who is qualified to teach us this essential lesson of life? The most recent lessons came from the Nation of Islam's FOI and MGT training classes.



The Nation of Islam, no matter the negatives, it attempted to instruct us in manhood and womahood training rites and rituals. In truth, we need to bow down and kiss the ground for the teachings of the Nation of Islam that gave us Black Studies 101 and manhood/womanhood training as well. Socalled academic Black Studies never gave us basic manhood and womanhood training. If one doesn't know the purpose and meaning of manhood and womanhood, all other knowledge is to no avail. When I taught Black Studies at Fresno State University, 1969, Message to the Black Man was my text and as per my journalism class Muhammad Speaks was my text. Yes, Gov. Ronald Reagan removed me from campus by any means necessary. He did the same to Angela Davis at UCLA the same year. And as a Communist, what do you think her texts were? Ask her!



I conclude with the question, How do we navigate the perilous mental landscape before us at this hour?

Firstly, we must be fearless. We must overcome our fears in order to navigate successfully.



We are so thankful our ancestors taught us to be fearless, e.g., David Walker, Nat Turner, Gabriel Prosser, Denmark Vesey, Sojourner Truth, Harriet Tubman, Ida B. Wells, Frederick Douglass, Booker T. Washington, Noble Drew Ali, Marcus Garvey, Elijah Muhammad, Malcolm X, Betty Shabazz, et al.



On the West Coast, Huey P. Newton taught me to be fearless, along with Bobbly Seale, Little Bobby Hutton and Eldridge Cleaver, Geronimo and Bunchy Carter, Elaine Brown, Kathleen Cleaver, Queen Mother Moore, Clara Muhammad, et al.

--Marvin X

Crisis in California Sex Education: Pregnancies and STDs in Fresno County

Fresno Unified looks to restore sex education

June 17, 2015

The school board examined a plan Wednesday to add a comprehensive sex education curriculum
The district’s Sociology for Living class ended in 2011
Fresno County has some of the highest teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted infection rates

By Hannah Furfaro
hfurfaro@fresnobee.com

Listen up Fresno high schoolers: sex education could soon be coming to a classroom near you.
Fresno Unified officials are talking about restoring sex education across the city’s high schools under a plan that would add lessons about sexually transmitted infections, contraception and healthy relationships.

At the district’s school board meeting Wednesday, trustees took up a proposal that would bring back all those topics by January. They didn’t take a vote and the issue will likely get more discussion this summer or fall.

The measure comes after local organizations like teen health group Fresno Barrios Unidos and the ACLU of Northern California urged district administrators to restore the lessons. It’s also on the heels of legislation that’s passed the state Assembly and is winding through the state Senate that would make comprehensive sex education mandatory in middle and high schools.

If the bill becomes law, it would mark a huge shift in what’s required of California public schools.
Fresno students already get the absolute basics. State law currently requires middle and high schools to provide education about how to prevent HIV/AIDS.

But schools are not mandated to offer “comprehensive” sex education, or age-appropriate, unbiased, medically accurate information. To be comprehensive, students must learn about abstinence, sexually transmitted infections and contraception.

Fresno County has the state’s fourth-highest rate of teens with chlamydia and gonorrhea infections, a figure that’s consistently 20%-25% higher than state averages.

Fresno Unified’s plan would use a curriculum called Positive Prevention Plus to teach those topics.
Local health advocates who attended Wednesday’s meeting praised the curriculum and said they were encouraged by the district’s effort.

Socorro Santillan, executive director of Fresno Barrios Unidos, urged trustees to partner with organizations like hers to help teach students. The group already has programs for parents and has taught workshops at some high schools.

Others who attended, like UCSF Fresno resident Dr. Janae Barker, said it’s a matter of public health.
Barker said she’s constantly witnessing teens who repeat their mistakes: they never learn about safe sex and prevention and wind up contracting syphilis or getting pregnant. Among a group of at-risk teen girls she’s worked with at Fresno High, she said, “it was amazing the things they didn’t know. There are kids in that class, two of which are currently pregnant, one who is on her second pregnancy.”

Fresno high schools used to have a class called Sociology for Living, a health and life skills class that was axed for budget and other reasons in 2011. It was at one time a graduation requirement and taught students about some sexual health topics and about marriage and family issues.
In 2011, school board members found a compromise to cut the class, but retain the subjects students were taught. That may have happened for a while, but school officials said this spring that comprehensive sex education is no longer offered.

It was amazing the things they didn’t know. There are kids in that class, two of which are currently pregnant, one who is on her second pregnancy.

