Wednesday, November 15, 2017

PARABLE OF THE PARROT AND THE PAN AFRICAN REVOLUTION




The tragi-comedy of Zimbabwe--is the Mugabe era over?
by Marvin X/El Muhajir






Cheikh Anta Diop, in his Cultural Unity of Africa, wrote about the art and culture of the Northern Cradle, Europe, and the Southern Cradle, Africa/Asia. He said tragedy is the essential theme in Northern Cradle culture and art, but Comedy is the grand theme in Southern Cradle culture and art. So we shall speak of tragi-comedy in this discussion to unravel events in Zimbabwe. We say Africans suffer a fair degree of tragedy from interaction with the Northern Cradle. Dr. Nathan Hare says we therefore suffer White Supremacy Type II, so we are tragi-comic in our historic myth-ritual drama from slavery to freedom! During the 60s, Hoover's FBI Cointelpro or counterintelligence program spied on us but declared we were funny as hell, drinking, doping and sexing, but it wasn't the guns that made us declare the Negroes the number one threat to the national security of the USA, it's when they started reading conscious books." 
During my second exile in Mexico City, I used to sell books to African and Caribbean diplomats, but the Jamaican diplomats wouldn't buy my "black power" books because they couldn't take them home, not even in their diplomatic pouch! Can you imagine a black man can't take a black book home to a black country, yes, neo-colonialism was/is alive and well. While we have the African Union and the Pan African Diaspora Unit, is Nkrumah's vision of The United States of Africa any closer or farther away? Patrice Lumumba said it would take 50 years for the Congo to get free, but as the result of colonialism and neo-cololianism  under Mobutu Sese Seko, the battle continues, after all the world needs Congo's precious minerals so we can talk on cell phones.

In this tragi-comedy Zimbabwe Blues, perhaps you can understand Zimbabwe by equating it with the multi-century revolution of North American Africans to liberate themselves from US capitalism and slavery. 

We will be free once we transcend the cross and lynching tree, in the words of Rev. James Cone (See his PBS interview with Bill Moyers). Sometimes we put the rope on our necks. Sometimes we pray when God has already answered! (See Parable of the Heart, The Wisdom of Plato Negro, Parables and Fables by Marvin X., Black Bird Press, Oakland, 2012.

In any revolution, the people are often sidetracked by the political agenda of the ruling party. We are dealing with classic politics here, men are men, women are women, and politics has no permanent friends, only permanent interests. One must follow the community consensus agreement and move forward. Party loyalty must not supercede loyalty to the people! Some Negroes are more loyal to the Democratic Party than to Black People. But know for sure, White People are first and foremost, White, nothing matters much after this is understood. And the African proverb says, "One white dog will not fight another white dog!"

Clearly, President Mugabe transcended any semblance of democratic protocol in his "prime minister for life" tenure, which may have not ended as we write, for he can be described as an "old snake" and may manipulate his return to power, although the coup leaders have been graciously diplomatic in their linguistics of his confinement. 

The people have been restrained in any outward expression of jubilation at the possible and likely end of the Mugabe regime. Apparently the military rejected the notion of his wife becoming the next PM and it appears the man Mugabe dismissed has or shall return as the possible new leader of the nation so beloved by the Pan African world as  the people who fought colonialism to win liberation by force of arms. . 

We were disappointed it took decades before PM Mugabe began to seriously attack the land question, which is the essence of revolution. As Malcolm X taught, land is the basis of all revolutions! But he added, "Except the Negro Revolution!" All the Negro wants is a job, yes, after giving 400 years of free labor to the World's Greatest Terrorist, USA! We suggest our people listen to Noble Peace Prize Winner Muhammad Unas who tells the poor people of the world to say to hell with a job, entrepreneurship is the order of the day, be your own boss. 

The Communist killed their bosses: this was the mission of the revolution, put the workers in control of society, the producers of the wealth should be the owners of the wealth! 

Again, the land question

The  delay of  answering the land question was perhaps the beginning of Mugabe's or rather Zimbabwe's tragi-comedy. We say tragi-comedy because we feel the people shall be all right in the endgame of this African drama. After all, the origin of drama itself began with the Kemitic, African or Egyptian drama of  Resurrection, i.e.,Osirus, Isis and Horus, the prototype of the Christian essential myth-ritual personified by Jesus or Issa Ibn Mar'yam.

Frantz Fanon: All de-colonialism is successful

But did not Dr. Frantz Fanon tell us all de-colonialism is successful. So what if it has taken decades for the revolution in Zimbabwe to reach what appears to be the second stage, at which we think the people are ready for a nation of true freedom, justice and equality.

