Monday, October 22, 2007
Comment on Minister Farrakhan
First, I love Minister Farrakhan so much that I cry when I hear his voice. He is what I would want my father to be if I had one. I love him because he loves his people and although he may evolve he never waivers in his fight for his people. I read your article on the creation of a Black nation. Your description sounds like a Black heaven. I, too, would love to live in a black nation with some true black people; however, I don't see that as a possibility here. I don't believe the US government would ever partition land to give us. They will never give us monetary reparations and we are stupid, in my opinion, to think they will. We have to leave.
regina@rneequaye.com
www.rneequaye.com
Reply by Dr. M
Don't ever underestimate the power of Allah to make the devil do His will.
First, I love Minister Farrakhan so much that I cry when I hear his voice. He is what I would want my father to be if I had one. I love him because he loves his people and although he may evolve he never waivers in his fight for his people. I read your article on the creation of a Black nation. Your description sounds like a Black heaven. I, too, would love to live in a black nation with some true black people; however, I don't see that as a possibility here. I don't believe the US government would ever partition land to give us. They will never give us monetary reparations and we are stupid, in my opinion, to think they will. We have to leave.
regina@rneequaye.com
www.rneequaye.com
Reply by Dr. M
Don't ever underestimate the power of Allah to make the devil do His will.
Saturday, October 20, 2007
Farrakhan’s Last Hurrah: Come Out of Her My People
By Dr. M (Marvin X)
For a revolutionary African nationalist, Minister Farrakhan’s Atonement Day speech in Atlanta was music to my ears, but the consensus of my advisors was that it was too little too late, perhaps thirty years too late. If he had continued the separation teachings of the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad, a black nation could have been more than an idle dream by now, some kind of provisional government could have been established and negotiations with the US on a separate territory could have been underway on the highest and most serious level.
So where does he and we go from here? Was his separation talk just rhetoric or is he serious about parting ways with America and working toward a nation-state or territory based on self determination and sovereignty. The last time I wrote about him, he asked that I call him for clarification of his statements and/or activities. Perhaps I should give him a call since he said my last article (Reverend Farrakhan-Moon) raked him over the coals. But I think his Atonement Day speech was crystal clear on the theme of separation, spiritually and physically. The question is where we go from here—should there be a plebiscite or vote of the North American African people to establish a consensus on whether we should stay or leave. Historically, in times of progress there has been little desire to depart pharaoh’s house, but in times of depression and anxiety the desire to leave is heightened. Despite the growing black middle and upper class—which the minister pointed out is merely a buffer between the masses and pharaoh—the condition of the masses is wretched. He gave ample statistics on our deplorable economic, political, social, psychological and spiritual condition. For us to continue in such wretchedness is the height of suicide or more collectively speaking, genocide. For the majority of North American Africans who will not share in the American dream, there must be an alternative future, thus separation is the only answer, no matter how difficult, it is an idea long past due.
It is clear to me the United States of America is a white supremacy nation, and the white right and the left have no real desire to give up white privilege and share political and economic equality, rather they persist in denial that this is a white supremacy nation and they enjoy maintaining their superior status. The police with their slave-catcher origins are yet an occupying army to maintain control that allows white power to continue with security. The prison industrial complex is designed to return us to slavery under the constitution which allows involuntary servitude for inmates. The educational system contributes to the prison industrial complex by systematically miss educating millions of black boys and girls, forcing them to drop out and more recently pushing them out.
The hostile environment of America promotes a variety of physical and psychological diseases that can only be cured by separation into a land of our own wherein we can create a society that is more conducive to our physical and mental health.
Yes, it is pastime for us to come out of her, my people, for she has become the haven for every filthy unclean bird. In the words of the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad, and more recently in the words of President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela, America is the devil. This is not to say there are not black devils as well, and surely they will desire to remain with the beast, the great harlot, the serpent who has deceived the world. For a certainty, they will not be allowed to set up shop in the revolutionary North American African nation. Furthermore, we are well aware of how revolutionaries become reactionaries—we see in South Africa how the ANC has created situations worse than Apartheid. Thus, we envision a nation of men and women possessing radical spirituality who desire to establish a divine kingdom on earth wherein our animal nature and consciousness are checked and our divine consciousness is given free expression.
Men and women of radical political consciousness and vision must step to the front of the line to make the words of Minister Farrakhan a reality. In the beginning was the word, let us go forward to realize our national aspirations as mature human beings to achieve independence, sovereignty and self-determination. Let us go forward in the spirit of our ancestors who desired complete freedom, not a sham status of neo-slaves of a white supremacy nation that desires to maintain domination and exploitation of forty million people who have the divine right to separate from such hostile and contrite devils.