UCSF Fresno resident Dr. Janae Barker, who is working with a group of Fresno High at-risk teen girls

Public health officials and community health organizers have been scratching their heads asking why sex education wasn’t restored earlier. Fresno County still has the fourth-highest rate of teens with chlamydia and gonorrhea infections, a figure that’s consistently 20%-25% higher than state averages. For people of all ages, Fresno County ranks second for both chlamydia and gonorrhea.

Among school districts in Fresno County, students within Fresno Unified have the highest rates of both infections, Fresno Department of Public Health statistics show. Clovis and Central Unified are next on the list.

At the meeting, trustee Carol Mills said she hopes the district will move sooner than later to bring sex education back into both the middle and high schools. She’s talked to middle school nurses who have told her about eighth-grade girls becoming pregnant, a fact Mills said is almost “incomprehensible, although I know it exists.”

Many of the trustees said schools can’t alone be expected to turnaround such dire statistics. But overall, most were supportive of the plan.

Trustee Brooke Ashjian, who attended the meeting via conference call, questioned whether students would learn about lesbian, gay, bisexual and other sexual orientation and gender issues. He also questioned whether traditional relationships and marriage values would be taught.
Those questions will likely be hashed out in future board discussions.

Hannah Furfaro: (559) 441-6412, @HannahFurfaro

STDs In California On The Rise (PHOTOS)

Posted: 08/15/2012 9:23 pm EDT Updated: 08/16/2012 8:49 pm EDT

Generally, you expect to see preventable diseases decline in advanced societies. Not so with some sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) in California.

Syphilis cases in the Golden State jumped by 18 percent from 2010 to 2011, according to new data released by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH). There was also a 5 percent increase in chlamydia cases and a 1.5 percent increase in gonorrhea cases.

Across the board, the STD rates among African Americans continue to be strikingly high, especially in comparison to the other racial groups. 

In regards to why African American women contract STDs at far higher rates than women of other races, Robert Fullilove, a clinical sociomedical professor at Columbia University Health and chairman of the HIV/AIDS committee at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said on "Fresh Air" that it is partly because fewer African American men are available.:

Because of incarceration, homicide and AIDS, Fullilove said, "A large number of marriageable men were taken out of the community. When you have this kind of population imbalance, many of the rules that govern mating behavior in the community are simply going to go out the window."
"The competition for a man becomes so extreme ... all of the prevention measures [like condom usage] that we've been trying to create over the last 30 years go out the window."

But Heidi Bauer, chief of the health department's STD control branch, told The Huffington Post that Fullilove's theory is hard to prove, and that the department has not found a smoking gun explaining any of the disease increases. It may be that individuals have more partners and use fewer condoms or that, especially given cuts to local health departments and clinics, there is less access to care, she said.
Regarding education, Bauer said that California law mandates HIV education but that schools have a lot of autonomy over what other curriculum, if any, they provide -- as long as it's accurate.

The health department is concerned with the increase in state rates because these STDs can lead to infertility, passing a disease on to a newborn and increasing the risk of HIV, Bauer told HuffPost.
Across all races, chlamydia affected the highest number of people in California, with about 164,000 cases reported in 2011.


Across the board, the chlamydia rates were about twice as high for women than for men. This is largely because the disease is often asymptomatic, but women are screened annually up to age 25 and therefore diagnosed more often, Bauer explained. The rates were highest for men and women between 20 and 24 years old, with the exception of African American women, with whom the highest rate is women between 15 and 19 years old. Here is the racial breakdown:

Chlamydia rates (per 100,000 population):

• African American - 1,030.3
• Latino - 332.6
• Native American - 216.4
• White - 141.9
• Asian/Pacific Islander - 118

There were 27,000 gonorrhea cases in California in 2011. Gonorrhea rates were higher -- sometimes twice as high -- for men than for women (except for Native Americans) because of men having sex with men and because women with gonorrhea often don’t have symptoms. The highest gonorrhea rates were in San Francisco (276.5), followed by Fresno (127.2) and Sacramento (126.7). Here is the racial breakdown:

Gonorrhea rates (per 100,000 population):

• African American - 303.8
• Latino - 40.7
• Native American - 37.7
• White - 33.3
• Asian/Pacific Islander - 17.2

There were about 2,500 syphilis cases, and men had vastly higher rates as it largely affects men who have sex with men. The highest syphilis rate was in San Francisco (46.2), followed by Berkeley (14.8). It is the only STD out of the three discussed where whites had the second-highest rate:

Syphilis rates (per 100,000 population):

• African American - 16.6
• White - 6.2
• Latino - 5.4
• Native American - 4.9
• Asian/Pacific Islander - 2.3

Nationally, in 2010, chlamydia rates increased, gonorrhea increased slightly and syphilis decreased (but increased among black men), according to the Centers for Disease Control.

