Huey P. Newton on Gay & Women's Liberation

"We should be careful about using those terms that might turn our friends off. The terms “faggot” and “punk” should be deleted from our vocabulary, and especially we should not attach names normally designed for homosexuals to men who are enemies of the people, such as [Richard] Nixon or [John] Mitchell. Homosexuals are not enemies of the people." - Huey P. Newton, Black Panther Party




Dear friends,

On the link below, is a short speech by my old comrade Huey P. Newton. What he had to say at the time was very uncomfortable for many men especially, including male Panthers.

The attitudes that seemingly most people had towards both women’s and gay liberation were not those that would move our society forward.

While women in the Black Panther Party enjoyed equal and respectful treatment, things were far different in the overall society. As well, homosexuality was basically unacceptable.

Yet, one of my biggest concerns, regarding today’s social movements is: the word “liberation” has been replaced by the term “rights”. Unfortunately, as a result, the very goals of both the women’s and gays movements now reflect the overall identity crisis in our country.

Finally, if the drive for equality, dignity, and justice, for all people, is diminished to being only for females who call themselves “white”, and people whose “identity” is based upon something as precarious, if not frivolous, as the human sexual appetite/impulse, then Male Supremacy and its spirit - which is male homosexuality, along with White Supremacy, euphemistically called “racism” will prevail.

G. Djata Bumpus
http://www.workers.org/2012/us/huey_p_newton_0524/ Read full post

Craigslist Pet Ban will Respect the longtime Human and non-Human animal Connection

At my oldest daughter's crib in Baltimore, Father's Day Weekend 2011, with my grand-dog Miles (named after Miles Davis)



Dear friends,

The connection between both human and nonhuman animals goes back, at least, hundreds of thousands of years/generations. In fact, especially people and their dogs is a love affair that predates human civilization.

Of course, dogs other results of the evolution of wolves. And that transformation from being wild animals to a domesticated species has served people well. From companions to protectors and/or workers, it is not very hard, in fact, think of how people have used dogs. I mean, for example, how tough would it have been without dogs pulling sleds for those who live up north in snowy regions? Imagine how difficult it would’ve been for us to control large herds of animals like sheep (who were actually the original animals that were used to build Capitalism).  We humans owe a great deal to our canine friends.

On the link below, is a brief story from the Boston Herald about some sick, lowlife, and cowardly scoundrels who have been buying dogs that are being offered on Craigslist, solely for the purpose of brutalizing, mutilating, and murdering their abandoned charges.

G. Djata Bumpus http://bostonherald.com/news_opinion/local_coverage/2013/09/puppy_doe_petition_end_animal_adoption_on_craigslist Read full post

Some thoughts from a Father about Raising your Daughters and "Equality"

Dr. Namandje Bumpus (left) with sister Tia (MD/PhD candidate)

Dear friends,

Being the same has nothing to do with equality, when we are speaking about the rights of either a person or all people to be treated “equally”. The idea of “sameness as being equal” is the intellectual basis upon which systems of oppression like racism and sexism flourish.

Consequently, a person does not have to run as fast as you, jump as high as you, lift as much weight as you, fist-fight as good as you, or have as much money as you, to be equal to you. Do ya feel me?

You are, in fact, equal, because you are both human individuals. Moreover, if you compare any individual with yourself, you will find: 1) You each require food and drink, in periodic intervals, and then must expel the waste from those activities, or you will cease to exist in the form of a living being. 2) You each feel lonely and separate, as individual beings, even when you are sleeping beside someone, because even then , you still must sleep on your own; that is, no one can do that for you. 3) No matter how few or many, you each have physical, mental, and emotional shortcomings. Every single person does. 4) You can each do well at one thing, but do poorly at some other activity. That is why you are equal to everyone, and everyone is equal to you. That simple truism, especially, includes the mother(s) of your child(ren). It is extremely important that you appreciate that notion, because if your child sees her mother treated as an equal, she will expect that same kind of treatment for herself - from others, when she is grown, and, therefore, be less likely to hook up with some knucklehead who will mess her life up.

Obviously, as it is for a boy, the way that a girl is raised will have a great deal to do with how well she fares in life as an adult. Yet, unfortunately, starting when they are very young, most girls are raised in a way that makes them feel that they should use manipulation and deceit, by being allowed to cry and whine, and so forth, in order to get what they want in life. Boys are not raised that way. Instead, boys are treated differently. They are told not to cry (as I insisted not only for my son, but my daughters too).

The crying and whining teaches them nothing about positive, sincere interaction with another person, especially a boy or a man. That means that they will not, like boys, learn social skills that will make them not just physically, but mentally and emotionally, self-sufficient. Consequently, far too often, girls are socialized to ignore their need to develop skills that will allow them to acquire whatever they need or want without having to depend on the gullibility and insecurities of boys and men. And these days, with the confusing concept of “sexual identity” in vogue, other girls and women are even included in that equation, that is, using other females as means to their ends, as well.

So, my main point here is: From the moment that they come into this world, always think of your daughters as - and teach them to be - physically-, mentally-, and emotionally-capable human beings who both recognize and use their inner powers like discipline, concentration, memory, and responsibility, to name a few, so that they will be able to accomplish goals on their own, thus controlling and determining their own destinies. They are, after all, equal to everyone else. Dig? Peace.

G. Djata Bumpus Read full post

Looking back a month later - was it a Party or a March on Washington?

Dear friends,

With all of the problems in Washington DC alone, why wasn't there anything happening, regarding "community service" for genuine community development?

Instead, it was just a lot of people "celebrating". I remember vividly, as a child growing up in an activist family, leafleting the housing projects where I lived - door-to-door about the upcoming march, while my Mother and older brothers sold tickets for the buses that were traveling there. Even then, the only people who were buying tickets, much less attending, were people who were already actively involved in The Movement. Today, the crowd is made up of a bunch of party revelers.  Please think about it.

G. Djata Bumpus Read full post