"studying violence and war no mo"

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Tuesday, April 29, 2008

I'm just thinking bout studying violence and war no mo


I'm just thinking... just thinking... about Malcolm x, who said that on this day, from this day forward, on this earth, we declare that we have a right to fight for our freedom "by any means necessary."

I'm just thinking... just thinking...about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who died from a violent gunshot as he stood out on a balcony in Memphis, Tennessee, who said we must be a nonviolent people, a nonviolent nation, who said we must have "the power to love." And though the corporate media won't acknowledge it, he spent the last year of his life focusing on war and poverty, reminding us that our government's preoccupation with war not only killed people abroad; it diverted much-needed resources to end poverty at home. And paraphrasing an old religious hymn, this most eloquent minister said "I don't know about you, but I ain't gon study war no mo."

I'm just thinking about a fellow blogger named Wayne Bennett, the field negro, who said on his blog last night that 101 people have died so far this year in Philadelphia (and it's not even summer). And get this--He said that this level of violence is actually an improvement, because 131 had been killed by this time last year.

Okay, African Americans, I want to ask you something: As a people who were enslaved and brutalized for centuries by others, shouldn't you be peaceful toward each other? Whether inside the home or out on the street, shouldn't another brother or sister be the last person your raise a hand or squeeze a trigger finger against? And if you must raise a hand or pull a trigger, shouldn't the only possible justification for doing so be to obtain or defend your freedom?

Okay, Americans of all ethnic, political or religious persuasions, I want to ask you something: As members of a nation that took this country by committing genocide against nations of Indians (the first Americans), as members of a nation that enslaved an entire group of people (Africans), as members of nation that spends much of its budget on either fighting wars or preparing for wars, as members of a nation with 47 million people without healthcare, with infrastructure so bad that you're afraid to drive across some bridges, shouldn't you be so angry, so... obsessed with forcing your elected officials to turn away from bloody wars and turn to the righteous quest of supporting you that you're willing to organize other Americans to march on Washington D.C. this summer and camp out there until your elected officials pass laws to your brave but misled sons and daughter out of Iraq, give healthcare to everyone and put Americans back to work rebuilding our country?

I'm just thinking...just thinking...about rising each morning with the sun, sipping a cup of java and saying " I ain't gon study violence and war no mo."

Posted by MacDaddy at 12:28 AM