Even though I was not a Mugabe sycophant and lost faith in Mugabe decades ago, especially over the land question (and I have similar feelings about the revolution in South Africa, especially with so many revolutionary billionaires!), but maybe my North American African revolutionary comrades had more faith and ideological clarity than myself. They certainly did as per our first black imperialist/globalist President Obama. I succumbed to romanticism and idealism, in spite of having full knowledge that Africa and the Caribbean has had a plethora of Obama-type running dogs for imperialism, aka, globalism, colonialism and neo-colonialism. As per neo-colonialism, Kwame Nkrumah said it was, "colonialism playing possum!" It is the illusion of power after selling out to the Europeans and Globalists of any color! Now you have billions of dollars yet your people live in squalor. Share the wealth, I was taught, share the wealth! Don't be greedy, there is enough for all, for your tribe and my tribe, your family and mine, none shall go hungry for politics!

King for life syndrome

Was Mugabe a victim of neo-colonialism? For sure, he may have suffered from the residue of colonialism or even  pre-colonial African leadership psychosis, the result of traditional kingship myth-ritual that promote the king for life notion that easily morphs into President and/or Prime Minister for life! Kwame Nkrumah said, "Every African state is a military state!" Is this what the people desire?

Tribalism

We have not mentioned the role of tribalism in this African drama, and yet we see how prevalent it is: elections in Kenya are the most recent example. Will Kenya be separated along tribal lines into two nations? Of course we know the European colonialists drew national boundaries that ignored traditional tribal lands and peoples that has resulted in wars and political chaos of the worse kind, think of Rwanda, Liberia, Nigeria, et al.

President Robert Mugabe led his people to liberation. It is time for the next generation to take control and march Zimbabwe beyond the tragi-comedy paradigm. We know the annual inundation of the Nile or Hapi River is followed by the rebirth of crops and the farmers and people rejoice in the knowledge that all shall be well. Ache, Zimbabwe!
--Marvin X/El Muhajir
11/15/17

Marvin X, poet/playwright/essayist/editor/publisher/producer, educator, co-founder of the National Black Arts Movement, co-founder of Oakland's Black Arts Movement Business District. Marvin X is publisher of The Movement, a Writer's Journal of the Black Arts Movement. Follow him at: www.blackbirdpressnews.blogspot.com

I welcome comments: mxjackmon@gmail.com

Parable of the Parrot


       
By  Marvin X




The king wanted parrots around him. He wants all his ministers to wear parrot masks. He said he had to do the same for the previous king. He only said what the king wanted to hear, nothing more, so he advised his ministers to do the same. In fact, they must encourage the people to become parrots.

Yes, he wanted a nation of parrots. Don't say anything the kings does not want to hear. Everything said should be music to his ears. And don't worry, he will tell you exactly what he wants to hear in his regular meetings and public addresses to the nation. Everyone will be kept informed what parrot song to sing. No one must be allowed to disagree with the king. This would be sacrilegious and punishable by death.

The king must be allowed to carry out the dreams that come to his head. No one else should dream, only the king. In this manner, according to the king, the people can make real progress. There shall always be ups and downs, but have faith in the king and everything will be all right. Now everyone sing the national anthem, the king told the people.

There must be a chorus of parrots, a choir, mass choir singing in perfect unity. Let there be parrots on every corner of the kingdom, in every branch and tree. Let all the boys sing like parrots in the beer halls. Let the preacher lead the congregation in parrot songs. Let the teachers train students to sound like parrots. Let the university professors give good grades to those who best imitate parrot sounds. Let the journalists allow no stories over the airwaves and in print if they do not have the parrot sound.

The king was happy when the entire nation put on their parrot masks. Those who refused suffered greatly until they agreed to join in. The state academics and intellectuals joined loudly in parroting the king's every wish. Thank God the masses do not hear them pontificate or read their books. After all, these intellectual and academic parrots are well paid, tenured and eat much parrot seed.

Their magic song impresses the bourgeoisie who have a vested interest in keeping the song of the parrot alive. Deep down in the hood, in the bush, the parrot song is seldom heard, only the sound of the hawk gliding through the air in stone silence looking for a parrot to eat.
5 April 2010
Source: blackbirdpressnews

MARVIN X BLACK BIRD BROADSIDE

The Black Bird: A Parable for Black Children [Broadside]. Marvin X., aka El Mujahir.

