KINARA'S CHILDREN: EVERYDAY HEROES, Created by Crosby

by Kofi Khemet,

1/3/2015

Kwanzaa, African America’s first, non-heroic, cultural holiday, is based on principles of communal living and the cultural practices of Africans from Cape to Cairo and was first celebrated in December of 1966 by members of the US organization. The cornerstone of the holiday is the Black Value System, known as the Nguzo Saba, or Seven Principles first identified by Dr. Maulana Karenga, founder of US. He describes these principles as follows:

The set of principles which we put forth is the Nguzo Saba (The Seven Principles): Umoja (Unity), Kujichagulia (Self-Determination); Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility); Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics); Nia (Purpose); Kuumba (Creativity) and Imani (Faith). These Seven Principles are essential standards of personal and social excellence directed toward building and sustaining moral community, and strengthening and maintaining the community's capacity to define, defend and develop its interests in the most positive and productive sense. In addition to being standards of excellence, the Nguzo Saba are also categories of priorities and categories of human possibilities. As categories of priorities, they tell us some of the most important things in our lives, identifying a key set of views, values and practices which we should, even must, put first in our personal and social life. And as categories of possibilities, the Nguzo Saba, offer us a set of principles which encourage thought and practice which help define, develop and enhance our humanity in the context of community and the world. [italics mine] US Philosophy, Principles and Program

From its humble beginnings as a celebration of unity for a small organization based in Los Angeles, CA the holiday is now celebrated by millions of people around the world, on at least 4 out of 5 of the inhabited continents; validating the universal appeal of the Nguzo Saba and Kwanzaa, the holiday that celebrates its principles.

Kwanzaa has come out of obscurity and is in the process of becoming as accepted as any other cultural holiday like Hanukah and Ramadan. Unlike Hanukah and Ramadan, however, Kwanzaa is not a religious holiday, instead it’s a holiday celebrating the idea expressed within the South African philosophy of Ubuntu, which simply means, “I am, because we are.”

As Kwanzaa continues to grow it’s important that our children see the Nguzo Saba, at the heart of Kwanzaa, as principles that are not only relevant, but highly desirable and practical enough to use on an everyday basis.

Kwanzaa is nearly 50 years old and over the years the awareness of Kwanzaa has grown, but the development of the holiday and the principles it’s founded on have become stagnant or, in some ways, begun to regress. Having celebrated Kwanzaa all over the country, from 1973 to the present, this is something that was very noticeable and troubling to me, personally. Even more troubling was the focus on the Nguzo Saba for 7 days and then its storage on the top shelf of our closets until next year. Many of the old guard, Kwanzaa stalwarts, feel very strongly about the Nguzo Saba and the everyday practicality of the Seven Principles. The question has been, if we could get young people to practice the Seven Principles every day what kind of positive impact would it have on our communities, as a whole?

No one had a viable solution to the problem, until December of 2014, when

Darryl ml Crosby breathed the breath of life into the Nguzo Saba, with the introduction of Kinara's Children: Everyday Heroes. These “heroes” are more everyday than heroic. They do not have “super powers,” according to Crosby. In common with many of the Greek gods, like Heracles (Hercules), Achilles, etc., they are mere mortals who use their god given abilities in an extraordinary manner. However, unlike the gods of the Greeks, these everyday heroes are much more powerful when they work in tandem, than when they go solo.

The kinara, Kiswahili for candle holder, is one of the symbols of Kwanzaa. It represents our ancestors, from the first ancestor to those most recently departed from this mortal plane. Kinara’s Children are the youth of today, with all of their contradictions. Each of Kinara’s Children has a Kiswahili name and represents one of the 7 principles or Nguzo Saba, but at the same time they are living in the modern world, dealing with the problems and issues of today.

According to Crosby, each of them “possesses amazing skills based on hard work and determination. Eventually they'll come to learn why they've been brought together and the awesome power of the collective.” Over the course of the new year Darryl Crosby, a graphic designer at Kent State University, will begin to flesh out the story of Kinara’s Children as an ongoing serial. Be on the lookout for more from Darryl in Black History Month 2015.

For those of you who would like to be privy to what’s going on behind the scenes you can sign up on his Patreon page. For a donation of $1/illustration or story you will be put on the list, so you don’t get missed in the final analysis and watch as he develops “positive art for positive people.” Guaranteed, the experience of watching a genius at work will be most gratifying. You can also follow his progress and see what other projects he’s working on by liking his Created by Crosby Facebook page and of course he is one of the featured artists in The Center of Pan-African Culture group on Facebook.

