American Drug War: The Last White Hope

The American Drug War: The Last White Hope takes an in depth look at one of the longest and most expensive wars in American history, the "War on Drugs". The film spans decades of policy decisions and governmental corruption that have resulted with not only more drugs on our city streets but also with thousands of addicts locked away in privatized penitentiaries. Filmmaker Kevin Booth does a tremendous job in bringing to light specific administrations and governmental agencies that have perpetrated heinous crimes on the very citizens that they are elected to protect. Although the hypocritical nature of the "War on Drugs" stems far deeper than can be interpreted by merely examining the issue on its surface this film boils down years of deceit and fraud into one simple source that should be viewed by every person in America.

One of the most disturbing aspects of this demented assault on human rights is how America has chosen to view the value of the lives of the people. Throughout the film it is exposed how various agencies within the government were shuttling in key upon key of cocaine into America to fund mercenary overthrows of South American governments. And at the very same time of this immoral ploy the "War on drugs" became a household name, promising the removal of all drugs off the streets. So as the government fueled both sides of the chess game of riches, the pawns of this nations were being shuttled into privatized penitentiaries never to see the light of day again. Because of the privatization of American penitentiaries each time a person is incarcerated, more or less, the stock of the owning company rises ever so slightly. So the very places that we trust in to "rehabilitate" our downtrodden citizens have every intention and interest to create more crime on the streets. So as the addicts flood into the prisons of the United Corporations of America they become a proverbial slave labor force to be used at the whim of the government for tasks ranging from restoring the roads and infrastructure to packing the card decks of the poker tables across Vegas.

To the majority of Americans it seems as though the days of enslavement and injustice have long faded into the annals of history, but to those who know the system well the days of slavery never ended. To this day there is a war being waged on the people and its only purpose is to suppress the actions of the population. This suppression is done through the poisoning of minds and bodies and eventually the capturing of these afflicted into the bonds of forced labor. These are the guiding principals of the "War on drugs." This is just another spark in the flame of tyranny that the US government has forced upon the people of this nation. No explanation is needed in fighting against such atrocities, however only one principle will stand to challenge it: No Justice, No Peace. Free your mind and wake up.

ESPN: Black Magic

Recently ESPN aired a two part event chronicling the struggles of black's integration into the world of professional and college basketball. This revealing snapshot into one of the many obstacle filled journeys for a more equal society brings to light some of the best basketball players that ever lived, but that were not given an opportunity to demonstrate their skills on some of the greatest stages in the world. The gripping stories of these blacktop warriors, both on and off the court, reveal the severity and dire circumstances that existed in this country only 40 years ago. These men not only changed the way black athletes were viewed by the public but how the game of basketball would be played forever.

One point that I found particularly disturbing and relevant to the struggles of all people of color today was one that was illuminated by former Southern University head coach Ben Jobe. At one point in the film Jobe was telling of the ground breaking style of play that was pioneered by his mentor and dear friend John Mclendon, who created what is now known as the fast break. Jobe told of how years after Mclendon had perfected and demolished opponents with his genius strategy and had long passed from the world of basketball Duke university entered the NCAA championship game. In this game Duke used a stunning technique of running up and down the court and slaughtered their opponent. The next day Jobe recalled reading the paper only to see the praise of Duke's head coach and his never before seen strategy. Jobe was sickened to his very core to see the work of his dear friend being stolen out from under him while he lay forgotten in the shadows. He then remarked that when the wealthy white Duke University used the fast break it was genius but when Mclendon used it it was "Jungle Ball."

This unfortunate trend of not noticing or caring about issues until they become "white" has been apart of not only the imperialist culture but of American culture for centuries. The examples of this trend stretch far into the annals of history from the first recorded people to sail around the horn of Africa to the problems that face us today such as AIDS or drug use. It has manifested itself all to often that things become evident to the public only when they affect the white main stream, and all other people are left to fend for themselves. Even today the hypocrisy and double standards that plague this nation are evident from the uncontainable spread of drugs and AIDS throughout the inter cites into the colonial style suburbs of the mainstream to the 1992 LA riots which were only quelled after the killing had spread from the African and Korean neighborhoods to the outskirts of Beverly Hills. Another potent example of this tragic occurrence was revealed in rapper DJ Quick's verse in regard to the school shooting panic of the late 90's:

