In the midst of so many attacks against African people that are being carried out on a worldwide basis, there is one very important message that is being ignored unintentionally, and in many cases, intentionally. That message is if you really care about the safety, security, and forward progress of African people, then you must make it a priority to support independent revolutionary African organizations. How can you argue in support of African dignity if you aren't raising up the most legitimate form of dignity any people have - their ability to define and direct their existence on their own terms?
This isn't to say no one should support reformist work. The work to reform the capitalist system through protests, boycotts, organized electoral campaigns, and other forms of awareness work is an extremely valuable aspect of the work that needs to continue. This work must continue because for many people, it serves as their entry point into political struggle. It certainly performed that purpose for me back before the Sun was created. So, this point can never be overstated. The problem we have to address is that reformist work is highlighted so completely that the narrative begins to seem to be one where reform is the only viable work taking place. Another problematic aspect of this is that many so-called European (White) accomplices/allies, etc., say they support African self determination, but for them - either consciously or unconsciously - that translates into supporting only the African work that lines up politically with their own views and work. And more often than not, that is reformist work, even if that work isn't cutting edge or the most important element of African struggle.
We believe independent revolutionary African struggle is critically important and deserves a whole lot more support than it receives today because history has taught us that this work constitutes the most powerful threat to the interests of the capitalist system. Consequently, the system has concentrated its highest level of most violent tactics against this segment of the movement. If you need examples of this you only need study the histories of the Universal Negro Improvement Association, African Party for the Independence of Guinea-Bissau, Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola, Democratic Party of Guinea, Black Panther Party, Nation of Islam, and African Blood Brotherhood for starters. Another reason the independent revolutionary African movement needs and deserves significant support is because the system is designed to perpetuate its maintenance. So, when there periods of mass uprisings, the system has always accommodated space for dissent up until the point that the dissent poses a real threat to the system's overthrow. So, protest movements from African independence movements to the U.S. civil rights movement, to the Black Lives Matter movement have always had space within the capitalist media machine. Meanwhile, the Land and Freedom Movement - or Mau Mau movement - to remove the British from Kenya through armed uprisings, was never given a media focus. The Black power movement and the Pan-African movement have never been given these spotlights. Instead, those independent revolutionary movements are portrayed as ill-relevant, extreme, dangerous, anti-White, and counter productive. Or, another way to look at it is if you know people who have a negative view of the Black Lives Matter movement, query them on radical independent revolutionary African movements and you will quickly learn how much more negative the perspective is on those who are courageously carrying out this work.
There are numerous examples of these independent revolutionary African movements in existence right now. The All African People's Revolutionary Party (A-APRP) is my organization. We are active in Africa, Europe, Canada, the Caribbean, and throughout the U.S. We use no capitalist media to advance our work yet the messages we promote - such as join some organization working for justice - are known by everyone, everywhere. Plus, we engage in long term mass work to strengthen and build revolutionary capacity among African people. Here in Portland, that work will be manifested starting in September with the launch of the Harriet Tubman Freedom School which is an outgrowth of the breakfast program we have facilitated for the last year. Certainly, we need your support in Oregon, throughout the U.S., but most importantly, in Africa where we are directing our capacity building work. You can learn more about that by going to our local site here at www.aaprporegon.org or our international site at www.aaprp-intl.org. And, please don't think we are saying you must support us or else you are not doing anything productive. If you know us, then you know that has never been our message. We have always promoted organization and we will continue to do so. That's why we can tell you immediately that if you aren't interested in supporting us we hold no hard feelings at all towards you. In fact, our response is that you should support the work of the Malcolm X Grassroots Movement. And, if you don't want to do that, you should support the work of the African People's Socialist Party and their mass organizations like the National Democratic Uhuru Movement. Don't want to do that? Then we would direct you to any number of revolutionary African collectives and formations e.g. the Black United Front, Organization US, etc.
Some people will spend a lot of time focusing on why they have issue with organizations mentioned. Our point is that independent, revolutionary African organization is so important for the continued creativity and vitality of African people everywhere. Our very spirit and existence is under attack. We are shot down in the streets in the diaspora (outside of Africa) and we are bombed into submission on the African continent (Libya, Somalia, Sudan, etc.). Our ability to stand up on our own power is essential to rebuilding our people and forging forward. So, if none of those organizations do it for you, than help form the "None of those Organizations Do it for Me Organization for Independent Revolutionary African Organization" and help that new organization get to work.
Anyone who truly believes in freedom has to understand that the best work is the work that is being carried out on all fronts. Many people have joined this movement within the last few years and that is outstanding! Still, we shouldn't act as if there was no African movement before 2014! There are many African organizations who have been struggling for decades for African liberation. I would even argue that the independent revolutionary African movement is responsible for laying the groundwork that creates a Black Lives Matter movement. Anyone who knows even a slight bit of knowledge about the history of African people has to recognize that this is true whether people in the streets today realize it or not. Keep us in the streets! Keep shutting things down! Keep expressing your support for these direct actions! And, keep supporting and building the independent revolutionary African liberation movement which will help us build capacity to gain freedom today, tomorrow, next week, next year, and until we achieve it!
