Of course, the term "uncle tom" derives from the 1852 novel "Uncle Tom's Cabin" by Harriet Beecher Stowe. In that book, the character Uncle Remus's deference and acceptance of white supremacy prompted the term uncle tom to depict any African who willfully defends the racist nature of this backward and oppressive capitalist system. Although the term has its birth within the U.S., since we are engaged in a worldwide struggle against oppression, we know that uncle toms are an international phenomenon. Uncle toms speak to the class struggle that rages between the masses of African people, who are oppressed by capitalism, and the token petti-bourgeois who have been accepted as middle managers by the capitalists. Since the role of these petti-bourgeois is to be spokespersons and protectors of the master's system, they have never been trusted by the masses of African people. They are perceived as sell-outs and this is what is implied by the term uncle tom.
So tomming isn't a U.S. thing and its not new. Its actually as old as class struggle, so, thousands of years old. Some of the original uncle toms were the African elites within tribal groups like the Ashantis, Akan, Kemitics, Fulani, Yoruba, Ibo, Mandinka, Wolof, Hausa, etc., during feudal times, who established trade relations with the European invaders to sell our people into slavery. The uncles toms continued to play the role of the sell outs who snitched on slave revolts carried out by Nat Turner, Dessalines in the Caribbean, and Cinque from Angola. The uncles toms were the ones who opposed the civil rights movement. Whether its Teshome in Ethiopia, Zuma in Azania, South Africa, Sall in Senegal, or Magariaf in Libya, from the North, East, West, and Southern tips of Africa, all of these heads of state are puppets who are beholden to imperialism. They will immediately attack our people for the drastic conditions we live under and they will do so every time, completely ignoring the clear role imperialism plays in exploiting our people. This happens because their bread is buttered by imperialism.
So, if you understand that's how the system works, then you shouldn't be surprised and/or discouraged when U.S. football players Ray Lewis, Michael Vick, and others, along with basketball players Shaq O'Neal and Charles Barkley and others, are quick to rise up and criticize Colin Kaepernick while serving as mouthpieces for their masters. Charles Barkley, always quick to the basket when he played, is even more astonishingly quick from his mouth since retirement. Barkley has been critical of Kaepernick since Colin began his protest against police terrorism, but when it came time to talk about the ideology of white supremacy, Barkley didn't come out and attack white supremacist ideologue Richard Spencer like he did Kaepernick. Instead, he filmed a television interview with Spencer where he permitted the ignorance of Spencer's slick white supremacy to manipulate Barkley into giving him a full platform. Something he never gave Kaepernick the option to do. The reason for this is the television viewing audience is primarily European and they have made it clear they have absolutely no interest in hearing Kaepernick's logical reasons for waging the protest he waged. The point is that is the method that easily identifies uncle toms. What they do is intended to protect and represent the system, not tell the truth about the system.
Other characteristics of tomming are attacking militant African leadership as ill responsible and dangerous. You know, the way these toms are attacking Kaep. The same way Jackie Robinson, a clear tom, attacked Malcolm X and Muhammad Ali in the 60s. These types of tom attacks are made to appear as if these accommodating African athletes are speaking their minds against the menace of these rebellious slaves. What's really happening is these negroes are serving the role of getting out in front of their masters to protect them. They appear to be speaking for themselves when they talk, but the truth is their talking points are unquestionably those of their master which is how you know they are parroting what they are saying. This is easy to prove. How the hell can anyone of African descent who has even the slightest knowledge of history say that an African who protests injustice is "disrespecting America" the "flag" or "the military?' How can they possibly claim these Africans are "disrespecting those who won them their rights?" Any sane African knows any rights we have our people gained on the front lines of the struggle against white supremacy won for us, so by protesting, Kaepernick, is actually demonstrating to highest honor of respect for the people he owes a debt. He's continuing the legacy of resistance, struggle, and dignity that our ancestors taught us when they stood up for justice. None of those people who took a stand escaped the same type of harassment, disrespect, and extreme danger that taking such a stand requires. None of them did so without serious sacrifice. That's true whether we talk about those brave souls who participated in the African independence movements. The land and freedom movement (Mau Mau) in Kenya in the 50s/60s, the pass book protests in Azania, South Africa in 1976, the Montgomery Bus boycott in 1955, all the voter registration work throughout the U.S. in the 60s, etc., etc. Any African - like Lewis, Barkley, O'Neal, etc., who cannot make that clear connection is simply regurgitating the talking points of their owners; a clear mandate for any uncle tom worth his/her salt.