Y'all rappin I'm talkin cool, and Columbine is not new

In Compton they shoot up schools too, ridin by to see who's who
Cock the shotty they cruise through, rock the body blood ooze through

This crippling double standard has left the abused people of this nation voiceless. No one cares to look down onto the streets from their media high towers or their secure place on capital hill. My sentiment is if they can't hear us, then we must yell. Too many times have the people of this nation, especially those of color, let the people in control dole out the resources amongst each other and just survive on the crumbs from master's table. It is time to bite the hands that feeds us. We can no longer just wait for others to make our problems go away because the reality we face has been ignored by the people in power for far to long. Only when we do for ourselves and look out for each other can we truly prosper in this country. When people of all colors stop bickering amongst themselves and stand up then we will have a true revolution on our hands, and that day my friends will truly be our day of atonement.

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Knowledge is Power

Coolies: How Britain Reinvented Slavery

The 18th and 19th centuries were a time where Britain owned and operated colonies throughout the entire world. There was not any given moment in time where the sun did not shine on a portion of British soil from the beaches of the Bohemian sugar islands, to the horn of Africa, to the mountains of the Himalayas. These vast stretches of colonies of course were acquired through the destruction of indigenous people and built tall and glorious on the broken backs of slaves. However when in 1838 the British government outlawed the trade and use of slaves, labor was still needed to operate the many plantations throughout the Britain of the new and old world. So in an effort to preserve their financial interests the British ventured into the lands of Asia, especially India, in search of a new labor force. They lured the unsuspecting peoples of these lands to mass depots where one stamp of their finger to a contract was all that was needed. They were signing their lives over to the British empire. These new indentured laborers were sent to the very posts that the former "freed" slaves were once forced into, to be driven by the same cracker and watched by the same overseer. This secret slave trade of contracted laborers spanned far beyond that of the "freedom" date in 1838. In fact this secret slavery stretched well up until World War I in the early twentieth century. These modern slaves were eventually given French and British citizenship during the 1920's after nearly 100 years of unjust and toilsome labor.

Although it is not far fetched and unfathomable to believe that Britain and other large imperial nations were not eager to relinquish their slaves, another more disturbing principal lies beneath this withdrawal of basic human rights. The outrageous aspect of this era in history is the illusion created for the people. It is stunning that for over 100 years people throughout the world believed that slavery had been demolished and condemned by the British and others, when in reality humans were being bought, sold, and killed as if it was just another chore to be done in a busy day. If the people of an entire planet can be suckered into such lies by the rulers and wealthy, as is evident throughout history, what else have we been lied to about?

WAKE UP. As is evident with the trafficking of humans for labor and the many other atrocities throughout history is that they go unnoticed and tolerated. This is where the real message comes to pass. It is time for the people of this nation to wake up and realize that the ruling class and the wealthy have taken a strangle hold on every aspect of our society. From the water we drink, to the things were taught in schools, to the slow dose of bullshit that flows down from the media like and I.V. we have been lulled into a comfortable existence with no room for improvement. This all takes place while the real rulers of this nation glance over the economy of America as the slave master did over his plantation. So ask yourself this: Whose slave have you become? Although the plantation days may be over make no mistake you are a slave. Your entire life is based on you doing what you're told and following orders, and if you choose not to follow the whims of the rulers, the luxuries you have come to know and love will fall into the abyss as your free will and independent thinking skills did long ago. So today people you may just continue on about your business, day by day beckoning at the call of your master, but in the not to distant future a stunning truth may come to light, a hidden atrocity if you will. So when that day comes don't be surprised or shocked, get angry. For when the people of this nation realize how they have been used and manipulated and stop bowing to the masters of this land, then my friends the revolution, which has anticipated and awaited for hundreds of years now, will become a reality. And on that day only can we truly call ourselves free.

Question?

A Message to the reader:

First and foremost I would like to apologize for my lack of posting in the last week. I just put myself into a cough syrup educed coma to come over another assassination attempt on part of the imperialist influenza virus. I plan to make 3-4 posts this weekend and will try to keep a regular habit of posting. However in the daze that follows and overdose of nyquil I asked myself a question about this blog; Who reads it? Who am I writing to out there in cyberspace? Does anyone even read this? So as I continue to post new material I hope any existing readers I have or anyone at all will comment their thoughts about this web page on this posting. Please if you read or like this page at all let me know. Also if you have any revolutionary material to add to the page just email your own post or thoughts to itsthetimeforrevolution@gmail.com. Only together can we overcome.

