"Nevertheless, after listening to Elaine speak on this video, I can tell you, confidently, that she is the exact same honest, knowledgeable, energetic, and no-nonsense but warm person now that she was 40 years ago when I first met her."
Dear friends,
This video features one of my old Panther comrades. Her name is Elaine Brown. While she was a West Coast Panther, she came through New Haven, CT., during Bobby Seale’s trial, a couple of times, when I was stationed there.
Nevertheless, after listening to Elaine speak on this video, I can tell you, confidently, that she is the exact same honest, knowledgeable, energetic, and no-nonsense but warm person now that she was 40 years ago when I first met her.
Additionally, while I remember her as a very slightly-built woman back then, she had a beautiful and incredibly powerful voice, and was a heck of a piano player – and songwriter.
In any case, on the link below, Elaine talks about, not just some Black Panther Party history, but she also gets into how gangs like the Crips and Bloods evolved and why they have taken different courses than the ones that they had initially professed to be taking. Of course, as Elaine points out, the “market” is responsible for this turn of events.
Moreover, that’s why it’s so important that we, as parents and other elders, take the reins of our present culture and provide our youth with both an historical and social conscience, and set the example for young people, by informing identity through recognition of the connection between generations and defining human life in a meaningful way (as opposed to basing who they are upon silly claims regarding with whom they are allegedly having sex, or what "gang colors" they're wearing). That way, our society will benefit from the "leadership" of our youth. As well, the "market" will then be a function of the values of the society and not vice versa, as it now stands.
All power to the People!!!
G. Djata Bumpus
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=roGNxckardg
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