[News] Malcolm, Ho, Jose Marti, Lorraine & Yuri

[Anti-Imperialist News]

Following this forwarded note is a speech by Yuri Kochiyama, quotes 
from Malcolm X and Ho Chi Minh On Lynching

From: wlx at yahoogroups.com [mailto:wlx at yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of
Walter Lippmann

(May 19 is one of the most striking days on the calendar. It's the
birthdate of Malcolm X and Ho Chi Minh. It's the day that Cuba's
indepenence apostle Jose Marti was killed in combat in 1989, and
was the birthdate of that wonderful poet, playwrite and political
activist Lorraine Hansberry, author of TO BE YOUNG, GIFTED AND
BLACK, A RAISING IN THE SON and much more. Ind addition to these
fighers who are with their ancertors now. Yuri Kochiyama, who is
still with us and still active, was also born on this date as well.

The only non-Black member of Malcolm X's Organization of Afro-
American Unity, and a fighter whose intial lessons in the reality
of U.S. life were made when her father was arrested and the whole
family was interned by the United States during World War II. Now
in her eighties, she still is active in the struggle, by writing,
phone and attending actitivies

The remarks below were made ten years ago and until now were only
available in a small anthology of Yuri Kochiyama's writings which
was published by the UCLA Asian-American Studies Center. Yuri says:

"Today, just mentioning the name Fidel Castro or Cuba, has some people
thinking only in negative terms of someone or some country entrenched
in human rights violation and brutality. The recent downing of the
two planes over Cuban air-space had the U.S. government condemning
Cuba and asking the United Nation to denounce the act. Yet, the U.S.
has for over 30 years placed a blockade around Cuba, not allowing
food, medicine or other necessities to enter. It has held a
stranglehold on Cuba, bringing suffering to the Cuban people. The
U.S. has also tried to assassinate Fidel Castro time and time again
during these thirty-some years. So, who is the real perpetrator of
human rights violation?"

Happy Birthday, Yuri Kochiyama!
====================================================================

Expand our Horizons:
Decolonize Our Minds, Cross Our Borders
by Yuri Kochiyama

Duke, Princeton and Boston University, April 4, 1996.
http://www.walterlippmann.com/yuri-horizons.html

First, I wish to thank Steve Kim of the Asian Caucus and Don Brown of
AHANA for inviting me to your school, and encouraging students to
come out today. I am really heartwarmed that Asian Pacific American
students are interested in learning about their history, their
culture, their language, and that of other people's history, culture,
language.

I have chosen the topic - "Expanding Our Horizons, Decolonizing Our
Minds and Crossing over borders." I feel this is the task for Asian
American students today. Those in power and society itself, want us
to have a limited outlook, cocoon ourselves from others, withdraw
within ourselves, not interact with nor trust others, and narrow our
perspective. A polarization has been taking place, dividing us from
one another. How do we challenge this? Why must we challenge this?

Actually, American history has been one continuous narrative of
events that have divided us - by race, color, class, gender,
religion, politics, culture, region, and even accents. Americans are
a divided people because America wants us divided. Americans do not
look at one another as equals, or consider one another as brothers,
sisters, neighbors. And I feel the basis for this is because of
racism and slavery that began with America's birth. Racism has
contaminated life in these United States, has tainted its
institutions, deprived and denied its people who have been targeted
and marginalized, stigmatized and looked down upon, most often
because of color/race/national origin. History has shown this over
and over again. Sadly, we Asian/PacificIslanders, while having been
victims, have also been influenced by negative aspects of
Euro-American ideas and thoughts. At the same time, we cannot blame
everything with an American tag on the ills of society. Oftimes it
could be our own frailties.

But we must change the course of American history. And we are
changing it, little by little. All of you are changing it,
thankfully, because you are aware and concerned. You would not be
organizing these wonderful events called Asian Pacific American
Heritage Months, except for the fact that you want to bring APA
people together and discuss the issues that pertain to you. APAs back
in the 60's were the pioneers in this movement. I am glad that your
generation is continuing the legacy.

