Greetings Beloved Family,

And I believe that it becomes a troubled continent because there are those who must always cause confusion so that we do not keep these natural resources.
Miriam Makeba


Thought I would share a few reflections on the transition of our dear and beloved Mama Africa.
You know, many of us grew up, swaying gently to and being serenaded by the beautiful melodies of Miriam Makeba and will always have her in our hearts. She spoke and sung in the unconquered and unconquerable language of Mother Africa and so gently touched our souls.
In a time when respect for Africa was all but unthinkable, she like so many others brought me and I am sure many of you, a special message. A message of dignity and self respect. That there was a place called home, where we could be, love and celebrate ourselves in ways that could never be defined, or confined by the oppressor. And did not need their endorsement either. For me it was much later in life, before I was truly able to appreciate that she was a beacon of hope,for the liberation of African people everywhere and for the upliftment of all humanity. She not only sang and talked about love for and the liberation of Africa, but she worked and lived for the realization of that promise in every moment of her life. What an example of service and love.
I mean this sister, mother goddess, stood uncompromised and ultimately triumphant against the trials
and tribulations, the slings and arrows that came her way from the racist settler regime in South Africa.
A bunch of the original thugs and oppressors, who were in effect manifestations of the unsheathed point of the obscene weapon,that is imperialism.
The victory over that bastion of inhumanity was won by countless noble and unacknowledged souls, Miriam Makeba
stands in their ranks, an shining example to all, to us devoted to working for a better world. She stands now with, Malcolm X, Samora Machel, Walter Rodney, Patrice Lumumba, Sekou Toure, Kwame Toure, Che Guerva, Nzinga , Yaa Asante Waa, Marcus Garvey and the legions of other freedom fighters.
Of course we know that "A Luta Continua" ( The Struggle Continues). As Mama Africa made the rounds, visiting the liberated zones in Southern Africa and elsewhere, this message from FRELIMO in Mozambique was romanticized in her own rendition, written by Bongi, and later on our brother Big Youth's version. The message, "the Struggle Continues" reverberates across the decades, guided our sister and we would do well to heed in in these heady and sometimes, seemingly contradictory times of the apparently amazing achievement of Africans in America. Beautiful in word and song, spirit and body, our beloved ancestor was still a disciplined freedom fighter. A characteristic that has been and will remain vital to our every success.
We are reminded that in her dance through this life, our Mama Africa, showed that even at it's most daunting nadir, the African Star is always rising. We are ascendant, continuously reborn in the the heart and soul of our sacred circle--- our ancestors, those present in this time and our beloved unborn. As the brother said " you can kill the revolutionary you can't kill the revolution" Fred Hampton Sr.
Thank you Mama Africa for allowing us , the privilege and honor, to share this wonderful journey with you and along the way remember how to hold ourselves a little more tenderly, love ourselves a lot more, as we honor our motherland.
In the quiet moments of the dawn, or indeed anytime, I am quite sure I can hear the sweetly delicious echoes of Malika or Ngoma Nkurila that help lift us all to Higher Ground.
To honor your legacy and indeed all of our honored ancestors, I like so many who received your blessings pause at this bittersweet moment, to rededicate myself to work for the total liberation of African people and human rights and dignity everywhere.
As a Pan Africanist I am appreciative and inspired by your contribution to the restoration, the reconnection, the healing and renaissance of our people.
Medase Mama

Africa has her mysteries, and even a wise man cannot understand them. But a wise man respects them.

Miriam Makeba

Greetings Loyal Readers,
Been a long, long time time, but I am still working and living. In recent weeks the winds of chaos of the Wall St., global financial markets and the global economy have buffeted the lives of the rich, the middle class and the poor.(Actually these winds have been brewing for quite a while) The last grouping being a sector, that our great hope for the future, Barack Obama, does not directly mention in his campaign presentations. Then again, maybe I just missed that part in his speeches. In my opinion, this economic storm has historic and oceanic consequences.
Like nothing before, it seems to be an indictment of a system, an ideology, a culture, that places profit over people,that assigns worth and value to individuals and huge swaths of humanity, based on financial portfolio. The difference this time seems to be, that having gorged themselves on the material and human resources of the world, those who dominate the global economy, are now in the throes of wretched purging, an inevitable outcome of the brazen binging spree they were on for centuries.
What we are witnessing is not a mistake, not errors or indiscretions of a perfect system as those who worship at the altar of the market are bound to claim. We heard that before, in their own tales about the golden idols of Babylon.
The attempt to assign blame to one or the other sector of those of us caught up in the domination of this global leviathan is specious. Shameful attempts to blame the efforts of those,e.g. victims of the so-called sub-prime market, who in pursuit of the American dream were set up by the Pied Piper of capitalism. Many drown in the now evident whirlpool of falling home values, combined with terrifying plunge in the personal income/assets of a vast majority of the working class and now a even more painful credit crunch. Trillions lost from pension funds.
In effect these are symptoms of the deeper problems I just mentioned, a systemic/inherent faultline in the very character, the nature of the monopoly capitalism. Focused on the goal of maximizing profit, driven by the need to ever expand the markets of consumption and exploitation, compelled to dominate and control the resources of the many for the benefit of the few, the monster turns every event into an opportunity to ramp up its deathlock. It tightens the screws on the real source of its ill gotten gains, the natural and human resources of the world. They cynically offer a trickle down theory and twist the dagger of insult and injury further, as they indulge in the wealth created by the blood, sweat, tears and yes, genius of the oppressed.
So engorged with the blood of its victims, the beast is massive and unstoppable. Noble attempts to oppose it, win some transient victories, but lose the battle.
Attempts to accommodate oneself to the bullying of this kind of enslavement, lead like any disease to self denial, self destruction and death. The structure of abuse and exploitation has to collapse on its own contradictions. Our problem, common working people of the world, is not the same as those who rule.This is in effect because of the very concrete issue of identity and identification within the context of an oppressive global culture. It clouds ones ability to respond effectively top crisis and to appreciate the value of life itself or even to recognize one's own self and interests. Think back to the Stockholm Syndrome,or remembering Brother Malcolm's incisive observation about the house slave, may be of some help in this analysis. Indeed the master is sick, you read the rest as to why we should pray for a stronger wind. A tough proposition, but events seem to validate this with every passing moment.

I close with a few reflections and questions to consider.
Can those who run and have run things for so long, solve this problem of their own creation? They are at their wits end and trying to use the same medicine that created the crisis.
Indeed the govt. will probably have to turn to the same "experts" corporate raiders, to come up with the brilliant solutions to resolve this enigma. Check out who is the project manager for how to spend the loot from the seven hundred billion plus, bailout of Wall ST.
Even if they could save the Titanic/slave plantation, would that mean deliverance or
salvation for the rest of us.
How come in most calculations of the economic crisis the fact that this is a country engaged in a prohibitively expensive global war on terror, so-called, is not factored into the equation/popular discussion?

Check the following....
It might be helpful to dust off the work of John Kenneth Galbraith and to pay attention to Naomi Klein's thesis on disaster capitalism , particularly her refrain that "ideas have consequences" in relation the the legacy of Milton Friedman.
Reflect on Peter Tosh's prophetic chant " What a day when the dollar dies".

Yet all is not lost we will survive this mess as our ancestors have before. But we can only do so on our terms, this Titanic is listing heavily. We have seen the housing market jobs, credit etc., watch now for more disruption in the energy market and yes the challenge to the US dollar as the dominant global standard.
Of course those of us free enough to acknowledge our identity, could make a "b" line to our cultural fountain and look at, or lean on what has always delivered us. Our cultural legacy has within it, the seeds to create the world we want and need. We find that resource by turning to each other, for respite and solution to the trials and tribulations we face. Garvey among several said and lived the truth that we can and must be the solution to the problems that face us. Once we accept that responsibility these challenges become less ominous and the restoration of integrity, so vital to the integrity and validity of our liberation becomes an matter of course.
This process will yield results, because the fruits of our labor and creativity will be for the benefit of our own communities. The way of being we can create, can never come from our oppressor, never from the dominant culture. Even if it wanted to, it does not know how to be that humane, has not got the integrity or humility to ask.

Remebering the work and lives Honored Ancestord

Greetings Beloved Comrades,

This has been another momentous week on a personal, communal and global level, and I pause to reflect on some events in relation to the work, life and legacy of honored ancestors.

As you know August 13th, marks one year since Baba Asa Hilliard transitioned to that higher level of consciousness and being. Again I want to thank the Hilliard family for sharing this beloved son of Africa with us and appreciate those who paused in awareness, to honor and continue his work.

I was privileged to share a few precious moments with Mama Robbi but because of her dignified forbearance, I did not realize until after the conversation, in which I was requesting her assistance, that this week marked that anniversary and the emotional gravity that obtained. With classic nobility she attended to my requests, not once indicating the challenging sentiment of this first year since the transition of her beloved father. It was only after I called back that she acknowledged the weight of the moment. I share these private moments because it signals to us all, the importance of being in appreciative awareness of the love and dignity, the nourishment and creative genius of love that lies within. It is without reservation that I salute the Hilliard family for their devoted service to African people.