Read more here: http://www.fresnobee.com/news/local/education/article24835135.html#storylink=cpy

Malik Zulu Shabazz on the beating of Dhoruba bin Wahad

Received by email Aug 23, 2015

Dr. Malik Zulu Shabazz on the Dhoruba Bin Wahad Incident & Criticism On BPP/BLA History 





Official Statement of Dr. Malik Zulu Shabazz on the Dhoruba Bin Wahad controversy

 
On August 8, 2015 I was speaking in Atlanta as an invited guest at the New Black Panther Summit on Police Terrorism and explaining my experiences from the streets and combatting the police brutality in Ferguson, Baltimore, South Carolina as well as inside the courtroom since last year. I was speaking on my 27 years on the front lines.

Dhoruba Bin Wahad and Kalongi Jima Changa plotted to disrupt and conduct "operation shutdown" to stop my speech and to shutdown the NBPP summit.

DBW and KJ led a group of at least 8 armed men to the stage to take the stage and to take me physically off the stage and shutdown the panther summit.

DBW AND KJ detailed their plan to stop the NBPP summit and MZS in their pre summit press release "Operation Shutdown" and other communication sources where DBW and KJ shockingly believed they had exclusive control of the police brutality issue and NO OTHER GROUP would be allowed to have a meeting on that subject unless they had the approval of DBW and KJ. A form of Black facism in the Black community. KJ was convicted of a similar offense in the Black community in 2005 by the POCC under the leadership of Fred Hampton Jr.

DBW has a 45 year history of armed intimidation against political figures in the Black community he does not agree with. DBW started his disputes by bucking the Black Panther Party founder, Honorable Huey P. Newton in 1971 and opposing his leadership. The legendary Sam Napier, BPP newspaper editor in New York, was a tortured, kidnapped and a murdered casualty to this tragic conflict. DBW has admitted in books and interviews to "feeling like a Black cop" while executing actions against Black drug dealers and other figures he does not like. True indeed. DBW has suffered in prison and committed heroic acts and been targeted by cointel-pro. All that is true. But none of that is a pardon or pass for his extensive acts and attempts of aggression and intimidation in the Black community.

I have sat with DBW many times. At one point he was like a big brother to me. But the political opposition to the very existence of the NBPP by some BPP turned him harshly toward me and now towards the NBPP. DBW's "OPERATION SHUTDOWN" was a wild and desperate and irresponsible and reckless attempt to physically harm me and physically take over the New Black Panther annual Summit with his armed posse.

Therefore, knowing DBW history and his current intentions, I suspected an AUDUBON BALLROOM type of situation was developing. Minister Malcolm X was assassinated in the Audubon Ballroom.

I spied the takeover plan and plot as I was speaking and asked DBW to wait and I would deal with his issues. As I have sat with him many times to discuss issues and as I have a long track record of patiently answering any questions asked of me at at a public event.

In the middle of my keynote speech, with his squadron of armed men at the stage, DBW, in response to my simple request for him to wait until I completed my speech and I would answer his question; DBW screamed at the top of his voice , "NO NIGGER WE GONNA DEAL WITH THIS SHIT NOW NIGGER!" and DBW moved to take over.

Instinctively and self defensively I said, without yelling, "get his ass out of here". I was simply asking for him and his group of armed sizable men, to be escorted from the room. This was a general request made to hotel security or anyone who would help. I do not have any supervisory authority or control over the New Black Panther Party. The New Black Panther is under the capable leadership of Minister Hashim Nzinga, my and Dr. Khallid Muhammd's former chief of Staff. I am the National President of Black Lawyers for Justice.

After my request to have DBW and KJ and their squad of. men removed from the stage, I was solely focused on scanning the room for the possible gunman or whoever was sent to physically attack me. I do not know what happened in specific to DBW amongst the crowd.

Reports from eye witnesses says that DBW threw a punch at his escort, which then caused a reaction and a fight between NBPP AND DBW squad members and a melee ensued.

Other eyewitnesses say DBW had a knife or dropped a knife and that's what set everything off. An NBPP Investigation is pending.

So brothers and sisters this is what really happened. A physical plan to attack my person and to shutdown the NBPP was hatched by DBW and KJ. It went terribly wrong for DBW and KJ. These were risky and grossly reckless, aggressive actions by DBW and KJ. Their actions put not only my life at risk but also Nation of Islam and several hundred Black community children and women at risk.