I am heartwarmed that Asian Pacific Americans have been engaging in
bringing together APAs for education and celebration. And we are
always happy to see non-Asians amongst us. We have much to cel-
ebrate, as APAs have been moving right along since the late sixties.
It has always been Pan-Asian, not

with any particular emphasis on any Asian ethnic group. That has been
the strength of the APA movement. And it has much more strength and
substance than when it began some thirty years ago because of its
greater diversity and richness since Southeast Asians, South Asians
and Koreans have made their input.

Today's topic - "Expanding Our Horizons: Decolonizing Our Mind,
Crossing Across Borders" - what does this mean? How do we expand our
horizon? How do we decolonize our mind? What borders do we cross? How
can it change us? How can it change society?

I think of myself when I was your age. I was a "colonized" person,
but I didn't know it, or realize it. Most of my generation were too,
whatever color we were. We were like horses that had blinders put on
us where we could not look sideways. We could only look straight
ahead where our master points our head and guides us or directs us.
Or pushes us. And our "horizon" was only the breadth of what our
"master(s)" wanted us to see.

That's how we learned American history; through Eurocentric
orientation. And that's why Ethnic Study is so important. It is
learning history from the perspective of the Black, Latino, the
misnomerednomered American Indian, and Asian. When that hard-fought
struggle for Ethnic Studies was won (although it needs to be fought
for still, Ethnic Studies revolutionized American history because
finally die left-out history of peoples-of-color were told. Of
course, there must be a great deal more research and "digging into
the past" done to surface a lot more facts and truths that have been
hidden and covered up. That's up to you students, who will be
tomorrow's educators, historians, journalists, elected officials and
parents. But we also need to encourage more APAs to take Asian
American and other Ethnic Studies. Accurate history and truth will
help to "decolonize" young minds; that of course, applies to old
minds, more so. But it is not just abridged education that has
"colonized" us. It is everything from myths, gossips, rumors,
dogmatic religion, Hollywood movies, flippant TV shows, conservative
newspapers, Madison Avenue advertising, small-town mentality, and
big-town arrogance. We must not just be careful of what we read, see,
listen to, but must read every kind of paper, left-wing, alternative,
radical, Third World, international papers; check out everything, and
then make your own conclusion and assessment.

Let's look at what happens to a "colonized" nation. First, it becomes
a colony or territory under the sovereignty of another nation or an
outside country. There are still countries all over the world who are
colonies, although the UN in the 60's and 70's stated that no country
need remain colonized; that all countries have a right to decolonize
and become independent. Being colonized is to be controlled by
someone else. Let's take Puerto Rico as an example. It should be an
independent state, but it is under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Most
everything in Puerto Rico is under U.S. rule. Puerto Ricans do not
even have Puerto Rican citizenship. They have U.S. citizenship. They
must serve in the U.S. army. They cannot trade with any other country
but U.S. They have no control over customs, postal, monetary or
judicial systems. A couple of years ago, there was a plebiscite to
choose between commonwealth, statehood or independence. In this
plebiscite or vote, 48 percent of Puerto Ricans chose to remain a
Commonwealth; 46 percent voted for statehood.

Although only 4.5 percent (80,000 people) voted for independence, it
pulled the swinging pendulum away from statehood. It showed that
Puerto Rico cannot be totally assimilated with the U.S. because there
is still a spontaneous national spirit, and an independence movement
is trying to stay alive despite heavy U.S. propaganda.

The people there have not been completely colonized despite the long
occupation. One day they will be free. And - the Puerto Rican
political prisoners in U.S. prisons - are reminders that there will
always be independentistas that will fight against colonialism even
at the sacrifice of their own personal lives.