LEBRON PREGAME INTERVIEW 1 MAGIC SERIES

NEW WORK PUBLISHED BY KOFI KHEMET ON BLACK ATHLETES OF OHIO

A people without history, is like a tree without roots.

I've been on sabbatical completing a prototype for an interactive approach to social studies education. You'll be hearing a lot more about this method of presenting history to young and old alike, in the days to come.

Blakfacts Volume II: Black Athletes of Ohio is a compendium of facts related to Pan-African history, which is simply the history of Black folks worldwide. It was inspired by Dr. Edward Crosby and consists of a booklet containing almanac information and short biographical sketches of Black athletes from in and around the Akron area; a poster book and a set of 49 full-color collectible playing cards, as well as an online component.

Dr. Crosby founded the Pan-African Studies Department at Kent State University in 1969. Originally conceived of as The Institute for African American Affairs, it has never been a traditional department.

One of its unique features was a cultural center, which has become The Center of Pan-African Culture today. This compendium is the result of an innovative idea Dr. Crosby instituted in that cultural center. He took photos of various descendants of Africa, mounted them and placed them on the walls of the Mbari Mbayo Theater for all to see and remember those who have come before us. In fact, he took it a step further by having murals and paintings of Africa's descendants covering the walls of every classroom, hallway and office in the center. His philosophy was that we needed to see ourselves on those walls.

Many of these murals were removed when the university decided to complete an 11 million dollar renovation of the building in 2008, however, the impact of those images lives on in the hearts and minds of the thousands of students, faculty and community members who passed through those halls.

This compendium is the first step in continuing the legacy he left for us. The depth and breadth of our history has now been reduced to the stories of about 12 people of national significance, but what about the stories of "local" heroes?

George Whitfield, former principal of Stewart Africentric, a public school in Akron, Ohio, asked me to create some books with information on local people, places and events for their African American Academic Challenge program. I thought this was a great idea, which would certainly enhance the program and invigorate the children, because we would be focusing on people, both living and dead, that they may know or that had a direct impact on their community.

When I started this project I thought there were only about 5-10 significant athletes from Akron. I figured it would be completed in a matter of weeks. But, once I got started I found out there were hundreds of top-notch African American athletes from the Akron area.

I honed in on the stories of 25 African American athletes, culled from as many different sports as possible. Some, but not all of them went pro. Many of the subjects retained their amateur status, but achieved even greater heights beyond their days as athletic competitors; such as Rev. Fowler, William Suddeth, Martin Chapman and Kofi Sarkodie. Equal attention was given to pros, semi-pros and amateurs.

The compendium took over one year to research, compile and bring to completion. As I see it now it was well worth it, because information that was previously scattered in various repositories all over Northeast Ohio has been reformulated and presented under one cover in a way that appeals to young and old alike.

The interactive nature of the compendium is evident in each component. The booklet has over 200 vocabulary words included in each selection and the glossary. There's also a set of 4-5 questions at the end of each selection with an answer key in the back of the book. The poster book consists of 25 unfinished posters (line drawings) that can be completed by the reader, cut out and hung on the wall as daily inspirational pieces. The collectible cards can be traded with friends; used to play a solitaire-like game or a game with multiple players. The cards can also be used in school as flash cards in preparation for a rousing round of Pan-African Academic Challenge (PAAC). Last, but not least there's the online component. The online component allows the children, teachers and parents to further enhance their knowledge of Pan-African history with a whole host of interactive activities that will deepen their understanding of the history of African peoples, worldwide.

This is the second offering in the Blakfacts series. Volume I was comprised of a reprinting of some of J.A. Rogers Black History facts. Future volumes will focus on the history of African American entertainers, politicians, religious leaders and educators from the Akron area, as well as the stories of various other segments of the Pan-African world, such as medical innovators, African European heroes, African Asian heroes and the mighty men & women of the African continent.

Kent State Announces Ronald J. Fowler to Serve as Consultant to University

In Week of June 15, 2009 / News

Dr. Ronald Fowler

Kent State University President Lester A. Lefton announced today that the university will engage Dr. Ronald J. Fowler to consult and offer assistance on such projects as advancing the university’s relationships with the Akron and Cleveland public schools, improving the recruitment and retention of diverse background students, mentoring students, working with alumni and the Pan-African Faculty and Staff Association, as well as assisting with closing major gifts to the university.

"Reverend Fowler has a brilliant mind and a natural talent for engaging people with diverse backgrounds and interest in achieving a common goal," says Lefton. "I am delighted that we have this opportunity to use his talents in furthering the goals of the university."