DBW strategy was risky and dangerous and filled with emotion and hatred for his own brothers. He must take responsibility for his own reckless actions. I hate what happened, but bear no responsibility. Responsibility lies squarely with DBW as the aggressor and initiator and the misleader of his men .
DBW acted in the manner of a gangster a thug and a fascist. And his actions are in line with the aims and objectives of the counterintelligence program. His actions fit the COINTELPRO Pattern to disrupt and cause fighting amongst Black groups.

DBW actions could have set off a wider war. DBW attacked me and I am a member of the family of the Nation of Islam and I am a close son of Minister Louis Farrakhan and I am the real son of Dr Khallid Muhammad. DBW duped members of the 5 per centers into his plan and we have nothing but love for the Nation of Gods and Earths. Also we have never had any physical incidents with BPP members despite some issues between us.

So therefore DBW actions were reckless and could set off adverse actions all across several Black organizations. So yes, I ask the question, "who is DBW working for? And is his work In the BLA haunting him or hanging over his head?" Why is DBW so obsessed with me and the NBPP? Why does DBW track my cities and my speeches and plot his plans and operations with an intense hatred and focus on me ? Why me? Why is the real enemy all over my back and uncle toms nationwide DBW at the same time. Why? I ask myself why?

DBW did not conduct himself as an elder. He acted as a thug and gangster and he set off a tragic chain of events with his aggressive and provocative actions. DBW did not act as a wise elder. He acted like a young gangster moving against his rivals in 1971.

In conclusion, check my track record. I am not a thug nor am I a gangster. I have no record of bringing harm to Black people. I am a patient man and a gentle man but I am not a weak man and I am not a punk. I will secure my safety and I will defend my self. I have a divine duty to safeguard my life because my life is not my own my life belongs to God and the Black Nation and I am needed on duty to help our people. I will NOT submit to anyone's assassination attempt.

If you doubt any word I say contact eye witnesses who were at the event. Contact Mukasa Ricks. Mukassa Ricks is the founder of Black Power and a right hand to Kwame Ture. Mukassa is an original Panther from Lowndes county. Elder Mukassa saw it all and has officially ruled against DBW and his actions as being at fault for this tragedy.

In the 60s some Panthers did the same thing to Stokley Carmichael. They accused Kwame Ture and his men of being racist and "too Black " and reactionary. Even though Kwame and his men organized the Panther Party for them nationwide. They verbally and in writing, attacked Kwame Ture, called him an agent, and they disrupted his meetings. Sadly some BPP kept harassing and attacking US and Dr Maulana Karenga, saying they were "reactionary cultural nationalists" and making attempts to forcibly shut Black Nationalists down.
History is repeating itself.

This is an official statement of Malik Zulu Shabazz, esq

Notes by Dr. Ayodele Nzinga on August Wilson's King Hedley II

Blood on the Mountain, III by Ayodele Nzinga, MFA, PhD

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Growing Family in the Land of Rocky Soil or Blood on the Mountian, II by Ayodele Nzinga, MFA, PhD

Tonya does not want to have anymore children. Not in a world where "their friends might kill them, the police might kill them, in a world that don't respect life." She says her 17 year old daughter with a baby is falling down a hole that it will take her a lifetime to dig her way out of. As a part of her argument for an abortion she details the story of a mother learning that her son has been shot down. She receives the news as she is washing his clothes and preparing his dinner not knowing he will never eat the meal or wear the laundry she has washed. It is delivered as part of a chilling monologue that helps to explain why the Lower Bottom Playaz offer a different brand of Wilson than you may have come to expect.

We play Wilson from the experience of our lives. We have lived beyond the playwrights observations and see his descriptions of the now pass as vivid depictions of our lived reality. The realty of drive-bys in the eighties has given way to the police terror and continued inter-group violence on steroids. We have seen the connection from the pass to the present that Wilson intends and we see beyond it to an even more blasted and blistered current moment.

Tonya's monologue is a political position. She is in resistance to death with her refusal to bear life. Her decision is also influenced by her man's choices. His choices are influenced by his reality. But his answer is to make something/life in the absence of all it takes to insure and sustain that life. He insist they try even if they have to call the undertaker.

She has a baby daddy in jail and fears her current man who has done time for murder is on a path back to jail. He, King Hedley, II is trying to make life grow in the rocky soil he has inherited. He never considers remaking the box his life came in --he is bound by his perception of  personal history, national history, blood, and honor and out of that lens of those contexts and grim necessity he is using what he has been given to create what he perceives he needs. His ability to do so is impacted by other men who have their own rocky soil. It seems everyone's garden in the land of rocky soil is watered by blood. Tonya's babies father's have blood on their hands as she fears, instructed by her lived experience, the possibility of her unborn child being bled of life.