This isn't to say no one should support reformist work. The work to reform the capitalist system through protests, boycotts, organized electoral campaigns, and other forms of awareness work is an extremely valuable aspect of the work that needs to continue. This work must continue because for many people, it serves as their entry point into political struggle. It certainly performed that purpose for me back before the Sun was created. So, this point can never be overstated. The problem we have to address is that reformist work is highlighted so completely that the narrative begins to seem to be one where reform is the only viable work taking place. Another problematic aspect of this is that many so-called European (White) accomplices/allies, etc., say they support African self determination, but for them - either consciously or unconsciously - that translates into supporting only the African work that lines up politically with their own views and work. And more often than not, that is reformist work, even if that work isn't cutting edge or the most important element of African struggle.
We believe independent revolutionary African struggle is critically important and deserves a whole lot more support than it receives today because history has taught us that this work constitutes the most powerful threat to the interests of the capitalist system. Consequently, the system has concentrated its highest level of most violent tactics against this segment of the movement. If you need examples of this you only need study the histories of the Universal Negro Improvement Association, African Party for the Independence of Guinea-Bissau, Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola, Democratic Party of Guinea, Black Panther Party, Nation of Islam, and African Blood Brotherhood for starters. Another reason the independent revolutionary African movement needs and deserves significant support is because the system is designed to perpetuate its maintenance. So, when there periods of mass uprisings, the system has always accommodated space for dissent up until the point that the dissent poses a real threat to the system's overthrow. So, protest movements from African independence movements to the U.S. civil rights movement, to the Black Lives Matter movement have always had space within the capitalist media machine. Meanwhile, the Land and Freedom Movement - or Mau Mau movement - to remove the British from Kenya through armed uprisings, was never given a media focus. The Black power movement and the Pan-African movement have never been given these spotlights. Instead, those independent revolutionary movements are portrayed as ill-relevant, extreme, dangerous, anti-White, and counter productive. Or, another way to look at it is if you know people who have a negative view of the Black Lives Matter movement, query them on radical independent revolutionary African movements and you will quickly learn how much more negative the perspective is on those who are courageously carrying out this work.
There are numerous examples of these independent revolutionary African movements in existence right now. The All African People's Revolutionary Party (A-APRP) is my organization. We are active in Africa, Europe, Canada, the Caribbean, and throughout the U.S. We use no capitalist media to advance our work yet the messages we promote - such as join some organization working for justice - are known by everyone, everywhere. Plus, we engage in long term mass work to strengthen and build revolutionary capacity among African people. Here in Portland, that work will be manifested starting in September with the launch of the Harriet Tubman Freedom School which is an outgrowth of the breakfast program we have facilitated for the last year. Certainly, we need your support in Oregon, throughout the U.S., but most importantly, in Africa where we are directing our capacity building work. You can learn more about that by going to our local site here at www.aaprporegon.org or our international site at www.aaprp-intl.org. And, please don't think we are saying you must support us or else you are not doing anything productive. If you know us, then you know that has never been our message. We have always promoted organization and we will continue to do so. That's why we can tell you immediately that if you aren't interested in supporting us we hold no hard feelings at all towards you. In fact, our response is that you should support the work of the Malcolm X Grassroots Movement. And, if you don't want to do that, you should support the work of the African People's Socialist Party and their mass organizations like the National Democratic Uhuru Movement. Don't want to do that? Then we would direct you to any number of revolutionary African collectives and formations e.g. the Black United Front, Organization US, etc.
Some people will spend a lot of time focusing on why they have issue with organizations mentioned. Our point is that independent, revolutionary African organization is so important for the continued creativity and vitality of African people everywhere. Our very spirit and existence is under attack. We are shot down in the streets in the diaspora (outside of Africa) and we are bombed into submission on the African continent (Libya, Somalia, Sudan, etc.). Our ability to stand up on our own power is essential to rebuilding our people and forging forward. So, if none of those organizations do it for you, than help form the "None of those Organizations Do it for Me Organization for Independent Revolutionary African Organization" and help that new organization get to work.
Anyone who truly believes in freedom has to understand that the best work is the work that is being carried out on all fronts. Many people have joined this movement within the last few years and that is outstanding! Still, we shouldn't act as if there was no African movement before 2014! There are many African organizations who have been struggling for decades for African liberation. I would even argue that the independent revolutionary African movement is responsible for laying the groundwork that creates a Black Lives Matter movement. Anyone who knows even a slight bit of knowledge about the history of African people has to recognize that this is true whether people in the streets today realize it or not. Keep us in the streets! Keep shutting things down! Keep expressing your support for these direct actions! And, keep supporting and building the independent revolutionary African liberation movement which will help us build capacity to gain freedom today, tomorrow, next week, next year, and until we achieve it!
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