Independent thinking intellectuals must organize think tanks to ponder how to come out of the American morass and what shall be the formulation and configuration of a separate nation. Shall it be a constitutional democracy, a theocracy, a secular/spiritual regime in the manner of Turkey—these are questions of the most serious nature, but for sure, as Minister Farrakhan noted, we can create a better nation than has been our experience the last few centuries in this American nightmare. Surely we are prepared to offer our citizens true freedom, justice and equality, not contradictory treatment that makes mockery of our founding principles.
After devising an initial plan, we should hold regional meetings to debate the issue of independence and reach a consensus on the nature of the constitution. What values do we hold dear and sacred and what values are against our well being and the world community with whom we shall interact. Shall we practice naked capitalism or a form of socialism that is in harmony with our spiritual consciousness?
Shall we not guarantee our women full equality since they are divine as we are, and furthermore they are currently the sole parent in 70% of our households? What shall be the configuration of the African family once we separate—monogamy, polygamy, polyandry? Shall there be religious freedom or spiritual liberation without religious trappings that too often enslaved the human spirit and created stunted men and women incapable of imagining the infinite possibilities of the universe.
The nation of North American Africans should be sustained by reparations from the US government for three centuries of slavery and neo-slavery. As called for by the Honorable Elijah Muhammad, we should be maintained for twenty-five or thirty years until we can stand alone, similar to how America has given financial support to Israel the last sixty years. But even under the present domestic colonialism, we generate 900 billion dollars per year, thus we are only in poverty because we are duped into consumerism and crass materialism. If we channeled our economic wealth into nationhood, we will be a mighty nation overnight, not a people dependent on welfare, surviving on the worse food and insufficient health care. In an independent nation we shall not tolerate our youth killing each other over drugs because they are incapable of thinking out of the box of animalism.
The elder men and women will be duty bound to teach the young people economic independence, and the young people will be taught respect for elders and each other. No partner or domestic violence will be tolerated under pain of death. There shall be no prisons because there will be no crime. Persons with criminal behavior shall be ostracized to the United States of America and not allowed to return.
We applaud Minister Farrakhan for putting our freedom agenda back on track, for the last few decades we have wandered aimlessly without purpose and direction. We can never thank him enough from bringing the million men together, but as he said the other night in Atlanta, suicide is better than to continue living under the shadow of death which is our present status here in the hells of North America. As he noted, any politician, religious leader, intellectual or anyone who cannot promote separation and independence should be recognized as pharaoh’s magician and ignored, for Moses is in town to tell old pharaoh, “Let my people go.” You magicians with a contrary message will be silenced with the superior magic of Moses. The Red Sea of American blood and terror will be parted and we shall cross to the Promised Land. Liberty or death!
Please send me your comments: www.marvinxwrites.blogspot.com.
By Dr. M (Marvin X)
For a revolutionary African nationalist, Minister Farrakhan’s Atonement Day speech in Atlanta was music to my ears, but the consensus of my advisors was that it was too little too late, perhaps thirty years too late. If he had continued the separation teachings of the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad, a black nation could have been more than an idle dream by now, some kind of provisional government could have been established and negotiations with the US on a separate territory could have been underway on the highest and most serious level.
So where does he and we go from here? Was his separation talk just rhetoric or is he serious about parting ways with America and working toward a nation-state or territory based on self determination and sovereignty. The last time I wrote about him, he asked that I call him for clarification of his statements and/or activities. Perhaps I should give him a call since he said my last article (Reverend Farrakhan-Moon) raked him over the coals. But I think his Atonement Day speech was crystal clear on the theme of separation, spiritually and physically. The question is where we go from here—should there be a plebiscite or vote of the North American African people to establish a consensus on whether we should stay or leave. Historically, in times of progress there has been little desire to depart pharaoh’s house, but in times of depression and anxiety the desire to leave is heightened. Despite the growing black middle and upper class—which the minister pointed out is merely a buffer between the masses and pharaoh—the condition of the masses is wretched. He gave ample statistics on our deplorable economic, political, social, psychological and spiritual condition. For us to continue in such wretchedness is the height of suicide or more collectively speaking, genocide. For the majority of North American Africans who will not share in the American dream, there must be an alternative future, thus separation is the only answer, no matter how difficult, it is an idea long past due.