Begging your indulgence, I must mention that August 13, 1972, marked the transition of another beloved freedom fighter and healer, who is not known in these parts but is my ancestor. That woman hailed from Guyana, is another devoted child/daughter of Africa, a Garveyite, devotee of then Emperor Haille Selassie and servant of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, my grandmother.
This is also the time to remember, celebrate, honor and most importantly learn and continue the teachings and the work of the Honorable Marcus Mosiah Garvey. This is how I strive to remain connected to my ancestor.

Yes, I feel a little pride in noting that Baba Asa transitioned on the same day as Granny Sarah. To me both remain as beacons to better tomorrow, offering liberation and nourishing inspiration of work life and living today.
Following is a sample of the brilliantly nourishing work of Baba Asa.

To Be an African Teacher
By Asa G. Hilliard, III
Fuller Callaway Professor, Atlanta University
Former First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton has been criticized by right-wing conservatives—and even libertarians after her comments centering upon her book It Takes a Village: And Other Lessons Children Teach Us. Her catchphrase was, “It takes a village to raise a child.” Most North American patriots and corporate-backed propagandists argue that Ms. Clinton is asking too much of us regarding the education of our children—Asa Hilliard III moves in the opposite direction: he effectively says we are not doing enough. The words here suggest that it takes a refined and nurturing cultural foundation to raise a child—and the teachers of our children take up their task as one dutifully follows a religious calling.

…Ptahhotep, instructs the ignorant in the knowledge and in the standards of good speech. A man teaches as he acts… The wise person feeds the soul with what endures, so that it is happy with that person on earth. The wise is known by his good actions. The heart of the wise matches his or her tongue and his or her lips are straight when he or she speaks. The wise have eyes that are made to see and ears that are made to hear what will profit the offspring. The wise is a person who acts with MAAT [truth, justice, order, balance, harmony, righteousness and reciprocity] and is free of falsehood and disorder.

—Ptahotep 2350 B. C. E.
(From The Teachings of Ptahhotep, the oldest book in the world, 4750 years ago, an African book from KMT [“Egypt”]).

Many of us do not know it, but African people have thousands of years of well-recorded deep thought and educational excellence. Teaching and the shaping of character is one of our great strengths.

In our worldview, our children are seen as divine gifts of our creator. Our children, their families, and the social and physical environment must be nurtured together. They must be nurtured in a way that is appropriate for a spiritual people, whose aim is to “build for eternity.”

What a pity that our communities have forgotten our “Jeles” and our “Jegnas,” our great master teachers. What a pity that we cannot readily recall the names of our greatest wise men and women. What a pity that we have come to be dependent on the conceptions and the leadership of others, some of whom not only do not have our interests at heart, they may even be our enemies. Some actually seek to control us for their own benefit through the process of mis-education.

Henry Berry of the Virginia House of Congress (during the antebellum period) said this about African people:

We have closed every avenue through which light may enter their minds. If we could only extinguish the capacity to see the light, our work would be complete.

So we have two primary reasons for knowing our heritage in education and child raising, or socialization.

We have the best teaching and socialization practices ever developed anywhere in the world. These practices are still good for others and for us now.
The primary tool of our oppression is mis-education by our oppressors. We must regain control over the primary education and socialization of our children.
Everywhere on the African continent, from the time of the Pharoahs in Ancient KMT (Egypt) to the modern era, great African civilizations in many river valleys, from the Nile to the Niger and to the Cape, were the center of the most sophisticated education and socialization systems ever developed on the Earth. Some of these civilizations developed in Africa long before other civilizations developed anywhere else in the world. The vestiges of these brilliant African creations can still be found in Africa and throughout the African Diaspora (see Finch, 1998).

We must consider our ancient traditions; traditions that made us respected teachers all over the globe. Our people must hold their heads high in all matters that pertain to teaching and learning.

African traditional teachers were and are people of high character, who have deep respect for ancestors and for community tradition. African teachers accept the calling and the obligation to facilitate inter-generational cultural transmission. African teachers also strive for the highest standards of achievement in emerging science and technology, areas that have always owed much to African scholarship.

Our genius is a part of the foundation of the revolution in knowledge in physics, mathematics, engineering and cyber-technology. Our genius is present at the deepest levels of the arts and humanities. All of this is in spite of overwhelming resistance to our learning by determined oppressors.

Therefore, for many African Teachers, tapping the genius and touching the spirit of African children is not a mystery. Not only can our children learn, they bring awesome intellects to the task. It is a routine manifestation of the African teacher’s excellence to nurture this genius. Along with teaching content, teaching good character and social bonds are our historical and contemporary strengths.

African teachers, worldwide, share in a cultural deep structure, based upon an African “world-view,” a shared way of looking at the world and the human experience. This world-view channels the focus of African teachers, providing them with appropriate patterns for thought and practice.

While it certainly is a practical necessity to get academic degrees and certification from non-African institutions, such teacher training and legitimation is really minimal preparation for African teachers. We go far beyond these things to reach our traditional higher standards, whether we work in public or in independent settings, whether we teach our own children or also teach the children of others.

For the African teacher, teaching is far more than a job or simply a way to make a living. Students are not “clients” or “customers.” Our students and parents are our family. No sacrifice is too great for that family, for its growth and enhancement.

What is special about an African teacher? It is the world-view and the practice that comes from our world-view, even when it is a dim memory.

A teacher of African ancestry who does not go beyond certification and degrees to know or to embrace an African world-view is not an African! Cultural excellence is the essence of and African teacher. In all of our learning, we must acquire an understanding of ourselves and our heritage. This does not mean that we cannot learn from others. However, we must be critical learners, rejecting anything that is anti-African.

African teaching functions must be embedded in and must serve an African community. Traditionally, African communities have been identified by a shared belief in several key elements. It is these elements that are the foundation for African teachers.

The belief that the cosmos is alive.
The belief that spirituality is at the center of our being.
The belief that human society is a living spiritual part of the cosmos, not alien to it.
The belief that our people have a divine purpose and destiny.
The belief that each child is a “Living Sun,” a Devine gift of the creator.
The belief that, properly socialized, our children will experience stages of transformation, moving toward perfection, that is to be more like the creator (“mi Re” or like Ra, in the KMT language, meaning to try to live like God).
Since the deep guiding principle of “living like God” is to follow MAAT (Truth, Justice, Righteousness, Order, Reciprocity, Harmony, Balance), then African teachers focus the curriculum on the real and the true, on what was, what is, and on what can be, in keeping with divine principles.
African teachers place a premium on bringing their students into a knowledge of themselves and a knowledge of their communities. African people place great value on WHO each person is, on WHO the community is and the honored place that each member of the family occupies within the community.
African teachers respect mastery, and seek through apprenticeship to learn from truemasters, masters who are valued agents of the African community, who are steeped in the deep thought and behavior of the community, who exhibit an abiding unshakable primary loyalty to the community and who are in constant communication with the wise elders of the community.
African teachers recognize the genius and the divinity of each of our children, speaking to and teaching to each child’s intellect, humanity, and spirit. We do not question a child’s possession of these things. In touching the intellect, humanity and spirit within children, African teachers recognize the centrality of relationships between teachers and students, among students, and within the African community as a whole.
For the African teacher, teaching is a calling, a constant journey towards mastery, a scientific activity, a matter of community membership, an aspect of a learning community, a process of “becoming a library,” a matter of care and custody for our culture and traditions, a matter of a critical viewing of the wider world, and a response to the imperative of MAAT.
The African teacher is a parent, friend, guide, coach, healer, counselor, model, storyteller, entertainer, artist, architect, builder, minister, and advocate to and for students.
A brief sample of African socialization can be found in the work of K. Kia Kimbwandende Bunseki Fu-Kiau and A. M. Lukondo-Wamba, master teachers and authors of Kindezi: The Congo Art of Babysitting(1988):

The Kindezi can only be perceived and understood through the social context of the community it serves as an art and a big social responsibility. It is through the role that Kindizi plays in the community that one can appreciate its importance in the dingo-dingo (process) of shaping African social patterns. The quality and personality of the ndezi/babysitter, make by influence the quality and personality of the child in the sadulu (school place) and the community as well. Since it is the ndezi with whom the child stays all day long, the future of the child will greatly reflect the impact of Kindezi, the art of babysitting, not only upon the child but upon the society itself.

The contribution of Kindezi in Bantu societies in general, and the Kongo in particular, cannot be under-estimated or denied. The role it plays in all aspects of community life is so great that it merits erection of a monument. (p. 20)

…Though things are rapidly changing today in Africa, the Kindezi, in its substructure, still remains as a skill and are to be learned by all young community members, girls as well as boys, through an initiatic and practical process for, as a Kongo proverb would say, Kindezi M’fuma mu kanda (The art of babysitting is a baobab to the community), i.e., a string supporter of community economic activities… Babysitting, sala sindezi, is not instinctively acquired as some would assume or pretend. Dingo-dingo diena it is a process by which one discovers the mystery of human growth and reaches the total understanding of the psychology of the child.

By babysitting, one learns the wonderful skill of being responsible for another life and how to become a new “living pattern.” A “living pattern” is a model through which cultural values are transmitted from generation to generation. Through Kindezi, Africans acquire this skill, a skill that has made the African not only one of the most religious human beings on earth but, also, one of the most humanistic.