In addition, Fowler, who recently served the university as chair of the President's Commission on Inclusion, will consult with the university administration on issues related to diversity and inclusion in higher education.

Fowler retired as the Senior Pastor of the Arlington Church of God Inc. in January 2009 after serving for nearly 40 years in pastoral roles there. The Arlington Church of God parish is one of Akron’s largest with a membership of approximately 1,100.

Fowler holds a Bachelor of Science degree in education from Kent State University. He attended Anderson College School of Theology, presently Anderson University School of Theology, where he graduated with a Master of Divinity Degree. He went on to pursue doctorate studies in theology at the Pittsburgh Theological Seminary.

HAS ANYBODY SEEN MICHAEL JACKSON'S BODY?

There are a lot of haters out there. But, the information average people, like you and I, are passing on to people about the real Michael Jackson is starting to take hold. Today my brother, who was a typical hater, told my him and his spouse stayed up late last night to watch a Michael Jackson concert in Budapest. Not only that, but my brother, who's a known Prince fan, even went so far as to compare him to Prince in a positive way. He even let me look at one of his, now prized possessions, a Captain EO book.

Well, I have to say, I was flabbergasted. It was just unbelievable that he could make the turn around in just a few weeks. Even my dad has now taken a glimpse at our site here on Ning. My brother also made an observation that I've got to share with Michael Jackson fans out there. He asked the question, "has anybody seen Michael Jackson's body?"

This was a very insightful question. As a matter of fact Joe Jackson, Michael's father, was on Larry King last night and was asked did he see the body. Joe answered, no! Then, in typical Larry King fashion, he went on to ask where the body was now. Joe had no idea. In fact, he said he'd have to check with someone and get back to him!

This then begs the question. If Michael's father has not seen the body and his body was not shown on T.V. at his memorial service, then we really don't know if he was in the casket or not. As my brother stated, maybe Michael is alive and kicking in Brazil with Hitler and J.F.K.? Who knows? We certainly don't and we have no proof that the man even died.

We do know he was under a lot of pressure to do an unreasonable number of shows in London under contract with AEG. We do know he was looking for a medical excuse to get out of some or all of them, as he'd done in the past. We also know that AEG had hired a "company" doctor to look after him and presumably make sure he showed up.

Maybe this whole "sudden death" thing was something Michael cooked up with magician David Copperfield. We do know that Michael had been working with Copperfield to come up with some show stopping illusions for his O2 shows in London. This has got to be something to make you want to go hmmmmm! David Copperfield the world's greatest illusionist and Michael Jackson the world's greatest entertainer teaming up to pull a fast one on the world.

The only question now is whether or not Michael will show up for the London show on his birthday or not. If he does he will have pulled off the greatest publicity stunt since Jesus returned from the dead! You know if this turns out to be true I'll have to tip my hat to him. No one could have pulled off a publicity stunt this good but the masters themselves. I mean what better way to promote yourself, but to fake your death and then suddenly reincarnate. I don't know if people will be able to take it, but when my brother mentioned it to me it all clicked.

We won't know for sure until 8/29/09. To tell you the truth, I can't wait to see if he actually pulls it off. Man what a showman.

SEE US ON THE "MICHAEL JACKSON LIVES!!!" NETWORK FOR MORE STORIES LIKE THIS

DECODING THE MATHEMATICS PUZZLE

After watching this video you'll understand why I decided to teach my children how to calculate using an Abacus, otherwise known as the Soroban, in Japan. You can find Soroban teachers all over the U.S. and can often find they are quite reasonable in their fees.

Math is one of the most difficult subjects, because of the way it's taught in the west. In the beginning stages math is taught using a lot of manipulatives, which I think is great. But, the manipulatives are quickly done away with before the child really has a grasp of all of the basic concepts of calculation. From then on math is taught as a totally abstract concept.

You may be thinking, "how will my child be able to take a written test if they won't let them use their Soroban during testing?" Notice how the children are tapping on the table with their fingers and no Soroban. These children are using the Abacus of the mind. Two years worth of instruction using the Soroban will have your children calculating without the Soroban. They will in fact be using the Soroban of the mind and will be able to do complex computations in their head, as fast or faster than someone with a calculator.

All this is possible through the use of one basic manipulative, the Soroban. This manipulative is used exclusively, teaching the child how to calculate without using paper and pencil until the problem is completed and the answer is written. As you can see from this video they've got the instruction down to a science and it's very effective for large groups of children, not just one or two at a time.

