I was born to be an activist. Since I was six years old, I have been at peace marches, walk ins, sit-ins, and the like My father was very instrumental in teaching me the "ropes" of activism. Teaching me about fighting for my rights whether it be fighting for race relations, fighting for education, fighting for womens' rights, fighting for childrens' rights, rights for rights etc. He did the March on Washington in the sixties (in 1963). I marched for Him in 1993 after a massive stroke made him weak and immobile. I even received my first kiss at a peace march.
Now at 38, I have been full circle. I have been to almost every type of march there could be from the Million Women and Million Family Marches, to the Million Mom March, to (many) release Mumia marches, to the Reparations march, to the Million Pagan March and all those marches in between. However, something rather; someone is instinctively missing from the majority of the marches: Black folks, African Americans-Homeboys, Sistas and all combinations in between. With numbers quoted as of 3 million Black men attended the Million Man March. 1.5 million attended the Million Women March at at least 500,000 at the Million Family March respectively, one would think that African Americans would continue to march brightly on; however, the opposite seems to be the case.
At all of the "War Against Iraq" marches that I attended, I see a sea of Caucasian America and just a "speck" of us. (WE are now actively engaged in the War Against Iraq despite UN disapproval)! Mumia marches are frequent and very important to keep police brutality down if ONLY in theory. However, we again came out in low turn outs. Did the police stop attacking Blacks and no one told me? Is DWB (Driving while Black) been secretly eliminated? Is the Black Panthers gone, and if so, where they did go? Have we become so complacent that we assume that we don't have to be activists anymore? What is causing this change from venue?
One may say : let the "others" do it! They're better at it! Let's stay home; shop, have fun and finger pop and eventually it will go away. Well, Brothers and Sisters, it's not going "away". This Iraq war is showing strongly not only is history repeating itself and that conflict is not going away especially any time soon. It's becoming far more complicated as well.
Race and money are becoming issues again. The Iraqis are "brown" skinned people living on very oil rich lands who according to President Bush, are American haters. It was not that long ago when race and money placed an significant role in wars. For instance, the First Gulf war-of course, the Grenada and Faulklands war, the War in Somolia, Pearl Harbor, WWI, WWII, and the costly, very political and the most racially motivated war known, The Civil War. I am so sure we all can go back even further for examples.
We can never ever be so lacked that we think that history can not be repeated. Remember "those who don't remember its history are doomed to repeat IT." We need to speak out: loud, proud and often. In marches and with our friends and enemies, in peace time and most definately during war time, in sunrise and in sunset or we may just return to slavery and other monstrous acts before we know IT! I will conclude with a quote from Pastor Martin Niemoller (in 1946) that sums up for me what needs to be done:
"First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out because I was not a socialist. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out because I was not a Jew. Then they came for ME and there was no one left to speak for ME!
Brothers and Sisters speak out! (I can't be everywhere!) Peace and blessings!!