African parents, mothers in particular, have a great concern about their children’s childhood because they are aware that Kimbuta kia muntu, bonso kimuntu, ga mataba–“One’s leadership, like one’s personality, finds its roots in the child-hood.” Earlier events in the childhood life play an important role in adulthood. As such, great attention is paid to whoever has a role to play in the life of a child—the human being with the quickest copying mind. This basic understanding that childhood is the foundation that determines the quality of a society is the main reason that prompted African communities to make Kindezi and art, or kinkete, to be learned by all their members. Thus Kindezi is required in societies that want to prepare their members to become not only good fathers and mothers, but above all, people who care about life and who understand, both humanely and spiritually, the highly unshakable value of the human being that we all are. (p. 4–5)

Typically the African teacher leads a social collective process, one where social bonds are reinforced or created. In this social process, the destinies of the students are connected to each other, to their families, to their communities, to their ancestors, to those who are yet to be born, to their environment, to their traditions, to MAAT as a way of life, and to their creator.

From these few thoughts, one can see that the popular use of the African proverb, “It takes a whole village to raise a child,” is interpreted in a very trivial way, and is taken out of context. Africans who use the proverb understand it. It is a part of their world-view, their value system, a world-view and value system that may not be shared by those who quote Africans out of context. As Fu-Kiau and Lukondo-Wamba show above, the proverb is really about raising a village, not merely raising a child. It is not a matter of welfare as it is understood in the West. It really takes a whole village to raise itself, a village that values every member as a “living sun,” a village to which the child belongs, a village where every child is shown that he or she “will never be given away.” Clearly, this is a different order of “child care.” This is African teaching/socialization, and the incorporation of the child into the community.

Africans never take teaching lightly. It is a sacred calling. The long night of slavery, colonization, apartheid, and White supremacy ideology ruptured the traditional bond between African teachers and their nurture, and even their memories of that nurture. We have been reduced in our expertise, lowered in our expectations, and limited in our goals. We have even been dehumanized and de-spiritualized. We must return to the upward ways of our ancestors. We have forgotten our aims, methods and content.

We must not bring shame on ourselves and upon our descendants. We must bring light to the world again.

Selected References and Bibliography
Ainsworth, Mary (1967). Infancy in Uganda Infant Care and the Growth of Love. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press

Anderson, J. D. (1988). The Education of Blacks in the South, 1860-1935. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press.

Callaway, H. (1975). “Indigenous Education in Yoruba Society” in Conflict and Harmony in Education in Tropical Africa (Studies on Modern Asia and Africa : , No. 10), G. N. Brown and M. Hiskett (Eds.). Rutherford, N. J.: Fairleigh Dickinson University Press.

Carruthers, J. (1995). MDW NTR Divine Speech: A Historiographical Reflection of African Deep Thought from the time of the Pharaohs to the Present. London: Karnak House.

Erny, Pierre. (1973). Childhood and Cosmos: the Social Psychology of the Black African Child. New York: New Perspectives.

Erny, Pierre (1981). The Child and His Environment in Black Africa: An Essay on Traditional Education. New York: Oxford University Press.

Finch, Charles. (1998). Star of Deep Beginnings: The Genesis of African Science and Technology. Decatur, Ga.: Khenti Inc.

Fu-Kiau, K. Kia Bunseki and Lukondo-Wamba. (1988). Kindezi: The Congo Art of Babysitting. New York: Vantage Press.

Geber, M. (1958). “The Psychomotor Development of African Children in the First Year And The Influence Of Maternal Behavior.” Journal of Social Psychology, 47, 185-195.

Hilliard, Asa G. III. (1998). SBA: The Reawakening of The African Mind. Gainesville, Florida: Makare Publishers.

Pearce, Joseph Chilton. (1977). Magical Child: Rediscovering Nature’s Plan. New York: E. P. Dutton.

Webber, T. L. (1978). Deep Like the Rivers: Education in the Slave Quarter Community, 1831-1865. New York:W. W. Norton

Wilson, Amos (1991). Awakening the Natural Genius of Black Children. New York:Afrikan World Infosystems

Woodson, C. G. (1968). Miseducation of the Negro. Washington, D. C.: Associated Publishers (first published in 1933)

Asa G. Hilliard, III is the Fuller Callaway Professor at Atlanta University in Atlanta, Georgia. He may be reached at ahilliard@gsu.edu.

t r u t h o u t | Women Hardest Hit by Food Crisis

t r u t h o u t | Women Hardest Hit by Food Crisis

Our Economic Woes and Opportunities

Greetings Comrades,
A happy Monday to you and all your relations. After a wonderful weekend of nourishing "struggle", I felt obligated, indeed duty bound to share with you the fruits of our labor. A major aspect of our efforts was the examination of the prevailing economic crisis, our economic survival and what opportunities obtain therein. What resulted was a reaffirmation and clarification about our personal and collective human experience, of which economics is but one aspect.
Actually there was only three of us that gathered together and teleconferenced one sister into the conversation. It very quickly became clear, that what we are struggling with is beyond an orthodox construct of economics. Interestingly my wise brother had pointed observed that our economic solutions had to be linked to our spirit, the energetic dimension of our being. The poignancy of this point blew with refreshing brilliance into our deliberations.
We began, by affirming that the material conditions we face individually and collective, were untenable and out of this consciousness a new vision must emerged to move us to where we need to be. Initially we discussed the validity of the goal of economic sustainability with our collective and our community. The objectives towards that goal seemed quite obvious, do like our ancestors did, struggle collectively, develop co-ops, share our resources, "su-sus", box hand, think about, creating community housing, share our living space. Well this is not rocket science, the models exist...Maroon communities, the efforts of Marcus Garvey, the nation of Islam, Hebrew Israelite Nation, cooperative and intentional communities thrive in several areas of the US and beyond. The material resources, the knowledge, even the need exist. So what is the problem.
The question of trust emerged in our discussion, because even as we identified simple, affordable collective proposals the need for a functional level of trust, the need for sincerity, for comradeship marched into our consciousness with unrelenting pace. Why should we trust each and invest our hard earned and already short financial resources with each other, even if we all claim the same cultural identity, one love etc.
Now we could have proceeded on faith and said that, we will just have to trust each other. However, bearing in mind the admonition of that great sage that " we should tell no lies and claim no easy victories", we humbled ourselves. We agreed that in order to secure the trust needed to pursue an effective economic solution, we needed to build relations withs ethics and integrity and that this would be our essential investment. We believe that we need to invest time, intention and effort in getting to know each other to , know our comrades and as we "ground with each other" ( a la Walter Rodney's Groundings with My Brothers), clarity and trust will result and allow us to invest precious resources with each other.
Over the next few weeks this collective will do just that, build our relationships, so that we can create a healthy, nourishing way of being, that will allow not only to cope with the prevailing economic crisis but to facilitate the development of a sovereign, liberated community, made so because it will and can only come from our souls and from us nurturing each other as we move forward as comrades.

Peace
Sizwe

PS as we struggle to deal with our very real challenges over hear consider the plight of our relations on the continent and elsewhere.
The link above is the article dealing with the plight of that sister in Burkina Faso. As a people we can really tolerate a lot of trials and tribulations , but things are really dread.

Indepedence Day 2008

Greetings Fellow Travelers,
Here in the US, July 4th marks the highpoint of patriotism, so called, of the citizenry. There is little doubt about the fervent sincerity of those thankful souls who have found hope and deliverance on these shores and seek to pay tribute to the historical process that made it possible. But the Fourth of July has deeper and more complex implications than the messages evident in the parades, fly overs, firework displays, parties and barbecues. For many other people, many other nations, the Fourth of July marks a time of tragedy, for others the end of independence. In acknowledgment of Fredrick Douglas') haunting question, What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?, I offer in this additional thought, What to Humanity is the Fourth of July? To that question as to Douglas' the meaning of this holiday to the slave, has little to do with celebration, indeed it seemed then like a cruel prank and dehumanizing insult. As to the indigenous peoples of these lands Fourth of July, must have seemed like an obscene, vulgar, exercise of further humiliation by conquering forces of Europe. For both of these societies, the birth of the nation the cost of independence was paid for with their blood, with the destruction of their civilizations,the loss of their freedom and the slamming shut of the door of providence, by the material and cultural bondage of their relentless conqueror. In this enterprise therefore was the meaning of the Fourth of July to the slave, to humanity a crime against humanity itself.

From FD himself, two paragraphs of his historic critique:

"But such is not the state of the case. I say it with a sad sense of the disparity between us. am not included within the pale of this glorious anniversary! Your high independence only reveals the immeasurable distance between us. The blessings in which you, this day, rejoice are not enjoyed in common. The rich inheritance of justice, liberty, prosperity, and independence bequeathed by your fathers is shared by you, not by me. The sunlight that brought light and healing to you has brought stripes and death to me. This Fourth of July is yours, not mine. You may rejoice, I must mourn. To drag a man in fetters into the grand illuminated temple of liberty, and call upon him to join you in joyous anthems, were inhuman mockery and sacrilegious irony. Do you mean, citizens, to mock me by asking me to speak today? If so, there is a parallel to your conduct. And let me warn that it is dangerous to copy the example of nation whose crimes, towering up to heaven, were thrown down by the breath of the Almighty, burying that nation in irrevocable ruin! I can today take up the plaintive lament of a peeled and woe-smitten people".

