Paranoia in the Struggle

[Tarikh Bandele']

Blessings,

After rereading much COINTELPRO info recently, I wondered what the deal was as far as "liberators" seeking to hide in the cracks (i.e. not wanting email addresses, ASSATASHAKUR.ORG accounts (with or without pics), MYSPACE accounts, MYSPACE accounts with pictures, etc.). These are rational and legitimate concerns, ones that we need to always consider when engaged in the processes of liberational activity.

But, sometime, it seems like these concerns can border on the irrational. Of course, COINTELPRO has never gone away, it has only changed acronyms and gotten more sophisticated. This we could never deny. Neither can we deny its impact on our struggle at self-determination. However, not having an email address or a MYSPACE account does not allow us to be "under the radar". "They" still know who you are. We are, as Cube's character said in Higher Learning, behind enemy lines. The moment we all are born, this enemy knows who we are.

If you've ever uttered certain words on your landline or cellphone, "they" know who you are; if you've been to rallies or lectures or marches of a certain persuasion, "they" know who you are. And you know what? Let them! Our cause is a righteous and divine one, a noble and principled one. We don't seek to enslave another people, or rob them of their traditional belief systems, or rape and deliberately impregnate their women, or whip them within an inch of their lives. We don't seek any of this. Ancestor warrior (a true manifestation of Sango if i've ever saw one) Dr. Khallid Abdul Muhammad said that we just want to be free. In other words, we don't want to do unto 'whitey' what they have visited upon us and our ancestors. We just want to have the ability to determine our lives and our destiny and feel no chagrin or reluctance for it.

I shouldn't have to worry about whether or not i'll be hired because i have a "cute ethnic name" (a white chick actually told me this recently!). I shouldn't have to worry about whether or not i'll be profiled by police (or any other agent of the system) because of my locks. That's self determination. That's freedom.

I don't really care if "they" know who i am or if they see my picture or "tap" my email. What do i have to hide from? I fight for true justice and equality. I don't fight to be able to be deemed a human being by white supremacy. I fight and struggle for my right to exist as a human being. I owe my ancestors this much. They could only dream of having or doing the little that we can do or have today. But, despite tapping my email or my ASSATA SHAKUR account or my MYSPACE page or my cellphone or anything else, my cause is just. My cause is noble, and i fight against the system of oppression that oppresses us still (believe it or not). Ain't no damn reason for me to hide from the oppressor (unless, of course, it's for necessary and tactical reasons...................hint).

Now Get Up.

Tarikh.

[rebelAfrika]

I've always been irritated when people use the analogy of a game of cards to describe our struggle. It is not a "game" where we are "hiding our hands" from people. I've always said that if you have to compare our situation to a "game," then it is more like chess. WE ALL can see "across the board." WE ALL can see what is going on. It's all about STRATEGY though. Knowing "WHAT" moves to make...and knowing "WHEN" to make them.

[Jalili]

Hell if you have a job, a drivers license, PASS PORT, or a SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER they know you and what you do.

The library is forced to deal under the Patriot act so they know what your reading
All banks follow those same rules so they know what your buying

Why hide?
Sooner or later you will meet with them in some sort of conflict so they just know who you are and what side you are..........they never know exactly what your capable of because life, people, and action is unpredictable.

[Tarikh Bandele']

Hell if you have a job, a drivers license, PASS PORT, or a SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER they know you and what you do.

The library is forced to deal under the Patriot act so they know what your reading
All banks follow those same rules so they know what your buying

Why hide?
Sooner or later you will meet with them in some sort of conflict so they just know who you are and what side you are..........they never know exactly what your capable of because life, people, and action is unpredictable.

Indeed!

This is the mentality, i believe, that our people need to be infused with. We ain't the FBI, CIA,Army and Navy Intelligence, NSA or any of them. They have every right to hide in the shadows and use chicanery to accomplish their goals. They don't have noble intentions from the door. The overthrow of another soverign nation??? The assassination of a country's or a people's rightly elected spokesperson??? What's noble about that???

As we all know here, the foundation of this nation is set on chaos and disorder. There could never be noble motives to protect and sustain chaos and disorder. And (as we all know as well), whether they assassinate____________, or drug___________, or use scare tactics, or mail phony letters trying to instigate internecine wars between groups and organizations, our aspirations are not only warranted, but a re in divine order.

That's what the purveyors of this system never understood, nor do their children or grandchildren. Assassinating Malcolm or Martin, or pitting the Panthers against US will not stop a free people's quest for freedom.

Peace.

[Langalibalele]

Jalili, what you sed. Paranoia in the struggle. Whew. Could write volumes about my own experiences, including my paranoia as well as others. I only overcame my own personal demons by becoming organized. First as a Garveyite, then in the AAPRP, and other activities. It was the process of being linked in a disciplined fashion, working and planning together with other people, that my own paranoia diminished.

I must admit, that it was pretty intense before I became part of an organization, and justifiably so. However, being part of a national group insulated me and relieved me of the burden of the martyr complex. A good organization will do that. It will help develop the individual's strengths and take away his/her weaknesses, and bond with that person socially. That is important. Usually, paranoia is part of a complex of emotions that occur because of ideological isolation, or other similar factors.

[Jalili]

We all get freaked out when we learn new info about the enemy or see the new lengths at which they are tracking any of us at any moment. (probably looking in at our convo right here, ever noticed the endless amount of vistors to this site...)

I got over mine worries by just realizing that they are afraid and if you fear me that shows I HAVE POWER and with that power I want you to be afraid and think it is better to change your ways then for me to rise and destory you.