King wants the baby in order to put something in the world. He plants a seed in the less than optimal soil of his backyard and sees it struggle to grow and reasons a child deserves a chance at life, he advised Tonya against putting it in a coffin before it draws breath. He wants to plant a seed in life even if the soil is not all it could be. How else can we go forward? How else can we get to the top of the mountain?

King Hedley, II is a tale about men and blood honor. It is a tale of women and longing for a life with good soil where love family and dreams can grow. It is a saga about struggle, the weight of things older than us, resistance and the prayer for redemption.

See it at the Flight Deck now through September 6, 2015.

Notes on Blood as a motif in King Hedley II

Blood is a motif in King Hedley, II. It is a strong and instructive note. It signals the life and death struggle to create and maintain life in marginalized spaces. The tension between the discussion of abortions and blood feuds destined to end in blood carry us through this speeding train ride that can only end in a tremendous wreck. What else can happen when the doors are all barred and life is on the other side.

King's desire to sit on top of the mountain -- with the key given the righteous requires -- he wipe the blood off his hands. He is told the key is forgiveness but he is bound by codes of honor which dictate his actions. Blood for blood is a mantra carried by his reflection in the character of Mister. Mister outlines the tenets of honor and explains that blood spilled requires the spilling of blood, especially in the defense of your blood. It is a matter of honor. If a man kills your blood you ain't supposed to be looking at him long. Someone must die. Blood is energy, it is life, your bloodline is your most intimate legacy, you are required to defend it.

What pathology is engendered at the event of the interruption of a man's ability to care for his blood.  How then does one proceed with honor in the world? At what point is crossing the line to ensure your blood survives permissible? What would you do to insure your unborn child's right to live in a world big enough to dream in? At what point does the world get so small that the thought of new life, rather than inspiring joy,  births fear and desperation along with the consideration of killing it before it breathes? Who turned the world around like that and how do we find a way to thrive in a world where the path to life is blocked by barbed wire or something even harder to cut through?

One of Wilson's greatest skill displays in the work of The American Century Cycle, is to show you the world-changing as the North American stands in the same place, or even more disturbing as the ground beneath him literally shrinks.  The lack of work and the great difficulty encountered by those who dream of thriving in a country they helped to build with blood and sweat. Blood on the ground but no way into the dream. King remarks that he was once worth $1200.00 during slavery but in 1985 he is reduced to $3.35 an hour he says he is going backwards. Mister observes the woman with the store got a bigger store and bigger house to go with it, he speculates, if she could drive she would have a bigger car. As the country moves forward North American African's  have moved further from center.

In our current moment the ruthless gentrification of formerly affordable communities and the continued economic inequity experienced by large numbers of North American Africans  coupled with a cannibalistic educational system/carceral system and an escalation of inter-group violence informed and encouraged by systemic violence perpetrated against them magnifies the moment in which our characters live. We know this dark moment goes on, gets deeper, becomes as consuming as an ocean.

King Hedley like many young men today carries a gun because he fears violence being enacted upon him.  He has killed one man and is looking to kill the man's kin to stop him from retaliating against him. He is also about to become a father for the first time.  While the sooth sayer calls on him to wash the blood from his hands I wonder how he might go about that. Some of the blood on his path is older than him. The sooth sayer says he can right the house of his father even though it may be torn asunder, but even the sooth sayer calls for the remission of blood. Blood is the new life coming extending King's blood line and ultimately his possibles in life. The question of honor may require him to shed blood in order to live long enough to help sustain this new life.

Come and see who survives and what the blood cost of honor is. See King Hedley, II now through September 6.

http://www.lowerbottomplayaz.com

Sekou Osei responds to comments of the "real" New Black Panther Party on the beating of Dhoruba bin Wahab, et. al

 Black Panther Party Elder Dhoruba bin Wahab

These are nice words but rather late. I just want to know about any charges of "assault" on the members of the NBPP who carry this attack out? And a public notion of the reasons for the attack at an open table discussion that was to be led by the NBPP in ATL. 

Now, its almost September and I am receiving in my E-mail of platitudes on the physical safety of elders and nothing about the performance "militancy" of the NBPP or it counter-revolutionary practice of selling "wolf tickets" in an attempt to create a popular base or presence. For it must be noted that this attack still would been counter-revolutionary even "if" Dhoruba was 26 or 36 or 46.

At this point, I haven't seen the deeper questions addressed or a deeper political analysis given. What needs to be assessed what role has Messianic leadership had played in the catalyst in the development of the NBPP through Khalid Abdul Muhammad after he broke with Mister Louis Farrakhan. 

Nonetheless as we look at our history, we can see that the Messianic forces can only  apply violence upon Black people and confronting the state is only been a pipe dream of theater. 