It is clear to me the United States of America is a white supremacy nation, and the white right and the left have no real desire to give up white privilege and share political and economic equality, rather they persist in denial that this is a white supremacy nation and they enjoy maintaining their superior status. The police with their slave-catcher origins are yet an occupying army to maintain control that allows white power to continue with security. The prison industrial complex is designed to return us to slavery under the constitution which allows involuntary servitude for inmates. The educational system contributes to the prison industrial complex by systematically miss educating millions of black boys and girls, forcing them to drop out and more recently pushing them out.
The hostile environment of America promotes a variety of physical and psychological diseases that can only be cured by separation into a land of our own wherein we can create a society that is more conducive to our physical and mental health.
Yes, it is pastime for us to come out of her, my people, for she has become the haven for every filthy unclean bird. In the words of the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad, and more recently in the words of President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela, America is the devil. This is not to say there are not black devils as well, and surely they will desire to remain with the beast, the great harlot, the serpent who has deceived the world. For a certainty, they will not be allowed to set up shop in the revolutionary North American African nation. Furthermore, we are well aware of how revolutionaries become reactionaries—we see in South Africa how the ANC has created situations worse than Apartheid. Thus, we envision a nation of men and women possessing radical spirituality who desire to establish a divine kingdom on earth wherein our animal nature and consciousness are checked and our divine consciousness is given free expression.
Men and women of radical political consciousness and vision must step to the front of the line to make the words of Minister Farrakhan a reality. In the beginning was the word, let us go forward to realize our national aspirations as mature human beings to achieve independence, sovereignty and self-determination. Let us go forward in the spirit of our ancestors who desired complete freedom, not a sham status of neo-slaves of a white supremacy nation that desires to maintain domination and exploitation of forty million people who have the divine right to separate from such hostile and contrite devils.
Independent thinking intellectuals must organize think tanks to ponder how to come out of the American morass and what shall be the formulation and configuration of a separate nation. Shall it be a constitutional democracy, a theocracy, a secular/spiritual regime in the manner of Turkey—these are questions of the most serious nature, but for sure, as Minister Farrakhan noted, we can create a better nation than has been our experience the last few centuries in this American nightmare. Surely we are prepared to offer our citizens true freedom, justice and equality, not contradictory treatment that makes mockery of our founding principles.
After devising an initial plan, we should hold regional meetings to debate the issue of independence and reach a consensus on the nature of the constitution. What values do we hold dear and sacred and what values are against our well being and the world community with whom we shall interact. Shall we practice naked capitalism or a form of socialism that is in harmony with our spiritual consciousness?
Shall we not guarantee our women full equality since they are divine as we are, and furthermore they are currently the sole parent in 70% of our households? What shall be the configuration of the African family once we separate—monogamy, polygamy, polyandry? Shall there be religious freedom or spiritual liberation without religious trappings that too often enslaved the human spirit and created stunted men and women incapable of imagining the infinite possibilities of the universe.
The nation of North American Africans should be sustained by reparations from the US government for three centuries of slavery and neo-slavery. As called for by the Honorable Elijah Muhammad, we should be maintained for twenty-five or thirty years until we can stand alone, similar to how America has given financial support to Israel the last sixty years. But even under the present domestic colonialism, we generate 900 billion dollars per year, thus we are only in poverty because we are duped into consumerism and crass materialism. If we channeled our economic wealth into nationhood, we will be a mighty nation overnight, not a people dependent on welfare, surviving on the worse food and insufficient health care. In an independent nation we shall not tolerate our youth killing each other over drugs because they are incapable of thinking out of the box of animalism.
The elder men and women will be duty bound to teach the young people economic independence, and the young people will be taught respect for elders and each other. No partner or domestic violence will be tolerated under pain of death. There shall be no prisons because there will be no crime. Persons with criminal behavior shall be ostracized to the United States of America and not allowed to return.
We applaud Minister Farrakhan for putting our freedom agenda back on track, for the last few decades we have wandered aimlessly without purpose and direction. We can never thank him enough from bringing the million men together, but as he said the other night in Atlanta, suicide is better than to continue living under the shadow of death which is our present status here in the hells of North America. As he noted, any politician, religious leader, intellectual or anyone who cannot promote separation and independence should be recognized as pharaoh’s magician and ignored, for Moses is in town to tell old pharaoh, “Let my people go.” You magicians with a contrary message will be silenced with the superior magic of Moses. The Red Sea of American blood and terror will be parted and we shall cross to the Promised Land. Liberty or death!
Please send me your comments: www.marvinxwrites.blogspot.com.