"What, to the American slave, is your Fourth of July? I answer: a day that reveals to him, more than all other days in the year, the gross injustice and cruelty to which he is the constant victim. To him, your celebration is a sham; your boasted liberty, an unholy license; your national greatness, swelling vanity; your sounds of rejoicing are empty and heartless; your denunciation of tyrants, brass-fronted impudence; your shouts of liberty and equality, hollow mockery; your prayers and hymns, your sermons and thanksgivings, with all your religious parade and solemnity, are, to Him, mere bombast, fraud, deception, impiety, and hypocrisy-a thin veil to cover up crimes which would disgrace a nation of savages. There is not a nation of savages. There is not a nation on the earth guilty of practices more shocking and bloody than are the people of the United States at this very hour".

Turning to the historic plight, the genocide of indigenous people of this hemisphere, the thoughts are overwhelming and painful. Almost equal in intensity to the crime of this devastating holocaust, is the shocking dismissal, the mockery of the meaning of this experience to the first people. It is no less obscene than the pronouncements of those who reportedly deny the slaughter of the Jews by the Nazis. We must never forget that this declaration of independence was made on the bent but not broken, yet unconquered body and soul of the civilizations, that predated the arrival of the invaders of this hemisphere.

From Assata Shakur's blog:

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PanAfrican Perspective

Thinking of the Indigenous People this 4th of July
"...diseases was even used as a weapons by whites who purposely passed out smallpox-infested blankets to the Indians...disease might be called another battleground for the Indians...As to land consessions, disease through depopulation played a large part in the ultimate displacement of tribes...

The words of Four Bears, a Mandan chief who at the time was dying from smallpox, help make the subject more human, rather than one of abstract demography and statistics:

"Four Bears never saw a white man hungry, but what he gave him to eat...and how they have repaid it! I do not fear death...but to die with my face rotten, that even the wolves will shrink...at seeing me, and say tp themselves, that is Four Bears, the friend of the whites."

Atlas of the North American Indian
by Carl Waldman
p167

Update: Well how are the descendants of those historic actors faring today, the conquers still rule and the suffers still suffer. Obviously this is much too simplistic an observation of the current situation. Here are some observations that speak to the meaning of independence today, not only to the First Peoples and the descendants of enslaved Africans, but to humanity in general.

Well there is Barak Obama, 1st NON WHITE contender for Commander in Chief of the nation. Intriguing historic and psychological implications in light of our discussion.
Regarding the brutal state of the economy, what is the meaning of independence when the resources needed to exercise it are being snatched from the mouths of our children, by the astronomical increase in the price of food. A knock on effect and consequence of the global war on terror, that has lead to that factor so toxic to economic sustenance....destabilization, the character of war . Of course the war mongers make out like bandits.
Examine any area of endeavor, of the pursuit of life liberty and happiness and let's ask what to the native people, what to the descendants of slaves, what to humanity and indeed what to the rulers, does the Fourth of July mean in 2008?

Sizwe

Walter Rodney & Working People

Greetings,
Last Friday, June 13th, marked the 28th year since Walter Rodney was assassinated in Guyana by agents of the state. In tribute to the work and dedication of this scholar activist, a groundings of sisters and brothers was held in Little Five Points, in the Radio Free Georgia building, in Atlanta GA. Appropriately, the gathering was made up of working people, that strata of society that was essential to Walter's analysis, his thesis and his activism. This grounding humbly tried to remain true to the vital massage of integrity evident in Walter's work for the liberation of working people everywhere.This includes his appreciation of their critical role not only in the production of goods and services, but in the creation and maintenance of culture.
The focus of the discussion was on the conditions facing working people today and looking at Walter's scholarship and activism for direction. Essentially the cost of living, the cost of working is becoming increasingly prohibitive. This is realised in the price of energy in the US, the price of food globally and the impact on the lives of those who toil to produce the wealth for the mega corporations, but do not benefit from the profits. These were the issues, the economic oppression, injustice that informed Walter Rodney's understanding of the importance of grounding with his brothers and yes, sisters. Hopefully the message can make it into the consciousness of the others in academia, who seek to honor or be guided by the service of this intellectual worker.
Walter's appreciation and service to Pan Africanism was noted, particularly to the point that this was evident in his application of theory, of history, to the challenges in the objective conditions facing Africans and oppressed people around the world. Walter Rodney did put Marxist theory to significant use in his assessment, exploration and application of possible solutions to the plight of the oppressed. In this he was quite clear about the role of imperialism and its neo colonial and neo liberal structures in the oppression of the working class. Correspondingly Walter was not willing to give a "pass" to the contradictions within those oppressed communities themselves. Indeed it was on this critique, this level of integrity, that he challenged the corruption within Guyanese society in the 1970s and for which he was ultimately assassinated.
The major theme that emerged was the discussion was the inadequacy of the current dominant global culture in addressing the needs of the working class, indeed of humanity. To be sure, we noted that the current unipolar world, the dominant economic world order was not designed to serve the masses anyway. Walter Rodney's work, points to the need not only for an intellectual critique of the ills of imperialism, but for us to do the disciplined work of assisting in the liberation, the self emancipation of people's creativity, of people's power, to create a better world, a more humane society.
It was agreed by the gathering, that we should convene ongoing groundings in the communities of the working people of Atlanta, in this way we propose to honor the legacy of Walter Rodney by actively engaging the lives of the working class.

"People's Power, No Dictator"

The Worth of the Work We Do

Greetings,
I was reflecting on the ever present question of the worth and meaning of our work. It stands to reason that if we are spending the most productive part of our day, putting forth our best physical and mental efforts, a lot more than a nice paycheck should be forthcoming. I would be simplistic and suggest that whatever our vocation it should be nourishing to us and our communities. Is this your situation? This has been the quest of my work life so far and indeed in the relationships I have built, I have found that nourishment. So take a look around in your work station and appreciate the nourishment coming your way. If it is not....................question for you to answer.
In this stream of consciousness I reflected on the work of one dear sister and comrade and tried to wrap a few words of appreciation for the love, labor and wisdom that she is offering to the youth in summer camp.


If you have created a space for young minds to journey
Then you are fulfilled
If you have helped guide the youth to a place of safety and enlightenment
Then the honor is yours
If you have inspired the creativity in latent souls
Then you are the lightening rod
If you have helped soothe a bruised heart
Then you are the healer
If you have helped the young grow beyond their own selves
You are our sacred guide
If you have brought strangers together as friends and comrades
Then you are indeed mother goddess
Birthing
A better world for us all
Medase

On Current Economic Challenges

Greetings Friends/Comrades,
It has been a long time. Since I last posted the dire economic straits, have gotten even more dread and not just for the captains of industry and the mega corporations, who we see crying the blues in the corporate media everyday and then some. Indeed one could be excused for concluding that the major victims of this economic meltdown are the rich and powerful and that the common citizen caused the crisis by greed and risk taking, manifested in the fashionable reason for all current capitalist problems...the sub-prime market.
Well to me there are several factors that figure in this equation. Firstly the proposal that it is the inevitable outcome of a system driven by the principle of ever increasing profit and demand, that is coming apart on its own inherent contradictions.
Secondly the world has been experiencing this global war on terror that is extracting from humanity, particularly the Iraqi people, a terrible price for the imperial pursuits of the militarily dominant, global power. The economic costs of this war is a factor not normally included when the popular media, seeks to address the problems of the global market we suffer in.
In third place is the mega profits being reaped by oil barons from the astronomic rise of oil/gas prices, driven by the knock on effects of the war and the inability of the hallowed marketplace to balance that conundrum or maybe even desire to put a brake on rising prices. After all economic suffering for some adds up to huge profit for others.
My main thought this morning is that the rising cost of energy, transportation, housing, food and other staples of life, is having a devastating effect on working peoples lives and raising the question about the cost of working. Some are already finding that it is costing an obscene amount of money to actually get to work, even as the traditional benefits of pension, health, vacation and the like continue to shrink.
Well I don't think it all has to be doom and gloom. At the end of the day several sectors of society were already struggling, even when the economy was doing better. Now we may find it more appealing to look to our comrades and friends as we seek to address the economic challenges that face us. Indeed just on the level of transportation and purchasing or even growing food, it might be of significant benefit to revisit the option of a collective process as we work to improve the conditions of life and living in these times. Maybe it time to think, act, work and live in cooperative, collective communities, where we produce what we need and consume what we produce.
Peace
Sizwe

Work and Culture

Greetings,
It is a good thing when young people take the responsibility to seek out employment for the summertime, generate their own source of income,gain some vital work experience and it is wonderful that corporations, such as Six Flags offer them to opportunity do so. For the youth it is an act of responsibility, for Six flags, it is an act of civil responsibility by being offering corporate leadership to society, thereby enriching us all. So it came as a distinct surprise when I was told that my daughter would not be hired because of her locks and because she refused to exercise the option of seeking religious accommodation. Several issues emerge here, the main kind of defense is that Six Flags claims, it does not discriminate because you can get the job if you have a religious exemption. Nice but my position, grounded in constitutional and International Human rights, that Six Flags is a Signatory to, is that this policy is a violation of the basic human rights to choice, that is nit a health and safety violation. That the real reason for the discrimination is strictly economic, a marketing posture that is driven by the perception that people with locks are not good for business. Six Flags has every right to do that, but it violates this right by talk about religious accommodation a mere fig leaf to deter people that they deem unattractive form equal opportunity. Here are a few exapmles of corporations that hire people with locs. It would also be nice if the millions of patrons, many with locks themselves were aware of this apartheid policy