But you see what colonizing a nation can do. That colonized nation is
put into chains. It's like a captured nation that must take orders
from the slave-master. Such a colonized nation becomes powerless to
develop their own destiny, their own politics, their own decisions.
There are Blacks who feel they are a "captive nation within a
nation." The concept of the RNA (Republic of New Africa) is that they
are a pro- visional (temporary) government.

We, as people in a supposedly free nation like the U.S., also can
become "colonized" in the same sense - losing our initiative to
develop ourselves, to make our own choices about political and
personal matters. Sometimes it is through the process of
assimilation. We absorb the racism, the political influences, the
class values of the mainstream or majority. Also, because of our
status and responsibility as a citizens, we must fight in America's
wars. And America has been fighting in one war after another And do
you realize that three of the recent major wars were fought against
Asian countries: Japan, Korea, and Vietnam. Other wars and military
offenses were all against Third World countries too: Iraq, where they
killed some 200,000 soldiers who already had their white flag of
surrender in view, and another 100,000 civilians; Panama, where they
bombed a defenseless country to kidnap their president; and Grenada,
where they invaded a tiny country of 110,000 people on the pretext of
protecting American medical stu- dents who were never in any danger.

And that is why Malcolm X refused to integrate into a racist society.
Instead, he wanted to separate from the jurisdiction of the U.S. and
began a movement for self-determination, which many Black people
today follow.

Let's take another geographical area. Let's look at Hawai'i. It was
once a free and beautiful island paradise. It became a commonwealth
because the U.S. military toppled their Queen Liliuokalani, dethroned
her, took away her powers, and began to make all the rules for
Hawai'i. It stripped Hawai'i of most of her land; made Hawai'i into
America's playland, or into military bases; tried to destroy her
indigenous culture, to "civilize" or bastardize her way of life;
changed Hawai'i into one of her states; made the indigenous Kanaka
second class people; and began the process of Americanization;
something similar to what happened to Black and other people of color
here.

The indigenous Hawai'ian is today trying to fight for its
sovereignty. Of course, the U.S. is doing everything to sabotage the
movement; to divide and conquer. But those involved in the
sovereignty movement are trying to decolonize themself. We're
speaking of a whole nation of indigenous people. We don't know what
may transpire because of disagreements among themselves, and because
of what the U.S. government and those in power are concocting. But in
the past five years, there has been an intensive consciousness
raising and history sharing among the indigenous Hawai'ians. Even the
Asian American and Caucasian American people of Hawaii are watching
closely, if not anxiously. A definite "de-colonization" process is
taking place.

We here on the mainland are also observing with keen interest because
it is opening our eyes and minds and hearts as to how a long
repressed group is rising up with renewed vigor and strength. We are
being "re-educated" and awakened from a long period of "sleeping" or
"unconsciousness of the plight of others." Without realizing it, we
have been molded by our "masters" because we had been so "colonized"
without our realizing it that we celebrated Hawaii becoming a state
rather than seeing what statehood meant to the indigenous Hawai'ians
- being robbed of their nation, their rights and their dignity. Also,
most settlers to Hawai'i, whether from Asia, Europe, or America, also
started looking down on Hawai'ians as if they were not as bright or
ambitious and hardworking as them, when they were the ones who denied
the indigenous Kanakas their jobs, housing, and education in the
first place. The chauvinism and racism of settlers to Hawaii, like
settlers anywhere, felt themselves superior to the indigenous. So you
see how vicious and dangerous colonization can be. Also, you can see
why and how the indigenous all over the world, in Central and South
America, the Caribbean, and the Pacific Ocean are being decimated and
annihilated by poverty, denial, lack of basic needs and being
marginalized.

And it is not only the Westerners that colonize, plunder, and destroy
humanity. In Asia, the Japanese bovernment did the same thing to
Korea, invading and occupying their land for thirty-five years until
their defeat in World War II. But in that time-span, Japan ruled
Korea with an iron hand, forbidding the Korean people from speaking
their own language, looking down on the people, dismantling their
institutions, using their land, forcing their men workers to work in
Japanese coal mines, and worst of all, kidnapping 200,000 of their
young women on the pretext of giving them jobs, but forcing them into
sex slavery for the Japanese army during World War II. Colonizers
know no boundaries when it comes to oppression. And they try to
justify whatever they do. But colonizers rarely can take away the
national identity of people.

