|
Books by Marvin X
Love and War: Poems /
In the Crazy House Called America /
Woman: Man's Best Friend /
Beyond Religion Toward Spirituality
*
* * * *
Baghdad
by the Bay
By Dr. M (Marvin X)
From the Bay Area to New
Orleans, Philadelphia and Boston, and numerous other
cities, the urban centers of America resemble the
killings fields of Iraq. From Iraq to the Bay Area, the
mayors, governors, adults and children are crying out
for peace in the streets. In the Bay peace officers from
multiple cities, including the Highway patrol, have
taken to the streets. In New Orleans, the National Guard
had to be deployed. Philadelphia is asking for ten
thousand volunteers to help with conflict resolution in
the streets.
In Iraq, the ultimate problem
is control of oil and the central government, with the
long suffering Shiites unwilling to give up control of
either, along with the Kurds, leaving the Sunnis out of
oil and political power. So the killing continues in
spite of America’s dubious “surge.” The recent peace in
Anbar province was not the result of the “surge” but
exhausted Sunni Sheikhs who turned to the Americans for
guns to battle Al Qaida. Indeed, most of the insurgents
are coming from America’s best friend in the area, Saudi
Arabia, yes, those same guys supposedly responsible for
9/11. America gave the Sunnis guns and resources for
economic development, temporarily turning them against
Al Qaida.
We wonder why America
absolutely refuses to find an economic solution to the
killing fields in her cities. Does it take a rocket
scientist to understand the brothers and sisters in the
hoods of these United Snakes need economic stability,
and no amount of police, highway patrol and national
guard will placate their desperate situation, including
an upsurge in prostitution and violence by young women
when the men find themselves under siege from the police
and rival gang bangers. It is said the females have more
guns than the males—although we understand many of them
are merely holding weapons for the males so they aren’t
caught “riding dirty.”
Oakland’s mayor Ron Dellums
has proposed not asking for criminal records in city job
applications since ex-felons often have no choice but
drug dealing and the resultant violence when released
from prison. But prison has become such a growth
industry with inmates worth between thirty and fifty
thousand dollars per inmate per year that corporate
America has privatized prisons for the economic
development of many communities, but usually not to the
benefit of the depressed inner cities. And what better
way to realize America’s long held desire to return
blacks to slavery since they are no longer needed in the
labor pool—well, why not let them do free labor under
the Constitution which permits involuntary servitude for
inmates. The South is overjoyed they finally figured out
a way to get “niggers in their place,” including striped
suits, balls and chains.
The war in Iraq and
Afghanistan (and coming battle in Iran since Iran must
be attacked to satisfy America’s friends in Israel and
the Sunnis in Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, the Gulf States
and most especially Saudi Arabia—also to prevent Shiite
unity between a Shiite controlled Iraq and Iran) appears
complicated, similar to finding a solution to the
killing fields of America, but why is justice so
complicated? Give economic justice and equality to the
brothers and sisters in the hood, and recognize the
Shiites and Kurds will fight to the death to finally
exercise power in Iraq. They have taken power and plan
to keep it, whether or not the Sunnis join them as a
minority in the government.
And it’s pretty obvious youth
in the cities of America are willing to fight to the
death to obtain the wherewithal to participate in the
American dream. The tragedy is that they have been
forced to operate on the animal plane rather than
utilize their spiritual consciousness to find a way out
of the morass. Killing is a barbaric act of desperation
when people rather use physical force than exercise
political and diplomatic solutions to social-economic
problems.
A nominal peace came to
Iraq’s Anbar province when the Sheikhs exercised
leadership and authority over their tribes. Where is the
leadership in the Black community, when will those who
have authority over our children step to the front of
the line and represent? They should stop hiding behind
the police, highway patrol, and National Guard, but take
charge of their posts as community elders and themselves
solve the economic, educational and spiritual problems
of their children, who shall continue killing until the
word is given.
If there are no jobs, teach
the children to be entrepreneurs, let them vend on the
streets of inner cities, after all, there are few
merchants to complain, since they long ago left the
downtown area for malls. I proposed this idea years ago
to city officials in Oakland, but rather than help
at-risk youth, the proposal became a project for black
bourgeoisie youth—thus the murder continues and will
continue until we get it right. Sun Ra told me, “The
Creator got things fixed: until you do the right thing,
you can’t go forward or backward.”
*
* * * *
Dr. M grew up in Oakland. He
released two books in 2007,
Beyond Religion, Toward Spirituality
and
How To Recover from the Addiction to White Supremacy:
A Pan-Africanist 12 Step Model,
Black Bird Press, POB 1317, Paradise CA 95967, $19.95
each. He is available for speaking and reading
engagements. Call 510.355.6339. Visit his blog:
www.marvinxwrites.blogspot.com.
On Friday, October 12, 7pm,
he will read and sign books at the Eastside Arts
Cultural Center, 2277 International Blvd., Oakland.
Seating is limited.
* *
* * *
posted 16
September 2007 / updated 12 July 2008 |