Working & Living the Beloved Community

Greetings Fellow Travelers,
I hope that this weekend was as enriching for you as it was for me. Still basking in the glow of the wonderful family/community celebration for my daughter the prior weekend, I was replenished by the commemoration of International Workers Day on May 1st. Then this weekend healing/liberating energy was released by the sacred gathering of African people in Atlanta, to commune with, honor and most of all take direction from the ancestors. That energy was indeed palpable for me and I am sure many others, who might not have been physically present at the two day ceremony. Loving appreciation is due to those devoted to offering these forums of honor.
But it was the sunrise grounding with beloved comrades, who hold a most special space of healing, liberation, restoration and creativity, that allowed me to fully appreciate the essence and scope, the functional meaning and value of these uplifting events of celebration. This work has the impact of facilitating in my life the pursuit of the sacred. The wisdom of love offered so generously by this collective, is for me an expression of our historic mission, it is the way we work and live, not only to honor the ancestors, but to hold that as permanent state of being. For us honor and love, our quest to increase good and be guided by our highest and most sacred aspirations is not a promise, or a struggle, it is our lifestyle, our way of being with each other and the world. We strive, without reservation to enrich our lives and make no apologies for the beautiful results that issue forth from our work and comradery.
Recalling the beautiful wisdom that allowed our wise sister, to offer that we ourselves are the "walking shrines" of our ancestors, such profound clarity. Even as we work to attain these lofty heights, I note that in our humble circle and I am sure so many others, the results of this consciousness is already in effect. I am proud and simultaneously humbled, by the expression of this dynamic. It is evident in the integrity of our relationships, the care, concern and tenderness that underscores our friendship with each other. There is the acceptance that allows us to be vulnerable with each other and the honesty that permits us to offer objective and principled support for each other.
In all this, we are guided by our historic mission to free ourselves from all forms of oppression, to heal from the trauma of the ongoing MAAFA and do our part to reconnect with and restore the circle. This is the legacy of our beloved ancestors, who liberated the space needed for us to come forth. This is in recognition that the first order of duty is to simply, attend to the immediate needs of our friends and family in struggle. We work as comrades, to create the world we envision and that our ancestors fought for, in the irrepressible quest for freedom.
I am sure that by now you are familiar with the theme of our struggle, and the underlying principles that guide this work.
For us the endgame, the strategic objective, is not the defeat of the oppressor. That is but an inevitable condition on our journey to our ultimate goal of freedom. Much like the surgeon, demolition worker, the soldier etc, our work as healers and freedom fighters, is to create the conditions for the liberation of the artist, the "freeing up" of our infinite creative potential.
The experience of this past weekend is just another example, that when we choose our agenda, when we are clear about who we are and our purpose, we can attain that victory, we can achieve our vision. Far from burying our heads in the sand as imperialism crumbles around us, we remain aware but not overly engaged in dealing with it's demise. We appreciate the observation by El Hajj Malik el Shabazz, about what the appropriate response of the slave when the master's house catches fire.
Even now we recognize and are committed to constructing the type of principled committed relationships amongst family and community, that must survive the end of imperialism. Drawing on the vital lessons of the Arusha Declaration, the Beloved Community, the principles of Ubuntu, Maroon Communities and even of course the Toltec we seek and are bringing forth a nourishing and enriching world.Our collective offers us the ever present opportunity to do just that, but at one higher dimension, we are about being, about living in the present, the world we envision. It is possible because we offer that world, that affirmation through the sacred connection we have with each other and the world. As Peter Tosh and so many others offered "the word is, as it always was...love". Not a concept, a promise, a dream or a vision, love is our lifestyle, our life's work.

Labor Day Greetings

Greetings To All,
Thursday, May 1st, was the celebration of International Workers Day, initiated by international workers to commemorate the Haymarket Massacre, 1886 in Chicago.
Today, I would like to extend warm and fraternal greetings to all who struggle, toil to feed, house and clothe their families and the rest of the world. In this increasingly challenging, for some overwhelming, global community the vital role of the working class comes into stark relief. If any practical solution to the issues of the international and domestic economies, global warming, the chaos of war etc, thenworking people will remain as we always have the crucial ingredient for winning peace, justice and integrity for all.
Indeed working people are increasingly being forced to bear the brunt of the devastating rise in food prices, the dislocation as a result of war and climate change. Compliments to the valiant visionary action of the Longshore Workers on the West Coast of the USA, who stood tall on Thursday against the tyranny of war.
Too often workers forced to endure the in your face arrogance, of the super rich, whose tainted fortunes, often produced or stolen from the said communities, continue to rise on the backs of the working poor. Witness the chronic oppression of the poor communities in Nigeria, who had the misfortune to be born/located upon the black gold that Chevron, Shell and others seem to claim as their birthright. This predicament is cause for much frustration and even anger, but could also give direction to the permanent struggle to for justice and freedom, in effect to remain on the upward trend of the human experience.
One dimension of this observation relates to the question of relationships, what nature of relationships does the prevailing conditions dictate.
To me it is about unity and solidarity among working people, built not only around the acknowledgement of our common plight, but of equal importance, the fact that we are stronger together, and can create the world we desire only if the fruits of our labor and knowledge are organised to meet our needs and goals.
So on this labor day, I offer wishes for the best of times for you and your loved ones. But I really hope that we work for a common agenda, that the outcome be to build a global and local community, where individual workers, on the job or in the home, become friends and friends become comrades in the universal struggle for a better world, a more humane culture as the ultimate goal of our labor.
Check out indymedia and allafrica.com for some labor day coverage.

Towards A Nurturing Work Environment

Greetings,
Challenging to do regular postings, ironically due to work schedule and changes, positive ones, on the home front. Anyway here I go with today's post.

About a nurturing work environment:


A key ingredient in the aspect of job maintenance is that of the experience of nourishment. This is obviously a multi faceted factor, but based on a primal need to be in the natural process of growth, growth facilitated by the care, support and motivational resources available and accessible. The nourishment we receive, the validation of our thoughts and efforts, while engaged in our major and often most productive activity, defines the quality of our work experience and by extension all other aspects of our life. I propose that job maintenance is a concrete outcome of this of a nurturing work environment, a responsibility that rests on the shoulders of the employer, the individual worker and the team as a collective cultural expression. So I will attempt to list some of the elements that may be considered to meet our need for nourishment, not exhaustive and in no particular sequence of importance:



1. Acceptance
2. Accommodations
3. Affirmation by coworkers and supervisors
4. Accessibility of leadership
5. Cultural cohesiveness
6. Community feeling in work place
7. Comradery
8. Challenge
9. Comfort level of workplace
10. Sense of integrity
11. Encouragement
12. Nourishment
13. Opportunity for growth



This list can go on and on and yield uniquely personal expectations that still hold true to the underlying theory. The workplace like any other area of endeavor, must meet our primal human needs in order for us to be productive. The failure to do so, or worse, if the workplace becomes a threat to our essential human needs, the goal of job maintenance and a fulfilling and productive work experience, would most likely be compromised. Simply acknowledging the very real human needs of all in the work environment, can go a long way towards creating the desired conditions. If you are in a situation where your needs and concerns are continuously kicked to the curb, or devalued, you may want to consciously take responsibility for the solution. If not the inevitable burn out, or at best frustrated survival and resentment, may well become a looming, too persistent feature of one's occupational landscape.

Returning to the 9 to 5

Greetings Fellow Travelers,

Been a while since I last posted and I apologize. Over the last two weeks and even more, I have been settling in to my new job. Getting there has been quite an interesting journey for me, as I am sure you can appreciate. Despite my concerns about the implications for our lives as related to being employed via the contemporary job market, the sense of economic security that therein obtains, is hard to deny. This is true particularly in light of the fact that more desirable alternatives for meeting our basic living/economic needs, are at best limited and for a significant number, non-existent. So I would like to explore some of the questions or challenges, that emerge from this line of thought.
It seems to me that the effort to create self-sustaining economic structures, needs to be pursued with renewed vigor. We have many wonderful examples of individuals and groups, who have been able to, think outside the box, step away from the mainstream, and do their own thing, start their own enterprise. Indeed and ironically, it is these very initiatives that often end up becoming the dynamo of mainstream economic activity. The examples are endless, from Johnson Publications, the Nation of Islam, Oprah Inc., Bill Gates and on and on, indeed some of the wealthiest in the world, have done it outside of the conventional model of employment. Despite those examples and appreciation of our inherent creative capacity to sustain ourselves economically and the tremendous potential our dormant individual and collective resources, most of us remain wedded to the 9 to 5 as the primary model for sustaining and living our lives. I propose that what we are experiencing, indeed what drives most of us, is a process of learned dependency, pervasive in societies with glaring imbalance of power, that expresses itself in the experience of, or challenge to, our health and wellness, economic security, opportunities to develop and experience life from one's own creative "well".
Two final thoughts or options for us to consider if you, like me, find economic independence a desirable goal. It is, I believe, essential that we recognize that the wealth we are trying to get in order to meet our needs or to flourish, will for most of us come from one place or via one primary process. What we desire, as expressed in our visions of achievement, will surely be brought forth, presented by the universe. But I am equally convinced that it will be produced by us who dream the vision. The visions will emerge be fulfilled, from the potent validity of our conscious convictions and the valiant action needed to pursue, nay, to work for, to produce our wealth for our deserving selves. Regardless, many of us will continue to produce, making wealth everyday, the question that obtains here is whether, as a result of our devoted service on the 9 to 5, will the fruits of our labor enrich and nourish our lives or someone else. The other point I offer here is that we have to cleanse ours minds, examine our belief system, that implicitly suggests that our worth, our potential, only has meaning or validity, when endorsed by some external power or authority. That power structure, the system that may been seen as providing a living for us, exists only as a result of our concrete service to the machine. The job needs us as much as we need it, indeed the job is naught without the worker, to the contrary our worth is unconditional, independent and our capacity to create and produce, undeniable.