So, if you have any semblance of intelligence yourself, its time to stop being in shock at these uncle toms and sharing their idiocy like its something worth paying attention to. Malcolm X told us 50 years ago in his classic "Message to the Grassroots" speech that "we have always had house negros and field negros." Colin Kaepernick is a field slave. I know that because it takes one to know one. These other fools mentioned here are house slaves. Their concern is strictly to their masters. It doesn't matter how good they put that ball in the hoop. How fast they ran that ball. They are nothing new. Nothing spectacular. What they say is not worth any of our time. They are nothing more than the same manifestation of the classic uncle tom who jumps out front to protect his master's system. If they had any courage, they would be calling out people like Cowboys owner Jerry Jones. He's such an obnoxious racist that he finds no issue with manifesting the obvious contradiction of calling out Kaepernick and anyone who agrees with him while saying nothing about players on his own team who are facing domestic violence and drug charges.
Those toms won't talk about those contradictions though because they aren't the least bit interested in justice. Only lining their pockets. A classic tom priority. Taking care of themselves at the expense of our people. Its funny though. On Dr. Martin Luther King's birthday, I turned on the television after work, prepared to watch a professional basketball game. What I saw instead was a panel discussion including O'Neal and Barkley, talking about the legacy of Dr. King and the civil rights movement. The entire experience was surreal. I sat there and watched O'Neal and Barkley struggle at best to articulate what happened to those brave souls who suffered for standing up against injustice. Their actual comprehension of what they were talking about was so limited that it was like listening to children talking. So sad that these modern toms have such little knowledge of our people, yet they are so strong and skilled at articulating why they love their master's analysis so much.
Its a record setting pace, but nothing new. As the empire falls people are pressured to take sides. These toms are doing that. Still, we have to take some of the blame for this tomming record setting pace. The reason why these people opt out of justice so easily is because there is nothing we are doing on an organizational level to hold them accountable. There is no price for them when they betray us compared to the master's whip (loss of endorsements, jobs, and in more serious examples, loss of life). We have to create those consequences and when we do, we may not win over some of these fools. Some of them are beyond saving, but at least some of them will stop and think before they jump up so fast to defend their master.
So tomming isn't a U.S. thing and its not new. Its actually as old as class struggle, so, thousands of years old. Some of the original uncle toms were the African elites within tribal groups like the Ashantis, Akan, Kemitics, Fulani, Yoruba, Ibo, Mandinka, Wolof, Hausa, etc., during feudal times, who established trade relations with the European invaders to sell our people into slavery. The uncles toms continued to play the role of the sell outs who snitched on slave revolts carried out by Nat Turner, Dessalines in the Caribbean, and Cinque from Angola. The uncles toms were the ones who opposed the civil rights movement. Whether its Teshome in Ethiopia, Zuma in Azania, South Africa, Sall in Senegal, or Magariaf in Libya, from the North, East, West, and Southern tips of Africa, all of these heads of state are puppets who are beholden to imperialism. They will immediately attack our people for the drastic conditions we live under and they will do so every time, completely ignoring the clear role imperialism plays in exploiting our people. This happens because their bread is buttered by imperialism.
So, if you understand that's how the system works, then you shouldn't be surprised and/or discouraged when U.S. football players Ray Lewis, Michael Vick, and others, along with basketball players Shaq O'Neal and Charles Barkley and others, are quick to rise up and criticize Colin Kaepernick while serving as mouthpieces for their masters. Charles Barkley, always quick to the basket when he played, is even more astonishingly quick from his mouth since retirement. Barkley has been critical of Kaepernick since Colin began his protest against police terrorism, but when it came time to talk about the ideology of white supremacy, Barkley didn't come out and attack white supremacist ideologue Richard Spencer like he did Kaepernick. Instead, he filmed a television interview with Spencer where he permitted the ignorance of Spencer's slick white supremacy to manipulate Barkley into giving him a full platform. Something he never gave Kaepernick the option to do. The reason for this is the television viewing audience is primarily European and they have made it clear they have absolutely no interest in hearing Kaepernick's logical reasons for waging the protest he waged. The point is that is the method that easily identifies uncle toms. What they do is intended to protect and represent the system, not tell the truth about the system.
