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SUGGSTION (Hopefully, not a longshot).
I have a tendency to think bigger than my APPARENT capacity to achieve something. So, I want to extend that tendency to everyone here, and ask all of you to pray, meditate, send out positive vibes, or whatever practice you have, that SOMEHOW someone can convince Spike Lee to produce a full-length movie of Sister Queen Assata Shakur.
I have been...let's just say "away" from the black freedom-fighter community for many years, for my own reasons, but serving, fairly strongly [and, I might add, dangerously]. I am slowly "returning," so to speak (to an extent).
And when I ran across Commons' song, "A Song for Assata," and heard it, I burst out crying like a baby, with both ecstatic joy but deep pain inside of me at the same time. Aside from invoking the memories of Fred (whom I met, and worked with just one time), Malcolm, Abdul Jamil Ra Kenyatta (Chicago Mau Mau), Chaka Ra (Afro-American New Society), the AEC (African Education Center), and all of the brothers and sisters who were working towards liberation, as well as my own activities in that regard, that song caused me to almost literally FALL IN LOVE with Assata!
I do mean WITH HER HEART--a heart of LOVE who loves OUR PEOPLE. That song gives me big butterflies, causes my heart to palpitate, and makes me shiver and, sometimes, cry. I listen to it several times ["several" is an understatement] throughout my work day.
I'm almost close to dedicating a part of my LIFE to her, in some manner, although, at the moment, I do not know how. The dream would be to visit her in Cuba, but the couple of times I've asked about this in the email box at the home page, I got no response. I've concluded that this has to do with the need to protect her against her enemies.
I do not want to see our people WAIT until 200 years from now to LOOK BACK and THEN honor her in a big way. Spike Lee has the power, NOW, to introduce her, and re-introduce her, to the world. And, I do believe, he also has the SENSITIVITY and LOVE to do so in a manner that would HONOR her, and not just leave the viewing public with a murky idea of the circumstances on the Turnpike.
As a 59-year old man, I feel WEAK when I think about the fact that Sister Queen Assata FOUGHT her way out of prison, with the help of comrades; made her way to Cuba, and has continued to STAND UP. I have been fighting somewhat underground [that's as best as I can, or will, explain it] in what I am certain is a very effective manner, for the last few decades, moving from battle to battle, one of which was carried on globally, and is succeeding, thank...WHOEVER.
But now, I just wish I could do something for Assata. I will think of something.
"Im thinkin of Assata, yes.
Listen to my love, Assata, yes.
Your power and pride is beautiful.
May God bless your soul."
Um!!! My, My. I can imagine THAT song being played on the Big Screen, in a movie about her. I can hear it. And I can...feel certain things.
By the way, do not underestimate the power of such a movie. My experience in life has taught me that one cannot possibly know which influence will move a brother or sister into ACTION for black people. It can be a book, a friend, a bad experience with racism, or, yes, even a movie whose prime goal is to make money.
I just wish there was a way to know, week by week, how she's doing. I'll peek around this forum [haven't looked at all the resources yet] and see if there's some kind of update.
We have had, amongst our people, such great men and women. So, although it might seem, to some, to be very "unfair" to elevate Assata to those positions, I do so with no hesitation.
In addition, for reasons that I CANNOT FULLY UNDERSTAND YET, she has now become my number one hero/heroin IN LIFE, next to my daddy, who was an undefeated boxer and an accomplished...well, that's enough. Aside from him, she is NUMBER ONE in my book!!!
I love her so much! We ALL do, yes!!
Yours, thinking of Assata,
RDC
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