Stable Home and Getting the Job

Greetings Friends,
I recently had the pleasure of visiting a program dedicated to providing services to families transitioning from crisis or otherwise oppressive situations. There was of course, several laudable features about this type of work, mission, that is driven by caring concern for the well being of fellow human beings. One feature that stands out for me is the sensitivity to the fact, that people coming out of abusive, oppressive situations need comprehensive support, in order to successfully accomplish routine objectives and the vital task of returning to or beginning gainful employment. Indeed this need is not limited to those struggling with the more blatant forms of oppression or exploitation. Restoring a basic sense of balance, of security that offers a stable, nurturing and long term place of residence is a critical element in this objective. The person coping with the challenge of recovery from chemical dependency or a period of homelessness, is dealing with at least a "double whammy". This often puts them at a significant disadvantage in the employment market and even when they do succeed in finding work, the actual transition, adjustment phase, is far from complete. So it was refreshing to learn of programs that reflect in their service the understanding that crisis intervention is just that, and recovery is a long term goal due to the awareness that healing takes time. The recovery environment, the living space, has to reflect those well worn principles that offer a healthy change in relationship with "people, places and things" in a more than less, permanent way, a need. So we are back to the basics, relationship as the key factor in almost any endeavor and definitely the one of Work, Life and Living. Just from the initial interaction with staff at recovery and transition facilities, one can glean how important the need to develop ethical relations with those being served is understood. It is from those relations that vital trust is built to facilitate the sharing about the essential, the functional need, for a safe and stable home. Often this is the very aspect of the lives of survivors, that has been seriously compromised, impacting in a disabling way, on the capacity to move from victim to survivor, and accomplish the ultimate task we all have, of creating a healthy and sustainable lifestyle for self and relations.

Every day should be Working Women's Day

Greetings Sisters and Brothers,
It is laudable and simultaneously troubling that we have to set aside a specific time to do what we should be doing everyday and all the time, appreciating the never ending contribution of woman. So, it is my conviction that everyday, should be noted as working women's day, because in effect, that is what it is. Days only possible, because of the work of women. Among the troubling revelations that may obtain by taking a more comprehensive look at the work of women, is that we would be forced to acknowledge the ongoing, institutionalised oppression of women.
In effect the tacit legalization of a despicable crime against humanity, through the wanton abuse of womanhood. In times of war and peace and for too many women, it has always been long night of fear and violence, and too often days of thankless struggle, toil and disrespect.
It is evident, in a global order, in the dominant global culture, and subcultures,that for all intents and purposes this is a man's world, in which women may participate only at the invitation of men. The commanding heights and the essential expression of contemporary society, is almost totally male, in form or essence.
The efforts of the women and their male allies, who have broken the barricades of gender oppression, have helped to humanize us all and it is this aspect that I find most enriching, most hopeful. Aware, that most of you are familiar with the horrendous abuse of women, around the world, I will not insult your consciousness by recounting the myriad of situations that should have all humanity up in arms. There is a world war being waged, if not for the destruction of women, certainly for to intensify and sustain their dehumanization. This is particularly evident in the global war on terror, and the never ending imperial war to procure, dominate and exploit the human and material resources of vulnerable societies. Those who work to assert the human rights and dignity of women, generously offer us all the chance of redemption and restoration of the integrity of humanity. This is a job of monumental significance, a sacred duty.
One area of endeavor that I have found of tremendous value, is that of how we perceive the role of women in the context of reproduction. At risk of being too idealistic, I would suggest that the failure to pay even more attention to the contradictions inherent in the work of procreation, of motherhood, has led to some really twisted attitudes and policies towards women and resultant oppression.
I view the process of reproduction as a creative, endeavour in which woman grants man the opportunity to participate. Not to disavow the obvious value of our contribution as men, but I believe it would be accurate to view our participation as an honor and a privilege, and proceed from that consciousness. I am not proposing that women's role be elevated to a position of superiority, but in a value system, where the status of men has been superior, I feel that the question of the validity of that relation is in order, and that it should be corrected. Again, I will refrain from presenting the obvious, suffice it to say that the privilege of choosing a mate, dehumanizing in itself, has mainly been the right of the male.
In order to attain justice for all, liberation and to truly value the human experience, these forms of oppression have to be done away with. But again, of equal importance is concrete, functional appreciation the role of women in the creative process, of the facilitation of the development and coming forth of life itself. Family, community and the state itself needs to institutionalize and express in their relations in policy and practice and in the culture the value of womanhood. The nation state and the international community needs homage and model respect for to the inherent and irreducible worth of women.

Here are a few propositions for your consideration:

1.That we continue to challenge the assumptions about gender value.

2.Take a close look at the implications of gender based power dynamics for all
relationships and particularly those built around the reproductive process.

3.That in reviewing the creative relationship we honor the humanity of all involved
by recognising that the opportunity to share in the life of another human being
is a privilege that is valid solely on the discretion of the other party. In the
context of this discussion, the woman decides if she wants to share her body and
the mother, whose duty it will be to bear the fruit of labor, must in principle be
accorded the authority commensurate with her contribution.

4.The plight of women around the world needs to be acknowledged even more
directly,recognised and defined, as a product of a deliberate, historic and
institutionalised policy to oppress and dehumanize women. That this status, as
already laid out in various human rights forums, needs to be brought into the
popular consciousness and engaged with the same, or more intense investment as is
the global war on terror,the death penalty and other human rights abuses.
In almost every conflict, in contemporary and historic times, we see that the
women experience devastating victimization and have little to gain from
whatever men may be supposedly fighting over.

5.Finally, in all aspects of human endeavor, all work,the contributions and most
importantly the wisdom of women, should be sought after and respected in
pursuit of a more humane and dignified world for all.

International Women's Day

Greetings Fellow Travelers,
Recognizing that this day and this month, Women's Herstory Month, has been set aside to do what we should do every day and all year round, I thought I would like to offer my gratitude to all you wonderful women.

Thank you for allowing us
Allowing me to share
To share life
Have the honor
Of participation in the creative process
That most sacred duty
Most vital responsibility
Of creating life itself
Thank you for receiving me
Being generous enough
Allowing us, men the joy
The joy of planting seeds
Thank you for the embrace
Of love and infinite wisdom
The genius that is love
The genius that is love
Thank you for the wisdom
The wisdom that is tenderness
The wisdom that is tenderness
With which you nourish and grow that seed
Guiding with deft hands
And technical skill
Skill with loving devotion
Working as only you can
Through a journey
Fraught with danger
Challenge and opportunity
Beyond any we can ever conceive
On this side of creation
Woman you make it happen
For nine months more
Bearing your burden as honor
With elegance and grace
Bearing your burden as honor
With elegance and grace
You woman facilitate the coming forth
Life in beautiful form
Life in beautiful form
Precious dreams of infinite tomorrows
Woman
Thank you for indulging us men
Permit us to claim ownership
Control over a sojourn
We men can't control
Would be wise to humbly appreciate
Thank you for rising to the challenge
Of motherhood, sisterhood
Attending to this task
Even when you are nourishing, caring for
The fruit
Even when of another tree
Just by being you
Thank you working women
For creating the space
For us all to plant our hopes and dreams
For all humanity to reap
To harvest the future
Thank you for teaching
For the enlightenment
To learn what work really is
And what life really means
Appreciate you woman

The Focus of Our Work

Greetings Fellow Travelers,
It has been a challenging week,as I engaged various aspects of the elements blocking to successful completion of the work to make our lives better. When I think about the universal struggle for social justice, for human rights, a pattern of distress among the campaigners is evident. Work such as conflict resolution, advocacy for victims of oppression, crisis intervention, struggling to break free of the ubiquitous chains that bind us to systems that do not nourish, is profoundly demanding and the rewards often few and far between. It is a tremendous testimony to the character of our valiant comrades, that they continue to struggle, often times as unsung volunteers, without pay or other reward, material. We become experts on fighting oppression, but in the process run the risk of paying for that devotion to the cause with our soul. We fail to be gentle with, to care for and to nourish ourselves.
The focus, of our work, becomes obscured by that "nose in the grinder approach". In my opinion the ultimate product of our struggle is not only to overcome oppression, but to create and experience our vision of liberation and enrichment of our humanity. It is essential that, even in the midst of the struggle, we continue to live our vision of the better world we are bringing into being. It is understandably alluring to become experts at diagnosing, assessing and fighting oppression. I posit that imperialism and the agents of the system have institutionalized, created a culture of pathological orientation, used to oppress and can draw us to a life of working to defeat this enemy. But even as, we work to overcome our challenges, my message is that we remain conscious and dedicated to our strategic objective, and constantly in thought, action and relations to our comrades, notice that we are on the upward trend. We should live, be the model of the world, the victory we are trying to achieve. The focus of our work, what we are fighting for, not just against, has to be evident as nourishment and enrichment of our lives, here and now.