It is possible for our children to learn just as effectively, using the same method of Soroban instruction. We can also include our own version of the Abacus, the Awale board, as an additional manipulative. The Awale board was developed in Africa and conceptually is very similar to the Soroban, with the exception that it is used as a "game" for two people.

This game has many different versions and uses anywhere from a minimum of 12 holes divided in two groups of 6 to 150 or more holes divided in two equal groups.

The whole point here is that math does not have to be a chore for you to teach or the children to learn. In fact, you can all enjoy learning how to calculate accurately and quickly using the methods I'm outlining. Check out the links on this page, they'll take you to other websites where you'll find FREE Flash Anzan training programs available online, as well as a FREE Awale game that you can download. My children and I used the Awale game in its free form for years without ever upgrading to the paid version and it was great fun.

Making all of your subjects enjoyable is part of the key to success in education, at home or in an institution. Relying strictly on abstractions using paper and pencil is not the best way to teach, it's just very common amongst homeschoolers and public school instructors. I happen to think we can do much better using other well tested techniques. As you go through the links you'll find a number of groups in the U.S. beginning to bring these methods here with great success. Make sure to check out the Flash Anzan link, Tome Soroban and the links that allow you to download FREE worksheets.

Good Luck!

SAINT MAURICE AND THE BROTHERHOOD OF THE BLACKHEADS

Before I go any further, I'd like to express my condolences to the family of Ivan van Sertima. He was one of the people who lived Sankofa. He returned to the source, gathered up what he could and brought it back into our consciousness. Those of us who had literally lost our minds were able to recover a part of what we lost through his work and effort. Thank goodness he was not a selfish man and helped to develop another cadre of African oriented historians who could pick up where J.A. Rogers, John Henrik Clark, John Hope Franklin, John G. Jackson, Asa Hilliard, Arthur Schomburg and now Van Sertima himself left off.

Runoko inspired me to do some more work on a piece I had started on Saint Maurice. The problem is, the more I uncover, the more I discover. So far I've discovered and located close to 100 sites related to Saint Maurice, all over Europe, including many important European cities, such as Munich, Paris, Augsburg, Magdeburg, etc.

Much of my focus has been on the continued presence of Saint Maurice in these cities. There's been some discussion of the African slave trade having a negative impact on his prominence in some of the most important churches in Europe, as well as his presence on many of the flags, coats of arms of persons and places, etc. However, what I've been finding appears to be a resurgence of his presence.

For instance in the countries of Estonia and Latvia, which broke off from the Soviet Union within the last 20 years, they have restored or rebuilt 2 important structures which were named in honor of Saint Maurice and displayed him prominently on their coat of arms, etc. The largest and most striking building is The House of the Brotherhood of the Blackheads in Riga, Latvia on the town square. This is a major tourist attraction for that area and St. Maurice stands proudly at the gate in full battle mode holding his standard (a white flag with a red cross in the middle).

The original building dates back to 1731, however it was destroyed by allied bombing during WWII and then completely demolished by the Soviets in 1948. The citizens of Riga decided to rebuild it on the same site in 1995 and completed it in time for the 800th anniversary of their town in 2001.

"THE HATE THAT HATE PRODUCED"

The final segment of the landmark expose "The Hate That Hate Produced" just posted on the Blakfacts network on Ning. The following excerpt from Peniel Joseph's "Wait 'Til the Midnight Hour" is an excellent review of this 10 part series.

"Tipped off to a potential news story by the veteran black reporter and colleague Louis Lomax, Mike Wallace became the first white journalist to feature an expose of the Black Muslims. The five-part documentary aired on Wallace's News Beat the week of July 13, 1959. News Beat reporter Louis Lomax, accompanied by two white cameramen, received unprecedented access to the Nation of Islam's inner workings. Rare footage of the NOI and James Lawson's United African Nationalist Movement cast black nationalists as obscure counterparts to the racist southern White Citizens Council. From the studio, Wallace set the tone for the evening, chiding 'soberminded Negroes' for failing to oppose the group. Wallace asked Manhattan borough president Hulan Jack and NAACP chairman Roy Wilkins why they hadn't done more to forestall the growing Muslim menace. Booed off the stage by Muslims at an earlier NAACP rally, Jack knew better than to attack one of Harlem's most powerful groups. Wilkins claimed to have no knowledge of Elijah Muhammad or his syndicated newspaper column. He expertly deflected questions regarding the group, noting that while he never attended their street rallies, he supported the right to free speech. Photographs of Wilkins shaking hands with Malcolm X were offered by News Beat as evidence that the head of the NAACP was consorting with a black hate group, behavior that contradicted his outstanding personal and professional commitment to civil rights.