The Black Bird: A Parable for Black Children [Broadside]

Fresno: Al Kitab Sudan Publication, 1968. First Edition. Broadside, 11" x 8-1/2". Fine - an unworn, apparently uncirculated copy. Brief parable by an influential founder of the Black Arts movement.
$25.00 

AVAILABLE FROM BLACK BIRD PRESS
339 LESTER AVE #10
OAKLAND CA 94606
 

Monday, November 13, 2017

SOS: Movement Journal needs $500.00 to cover printing costs for issue #11, Dec. 2017

Your donation of any amount will be appreciated (credit cards accepted, can be tax deductible). To donate, please call 510-200-4164
Appreciate you,
Marvin X, Publisher
mxjackmon@gmail.com

Sunday, November 12, 2017

pan african black love ghana tour 2018--feb 15-25, 2018

Photo: W.E.B. Du Bois (center) at his 95th birthday party in 1963 in Ghana, with President of the Republic of Ghana Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah (right) and First Lady Fathia Nkrumah. 


During the upcoming 2018 Experience Ghana trip, we will dedicate some time 'Giving Back'. As a part of our efforts our travelers will spend time volunteering at the The W.E.B. Dubois Memorial Centre for Pan African Culture.  The Centre is a complex which includes the home where Dr. W.E.B. DuBois (the visionary historian, sociologist, activist and professor) spent his last years, an Administrative building and the tomb of Dr. DuBois and his dear wife Shirley Graham DuBois.

The Museum Library and Seminar Room at the Memorial Centre which are in his former home are in dire need of restoration and refurbishing. The Library, which contains Dr. DuBois' Personal library and a collection of works related to Dr. DuBois and Pan Africanism also needs to be expanded in order to create a library of international stature.

Our group will assist with much needed cleaning and restoration of the library including raising funds and delivering collected items (air conditioners, laptop, furniture, frames, display cases, etc.) that are much needed at the Centre.

We will also be accepting to donations to present during our time there.

Want to join us for Experience Ghana 2018? Let's Go!

For more info or to Book your trip: https://www.wetravel.com/trips/experience-ghana-accra-loves-accra-69602775

If you are interested in making a cash or in-kind donation for our group to deliver to the Memorial centre and Library, contact: blacklovelives@suninleo.com

Experience Ghana 2018

February 15 -25, 2018

BOOK NOW!

Black Love Tours + Accra Loves presents a 10 day cultural, historical and social adventure to Ghana, the Black Star Nation!

Travel package $2899*

What's included:
Roundtrip Airfare from Washington DC to Accra
Hotel and Accommodations (double occupancy. single occupancy available for additional fee)
Group Ground Transportation
Daily Breakfast
Local Tours
Cultural Exchanges
Business Networking
Cocktail Reception
Live Music
Shopping
Yoga & Fitness
Nightlife and Social Events
Historical Tours
Water Sports
Intro Language Lesson
Volunteering
Travel Insurance

Payment Plan available. Make your deposit now to reserve your space.
More info 
USE PROMO CODE EARLYBIRD TO SAVE $100
See pics from the 2017 Experience Ghana trip
https://fproject.pixieset.com/experienceghana2017/
Watch this #BlackGirlMagic on the beach at Kokrobite, Ghana! The babies love Ghana too. They are welcome. It's a family affair. 
More Info + Book Now
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Saturday, November 11, 2017

Harvey is Everyman

Marvin X and the beautiful Nuyorican Poet/Scholar Nancy Mercado at the Harlem reception for Marvin X at the home of Rashidah Ismaili.

Harlem, New York reception for poet Marvin X, at the home of writer Rashidah Ismaili. Marvin X was in town to speak at the New York University memorial for poets Jayne Cortez and Amiri Baraka.


Harvey is Everyman


"FIND ME ONE RIGHTEOUS MAN AND I WILL SAVE
THE WHOLE TOWN!"--GOD

We must begin this discussion in the deep structure of human myth/ritual, in the foundation of culture and socialization. We must examine the manhood and womanhood rites of passage for a clearer understanding of why men and women are caught in this global quagmire of sexual pathology now being exposed as Pandora's box has never seen. And yet we cannot put all the blame on Hollywood, even though Hollywood is one of  the chief myth makers in the modern world. Thus the sexual improprieties can be seen as the rite of passage for those neophytes seeking advancement in the medium of film, to become the new high priest and priestess of the celluloid world of make believe.
And so the neophytes must appropriately endure the ordeal by fire to prove themselves worthy of advancement. Sexual debasement thus is a well known procedure in most myth-ritual based societies and institutions, whether tribal, religious, fraternal and sororal. Even the marriage rite began with having sex with the bride but has been reduced to kissing the bride. The prostitute evolved from the temple priestess who traded sexual favors for strangers who in turn gave love offerings to the temple god, the priest and herself. At some point in time immemorial the priestess's activity was deemed immoral, although we know the "church ho'" is yet alive and well today. And the priest/preacher/imam/Babalawo, et al., is yet known to take full advantage of his position as chief of the spiritual order.