The Struggle Continues,
Knowledge is Power

Bamboozled

The satirical film Bamboozled covers many of the most divisive and important issues in our society today, especially for African-Americans and minorities in general. Lee's film covers the story of writer Pierre Delacroix as he attempts to get fired from his television network by creating the most offensive and racist TV series he can. By enlisting the help of street performer and tap dancer Manray, Pierre creates the New Millennium Minstrel Show in which black actors are subjected to acting in blackface. Manray's name is changed to Mantan and along with his partner Sleep-n-eat they move from the city onto a watermelon patch in the deep south during the post civil war reconstruction. Although Pierre prepares himself to be fired at his sheer disrespect towards the black race to his surprise his inherently racist script is taken by his superiors and turned into an overnight TV sensation. Spike Lee uses this film to tackle issues that are not seen and heard as much within the community as well as the public spectrum, but that desperately need to be heard.

The issue of what it is to be black and the preconceived notion of blackness is one of the most important controversies that still exists within the American people's minds today and one that is thoroughly covered in this film. From the beginning of the film the actors chosen to be in the menstrual show are forced to act in blackface no matter what their complexion actually is. Lee uses this not to show that skin tone is the matter at hand but that no matter who is chosen by the studio there job is to uphold the ideals of American Blackness. According to media and the constant portrayal of blacks on MTV, BET, and COPS, to be black in America is to be lazy, ignorant, angry, dangerous, and having an "I just don't give a fuck" attitude. This atrocity that America and it's media powers have created is one of the most destructive forces that they could have devised. It has put it into the minds of millions of young blacks that the only way to be themselves and fit in is to "keep it real." But "keepin it real" is one of the most dangerous mentalities that any people of the world can harbor, for if one is to stay "real" to the images of blacks on television then one is creating a race of people that will be crippled for life. It is time to throw off the white version of blackness and create our own, for if we allow their definition to rule and govern us then we are no better off then when we were in shackles.

Clip from the film: Is this what it is to be Black?


Although the preconceived notion of blackness is only one issue that is covered in this dynamic film there are many more facets of this satirical piece that can be analyzed. Such things include whites acting "black", Hip-Hop music and culture, blacks in the corporate world, the social responsibility of actors and other high profile blacks, the ideas of "house-niggaism", and the list goes on and on. Through this film Spike Lee took a big shot at the world in which we live and the people who control the images we see. In response his film was only aired in a few theaters due to public outcry at the images and ideas it displayed. In my opinion this film if viewed with the correct mindset can correct and bring to light some of the most damaging aspects of American society. It is obvious that in more ways to count that the government and media have made a strong effort to keep the people ignorant and it is up to us to tear away this mentality and fight back. If we don't act out and fight this ignorance than we will truly continue to be bamboozled.

Malcolm X

Spike Lee's artistic genius exploded onto the screen in 1992 as he released the life of revolutionary hero Malcolm X. Lee's script was based on The Autobiography of Malcolm X and although Lee's interpretation tweaks a few details in the life of Malcolm his greatness was represented to the tee. The unique aspect of Lee's film is its vast coverage of all of the stages of Malcolm's life from his days as Detroit Red, as Malcolm X, and as El Haaj Malik El Shabazz. To tell the story of Malcolm X is to tell a story of transformation, for as Malcolm was changing the country he was to changing himself. This is the real attribute that Lee's film stresses, Malcolm the man. For even if you do not agree with Malcolm's political and world views it is undeniable the way Malcolm the person affected everyone around him. Malcolm inspired a nation to rise up and demand equality "by any means necessary." Even today Malcolm brings the best out of individuals who make a true effort to examine and study his life. As people study the life of Malcolm they find courage and wisdom in themselves that they never knew they had; that is certainly the case for this writer. I feel I am doing a disservice even writing this entry trying to tell the glory of Lee's vision of X for it may very well be the greatest motion picture in the history of cinema. Spike Lee's Malcolm X has given a rebirth to an almost mythical figure who made the dreams of millions a reality.