The program boiled down the Nation of Islam's mix of religious evangelism and racial militancy to hate mongering. Descending into the homes of white Americans via a new medium, television, whose power was largely untested, the Nation of Islam received a dramatic if not entirely unflattering debut. More than simply putting the NOI and other black militants on the radar of ordinary Americans, the documentary ushered in the first intraracial political controversy of the civil rights era, pitting black separatists against integrationists. News Beat's coverage also served as a coronation of sorts--marking Malcolm X as a new breed of black militant. The documentary's first glimpse of the Nation came via footage of the climax of the popular play The Trial, which featured a Muslim prosecutor [Louis Farrakhan] seeking a collective indictment against the white race for black oppression. Images of thousands of Muslims voicing their approval at the mock court proceedings were followed by footage of an enormous Muslim rally in Washington D.C.'s cavernous Uline Arena; these images were accompanied by Wallace's clipped voice-over narration, which repeated the group's exaggerated estimates of a quarter of a million acolytes and provided details about Elijah Muhammad's personal history. Malcolm's subsequent appearance overshadowed Lomax's exclusive interview with Muhammad. Whereas Muhammad answered questions stiffly, Malcolm's eloquence focused on the Nation of Islam's collective indictment of white America. After Malcolm's defense of the Nation of Islam's philosophy and criticism of the NAACP, footage of Malcolm addressing an African Freedom Day rally in Harlem strengthened News Beat's claims that the Muslim movement had penetrated black America's foremost citadel.

Elijah Muhammad arrived at St. Nicholas Arena for a major speech on the heels of the show's airing. Inside, six thousand turned out to hear him reject charges of hate mongering. Outside, almost one thousand Harlemites, many still dressed in their Sunday best, lined up against police barriers and listened to Muhammad through speakers set up to accommodate the overflow. Groups of white reporters and cameramen bantered with Muslim security officers who announced that no whites would be allowed inside. Refused entrance into the arena twice, Mike Wallace threatened to press his case to a higher authority; bewildered black journalists marveled at the clamoring white media desperate to attend the same closed-door religious meetings the black media had covered for years. Malcolm X and the Messenger's son, Wallace shared the speakers' platform with Elijah Muhammad. Wallace Muhammad sketched a brief history of the Muslim movement while Malcolm (recently back from the Middle East) spoke of Elijah's growing international reputation. Uncertain of the documentary's impact on his movement, Muhammad delivered a forceful speech, exhibiting the energy and stamina that, in later years, would elude him. He described himself as a divine messenger entrusted to redeem the lost souls of a proud but wayward people. His was a mission of cosmic origins, legitimated by Black Muslim orthodoxy, dutifully believed by growing numbers of converts. Muhammad challenged his critics to offer proof of the NOI's racial demagoguery and singled out Jackie Robinson as an Uncle Tom tricked into attacking him. Muhammad also hinted that he might be forced to retire over the recent furor. The white press, which had excitedly reported the group's activities, now sought information attainable only with the help of black reporters. The publicity made Black Muslims part of the debate over America's civil rights struggle. But the NOI's iconoclastic religious and political practices would, from their first airing in the national media, remain on the fringes of respectable civil rights discourse. Martin Luther King Jr., Roy Wilkins, and Thurgood Marshall publicly chastised the Muslims as a 'hate group' that had failed the litmus test for responsible leadership; blatantly one-sided, News Beat's airing the 'The Hate That Hate Produced' left the Nation of Islam open to ridicule and worse.

'The Hate That Hate Produced' was broadcast just as Malcolm was visiting Africa. His 1959 tour amplified his interest in the larger world. As Muhammad's advance man in the Middle East, Malcolm had served as a liaison with Muslim officials in preparation for the Messenger's visit to Mecca. As the FBI monitored his foray into Africa, Malcolm published his letters from Saudi Arabia and the Sudan in black newspapers. From Khartoum's Grand Hotel, he announced that 'racial disturbances in faraway New York City' received front page coverage in the Sudan. African concern for black suffering in America, he observed, was growing. Penetrating what Malcolm described as a 'veil of global diplomatic art' were 'hordes of intelligent Africans' unmoved by American propaganda extolling domestic racial progress. Meanwhile, the national media ignored Malcolm's tour. Malcolm claimed that Elijah Muhammad's achievements were respected overseas; however, the Black Muslim movement had an ambiguous relationship with the larger Islamic world (which followed orthodox interpretations of the faith and did not recognize Elijah Muhammad as divine); in fact, rumors swirled that contemptuous Saudi officials barred him from Mecca.