As per sex with boys in the Catholic Church, we know it is an economic rather than sexual matter. In order to preserve property in the name of the Church, marriage had to be banned to prevent inheritance from flowing outside the church. Boys were sacrificed on the altar of economic prosperity and longevity. On the fifth century anniversary of the Protestant Reformation of Martin Luther, we know one of his objections was Papal sex with boys, along with his main objection, paying one's way into heaven

Let's be fair and balanced, Muslims have long been known for their right/rite to have sex with boys, most recently in madrassas or religious schools. The US has allowed soldiers in the Afghanistan army to have sex with boys since it is their cultural and religious rite/right! Of course the glaring contradiction is the Islamic ban against homosexuality, including beheading and/or stoning to death. This latter sentence is given to women for adultery, but not men. Such gender discrimination is obviously the product of the patriarchal society. Alas, this entire discussion is about the myth/rituals embedded in patriarchal culture and socialization.

We say Harvey is Everyman because almost every man is socialized in patriarchal culture!
No matter than many of our children are raised in matrifocal households, i.e., mother in authority, she is herself a victim of patriarchal mythology and socialization and thus either consciously or unconsciously transmits this culture to her sons and daughters.  When she tells her son to be man, what is she talking about except the patriarchal definition of manhood. The problem today is that when the son is so violently hostile to his absent and abandoned father, he often emulates the feminine behavior of his mother, verbally and physically in hand gestures and gait, and yet we heard this from a young man at a recovery meeting of men, "Let me say this, some of my friends you might think are gay but they are not gay, they just sound gay because they have never heard a man's voice!"

It is not simply a matter of pathology with men of power, after all, we grew up powerless in the hood yet engaging in gang rape we called "pulling a train on a bitch." And this occurred every Sunday at the movie theatre, sometimes behind the screen while the film was showing, then afterward as we crossed the tracks going home, literally on or near the freight trains. This was a cultural phenomena that seemed absolutely normal to us, as normal as beating up Mexicans in the movie house men's restroom during intermission, not because we hated Latinos but because they were a reasonable facsimile of the white boy who would/did not attend White's Theatre that was for blacks and Latinos only. Few whites went to White's Theatre!

And in our teenage ritual of sex and violence, we went to the Memorial Auditorium in Fresno for one purpose: to get the last dance with our girlfriends to guarantee pussy after the dance, but our primary mission was to fight the Latinos we called Meskins, again, not because we hated Latinos, afterall, we  were both in the lower depths of oppression, but since the white boy rarely attended our Rock And Roll concerts featuring Little Richard, The Coasters,  James Brown, Chuck Berry, Ike and Tina, Sam Cooke, and all the rest of our Rock and Roll heroes, we attacked the Latinos on the dance floor and for sure after the concert on the grass outside the auditorium, mad fist fighting and knifing, no guns at this time.

But the sociology of sexual pathology was pervasive in our young adult male/female relationships, after all, did we not own our mates and they owned us, thus a perfect prescription for violence upon  any violation of chattel (personal, i.e., sexual) property rights/rites.

Of course this madness continued into our marriage rites, especially after sexual rites/rights were codified in the marriage rite: to death do us part! In the patriarchal social psychology, men were absolutely convinced they now owned the pussy and must have it at their beck and call. The wife had no choice in this matter since the man was paying the cost to be the boss, yes, he was paying his pussy bill, thus he owned the pussy and could go in and out as he pleased, no matter if and when the poor wife cried, "Can you let my pussy rest for 24 hours, just 24 hours, Baby, please let my pussy rest!"

His response was the Cave Man Supreme, "Bitch, you better hurry up and give me some of your good pussy! I don't want to hear bout yo pussy need a rest!"

Por favor, let us go global with this madness: we pray for the women of the world at this hour. In this entire discussion, we are tempered by the fact we have three daughters and now granddaughters, not to mention we have six sisters, and most importantly, the mothers of my children, who themselves were victims of my patriarchal madness. I bow down in praise to the wonderful mothers of my children, Patricia, Barbara and Nisa, and the other women partners in my life who endured my psycho-pathology that sometimes became physical. I know I am truly blessed to have the most beautiful, spiritual and intelligent women any man could have on this earth!. I give honor and praise to all the women in my life! They were all angelic, if anything, I was the devil!