Monday, October 15, 2007
The Black White Man
by Dr. M
Dr. M returned to his outdoor classroom at Oakland's 14th and Broadway. It was a cloudy day and rain was on the way. He set up his table to sell his books. Then decided to give 14th and Broadway people a little drama. Reaching in his bag, he pulled out is white makeup and dabbled it on his face, looking into a broken mirror. The passerby began to question him. Was he sick? A street brother who often assists Dr. M for a few dollars saw his white face and was upset. Why do you have that white stuff on your face, you are not white, you are black, you should have black paint on your face! M nodded, the man's friend came up to M and told him the guy just didn't understand, but he would explain the meaning of his white persona. Matter of fact, the guy said, he would like to come and join Dr. M by putting on a white face as well, since he understood what he was doing.
All of this occurred while Dr. M was chatting with a childhood friend and his wife who stopped by to chat, actually to invite Dr. M to speak at a show to stop the violence in Oakland. His friend, Johnny Mack, told of how he was being blocked by city officials as he organized his Stop the Violence Day. Dr. M referred him to his parable of Black Man and Block Man and Johnny picked up the book which contains the parable IN THE CRAZY HOUSE CALLED AMERICA.
M reminded Johnny that they grew up in Fresno in the projects and Johnny's parents used to ring the neck of chickens in the backyard which adjoined M's grandmother's house. Johnny shocked M by telling how his preacher father moved to a white area in the country. At school one day, the white children grabbed Johnny, beat him to the ground and tied a rope around his neck, then dragged him across the school grounds while teachers stood watching. Johnny said he has been terrified of white people ever since. Johnny said he might join Dr. M and dawn a white face.
A man passed the table and seeing the title of M's book HOW TO RECOVER FROM THE ADDICTION TO WHITE SUPREMACY, A PAN AFRICAN 12 STEP MODEL, said he only needed one step, Jesus. M said that is only the first step, there are 12 more. Johnny concurred that Jesus wasn't enough, the man needed to look at the man in the mirror to discover he was Jesus. His wife concurred. M said, "Johnny, I didn't know you knew that you were Jesus." His wife said, "If he didn't know that, I wouldn't be with him."
Johnny disclosed to M that he was a preacher at nine years old, but broke away from his father's church because his dad took all the collection plate. On his death bed his dad apologized to God for believing Jesus was God and misleading the people.
It began to rain so M packed his books and left for a meeting with another childhood friend from Oakland, Leon Teasley. As Leon parked beside him in the parking lot, M was removing the make up. Leon was shocked at seeing his Cub Scout buddy in white face, but he was cool as he has been throughout his life--they call him Cool T. What's up with the makeup, he wanted to know. M told him he was a black white man. Cool T said there are many white black men with no makeup. You know I like drama, he told Cool T, and they were off to have lunch and talk about old times. As they sat eating spring rolls and drinking Thai tea, T pulled out his archival material on his buddy, including a copy of M's autobiography SOMETHIN PROPER, his first book of poems FLY TO ALLAH, 1969, and another volume of poems CONFESSION OF A WIFE BEATER, 1981. T gave him the copy of his autobiography which was in mint condition. He retained the volumes of poetry but offered to help reprint them. And so it was, a rainy day in hell with the black white man and his childhood friends.
by Dr. M
Dr. M returned to his outdoor classroom at Oakland's 14th and Broadway. It was a cloudy day and rain was on the way. He set up his table to sell his books. Then decided to give 14th and Broadway people a little drama. Reaching in his bag, he pulled out is white makeup and dabbled it on his face, looking into a broken mirror. The passerby began to question him. Was he sick? A street brother who often assists Dr. M for a few dollars saw his white face and was upset. Why do you have that white stuff on your face, you are not white, you are black, you should have black paint on your face! M nodded, the man's friend came up to M and told him the guy just didn't understand, but he would explain the meaning of his white persona. Matter of fact, the guy said, he would like to come and join Dr. M by putting on a white face as well, since he understood what he was doing.
All of this occurred while Dr. M was chatting with a childhood friend and his wife who stopped by to chat, actually to invite Dr. M to speak at a show to stop the violence in Oakland. His friend, Johnny Mack, told of how he was being blocked by city officials as he organized his Stop the Violence Day. Dr. M referred him to his parable of Black Man and Block Man and Johnny picked up the book which contains the parable IN THE CRAZY HOUSE CALLED AMERICA.
