Baghdad by the Bay
By

Dr. M (Marvin X)

From the Bay Area to New Orleans, Philadelphia and Boston, and numerous other cities, the urban centers of America resemble the killings fields of Iraq. From Iraq to the Bay Area, the mayors, governors, adults and children are crying out for peace in the streets. In the Bay peace officers from multiple cities, including the Highway patrol, have taken to the streets. In New Orleans, the National Guard had to be deployed. Philadelphia is asking for ten thousand volunteers to help with conflict resolution in the streets.

In Iraq, the ultimate problem is control of oil and the central government, with the long suffering Shiites unwilling to give up control of either, along with the Kurds, leaving the Sunnis out of oil and political power. So the killing continues in spite of America’s dubious “surge.” The recent peace in Anbar province was not the result of the “surge” but exhausted Sunni Sheikhs who turned to the Americans for guns to battle Al Qaida. Indeed, most of the insurgents are coming from America’s best friend in the area, Saudi Arabia, yes, those same guys supposedly responsible for 9/11. America gave the Sunnis guns and resources for economic development, temporarily turning them against Al Qaida.

We wonder why America absolutely refuses to find an economic solution to the killing fields in her cities. Does it take a rocket scientist to understand the brothers and sisters in the hoods of these United Snakes need economic stability, and no amount of police, highway patrol and national guard will placate their desperate situation, including an upsurge in prostitution and violence by young women when the men find themselves under siege from the police and rival gang bangers. It is said the females have more guns than the males—although we understand many of them are merely holding weapons for the males so they aren’t caught “riding dirty.”

Oakland’s mayor Ron Dellums has proposed not asking for criminal records in city job applications since ex-felons often have no choice but drug dealing and the resultant violence when released from prison. But prison has become such a growth industry with inmates worth between thirty and fifty thousand dollars per inmate per year that corporate America has privatized prisons for the economic development of many communities, but usually not to the benefit of the depressed inner cities. And what better way to realize America’s long held desire to return blacks to slavery since they are no longer needed in the labor pool—well, why not let them do free labor under the Constitution which permits involuntary servitude for inmates. The South is overjoyed they finally figured out a way to get “niggers in their place,” including striped suits, balls and chains.

The war in Iraq and Afghanistan (and coming battle in Iran since Iran must be attacked to satisfy America’s friends in Israel and the Sunnis in Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, the Gulf States and most especially Saudi Arabia—also to prevent Shiite unity between a Shiite controlled Iraq and Iran) appears complicated, similar to finding a solution to the killing fields of America, but why is justice so complicated? Give economic justice and equality to the brothers and sisters in the hood, and recognize the Shiites and Kurds will fight to the death to finally exercise power in Iraq. They have taken power and plan to keep it, whether or not the Sunnis join them as a minority in the government.

And it’s pretty obvious youth in the cities of America are willing to fight to the death to obtain the wherewithal to participate in the American dream. The tragedy is that they have been forced to operate on the animal place rather than utilize their spiritual consciousness to find a way out of the morass. Killing is a barbaric act of desperation when people rather use physical force than exercise political and diplomatic solutions to social-economic problems. A nominal peace came to Iraq’s Anbar province when the Sheikhs exercised leadership and authority over their tribes. Where is the leadership in the Black community, when will those who have authority over our children step to the front of the line and represent? They should stop hiding behind the police, highway patrol and national guard, but take charge of their posts as community elders and themselves solve the economic, educational and spiritual problems of their children, who shall continue killing until the word is given. If there are no jobs, teach the children to be entrepreneurs, let them vend on the streets of inner cities, after all, there are few merchants to complain, since they long ago left the downtown area for malls. I proposed this idea years ago to city officials in Oakland, but rather than help at-risk youth, the proposal became a project for black bourgeoisie youth—thus the murder continues and will continue until we get it right. Sun Ra told me, “The Creator got things fixed: until you do the right thing, you can’t go forward or backward.”

Dr. M grew up in Oakland. He released two books in 2007, BEYOND RELIGION, TOWARD SPIRITUALITY and HOW TO RECOVER FROM THE ADDICTION TO WHITE SUPREMACY, A PAN AFRICAN 12 STEP MODEL, Black Bird Press, POB 1317, Paradise CA 95967, $19.95 each. He is available for speaking and reading engagements. Call 510.355.6339. Visit his blog: www.marvinxwrites.blogspot.com.

On Friday, October 12, 7pm, he will read and sign books at the Eastside Arts Cultural Center, 2277 International Blvd., Oakland. Seating is limited.