Identity is a people's pride, their self-consciousness and their
humanity. Most Koreans never gave up their identity even if it cost
them a job, a place to live, or a chance at education. But many
Koreans in Japan were forced to do so for survival.

The colonial mentality enjoys "dominating" others, even animals, for
their pleasure. Maybe the word is "domesticated" when it comes to
animals, but the parallels are there. Have you ever watched animals
in a circus, where they have been "trained to do some amazing things;
almost imitating humans, doing what human beings find amusing or
spectacular. like the once wild elephant, now prancing or dancing to
music; or the ferocious lion, totally obeying the master, jumping
through a hoop lit by fire; or the bear, juggling balls. Or the
incredibly bright dolphins playing basketball in the water, when
basketball is not their sport. It's amazing how one can be trained,
or "tamed," or "broken" into doing anything. The larger the animal,
the crueler and tougher the "breaking." The "so-called" dignity of
the camel or elephant was the enforcement of man. It is also said
that "tough inmates of prisons" or strong-willed slaves back in the
plantation days were also "processed" or beaten into submission.

Malcolm used to tell his people: "Be proud of your African heritage.
Don't let anyone take that away from you. Know who you are. Know
where you come from. Learn the road your foreparents came, so you
don't go through the same experience. Free yourself. You may not have
chains around your legs, but you may have chains around your mind.
Break loose from the chains. Find your true identity. You don't even
have to keep the slavemaster's name."

And look what happened in the 60's. All those young bloods began
taking African names or Muslim names and feeling proud of it. They
refused to continue to be "oreo cookies" - Black outside, white
inside. They began "decolonizing" their mind. Cassius Clay became
Muhammad Ali. Lou Alcindor became Kareem Abdul Jabbar. Stokely
Carmichael became Kwame Ture. Rap Brown became Jimiel Al-min.

It was not just a fad. They knew what they were doing. It was
politically motivated. They also found a deeper love and respect, not
only for themselves, but for all of their people. Look at this recent
incident of this basketball player, Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf of the Denver
Nuggets who refused to stand up and face the flag when the national
anthem was played because he felt the flag was a "symbol of
oppression." Abdul-Rauf was Chris Jackson until he converted to Islam
in 1991 and began his one-man choice not to stand and dignify the
flag. He has, however, consented to stand and pray, praying, he said
"for those who are suffering - Muslim, Caucasian, African-American,
Latin, Asian, whoever is in that position, whoever is experiencing
difficulties." Coming at this time when the political climate in this
country is becoming reactionary, and star athlete's major concern
seems to be big bucks, it was a refreshing surprise coming from the
basketball arena.

But this is not the first time a Black athlete has made a political
statement. During the Vietnam War, Muhammad Ali refused to go to the
Vietnam War and lost his World Boxing Championship title. In the 1968
Olympics in Mexico, Tommie Smith and John Carlos, staged their black
fist salutes against racial inequality on the victory stand. They
were stripped of their Olympic medals. But they revealed they had
minds that were free and their freedom meant more than Olympic
medals.

We Asians, back in the 60's, listened to Malcolm and knew that he was
raising the awareness of a generation of people, not only Blacks and
the young, but people in general. His words of wisdom could apply to
us too. We began to seriously think of our identity. Were we just
American or Asian American? Were we ashamed of our ancestry that we
could not speak our mother tongue? Could we relate to our background?
Even to change a name is part of the process of decolonization. Of
course, just changing one's name is not decolonizing oneself, but it
is one very small aspect of it. But one does not necessarily have to
change one's name, or hair-do, or the kind of clothes one wears.
Once, someone asked Malcolm why his wife, Betty, didn't sport an Afro
like the "sisters" were doing back then. He said he didn't think it
was so important what is on top of her head as what was "in" her
head. Malcolm did not even begin using the word Malik that much. When
he returned from the "hajj," the pilgrimage in 1964, his followers
asked him: `What should we call you now?" because he was conferred
with the title of "El Hajj." He replied, "what did you call me
before?" They said, "Brother Malcolm." He simply said, "so be it."