Ok, I am known for glaring generalizations, hyperbole, but in truth, we know every man is not Harvey, that there are many men who've never contemplated the imaginings of Harvey and his ilk, but surely we know men of power throughout the world have  enacted Harvey's ritual of sexual impropriety at every possible moment, whether in the arts, academia, religion, corporation, fraternity, home life or any other social situation.

As per solution, we know none except revolution in all institutions. In the words of Ancestor Kwame Toure' (Stokeley Carmichael), "Are you ready for revolution?"

Toward the Revolutionary Solution

We cannot get to the root of this matter and propose a solution until we start at the slave trade that was the total and absolute debasement of human beings, men, women and children. Nothing equaled this debauchery until the Crack epidemic in America. Four hundred years of free labor, free sex, imagine the surplus capital that was accumulated in four centuries, imagine the twisted psycho-pathology on all sides. News Year's Day being the most dreaded day in the life of the African captured in the American Slave System. New Year's was the slave auction, when mothers, fathers, children were separated from love ones. The slave master was so wicked, cruel, heartless that he sold this own children, especially those sired by him and his African captive woman. We don't want to acknowledge the wicked devil slave master raped African men, women and children, yes, even his own. With this DNA, do you imagine that there is any iota of moral fiber in the descendants of the slave master?

Do you realize the medical profession of gynecology is the result of experimenting on enslaved African women without anesthesia?

--continued-

--Marvin X
12/13/17



Thursday, November 9, 2017

Bloom Baby Bloom


BLOOM BABY BABY BLOOM
From San Jose, California Jacquelyn Hopkins Howard University alumni, looking to make a
change in her community and provide a viable solution to help close the achievement gap in
the children of color. Created Bloom Baby Baby Bloom Llc an educational equity startup
located in the Washington DC metropolitan area, dedicated to encouraging children of color
through self love, cultural pride and acceptance. Bloom Baby Baby Bloom provides cultural
educational supplies, and instructional unit plans centered on the concepts of self love, self
awareness, self con)dence, and self esteem as each have a direct impact when assisting to
close the achievement gap in the children of color.
PO BOX 189
LAUREL MD 20725

BLOOM BABY BABY BLOOM
From San Jose, California Jacquelyn Hopkins Howard University alumni, looking to make a
change in her community and provide a viable solution to help close the achievement gap in
the children of color. Created Bloom Baby Baby Bloom Llc an educational equity startup
located in the Washington DC metropolitan area, dedicated to encouraging children of color
through self love, cultural pride and acceptance. Bloom Baby Baby Bloom provides cultural
educational supplies, and instructional unit plans centered on the concepts of self love, self
awareness, self con)dence, and self esteem as each have a direct impact when assisting to
close the achievement gap in the children of color.
PO BOX 189
LAUREL MD 20725


BLOOM BABY BABY BLOOM 

Jacquelyn Hopkins, Howard University alumna, looking to make a change in her community and provide a viable solution to help close the achievement gap in North American African children,


created Bloom Baby Baby Bloom, LLC., as an educational equity startup located in the Washington DC metropolitan area, dedicated to encouraging North American African children through self love, cultural pride and acceptance. Bloom Baby Baby Bloom provides cultural educational supplies and instructional unit plans centered on the concepts of self love, self awareness, self confidence, and self esteem as each have a direct impact when closing  the achievement gap in NAA children.

PO BOX 189
LAUREL MD 20725

WWW.BLOOMBABYBABYBLOOM.COM



WWW.BLOOMBABYBABYBLOOM.COM

BLOOM BABY BABY BLOOM
From San Jose, California Jacquelyn Hopkins Howard University alumni, looking to make a
change in her community and provide a viable solution to help close the achievement gap in
the children of color. Created Bloom Baby Baby Bloom Llc an educational equity startup
located in the Washington DC metropolitan area, dedicated to encouraging children of color
through self love, cultural pride and acceptance. Bloom Baby Baby Bloom provides cultural
educational supplies, and instructional unit plans centered on the concepts of self love, self
awareness, self con)dence, and self esteem as each have a direct impact when assisting to
close the achievement gap in the children of color.
PO BOX 189
LAUREL MD 20725
WWW.BLOOMBABYBABYBLOOM.COM

WWW.BLOOMBABYBABYBLOOM.COM