M reminded Johnny that they grew up in Fresno in the projects and Johnny's parents used to ring the neck of chickens in the backyard which adjoined M's grandmother's house. Johnny shocked M by telling how his preacher father moved to a white area in the country. At school one day, the white children grabbed Johnny, beat him to the ground and tied a rope around his neck, then dragged him across the school grounds while teachers stood watching. Johnny said he has been terrified of white people ever since. Johnny said he might join Dr. M and dawn a white face.
A man passed the table and seeing the title of M's book HOW TO RECOVER FROM THE ADDICTION TO WHITE SUPREMACY, A PAN AFRICAN 12 STEP MODEL, said he only needed one step, Jesus. M said that is only the first step, there are 12 more. Johnny concurred that Jesus wasn't enough, the man needed to look at the man in the mirror to discover he was Jesus. His wife concurred. M said, "Johnny, I didn't know you knew that you were Jesus." His wife said, "If he didn't know that, I wouldn't be with him."
Johnny disclosed to M that he was a preacher at nine years old, but broke away from his father's church because his dad took all the collection plate. On his death bed his dad apologized to God for believing Jesus was God and misleading the people.
It began to rain so M packed his books and left for a meeting with another childhood friend from Oakland, Leon Teasley. As Leon parked beside him in the parking lot, M was removing the make up. Leon was shocked at seeing his Cub Scout buddy in white face, but he was cool as he has been throughout his life--they call him Cool T. What's up with the makeup, he wanted to know. M told him he was a black white man. Cool T said there are many white black men with no makeup. You know I like drama, he told Cool T, and they were off to have lunch and talk about old times. As they sat eating spring rolls and drinking Thai tea, T pulled out his archival material on his buddy, including a copy of M's autobiography SOMETHIN PROPER, his first book of poems FLY TO ALLAH, 1969, and another volume of poems CONFESSION OF A WIFE BEATER, 1981. T gave him the copy of his autobiography which was in mint condition. He retained the volumes of poetry but offered to help reprint them. And so it was, a rainy day in hell with the black white man and his childhood friends.
Part Two: The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea
by Dr. M (aka Marvin X)
The Chauncey Bailey Project continues to give us the story of incidents in the life of Your Black Muslim Bakery. While it is a good thing to see journalists and writers contribute to in depth articles on this story (and we consented to an interview with a student from UC Berkeley's Graduate School of Journalism) , it is approaching the level of overkill, repetition and redundancy. How many times can you go over the same facts or allegations? Thus, the Chauncey Bailey Project has quickly become an attack on Your Black Muslim Bakery in particular and Muslims in general, adding to the climate of hatred and disgust for Muslims in the Bay, in the US and worldwide. We suggest the media tone down the Muslim aspect of the story and concentrate on the fact that individuals may have killed Chauncey, since when do we see persons referred to as Christians when they are indicted for crimes?
The Chauncey Bailey Project has yet to tell us about the guilt, shame and grief of the entire African American community here in the Bay Area that has endured decades of embarrassment from the activities of YBMB. As in the case of Jim Jones who had compromised the black leadership of San Francisco long before his suicide mission in the jungle of Guyana, Dr. Bey compromised, perhaps through fear, much of the political and religious leadership of Oakland, to the extent that children suffered and he himself. As far as I know, he was never advised to seek help for his dark side activities. What kind of friend are we when we cannot help a friend, when we are too cowardly to tell a friend the truth and advise him to seek help, especially when it is well known he long ago crossed the line of propriety.
The matter of Chauncey Bailey and YBMB touches a sensitive heart string though out the community because the two were often comrades in struggle, especially when Dr. Bey and Chauncey both had programs on Soulbeat television for several years. Thus this tragedy is a community tragedy, not simply the murder of a fine journalist and the destruction of a community institution. It has affected the African American community and perhaps the community in general in a way we have not seen since the first OJ trial. As one friend noted at the time, "OJ put the entire black nation under stress with his bullshit." Today we are under stress at what has happened with Chauncey and YBMB as well as the continued mayhem throughout our community in the Bay Area, the homicides and especially the number of unsolved cases. Perhaps the police rushed to judgment with spurious facts only because Chauncey was a high profile personality. But the Chauncey Bailey Project appears to continue the myopia of Mr. Bailey by rehashing information for sensationalism, or does it have a demonic mission to bury any positive view of Islam in the Bay.
We are stressed that so called leaders are incapable of finding creative solutions to problems which are economic and mental health issues that don't take rocket scientists, nor will a military/police action resolve matters as we can see from the situation in Iraq. If the criminals and insurgents in Iraq can be enticed to end their mayhem and terror with employment and reconstruction aid, why can't the same formula be used throughout the hoods of America to entice youth to stop the violence and resulting destabilization of our beloved community? It appears there are those with a vested interest in the continued chaos--perhaps it is good for gentrification or "Negro removal."