Yes, we must expand our horizon in every way, while "decolonizing"
our mind. Words do make a difference, words when associated with an
idea. Let's take the word, "Communism." Back in the 50's, because
this country, the media, and political leaders were so frightened of
the word, and more so, the idea of communism, itself, if did
everything to blemish, distort, falsify, derrogate, stigmatize,
taint, and tarnish the word and the meaning, that the average
American came to fear and hate the word, the person, the idea,
without knowing anything of the philosophy. Especially those with a
colonized mentality, had his/her mind closed to that word. The images
it evoked, was fearful enough. But also, sadly, some Communist
countries did not seem to adhere to the meaning of Communism, and are
now leaning toward capitalism. There are also Communist countries
that laid down such harsh rules as to wipe out humanism in their
pursuit for power.

Today, just mentioning the name Fidel Castro or Cuba, has some people
thinking only in negative terms of someone or some country entrenched
in human rights violation and brutality. The recent downing of the
two planes over Cuban air-space had the U.S. government condemning
Cuba and asking the United Nation to denounce the act. Yet, the U.S.
has for over 30 years placed a blockade around Cuba, not allowing
food, medicine or other necessities to enter. It has held a
stranglehold on Cuba, bringing suffering to the Cuban people. The
U.S. has also tried to assassinate Fidel Castro time and time again
during these thirty-some years. So, who is the real perpetrator of
human rights violation?

Yes, we must expand our horizon in seeking truths, and "decolonize"
our mind. Back in the 60's young Americans of all background began
making history, challenging the status quo, the duality, the
hypocrisy, the inequity in American society; also opposing U.S.
involvement in the Vietnam War, a war that concerned Americans felt
was an intervention and transgression in the internal affairs of
another country. The remarkable aspect was that a sizeable percent of
our own young Asian Pacific Americans became involved. From coast to
coast, Asian American students jumped into this domestic fray whole-
heartedly. They suddenly grew up, felt proud, stood tall; unafraid to
speak out; began to take action; organize in their communities. They
saw there was an identity crisis; realized their lack of knowledge of
their own Asian American histories, cultures, and languages. They
realized their inability to relate and communicate sometimes with
their own Asian brothers and sisters, and also with Third World
people. They became disturbed by the American Dream - pursuing the
American way of life - wealth, prestige, comfort, and the feeling of
superiority over others. A new Asian American was being honed as the
Asian American movement was birthed and new goals, perspectives,
values, priorities, and even lifestyles began to take shape. Their
eyes and minds began to focus on the world of the oppressed,
exploited. and marginal. Some joined the Venceremos Brigade and went
to Cuba for a few months to experience living in a socialist society.
Some volunteered in the Peace Corps to help in agriculture or teach
English in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. And some went to Third
World Communities throughout the U.S. to work with Vista projects. A
few Asian Americans went down South in the civil rights movement to
register voters.

Most worked right in their own communities in Los Angeles, San
Francisco, Chicago, New York. They taught English to immigrants,
worked with children in Day Care, or the elderly in Senior Citizen
Homes Some organized Health Care Centers; began Food Co-ops; started
cultural art groups, including Asian American theaters, writers
clubs, published Asian American newspapers and newsletters.

Asian Americans formed political education groups for serious study;
derided the cost of higher education and began fighting for open
admission, loans, and scholarships to Third World students; saw
elitism in film-making and the arts and began to create their own
formations, like Third World Newsreel; worked to make WBAI an
alternative, progressive, public radio station (and thus, we have
Radio Bandung, an Asian American program).

