Before Pan-African/Black Nationalist views...

[ArmedResistance84]

I don't know if any of you were raised P.A or B.N but for those who weren't, what other political stances have you taken? I myself first was an active member of the Anarchist Black Bloc. The Black Bloc didn't have anything to do with being black. But they are the ones who are actually activists aside from the protesters and philosophers. That was short-lived because even within this "freedom" movement, you still have arrogant whites that feel they know far more about this theory than any person of colour in the movement. I would even attend these Anarcho-punk concerts with friends and get more attention than the band playing on stage. Only a few would comend me for coming knowing that not many blacks show up to such events. Most would just stare as if I was lost. Is that the way an Anti-Racist organization should be? Many were Anarchist because they had nothing to do...not because they believe in the actual theory. I stopped dealing with them as far as going to protests and events. I started to search for something that revolved around,and dealt with, the lives of black people but still revolutionary to feed that rebellious craving. So I started to deal with Rastafari for about 9 years. It was just what I was looking for. But I got tired of getting more respect from white hippies than my own. Many Rastas were petty around here. They focus more on the physical and not what measures had to be taken to actually claim Rastafari. Same arrogance I left with the Anarchist movement followed me to Rastafari. Instead of my trod...I was asked about my locs. How long I had been growing them and crap like that. I got tired of cats measuring themselves up to me. On top of that...nobody could even tell me who Leonard P. Howell was..lots of bredrin didn't even know who Marcus Garvey was. They limited themelselves to Bob Marley and Peter Tosh. Which urked me. But what did it was the openess and acceptance of whites and people of different cultures to Rastafari. Originally, Rastafari was a black powered livity...but who knows what happened. Then everyone I met would asked me something about weed every five seconds. I got fed-up. I needed something more revolutionary and race driven. So I got deeper into the Black Nationalist way of life and I can say...I haven't been happier in all the years of my life. I have white friends but they know and understand my stance...and respect is kept. But all arrogance is dropped before even talking to me about anything. Arrogance from a white man in thier movement is expected...but there is no-way a white man can teach me anything about Africa and I LOVE IT.As far as being racist...i'm only a respectable seperatist. I prefer to be around my people. Live with, support, and advance with my people. My race is my main concern. I would lend a white man or biracial person a hand only if I know my people are well taken care of first and foremost. But ,again, were any of you a member of any other political parties before all of this?

[ArmedResistance84]

I..uh...take that as a no?

[Im The Truth]

I wish I could tell you something different but I've been BN and PA alwayz. I haven't had another political or religious stand. I've seen/participated with all of the known social-religious-political groups so I'm very familiar with the philosophy of all them. Good thread African!

[G1deon]

I wasn't... and coming up poor, I was only raised to hate the cop in all means.

But in growing up, and as I was learning the world I was self developing a hunger and need for justice.

I did make a walk in Rasta, and learned much from it... I wasn't treated good by many, and witnessed many others receive their less also. In my steps, I would never throw out "Rasta" for the many bad-minded I have encountered, but I will FOREVER keep simply for the few I have met, who I will call Rasta. I have come to know many are false, but those who carry the spirit are those I choose to share with. I have cut my locs off for the sake of cleanliness and the last fights I have had with them... not that I am someone who picks fights, but I do like fighting and when they do come, the hair they like to hold onto.

I, myself have to be around people of action... people with a plan, a strategy, people who are fighting the right fight... so I get in where I fit in.

[ArmedResistance84]

I appreciate your feedback.

[TureBandele]

I grew up in London I was into the esoteric side of everything I was always black concious but when I was twelve I was at a party with white folks I was one the only small group Black people there.I always hung with folks since early beacause my sent me to white schools ''because of better education''.I always knew I was diffrent from them I was intergrated with them but not immersed I listened to solely to black music,watched black films and knew my culture.But this one day at this party something just hit me at this party and said you dont belong wit these people at all.So I got upset sat down in the corner and sulked.All my white friends offered to buy me drinks I didnt budge we had made plans to go to pizza hut I decided not to go with them.All this seems inconceivable because I was a chubby fat fuck that loved food and a pizza hut buffet was heaven to a fat nigga.I was never the same after that night and nobody said or did anything i was just on the dancefloor dancing then bam !but after that I made my mums transfer me to a local wth black kids so after that I started reading on our history anywhere i could two things that helped my progress was that i loved to read and that I smoked weed since I was 12.So in school I started reading about Rastfari that was my first influence then when I went to college it was Malcolm X and Garvey then it was Kwame Ture so basically till two years ago I would read all black history but from a perspective of Garveyism, with touches of kwame Ture and Malcolm X.But now I take things how I percieve them to be and not try to put the teachers on such high pedastal as I used to.But I'm into everything I came in on everything I've never became one thing so I dont feel the need to hug to this or that I believe in alot of different things but I would only define myself as a Black power millitant.

[ArmedResistance84]

The majority of my friends were white due to school transferring as well. But being that token blk kid eventually ended up turning me into a seperatist overtime. When I caught on to Pan-African opinions/lifestyles and the Black Power movement, I was sold. Haven't looked back since. On with the Revolution.

Black Power

[TureBandele]

Yeah its a gift and curse but being around white people in their naturally enviroment you get to see their real character also in their school they teach real white history (not full ) so nobody had to tell me about the barbarity of the white man.