But Muhammad did make it to Mecca. With his sons Herbert and Akbar, Muhammad arrived in Turkey on November 23, 1959, three months after Malcolm, and toured the Islamic Middle East over the next six weeks. In Cairo, Muhammad received an audience with Egyptian president Gamal Abdel Nasser; in the process, the NOI leader solidified his claims of international religious and political legitimacy. From Jeddah, Muhammad traveled to Mecca to complete the hajj. Led by a guide and draped in the garb of hajj pilgrims, two white sheets called the ihram, Muhammad recited Arabic prayers amid thousands of Muslims, successfully completing the holy pilgrimage. Muhammad's visit made the front page of the Amsterdam News, providing public vindication for Black Muslims in Harlem sensitive to criticism of their unorthodox religious practices. Muhammad returned to the State confident that he had brokered international alliances. For Malcolm, Muhammad's hajj was bittersweet. The previous summer, within miles of the holy city, he was forced to return without making the pilgrimage, offering several excuses, including illness, scheduling conflicts, and fear of upstaging Muhammad. The Nation of Islam's rapid ascent was already taking its toll."

Excerpted from:
Waiting 'Til the Midnight Hour
By Peniel E. Joseph
Published: July 10, 2007
pp. 21-25

TO BE OR NOT TO BE A TERRORIST

Are born and bred American citizens being held after having all of their rights unceremoniously stripped by the Obama administration? As we debate the weighty questions of the day, we should be thinking what if me or a member of my family were to be, not indicted, but merely suspected of planning a terrorist attack. Do we want to waive all of our rights as citizens, in order to prevent the possibility of someone committing an act of terrorism? This is really what we should be debating.

This scenario is too real to ignore. In fact four men were arraigned in New York city yesterday on charges of plotting to blow up some Jewish synagogues and shoot a plane out of the sky over the Riverdale neighborhood where they reside. Well, according to Obama's new policy they could be charged with hatching a terrorist plot and locked up in an undisclosed location for the next 3, 5 or maybe 10 years on the word of the president and his minions that they "were going to do what they have been charged with and may implement their "dastardly" plot if and when they are released.

This policy would effectively gut a number of laws in one fail swoop. The Miranda law would be a real joke! the constitution itself has embedded within it the very essence of many of the laws used to deal with these kinds of situations in the past, so it too would become a worthless piece of paper, worth less than the piece of paper itself.

As an African living in America I recall all too well what these types of laws were called when I was growing up, they were called lynch laws. The only difference between now and then is that it's no longer called lynching, it's called justifiable homicide. In the course of committing these acts of justifiable homicide by emptying one or more full clips in the bodies of our young men and women the police have become the judge, jury and executioner, in one fail swoop.

I don't know any better way to describe what in essence is a lynch mob, every bit as real as the one described in the story that follows about the "trial" of Mack Charles Parker.

NEXT: IT'S A LOT EASIER TO FIGHT AN UNARMED ENEMY

. . . THEY WILL BE BACK FOR ME IN THE MORNING

In the words of James Baldwin, in an open letter to Angela Davis, "If they come for you tonight, they will be back for me in the morning." Here we have African American writer James Baldwin expressing his belief that if any one of us is at risk of being singled out, followed and "informed" on, we're all at risk. How right he was! J. Edgar Hoover and his minions kept tabs on every influential person in the country, generating millions of files on "suspected communists," "communist sympathizers" and persons engaged in un-American activities.

J. Edgar Hoover was not alone in his penchant for singling out "persons of interest," the U.S. Congress was involved, as well. The House Committee on Un-American Activities (HUCA 1938-1975) provides one of the best examples of what could be called the American Inquisition. In the tradition of some of the most well known Inquisitions, carried out by the Catholic church in Spain, Portugal and Rome, this American Inquisition continues to this day. The HUCA no longer exists, however, Americans need not fear, the House Judiciary Committee is here and it has been given the task of keeping America safe from any and all un-American thoughts.

America has touted itself as being the "land of the free and the home of the brave." However, this freedom has been of a limited nature from the outset. In the beginning one's freedom was based on gender, ethnicity and social standing. Universal suffrage did not come into existence until the late 20th century.