We know your generation of Asian Americans are continuing the legacy
of showing concern for the issues of today - like affirmative action,
immigrant rights, anti-Asian violence, homophobia. That is why you
organize these annual Asian/Pacific American Awareness Events for
education and celebration; and we commend you for the work you do on
college campuses.

Two days ago at Columbia University, 22 students were arrested when
they took over Lowe Library. Also three students are still hanging in
there on a hunger strike which they began about two weeks ago. We, in
New York, feel proud of these activists fighting for Ethnic Studies
in the 90's.

Now, you may wonder where is there any connection between building
bridges or coalitions with expanding your horizon, decolonizing your
mind, and crossing over your own borders.

Often those with colonized mentality can be better manipulated or
used against others to divide and conquer. Those in power would do
not want ethnics and minorities and unacceptables and radicals of
whatever color to come together to join forces. As long as we are
kept distant and estranged from each other, the easier to subvert our
desire to make alliances. But because of the commonalities among
marginalized people, we must go to support one another. We need each
other. We can help one another. We can learn from one another. Unity
is strength. Strength, numerically, politically, not necessarily
ethnically, with mutual concern for all peoples, can help change this
society into a more broader, diverse, yet unifying force to build a
more just, safe, and harmonious world. We must unite, not on race but
principles to seek justice, equality, self-determination, human
rights and human dignity for all.

By the year 2000, which is just around the corner, can we Asians
begin heading in that direction? Can APAs begin a momentous
Asian/Pacific American Consciousness Movement like the Blacks did in
South Africa and here?

Even though we Asians are of many ethnicities, cultures, and
histories of past hostility in Asia, our Asian American experience of
racism, anti-Asian violence, similarities with other people of colors
and other discriminated people (like lesbians, homosexuals, radicals,
Arabs, Jews, homeless, disabled, jobless, etc., etc.) should have
aroused our consciousness and sensitivity to right the wrongs and
narrowed thinking in this society. Together, we must fight racism,
classism, sexism, regionalism, factionalism, and polarization.

As Asian Americans we must understand that we are connected with all
people - beyond race, beyond color, beyond ethnicity, beyond class.
We must become part of the whole humanity because the world belongs
to all humanity. Every person must count; every person must be
respected; every person's potential must be realized. That includes
the homeless, the disabled, the imprisoned, the women, the elderly,
the children; literally everyone. One of our roles then is that is
each of us must keep an eye on our own government or those in power
that they do not keep wiping away through budget cuts and
legislation, the rights and needs of people as they are doing today.

In closing, I wish to quote Franz Fanon, the famous historian, who
said: "Each generation must out of its relative obscurity, discover
its mission, fulfill it or betray it." This generation's mission just
might be that of "expanding one's horizon and decolonizing one's
mind," that the cross-over to making coalitions, working with and
supporting others, can be better facilitated. What will this take?
Simply - your sincerity, determination, and involvement which can
bring about the results that you seek. Become the role model you are
searching for. Do what students do best: study, read, research,
investigate. Search for truth. Share all the treasures of your
learning s: truth, humane values, ethics, morality, principles, the
meaning of love, justice, dignity. Not only share, but use these
treasures in your every-day life, whatever your field. You ill sec
your life expand; your mind become decolonized; your spirit free to
cross any border, and feel a kinship with people anywhere.
Progressive people everywhere are seeking the same mutual solidarity
of inanity, the freedom of the human mind and spirit. So, transform
yourself first. In doing so, you will begin transforming your little
part of the world. It doesn't matter what your major, minor,
profession, or avocation is. You can make a little ripple that will
grow; and who knows where that ripple will move and affect other
lives. Because you are young and have dreams and want to do something
meaningful, that in itself makes you our future and our hope. Keep
expanding your horizon, decolonize your mind, and cross over borders.