  

As we look at our history,  we now have a second platitude of selling wolf tickets this October in calling for the need for ten fearless thousand men in the vacant posture of "Justice or Else." It must be noted that Farrakhan in his history has never done anything to give retribution of racists or state violence against Black people, he's never busted a grape in that area of struggle. The only activity in Farrakhan history was creating the social and public environment and the "rationalization" for the assassination and murder of Brother comrade Malcolm X.  

What has to be noted in carrying out any political decision it is never a public call for 10,000 fearless men this only create chaos to be calm down by the newly emerging broker-of-discontent to keep the calm. 

I once thought the NBPP was trying to fulfill that role through Khalid. But Khalid early passing that never came to flower in a real way. While, our community has a number of so-called historians, but they are as helpful as a colorful broken clock. As we examine our history we all need a systematic and historic assessment of the nature and character of Black opportunism. And to give clarity on the practice and conclusions of its betrayal of smothering a truly radical offensive.

Peace Your Brother

        Sekou      

The "Real" New Black Panther Party comments on the beating of Elder Dhoruba bin Wahad, et al.

Greetings and Black Power,

This letter is to serve as an official statement from National Central Committee of the New Black Panther Party for Self Defense from the office of the National Chair Krystal Muhammad.  

It has come to the attention of the NBPP and the Nu Afrikan community that an Elder Black Panther, Dhoruba Bin Wahad , Kalongi Jama Changa and several other activist were subjects of assault on August 8, 2015 in Atlanta, Ga. 

during a Black Power event hosted by Hashim Nzinga.  We do not condone the use of excessive force on any Nu Afrikan or human being ESPECIALLY an elder.

For the record Malik Zulu Shabazz is not the leader of the New Black Panther Party as of October 2013 when he resigned his post as NBPP National Chair  and called for the election of a new National Central Committee of the NBPP. A national summit was then called for Nov 30 – Dec 1, 2013 in Atlanta, Ga.  

Days after Malik's resignation he then got on public blogtalk radio and called for martial law on the NBPP and for calling off the elections. He then went on to say he was appointing Hashim Nzinga as  National Chair and a few other officers as owning the NBPP into perpetuity.  Despite Malik’s counter-revolutionary declaration , a national NBPP Summit was convened November 30 – Dec 1, 2013 in Atlanta, Ga . The NBPP leadership and rank and file members held an Nu Afrikan democratically centered election. As a result , Krystal Muhammad was elected as National Chair and a new National Central Committee.

As stated previously , we the New Black Panther Party for Self Defense do not condone the use of excessive force on any New African or human being ESPECIALLY an elder . Furthermore none of the members of our formation were involved or present during this unfortunate incident. Black Power!

Sincerely,

Krystal Muhammad, NBPP National Chair

Bobby Johnson, NBPP National Minister of Defense

Sharif Amenhotep, NBPP National Field Marshall

Nat Turner, NBPP National Minister of Information

Leonardo Muhammad, NBPP National Spokesman

David X, NBPP National Minister of  Communication

Queen Sheena, NBPP National Director of Community Programs

Khadijah Shakur, NBPP National Minister of  Health

Keisha X, NBPP National Minister of  Finance

Jumoke Ifentayo, NBPP National Minister of  Culture

Queen Azania, NBPP Deputy National Field Marshall 

Zayid Muhammad, NBPP National Minister of Culture, Emeritus

KPFK's Dedon Kamathi joins Ancestors

From: Michael Novick mnovick.kpfklsb@gmail.com;
Subject: Passing of brother Dedon Kamathi
Date: Tuesday, August 25, 2015, 2:28 PM


 Dedon Kamathi

I just received a call with the sad news of the passing of brother Dedon Kamathi, long time host of Freedom Now here at KPFK, a former member of the Pacifica National Board and the local board, former member of the Black Panther Party for Self Defense out of San Diego and an international figure in the struggle for the liberation of Africa and of all oppressed and exploited people. This is a great and grievous loss for the movements and for Pacifica. As we get more details, we will keep people informed of where and how to express their condolences.


Marvin X on Dedon Kamathi:

We are deeply saddened by news of Dedon's transition. We recall his recent interview of Norman Richmond and myself on the anniversary of the Vietnam War. May he rest in peace.

Long Live Black Liberation fighters,
Marvin X

The "Real" New Black Panther Party on the Beating of BPP Elder Dhoruba, Kalongi, et al.

From: Krystal Muhammad <nbppnationalchair@gmail.com>
To: panthershepcat <panthershepcat@aol.com>
Sent: Tue, Aug 25, 2015 8:08 pm
Subject: Fwd: NBPP STATEMENT ON DHORUBA, KALONGI AND OTHERS

 

August 18, 2015

Greetings and Black Power,

This letter is to serve as an official statement from National Central Committee of the New Black Panther Party for Self Defense from the office of the National Chair Krystal Muhammad.  