It is time to heal the community grief associated with YBMB. No amount of writing will bring Chauncey back, nor will it bring back the bakery, but there are many people associated with both who have unresolved grief and need resolution so a community can move on to other critical issues.
Dr. M is an internationally recognized poet/playwright, essayist and social activist, one of the founders of the Black Arts Movement. His latest book is HOW TO RECOVER FROM THE ADDICTION TO WHITE SUPREMACY, available from Black Bird Press, POB 1317, Paradise CA 95967, $19.95. Dr. M will facilitate the next meeting of the Pan African Mental Health Peer Group on Friday, November 2, 7pm at the Berkeley Black Repertory Group Theatre, 3201 Adeline St., Berkeley. Call 510-355-6339 for more information.
by Dr. M (aka Marvin X)
The Chauncey Bailey Project continues to give us the story of incidents in the life of Your Black Muslim Bakery. While it is a good thing to see journalists and writers contribute to in depth articles on this story (and we consented to an interview with a student from UC Berkeley's Graduate School of Journalism) , it is approaching the level of overkill, repetition and redundancy. How many times can you go over the same facts or allegations? Thus, the Chauncey Bailey Project has quickly become an attack on Your Black Muslim Bakery in particular and Muslims in general, adding to the climate of hatred and disgust for Muslims in the Bay, in the US and worldwide. We suggest the media tone down the Muslim aspect of the story and concentrate on the fact that individuals may have killed Chauncey, since when do we see persons referred to as Christians when they are indicted for crimes?
The Chauncey Bailey Project has yet to tell us about the guilt, shame and grief of the entire African American community here in the Bay Area that has endured decades of embarrassment from the activities of YBMB. As in the case of Jim Jones who had compromised the black leadership of San Francisco long before his suicide mission in the jungle of Guyana, Dr. Bey compromised, perhaps through fear, much of the political and religious leadership of Oakland, to the extent that children suffered and he himself. As far as I know, he was never advised to seek help for his dark side activities. What kind of friend are we when we cannot help a friend, when we are too cowardly to tell a friend the truth and advise him to seek help, especially when it is well known he long ago crossed the line of propriety.
The matter of Chauncey Bailey and YBMB touches a sensitive heart string though out the community because the two were often comrades in struggle, especially when Dr. Bey and Chauncey both had programs on Soulbeat television for several years. Thus this tragedy is a community tragedy, not simply the murder of a fine journalist and the destruction of a community institution. It has affected the African American community and perhaps the community in general in a way we have not seen since the first OJ trial. As one friend noted at the time, "OJ put the entire black nation under stress with his bullshit." Today we are under stress at what has happened with Chauncey and YBMB as well as the continued mayhem throughout our community in the Bay Area, the homicides and especially the number of unsolved cases. Perhaps the police rushed to judgment with spurious facts only because Chauncey was a high profile personality. But the Chauncey Bailey Project appears to continue the myopia of Mr. Bailey by rehashing information for sensationalism, or does it have a demonic mission to bury any positive view of Islam in the Bay.
We are stressed that so called leaders are incapable of finding creative solutions to problems which are economic and mental health issues that don't take rocket scientists, nor will a military/police action resolve matters as we can see from the situation in Iraq. If the criminals and insurgents in Iraq can be enticed to end their mayhem and terror with employment and reconstruction aid, why can't the same formula be used throughout the hoods of America to entice youth to stop the violence and resulting destabilization of our beloved community? It appears there are those with a vested interest in the continued chaos--perhaps it is good for gentrification or "Negro removal."
It is time to heal the community grief associated with YBMB. No amount of writing will bring Chauncey back, nor will it bring back the bakery, but there are many people associated with both who have unresolved grief and need resolution so a community can move on to other critical issues.
Dr. M is an internationally recognized poet/playwright, essayist and social activist, one of the founders of the Black Arts Movement. His latest book is HOW TO RECOVER FROM THE ADDICTION TO WHITE SUPREMACY, available from Black Bird Press, POB 1317, Paradise CA 95967, $19.95. Dr. M will facilitate the next meeting of the Pan African Mental Health Peer Group on Friday, November 2, 7pm at the Berkeley Black Repertory Group Theatre, 3201 Adeline St., Berkeley. Call 510-355-6339 for more information.
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