FROM THE BOOK: Discover Your Mission
Selected Speeches and Writings of Yuri Kochiyama
UCLA Asian American Studies Center Reading
Room/Library June 1998







QUOTES BY MALCOLM X
<http://www.cmgww.com/historic/malcolm/about/quotes_by.htm>http://www.cmgww.com/historic/malcolm/about/quotes_by.htm

"We are nonviolent with people who are nonviolent with us."

"Don't be in a hurry to condemn because he doesn't do what you do or think
as you think or as fast. There was a time when you didn't know what you
know today."

"My alma mater was books, a good library... I could spend the rest of my
life reading, just satisfying my curiosity."

"Stumbling is not falling."

"There is no better than adversity. Every defeat, every heartbreak, every
loss, contains its own seed, its own lesson on how to improve your
performance next time."

"We didn't land on Plymouth Rock, Plymouth Rock landed on us."

"Concerning nonviolence, it is criminal to teach a man not to defend
himself when he is the constant victim of brutal attacks."

"A race of people is like an individual man; until it uses its own talent,
takes pride in its own history, expresses its own culture, affirms its own
selfhood, it can never fulfill itself."

"I for one believe that if you give people a thorough understanding of what
confronts them and the basic causes that produce it, they'll create their
own program, and when the people create a program, you get action."

"If you're not ready to die for it, put the word 'freedom' out of your
vocabulary."

"I feel like a man who has been asleep somewhat and under someone else's
control. I feel that what I'm thinking and saying is now for myself. Before
it was for and by the guidance of Elijah Muhammad. Now I think with my own
mind, sir!"

"The thing that you have to understand about those of us in the Black
Muslim movement was that all of us believed 100 percent in the divinity of
Elijah Muhammad. We believed in him. We actually believed that God, in
Detroit by the way, that God had taught him and all of that. I always
believed that he believed in himself. And I was shocked when I found out
that he himself didn't believe it."

"I believe that there will ultimately be a clash between the oppressed and
those that do the oppressing. I believe that there will be a clash between
those who want freedom, justice and equality for everyone and those who
want to continue the systems of exploitation."

"It is a time for martyrs now, and if I am to be one, it will be for the
cause of brotherhood. That's the only thing that can save this country."
February 19, 1965 (2 days before he was murdered by Nation of Islam followers)

"Without education, you're not going anywhere in this world."

"...I shall never rest until I have undone the harm I did to so many
well-meaning, innocent Negroes who through my own evangelistic zeal now
believe in him even more fanatically and more blindly than I did." ...on
those he encouraged to follow Nation of Islam leader Elijah Muhammad

"When a person places the proper value on freedom, there is nothing under
the sun that he will not do to acquire that freedom. Whenever you hear a
man saying he wants freedom, but in the next breath he is going to tell you
what he won't do to get it, or what he doesn't believe in doing in order to
get it, he doesn't believe in freedom. A man who believes in freedom will
do anything under the sun to acquire . . . or preserve his freedom."

"You don't have to be a man to fight for freedom. All you have to do is to
be an intelligent human being."

"Dr. King wants the same thing I want. Freedom."

"I want Dr. King to know that I didn't come to Selma to make his job
difficult. I really did come thinking I could make it easier. If the white
people realize what the alternative is, perhaps they will be more willing
to hear Dr. King." ...in a conversation with Mrs. Coretta Scott King.

"I am not a racist. I am against every form of racism and segregation,
every form of discrimination. I believe in human beings, and that all human
beings should be respected as such, regardless of their color."

On Lynching And The Ku Klux Klan
By Ho Chi Minh (1924)

It is well known that the Black race is the most oppressed and the most
exploited of the human family. It is well known that the spread of
capitalism and the discovery of the New World had as an immediate result
the rebirth of slavery, which was for centuries a scourge for the Negroes
and a bitter disgrace for mankind.