It has come to the attention of the NBPP and the Nu Afrikan community that an Elder Black Panther, Dhoruba Bin Wahad , Kalongi Jama Changa and several other activist were subjects of assault on August 8, 2015 in Atlanta, Ga. 

 

during a Black Power event hosted by Hashim Nzinga.  We do not condone the use of excessive force on any Nu Afrikan or human being ESPECIALLY an elder.

 

For the record Malik Zulu Shabazz is not the leader of the New Black Panther Party as of October 2013 when he resigned his post as NBPP National Chair  and called for the election of a new National Central Committee of the NBPP. A national summit was then called for Nov 30 – Dec 1, 2013 in Atlanta, Ga.  

 

Days after Malik's resignation he then got on public blogtalk radio and called for martial law on the NBPP and for calling off the elections. He then went on to say he was appointing Hashim Nzinga as  National Chair and a few other officers as owning the NBPP into perpetuity.  Despite Malik’s counter-revolutionary declaration , a national NBPP Summit was convened November 30 – Dec 1, 2013 in Atlanta, Ga . The NBPP leadership and rank and file members held an Nu Afrikan democratically centered election. As a result , Krystal Muhammad was elected as National Chair and a new National Central Committee.

 

As stated previously , we the New Black Panther Party for Self Defense do not condone the use of excessive force on any New African or human being ESPECIALLY an elder. Furthermore none of the members of our formation were involved or present during this unfortunate incident. Black Power!

Sincerely,

Krystal Muhammad, NBPP National Chair

Bobby Johnson, NBPP National Minister of Defense

Sharif Amenhotep, NBPP National Field Marshall

Nat Turner, NBPP National Minister of Information

Leonardo Muhammad, NBPP National Spokesman

David X, NBPP National Minister of  Communication

Queen Sheena, NBPP National Director of Community Programs

Khadijah Shakur, NBPP National Minister of  Health

Keisha X, NBPP National Minister of  Finance

Jumoke Ifentayo, NBPP National Minister of  Culture

Queen Azania, NBPP Deputy National Field Marshall 

Zayid Muhammad, NBPP National Minister of Culture, Emeritus

Playwright August Wilson and Oakland's Lower Bottom Playaz

The Lower Bottom Playaz and The American Century Cycle Project. by Ayodele Nzinga, MFA, PhD

King Hedley II is the beginning of the end of The Lower Bottom Playaz, Inc., momentous American Century Cycle Project. King Hedley is currently running at The Flight Deck on Broadway in Oakland CA. It opens The Playaz, main stage for Season16.Continua: The American Century Cycle Project and only leaves Radio Golf which will be main stage in December 2015 at The Flight Deck, concluding both Season 16 and The American Century Cycle Project.

The Playaz began production of The American century Cycle in 2010 after producing Gem of the Ocean in 2009 and falling into relationship with the spirit and intention of August Wilson, America's greatest playwright living or dead. In 2010 I announced our intention to be the first company to ever fully stage the Cycle. In 2015, with Hedley up and running my troupe and I are poised on the edge of the completion of a ritual never fully enacted. We play for the Master in most humble gratitude for his generous blessings upon us as we have struggled to manifest this work. It has been a journey that has taken us places we could not have imagined and even more important it has brought us home.

We are producing Hedley and Golf in our new house in uptown Oakland. The journey from our own out door theater in West Oakland to a residency in an indoor 100 seat black box in uptown has been a tumultuous journey full of pathos, falling to rise higher, refusing to fail, striving and daring to fly in the dark to find our light. We are going to be the first to formally stage the Cycle in chronological order. No other company has ever done so. The Green Room recordings were done after we started our journey with Wilson and they come as close to chronological production as anything ever done but they are recordings of readings. Some companies have staged all ten works in the order Wilson wrote them. No company has ever achieved what we are poised to accomplish.

"You die by how you live". August Wilson- Gem of the Ocean

In some ways its been a lonely journey. Not a lot of attention has been given our effort. We are a small company that started out as a Gypsy theater performing in non-traditional spaces including half way houses for reentry populations and shelters for the homeless.  A 100 seat outdoor theater was built for us in West Oakland where we did 13 Seasons of theater. We did Shakespearean adaptations, established the Shakespeare in the Hood series, toured Mack A Gangsta's Tale to violence riddled areas of Oakland and Richmond, CA. We did an original work, Mama at Twilight: Death by Love that frankly examined the HIV growth in black communities by interrogating gendered roles and community taboos. We established our brand around telling stories that facilitated vitally important community discussion. We honed our craft and survived and very quietly became one of the greatest opportunity for black actors and theater makers in the East Bay. The community organization that partially funded our work stopped funding our productions mid way through our production of The Century Cycle and we became the only theater company to produce in The African American Museum and Library at Oakland CA. where we independently produced Fences. We then took up residency in The Flight Deck where we produced Two Trains Running and Jitney.