Interestingly, the FBI under Hoover did not restrict it's investigations to communist radicals. Among those on it's list of suspected subversives were included the likes of Liberace; Congressman John Lewis; Joe Louis, the boxer; Lady Diana, Princess of Wales; actors Peter Lawford, Burt Lancaster and Canada Lee and novelist Sinclair Lewis. What is it that all of these people have in common, that would bring them to the attention of the FBI? It's quite simple really, the potential to influence people. Anyone who could influence a significant number of people was on their list and in fact may of us continue to be on their list today.

The good news is, the FBI has compiled millions of documents, which are now available to the curiosity seeker and historian alike, documenting the lives and activities of millions of American citizens, organizations, religious denominations, etc. These documents now form an important resource, particularly for the historian, much of which is now available online. These documents allow us to compare the lives and aspirations of our predecessors with our contemporaries. Take for instance, the following statement:

"Our safety does not lie in fighting . . . wars. It lies in our own internal strength, in the character of the American people and of American institutions. As long as we maintain an Army, a Navy, and an air force worthy of the name, as long as America does not decay within, we need fear no invasion of this country.

Again, I address those among you who agree with this stand. Our future and our children's future depends upon the action we take. It is essential to think clearly and to act quickly in the days which are to come. We will be deluged with propaganda, both foreign and domestic--some obvious, some insidious. Much of our news is already colored. Every incident and every accident will be seized upon to influence us. And in a modern war there are bound to be plenty of both. We must learn to look behind every article we read and every speech we hear. We must not only inquire about the writer and the speaker--about his personal interests and his nationality--but we must ask who owns and who influences the newspaper, the news picture, and the radio station. If our people know the truth, if they are fully and accurately informed, if they are not misled by propaganda, this country is not likely to enter the war now going on in Europe."

This statement could be directly applied to the situation we find ourselves in currently with the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Did it come from one of President Obama's eloquent speeches? Was it from one of our contemporary congressional representatives? Maybe it was part of a comment made by Keith Olbermann. Wrong on all counts. In fact it was made by aviation pioneer Charles A. Lindbergh on September 16, 1939. It describes perfectly the battle now raging over the airwaves between MSNBC and FOX news, both of which are becoming more theatrical in nature, as time passes. It points out the use of newspapers, magazines, TV, radio and the internet as propaganda tools for the privileged class of our society. It lets us know how similar our times are to those of our predecessors. The more things change, the more they stay the same.

Even more surprising is the source of the quote. It came from a newspaper article sent to the FBI by one of many American citizens concerned about the "loyalty" of flying ace Charles A. Lindbergh. Apparently, no one is above suspicion, when it comes to subversive activities. All it takes to generate an FBI file is the willingness to express one's opinion in a public forum.

Of course Lindbergh had, to his discredit, joined the America First Committee, a so-called subversive organization, which Republican presidential candidate John McCain turned into a campaign slogan in 2008). The committee was considered subversive, because they opposed the policies of the interventionists, which included President Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR). In fact, FDR felt Lindbergh was a Nazi sympathizer and allowed FBI director J. Edgar Hoover to act as an unofficial U.S. inquisitor, thoroughly "investigating" the political activities of Lindbergh and others. This was the beginning of what I call "The American Inquisition."

The atmosphere that developed in the days and months prior to the engagement of U.S. troops in WWII became charged with innuendo and misrepresentation. Lindbergh became a victim of that which he had decried, the press, which published pictures of members of the America First Committee saluting the U.S. flag with the "Bellamy salute", as part of their smear campaign. This salute was common in schools across the country. It was discontinued in 1942, because it was the same salute used by the Nazis. But, the depictions in newspapers all over the country of America First Committee members showed no flag, so it appeared that they were a group of Nazi sympathizers.

As we contemplate the "news" of the day we should take into account the words of Lindbergh and carefully consider the source. This is much harder today than in the past, because of the nature of international finance. In the past it was a much simpler matter to determine the ownership of our media sources. Nowadays, it may take some doing to discover the 400 lb. gorilla in the room.

The use of terms associated with the Catholic church and some of their practices may seem odd, but from the outset we've seen the use of religious terminology in the prosecution of the so-called War On Terrorism. One week after 9/11 President Bush (Bush 43) said, "this crusade, this war on terrorism, is going to take awhile." Muslims around the world took immediate offense to this terminology. But, this is what was the perspective of the Bush administration throughout his 8 year administration. They had to immediately change their official terminology, however we now have proof positive, with the recent release of official White House memos to the president, that a crusade mentality remained for the duration.


All of this background information is important as we look at the use of torture in the interrogation of so-called "enemy combatants." When we compare the treatment of these "enemy combatants" with the treatment of heretics, suspected witches, etc. from the 15th century on we're hearing the same rhetoric and seeing the same practices used today that were used then to justify this treatment. We're also getting the same results, false confessions, in order to escape further torture.