What everyone does not perhaps know is that after sixty-five years of
so-called emancipation, American Negroes still endure atrocious moral and
material sufferings, of which the most cruel and horrible is the custom of
lynching.

The word "lynching" comes from Lynch. Lynch was the name of a planter in
Virginia, a landlord and judge. Availing himself of the troubles of the War
of Independence, he took the control of the whole district into his hands.
He inflicted the most savage punishment, without trial or process of law,
on Loyalists and Tories. Thanks to the slave traders, the Ku Klux Klan, and
other secret societies, the illegal and barbarous practice of lynching is
spreading and continuing widely in the States of the American Union. It has
become more inhuman since the emancipation of the Blacks, and is especially
directed at the latter...

  From 1899 to 1919, 2,600 Blacks were lynched, including 51 women and girls
and ten former Great War soldiers. Among 78 Black lynched in 1919, 11 were
burned alive, three burned after having been killed, 31 shot, three
tortured to death, one cut into pieces, one drowned, and 11 put to death by
various means.

Georgia heads the list with 22 victims, Mississippi follows with 12. Both
have also three lynched soldiers to their credit. Of the 11 burned alive,
the first State has four and the second two. Out of 34 cases of systematic,
premeditated and organized lynching, it is still Georgia that holds first
place with five. Mississippi comes second with three.

Among the charges brought against the victims of 1919, we note: one of
having been a member of the League of Non-Partisans (independent farmers);
one of having distributed revolutionary publications; one of expressing his
opinion on lynchings too freely; one of having criticized the clashes
between Whites and Blacks in Chicago; one of having been known as a leader
of the cause of the Blacks; one for not getting out of the way and thus
frightening a white child who was in a motorcar. In 1920, there were fifty
lynchings, and in 1922 there were twenty-eight.

These crimes were all motivated by economic jealousy. Either the Negroes in
the area were more prosperous than the Whites, or the Black workers would
not let themselves be exploited thoroughly. In all cases, the principle
culprits were never troubled, for the simple reason that they were always
incited, encouraged, spurred on, then protected by politicians, financiers,
and authorities, and above all, by the reactionary press...

The place of origin of the Ku Klux Klan is the Southern United States. In
May, 1866, after the Civil War, young people gathered together in a small
locality of the State of Tennessee to set up a club. A question of whiling
away the time. This organization was given the name "kuklos", a Greek word
meaning "club". To Americanize the word, it was changed into Ku Klux.
Hence, for more originality, Ku Klux Klan.

After big social upheavals, the public mind is naturally unsettled. It
becomes avid for new stimuli and inclined to mysticism. The KKK, with its
strange garb, its bizarre rituals, its mysteries, and its secrecy,
irresistibly attracted the curiosity of the Whites in the Southern States
and became very popular. It consisted at first of only a group of snobs and
idlers, without political or social purpose. Cunning elements discovered in
it a force able to serve their political ambitions. The victory of the
Federal Government had just freed the Negroes and made them citizens. The
agriculture of the South - deprived of its Black labor, was short of hands.
Former landlords were exposed to ruin.

The Klansmen proclaimed the principle of the supremacy of the white race.
Anti Negro was their only policy. The agrarian and slaveholding bourgeoisie
saw in the Klan a useful agent, almost a savior. They gave it all the help
in their power. The Klan's methods ranged from intimidation to murder...

The Klan is for many reasons doomed to disappear. The Negroes, having
learned during the war that they are a force if united, are no longer
allowing their kinsmen to be beaten or murdered with impunity. They are
replying to each attempt at violence by the Klan. In July 1919, in
Washington, they stood up to the Klan and a wild mob. The battle raged in
the capital for four days. In August, they fought for five days against the
Klan and the mob in Chicago. Seven regiments were mobilized to restore
order. In September the government was obliged to send federal troops to
Omaha to put down similar strife. In various other States the Negroes
defend themselves no less energetically.

belated birthday to Augusto Cesar Sandino 5/18



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