Some Aspects of the Role of the State in Work, Life & Living

Greetings My Friends,
Yesterday, I spent some time looking at the work of the state in serving the essential needs of citizens and guests for safety and security. Obviously the role of the state has many other critical aspects, another of which is the organization and management of the resources of the people and the land. A seemingly noble endeavor, but when looked at in the context of imperial aggression and dominance, colonialism and neo-colonialism, the execution of this duty has sinister and devastating results on the subject peoples and the land. The imposition of taxes by colonial oppressors/invaders was intended to generate a dependable stream of revenue for the state and relatedly, control and define the economic behavior and priorities of the colonial subject.
From the book, "Land, Degradation and Society by Piers M. Blaike, Harold Brookfield" comes the following observations. Taxes ".......provided the state with an income independent of the fluctuations in crop yields and prices". Pg. 104
"One instrument abolished under later colonialism, this being slavery, once more effective methods had (to be) devised for the extraction of labor and produce" Pg 105
In the culture of the contemporary state, the collection of taxes has become a "sacred" duty.Interestingly, the supposedly independent states continue to use elements of this system, with fierce devotion.
Imperial campaigners in Africa, Asia and other conquered lands, made clear their intention as mentioned before, the interests, concerns and needs of the native, or other oppressed communities were not of significance to the rulers. This equation of wage labor, outside of the home or community, with the expression of social responsibility and accountability, had to be forcefully branded into the consciousness and behavior of the people. In the book "Story of the Congo Free State" pg 582, Mr Chamberlin justifies the principle of taxing the "natives". That".....the progress of the native in civilization will not be secured until he has been convinced of the necessity and dignity of labor". Not an absolute as slavery blatantly showed.
For these people , the fruits of their labor,generally did not benefit or otherwise improve their life. The essential goal of the "head tax and the hut tax", was therefore to secure that labor, by demanding taxes, that could only be paid, with monies earned by working for the entity , which had the capital, accumulated from the very taxes and productivity of the people who had heads and lived in huts. The devastation of native culture and lands in pursuit of imperialism and colonialism has often been undervalued,as has been the lethal instruments of commercialization and the financial/economic systems.
The neo-colonial state dedicates vital resources to the collection/retrieval of taxes and the pursuit of goals that are functionally similar to their historic oppressors and strip the working people of their humanity.
Again insight to the arrogant, racist views of the colonial oppressors, is found on pg. 581 of The Congo Free State, "It has been said that if Africa is ever to be redeemed from barbarism, it must be by getting the Negro to understand the meaning of work by the obligation of paying taxes"
The point we are making here is that Africans, have always understood appreciated and celebrated work in their own lives, evident in the massive contributions to humanity, and that these pronouncements were shameful attempts to cover or justify the shameful enterprise of imperial domination or so called manifest destiny. The work that we are seeking to honor, to appreciate, is that which contributes to the nourishment and enrichment of our lives and humanity in general and not just to the rulers of the empire.
Obviously, this is not exhaustive study of the problems with the tax structure and system, but I pause for today and reflect on the implications and relevance of this discussion to contemporary human economy.

The Work of the State and Our Life

Greetings Fellow Travelers,
When we think about work, our life and living it, we often perceive the expression of that experience as a measure of the individual citizen, at least in my opinion. "We can make it if we try hard enough", which is a fair, but not an absolute fact. However I would like to examine the work of the state, as it relates to the individual and collective experience of the society/nation that it has been commissioned to serve. I offer my definitions of the state, citizen and the other attendant elements as related to this discussion. The state herein refers to that entity,chosen by the citizenry or selected by another authority, to serve their collective interests and needs. Resist the urge to begin questioning, if the state is democratic or not, we will get to that in another discussion. The citizen refers to all those who happen to fall under the political jurisdiction of the state, and in its functional sense, would have to include those who temporarily or permanently reside therein.

Point is, that in discussing the work of the state, what begins to emerge is the fact that our understanding or definition of that actor impacts in a very direct way our individual and collective experience, essentially as related to our human rights. In effect there is an inherent and vital understanding/expectation that there is a contract between the citizen and the state. When one or the other party fails, neglects or in any way compromises their obligations, the contract has to be voided. Of course, the relevance of this process, would call into question the nature of the state.

I would offer that the most vital responsibility of the state is public safety, to protect the life of the citizens and prevent injury. To me this is the defining element and the fundamental reason for the existence of the state and the precondition for the loyalty of the citizen. Not only does this challenge the validity of the contract, but that condition then commands a reappraisal of the responsibilities of all involved, but primarily the citizens who hired the the individuals or groups to serve their needs and interest.

Throughout history this challenge has been encountered and dealt with and produced a range of results. The American revolution being one such example. When the state, not only fails to fulfill these constitutional obligations, but becomes a hazard to the wellbeing of the citizens then the implications are even more stark. However that situation, would not only implicate the state and the actual citizen and local civil society, but also the international community. Yes as you might have guessed by now, I am thinking about the several countries, where for all intents and purposes that contract seems to have been broken. That the experience and even possibility of life has been jeopardized, not by the failure of the citizen to be productive, but by the inability of the state to do the work of defending and advancing the life interests and needs of the people.

Reflect on this quote from the Declaration of Independence of the United States of America,
"But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security".

Homemakers

Greetings,
I would like to salute those workers who toil around the clock, 365 days a year to make and maintain the homes that are the fundamental building blocks of society. Indeed it is the home that provides the base for all other operations of human endeavor. The most essential of which is the bringing forth and nurturing of the children, the future workers needed to build the society, maintain and advance it. I am sure few of us would question the proposal that the job of raising our families and maintaining our homes is anything less than the most sacred and ultimate responsibility. Yet what is apparent, is an almost universal culture that at least takes for granted, at best patronizes and in effect, through attitude and public policy, seems to disregard and disrespect the role and contributions of this sector of the work force. I am tempted to point my finger at the dominant global cultural of the west and I do believe that it is in large part the source of this dilemma.However, I cannot ignore the fact that, this dynamic obtains almost all organized societies. Kudos to the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela for paying attention to these sectors of society in a concrete way.
Just a few points to illustrate my proposal, the classic definitions of a successful society in contemporary times are rooted in a very narrow, ironically simplistic concept of economics. True, there is a the very necessary struggle around the production and distribution of resources as a primary human responsibility. Into this paradigm, the worker, or institution that produces most of the goods and offers most of the services would seem to be the most desired but is often not the most valued. Those individuals and structures that control and dominate the system, affirm their value by awarding to themselves the power and the glory, that basically maintains their position and enriches them materially and financially. In this process the laborer and the thinkers who actually conceptualize, design and produce the wealth are relegated to the bottom of the ladder of society. This is not just a question of status, but has devastating material impact on those without power. Consider the plight of the slave plantation, the most productive being the most abused and least rewarded. Consider the plight of workers today, that in this time of massive, unheralded productivity in the world, their living conditions, life experience of their families remain is serious jeopardy. It follows that those who toil in the homes would be kicked to the curb and the vital contributions of the homemaker be seen as almost irrelevant.
But here, in this spot, pause to recognize, respect and honor the work of those , who make the work of society possible, is in order. This is for the parents, who whether they have a lot or a little, manage to figure it out and house, clothe and feed their children and families, so that they can then go forth to contribute to society.What is their salary, what is their worth as measured by the defining parameters of income? In popular almost institutionalized questions eg "How much is Oprah worth? etc, the measure of our significance to society indeed our human worth, is reduced to our ability to generate finance capital. Those homes provide the vital space refuge, replenishment and production, that is the base upon which everything that society is and that is celebrated as achievement and expression of the superior humanity of the power elite. Today and forever heartfelt appreciation to the homemakers.

Thoughts on the work and life of Fidel Castro

Greetings,

"I will not aspire nor accept-I repeat I will not aspire or accept -the post of President of the Council of State and commander in Chief", says Fidel Castro, announcing his retirement on Monday 18th, Feb 08. Despite the ideological challenges and the relentless campaign by his enemies, Fidel Castro has prevailed and completed his share of the work needed to create a better life for the people of Cuba and indeed several other countries in the world. This life journey of Castro, examined on its own merit, is for me an outstanding example of the work of leadership, service and principled dedication to the meaning of struggle, that being to create a more humane and just world, and to stand in active solidarity with others on the same journey.