At first glance this would appear to be inappropriate, for the U.S. government to be involved in the extraction of false confessions from detainees. However, apparently it achieved the desired result. By obtaining false confessions from the detainees the invasion of Iraq, capture and execution of Sadaam Hussein, as a war criminal and the subjugation of the Iraqi people via military invasion and occupation was justified and continues to this day.

The issue of waterboarding being a means of torture has been furiously debated over the past few weeks. There should be no debate on this issue at all we have plenty of testimony from U.S. officials involved in the application of this torture that this is exactly what it is. From sworn Senate testimony by William Howard Taft, former governor of the Philippines during the Filipino insurrection to current sworn testimony by interrogation trainers with the U.S. military. So, we can put that to the side.

The Republicans would like to change the subject and speak of the effectiveness of the method and how it was necessary to save many lives. What they don't want to talk about is the fact that whether it was effective or not it was contrary to the Geneva Convention. This breach in international law means the perpetrators are now subject to trial and punishment by the World Court in the Hague, the same court that should have tried President Hussein, if in fact he had committed crimes against humanity. Instead he was put on trial, while still in U.S. custody, by an Iraqi Special Tribunal, found guilty and subsequently executed by hanging.

Now that we have information unavailable to us before the end of the Bush presidency we know that not only were detainees illegally imprisoned, they were also humiliated, tortured and their human rights were violated in numerous other ways, as well. We also now know that the reason for the war in the first place was fallacious, because there was no link between the Iraqi government of President Hussein and Al-Qaeda; the Iraqi government had no involvement in 9/11 and there were no weapons of mass destruction (WMD) as widely reported by the U.S. news media. Therefore, the trial and execution of President Hussein must also be called into question, along with the wrongful deaths of thousands of American soldiers and Iraqi soldiers and citizens. How much greater are the true crimes of the U.S. government compared with the supposed crimes of the government of President Hussein?


As red-blooded Americans it's time to stand up and be counted when we hear our new president proclaiming in a loud and dignified manner that the new administration will institute a policy of "preventive detention." We have an example of such a policy in the 2002 movie "The Minority Report." We're already seeing this policy instituted in real life. The detainees at Guantanamo are the first casualties in this new "Crusade on Terrorism." This presentation cannot go into the details on the history of the Crusades. I urge all of you to go to your local library and check out books on the crusades to get a quick overview of the history of the Crusades. Talk about scared straight, that ought to scare the bejeebuzz out of you. We certainly don't need any modern crusades.

To paraphrase President Lincoln, we need a government that has the needs of the people at heart and the ability to make sound decisions in the interest of all of the people, all of the time; instead of some of the people all of the time.

WHY OBAMA'S "PREVENTIVE DETENTION" PROGRAM PUTS ALL U.S. CITIZENS AT RISK

This week President Barack Obama stated, on a nationwide TV broadcast, that in the course of shutting down Guantanamo his administration would deal with each case on it's own merits, in accordance with "the rule of law."

But, after listening carefully to what he had to say, listening to the pundits and comparing his statements to the policies of past administrations all the way back to Lincoln this reporter was left with a bad case of indigestion.

Jose Padilla - domestic terrorist?

Immediately following his speech former Vice President, Dick Cheney took to the airwaves to espouse his views on terrorism and torture. He came to the conclusion that although the former administration of Bush 43 did, in fact, justify the use of torture on the prisoners housed at Guantanamo, that it was only used on a total of 3 prisoners and therefore it was no big deal. In fact it is still a big deal, because this is how our rights are frittered away, one step at a time, one indiscretion at a time, one incident at a time, one breach of the constitution at a time, etc.

Dick Cheney knows full well that a precedent was established for all other presidents to follow, of breaking the law when they feel like it, in order to make sure we can all continue to enjoy the rights and privileges of citizens of a democracy. This is more than an oxymoron, this is just moronic period. One person that's tortured is too many. One person held in jail without bail is too many. One person held without due process is too many. One person held indefinitely is too many.

This is what is worrisome about President Obama's new policy regarding terrorists. He's proposing some of the same lawless policies that were created by the Bush administration. Rachel Maddow was correct in lambasting him for even proposing a policy of "preventive detention." As these policies are created to deal with terrorists abroad, Muslims from abroad and enemy combatants from abroad; what's to stop them from being used against American citizens who are deemed terrorists, Muslims or enemy combatants?

NEXT: To Be or Not To Be A Terrorist?