We are so very proud to reach the conclusion of our commitment to August Wilson who in many ways has guided our growth, instructed our direction, and renewed our commitment to our craft, our communities, and our selves. Wilson is the only work we have not felt a need to make site specific as is our habit. In Wilson we see ourselves and we see ourselves as part of the nation in the nation behind the veil in North America, and the universal nature of Wilson's site specific Cycle (all the plays take place in the Hill Distinct of Pittsburgh PA with the exception of Ma Rainey's Black Bottom). We recognize and have come to overstand Wilson's song of North America; its our lives, we have lived it, bled it, and learned to sing it with honor and dignity as we have walked with Wilson.

If you have seen our work you know we do Wilson with integrity and passion. If you have not a great theater experience is waiting for you. Join us at our new theater to be a part of our red carpet season as we conclude The Century Cycle Project.

Book tickets for King Hedley, II and Radio Golf today:  http://www.lowerbottomplayaz.com/box-office.php

In the spirit of Jesus, Allah and Sun Ra, let us be in this world but not of it.

We can transcend this mentally retarded bullshit of white supremacy illusion. Don't get sucked into it. Amiri Baraka told us how the Sirens call you but you must not answer. If you answer, then they got that ass. You then submit to all the messages of the Sirens, calling you to madness and insanity.

Dr. Hare says, "If you don't want the harlot, don't go to the harlot's door." He adds, "Without those willing to be slaves, there can be no masters."

What does the Qur'an say, "Only because the devil called you, you came." You do not need to heed the whispering of the devil who whispers into the hearts of men and jinn."

And the Christians tell us, "Resist the devil and he shall flee from you."

There are those of you who submit willingly to the devil, only because you don't exercise the power of resistance.  We must say, "Aoozo Bil-laa-hi mi-nash shay-tann-nir rajeem. Translated: I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed devil.

The devil is an illusion we submit to when we are in a weak mental and spiritual condition. We submit to the world of make believe, believing it is the real deal yet it is an illusion from the world of make believe and conspicuous consumption or materialism, a dream world for dreamers who must be awakened from their dream state.

Marvin X recalls his 1968 interview with James Baldwin

 photographic art by Ted Pontiflet, Oakland CA, Joyce Gordon Gallery Exhibit

Marvin X confesses, "After I saw Ted Pontiflet's photographic art of James Baldwin,
I had to reconstruct my esthetics of Blackness and admit that no matter how much I had
imagined James Baldwin as an ugly man, yet positioned with African sculpture in the background, I was forced to say he was beautiful in the African esthetic tradition, thus cast out my
Eurocentric esthetics or concept of beauty."

In my December, 1968, interview with James Baldwin at his New York apartment, yes, without heat, he told me a host of things on Blacks in America and throughout the world, especially those ex-patriots in Paris, in particular Richard Wright, the man he dethroned as the heavy weight champion of Black literature. I will get to his comments on Richard Wright in a moment, but one of the most important things he said to me was, It's a wonder we all haven't gone stark raving mad as Black people in America. It's a miracle for a Black father to raise a Black son under these conditions and I applaud the men who are able to do so.

"How can these people talk about the Prince of Peace while they bomb the hell out of the Vietnamese during these Holy Days?  Your condition proves they don't believe in the teachings of Jesus Christ!"

It was James Baldwin's script that Spike Lee used to make his film Malcolm X. But in 1968 there were many people who questioned Baldwin's ability to write such a script about a man who symbolized Black manhood. When I asked him about their reaction, he retorted, "Hey, I pay my rent, I write what I want!"

As per Richard Wright, he felt Richard Wright lost his roots in exile; he became disconnected from the reality of Black life in America, even in Africa for that matter. When he went to Africa, he misinterpreted some things that I came to understand about Africa and my relationship to Africa. When I came to understand my father, I understood he was an African priest/preacher transferred to America, and he ruled his church and his family as part of an African village of which he was the king. I don't think Richard understood he was not an African but an American, for better or worse.
I understood this and had no problems with it! I knew I had to make peace with the America nightmare, I had to understand those airless rooms Americans live in." In one of his essays, he wrote, "The idea of white supremacy has led white people to rationalizations so fantastic it reaches the pathological."