No doubt many will continue to criticize Fidel Castro's policies as being undemocratic and in violation of human rights of the citizens of Cuba. However evidence of the lack of credibility of this propaganda is the career of Fidel Castro itself and the quality of the life for the Cuban people. The UN Human Development Index, puts Cuba ahead of almost every other Caribbean state and ahead of the USA in several areas of life. But it is to the work of Castro's solidarity with the people of the Africa, the Caribbean and the remainder of the Americas, that I would like to direct your attention. The assistance offered by Cuba has been profound in the areas of medical assistance, free education and training of large numbers of students from around the world, including the United States. In fact the efforts of Castro, Chavez and others to extend concrete support for their neighbors, comes out of a long tradition of concern and investment in the well being of sister states and the plight of the people in this hemisphere. More popular examples include the support offered by the Haitian Revolutionary state, for Simon Bolivar and his campaign to free the people of South America from imperialism, the role of freedom fighters from Jamaica and other territories in the revolutionary struggle in St. Domingue.

However the most profound contribution of Castro and the Cuban people to this historical epoch, is to me the fact that they managed to wrest from their oppressors, the right to be a free and independent state and to sustain that independence. Aside from Haiti and the compromised attempt in Grenada, under the New Jewel Movement, no Caribbean or Latin American state has been able to make a clean break with their imperial oppressors and to escape the neocolonial clutches of the American Empire and much less to sustain their sovereignty. We watch with guarded optimism, the noble efforts of the Bolivarian Republic, Bolivia, Ecuador etc. , that seem to promise a new day for justice, dignity and independence for the historically people of the region.

The example of Cuba, that it is possible to have a model of society that is not defined and controlled by the dominant Western culture, has been a serious challenge to the global rulers. Much the same, as liberated, maroon societies offered a "dangerous example", to the pervasive slave plantations of the African holocaust on which western capitalism was built. That devotion to the quest for freedom that haunted and still does, the global oppressors, but offered for us a breath of fresh air, in the promise that we could be free to work, to live, be free, to have peace and love and raise our children, shape our societies as we saw fit. This has inspired the spirit and meaning of the Caribbean itself . That community of hope and promise, where people captured, abused and brutalized in a maelstrom of blood and iron, shook off their chains, rose up against the criminal enterprise that was the European invasion of Africa, the Western Hemisphere and elsewhere. Caribbean people looked their oppressors in the eye and affirmed their inherent worth by humanizing the very dungeons/territories, which were constructed to dehumanize our people for generations. This is the meaning of Fidel Castro's life and this was the legacy that informed his work for Cuba and the Caribbean .

Castro is correct when he states that "History will absolve me", for us that absolution is a living example of the failure of the forces of evil to crush the ever rising humanity of the Cuban, Caribbean and all oppressed people. Fidel Castro's life and work has been and will remain for me, a lived and living model of the essence of the irreducible creativity of the Caribbean itself.

Valentines Day and the Life of the Workers

Belated Valentine's Day greetings and some thoughts

To you and all your loved ones. My comrades have shared, that the experience of the giving and recieving tokens and expressions of love should be an everyday occurance, and I agree. Yet the joy and sweetness of this celebration of love, is tainted by the fact that it is the omnipotent marketplace and not the heart is what defines the day. That marketplace has one essential objective, that of the maximization of profit even at the expense of human rights. Today I would like to briefly examine the implications of this wonderful, universal expression of love and caring, on the workers who toil to grow and process the flowers and cocoa, for the chocolate and those who dig the diamonds out of the earth.

The International Labor Rights Forum has as its banner that "Labor is not a commodity". What a wonderful promise. But for those of us whose ancestors experienced the lash of slavery, being commodified, globalized, being chattel has been the defining elements in our recent history. Looking at the conditions faced by the Africans who grow flowers for the European markets , about one third of which is grown in the now embattled nation of Kenya, I am struck by the similarities to the days of slavery. The farms are owned mostly by Europeans, local officials are typically on the take and the workers are dependent, not only for salary but also for housing, health care, child care and so forth. I would suggest that in many ways, those workers are as dependent as those enslaved ancestors were. The Kenyans workers are now worried about the prospect of losing the business of these privateers to Ethiopia, that government is now offering a 10 year tax holiday as part of the incentive package.
Of course the current unrest in Kenya does not bode well for Kenyan flower industry either, which is the second largest foreign exchange earner after the tourist industry.

Across the Atlantic, in the US and the Americas the dynamics of the hijacking of the hearts, commercialization of the sentiment of the people and turning it into a profit generating enterprise is also obsencely celebrated. Most of the US carnations and roses are imported from Colombia and Ecuador with similar abuses of the workers, including the fact that the workers face relentless exposure to the toxic chemicals used during the processing of flowers. The International Labor Forum, Global Exchange and other formations, have done valiant work in fighting for the rights of these workers.

It is sad, indeed somewhat of a damper, to address these issues in the midst of the sincere and genuine expressions of love and appreciastion for each other, but I find it difficult to ignore the plight of those who pay with their sweat blood and tears for others to party and build mega financial empires, yes Nestle, Cadbury, FTD , diamond giant Leviev, DeBeers Diamonds etc. I have not gotten to the situation with the chocolate and diamond industries that also feature prominently, but I think you get the message. Suffice it to say, that Sierra Leone produces the lions share of the cocoa used to drive the huge chocolate industry, and the workers, children who make it possible would probably not be able to afford a KitKat for their loved ones. These children should in school anyway, are we inadvertently funding this blatant violations of human rights.

As for the diamond trade, the ongoing conflicts in West Africa and particularly Congo are driven by the incessant craving for Africa's resources, upon which the global economy rises and uses the resultant profits continued domination. For the rulers of that empire Valentines Day means something very different, but I hope that the Valentines Day we, you , me celebrate, will bring love and caring to those struggling workers and their families who desperately need those greetings.

Sorry about the late posting, hope you had an enlightening and enriching Valentine's Day

The Current Economic Crisis and Our Work

Greetings fellow travellers,
Over the past week, I have had many thoughts about the dynamic factors currently affecting work life and living.Previously reasonable assurances about the rewards of hard work and dedication, have been thrown into a tailspin by tremendous upheavals in the global economic system. The belief that an individual could attain economic security and a decent quality of life which came in the form of access to education, rewarding employment, guaranteed comprehensive health care and affordable housing is no longer assured. There has been much brilliant analysis about the cause of what may well be a global recession and one candidate for blame, was that class of homeowners, who participated in the so called sub prime market and supposedly fueled the foreclosure crisis. To me it is troubling that observers were so quick to label those in this predicament as greedy and irresponsible, willing to gamble away their financial well being on inflated housing market prices. Interestingly enough there has not been much questions raised about the role of those elected to look out for and protect the interests of the common people. It does not seem unreasonable to expect that they should have been at least a little more vigilant and noticed that the ice floating on top of the water was actually the tip of the iceberg and sounded the alarm to take the economic survival of the nation out of the hands of money drunk vultures. I believe that people were doing what they would do, in any market place where the maximixazation of profit is valued as an expression of individual worth and acheivement and rewarded at the highest levels of society. In this context the challenge of work, life and living is very complex and daunting, as the cost of education soars, basic needs for food and fuel carry obsence prices, pension and other retirement plans disappear and health care, like housing becomes a privilige or luck and no longer a human right.
I believe that the current economic situation threatens the human rights of the working people of the world and places our ability, to work for a better life and to enrich our living experience, in serious jeopardy. These developments instruct me that we must deveop alternative, more valid models for work life and living and a few identifiable characteristics seem to be evident. In our current market driven lifestyles, we will continue to pray for, or search for some entity or individual leader that will deliver or save us, another St. George to slay the dragon. Yet there seems to be much evidence that if the forces, that we look to for economic salvation, the rulers of the domestic and global market place wanted to save us, they probably don't even know how and even if they did know, I wonder if they have the moral will and actual resources to help us. In any case their unrelenting worship of profit, their committment to perpetual accumulation of wealth, would make their willingness to commit class suicide and redistribute the more than adequate resources for the common good hardly likely. They will help us, but not if that jeopardises their position of power. To me this situation calls for clarity about our identity within the global economic system, as the element that impacts most deliberately on our life experience. For example, fuel costs, the endless war of terror, the horror of ongoing slaughter of the people of Congo (DRC) that is fueled by economic rape of the human and mineral wealth of Africa. I have little doubt that we need to radically reorganize our economic activity, around our collective reality of being on a sinking ship, with those in chartge actually trying to push us overboard. One goal of our work, should be to identify and prioritize our collective and individual needs, audit our rersources and proceed to develop our solutions while we still have some "breathing space" to gain the initiative before we are faced with a "no choice" situation, like abandon ship. The organizing of our resouces into collectives/cooperatives, would demand the kind of paradigm shift, that can only come from serious work to liberate ourselves from the oppressive legacy and ongoing process that we have experienced. One of our primary tasks would be to restore the integrity of our culture, by developing trust, accountable and responsible relations between and amongst each other. Looking at the pace in which things are continuing to escalate, not in a desirable way either, it seems that we will have little choice but to turn to ourselves and honor the wonderful opportunities for us to overcome these survival challenges and create a more more nourishing lifestyle.