Other characteristics of tomming are attacking militant African leadership as ill responsible and dangerous. You know, the way these toms are attacking Kaep. The same way Jackie Robinson, a clear tom, attacked Malcolm X and Muhammad Ali in the 60s. These types of tom attacks are made to appear as if these accommodating African athletes are speaking their minds against the menace of these rebellious slaves. What's really happening is these negroes are serving the role of getting out in front of their masters to protect them. They appear to be speaking for themselves when they talk, but the truth is their talking points are unquestionably those of their master which is how you know they are parroting what they are saying. This is easy to prove. How the hell can anyone of African descent who has even the slightest knowledge of history say that an African who protests injustice is "disrespecting America" the "flag" or "the military?' How can they possibly claim these Africans are "disrespecting those who won them their rights?" Any sane African knows any rights we have our people gained on the front lines of the struggle against white supremacy won for us, so by protesting, Kaepernick, is actually demonstrating to highest honor of respect for the people he owes a debt. He's continuing the legacy of resistance, struggle, and dignity that our ancestors taught us when they stood up for justice. None of those people who took a stand escaped the same type of harassment, disrespect, and extreme danger that taking such a stand requires. None of them did so without serious sacrifice. That's true whether we talk about those brave souls who participated in the African independence movements. The land and freedom movement (Mau Mau) in Kenya in the 50s/60s, the pass book protests in Azania, South Africa in 1976, the Montgomery Bus boycott in 1955, all the voter registration work throughout the U.S. in the 60s, etc., etc. Any African - like Lewis, Barkley, O'Neal, etc., who cannot make that clear connection is simply regurgitating the talking points of their owners; a clear mandate for any uncle tom worth his/her salt.
So, if you have any semblance of intelligence yourself, its time to stop being in shock at these uncle toms and sharing their idiocy like its something worth paying attention to. Malcolm X told us 50 years ago in his classic "Message to the Grassroots" speech that "we have always had house negros and field negros." Colin Kaepernick is a field slave. I know that because it takes one to know one. These other fools mentioned here are house slaves. Their concern is strictly to their masters. It doesn't matter how good they put that ball in the hoop. How fast they ran that ball. They are nothing new. Nothing spectacular. What they say is not worth any of our time. They are nothing more than the same manifestation of the classic uncle tom who jumps out front to protect his master's system. If they had any courage, they would be calling out people like Cowboys owner Jerry Jones. He's such an obnoxious racist that he finds no issue with manifesting the obvious contradiction of calling out Kaepernick and anyone who agrees with him while saying nothing about players on his own team who are facing domestic violence and drug charges.
Those toms won't talk about those contradictions though because they aren't the least bit interested in justice. Only lining their pockets. A classic tom priority. Taking care of themselves at the expense of our people. Its funny though. On Dr. Martin Luther King's birthday, I turned on the television after work, prepared to watch a professional basketball game. What I saw instead was a panel discussion including O'Neal and Barkley, talking about the legacy of Dr. King and the civil rights movement. The entire experience was surreal. I sat there and watched O'Neal and Barkley struggle at best to articulate what happened to those brave souls who suffered for standing up against injustice. Their actual comprehension of what they were talking about was so limited that it was like listening to children talking. So sad that these modern toms have such little knowledge of our people, yet they are so strong and skilled at articulating why they love their master's analysis so much.
Its a record setting pace, but nothing new. As the empire falls people are pressured to take sides. These toms are doing that. Still, we have to take some of the blame for this tomming record setting pace. The reason why these people opt out of justice so easily is because there is nothing we are doing on an organizational level to hold them accountable. There is no price for them when they betray us compared to the master's whip (loss of endorsements, jobs, and in more serious examples, loss of life). We have to create those consequences and when we do, we may not win over some of these fools. Some of them are beyond saving, but at least some of them will stop and think before they jump up so fast to defend their master.
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