The Black Panther Party-do we need them today?

I have been reading a great deal about The Black Panther Party lately and it has quite enlightening.  This all started with my learning about  Assata Shakur who is in exile in Cuba and seeing a documentary on Pete O'Neal , who is in exile in Tanzania, both former party members.

The photo to the left is of the six founding members of the party. That was taken from Wikipedia. {Original six members of the Black Panther Party (November, 1966) Top left to right: Elbert "Big Man" Howard; Huey P. Newton (Defense Minister), Sherman Forte, Bobby Seale (Chairman). Bottom: Reggie Forte and Little Bobby Hutton (Treasurer)}




One of the books I read was, Seize the Time: The Story of the Black Panther Party and Huey P. Newton, by Bobby Seale. I had read many things in the media as I was growing up about the party and the fear that was sparked by the many state governments, as the party started chapters in many states across the country. I am learning that their basic premise was to protect their neighborhoods and its residents from the blatant racism of the time, as well as to start programs that would help us better care for our own.  Yes they did come from some of the worst neighborhoods in the various states just like the many doctors, lawyers, and business people that many became so proud of.  The were self-educated even though the founders did meet in college.  They knew their constitutional rights and were determined to protect them.
There were many organizations in the 1960s that were fighting for civil rights, and the Black Panther Party was no exception, but because they armed themselves, per their constitutional right, they were considered dangerous. They were arming themselves because it was mostly policemen that brutalized many in the neighborhoods and the people were tired of falling prey to this abuse.
The FBI created a special task force, COINTELPRO, for what they considered a problem.

The Black Panther Party was not only attacked from outside forces but also from within the organization. There were operatives that went undercover to infiltrate the organization and wreak havoc to divide and destroy the mission, but there were also those that joined the party to have a cover for their criminal activity.  Both of these things were successful in accelerating the demise of the party. When the leaders realized that they were being destroyed from the inside, they ceased new membership, but it was already too late.  They were being attacked from every direction.

Today the media attacks would not be as successful because of citizen journalism.  The truth would hit the airways before the news outlets even got a hold of the story.  The sad thing is, that not much has changed in our society in reference to racism.  In the 60s it was just against blacks, but now it is against most people of color.  So instead of going away, it has just spread o like a fungus. Most people are too busy trying to keep their heads above water or the poverty line until they don't even notice.
There are still large numbers of people of color being incarcerated and often railroaded into taking plea deals.  The neighborhoods where people of color are concentrated are still under attack by police brutality and institutionalize racism. The schools in the area are still extremely inferior, rendering hopelessness for those that attend them, breeding crime and the like.  The children in these neighborhoods are still sadly aware that they are not deemed worthy of quality education in a safe and clean environment.
So do we need another Black Panther Party? A group that protects and works hard to take care of their own? A group that fights for the rights of its children?  Fight for the rights promised to them by the constitution?  Or do we just sit back and continue to be brainwashed by the system into believing that one day we too will have the American dream if we just continue to work hard and keep our noses clean.  We can now see that this didn't work for our parents who in their later years are still working to keep a roof over their heads way past retirement.  What I am advocating here is not accepting the status quo. We can't change the system without first changing ourselves. We know that the rules of the game doesn't apply to people of color, even though a few of them eke by; and as soon as we learn the game they change the rules. We have to force ourselves into that picture.  And that starts with self, with home, with our own.  We need to help our kids get a better education and that may not start in the schools, but usually within the home, the neighborhood Creating the kind of student that demands better for themselves. The now cliché phrase, 'it takes a village to raise a child', is not new to us.  It is something that we have been doing since we were brought to this country, and we need to return to that.

Before I get off on this rant, I would love to know what you think.


Photos taken by llka Harmann shows beautifully the climate of the times.

Charity Benefit in Chicago

Tonight I attended a fund raising benefit for the Global Alliance for Africa which was held at the Millinnium Knickerbocker Hotel. There was a silent auction of many pieces of art as well as a raffle for two tickets to Africa. My girlfried was saying all night that she was going to win that trip and amazingly enough the winner's ticket was one number away from hers. It was bittersweet for sure.

The benefit was a fund raiser for Global Alliance for Africa. This fundraiser is done every year and consists of a great deal of the volunteers for the alliance. It was great to witness such giving from so many. Most of the people there were from the non-profit sector and it was just a beautiful event.

Adopt and Adapt

It has been wonderful traveling this month visiting family and friends. Seeing how those you love from a distance, live in their everyday lives.  Noticing their habits, the traditions they are  creating and  just watching carve out a life for themselves is quite interesting.
The way people live has always been fascinating to me.  I love seeing how we are similar as well as seeing how we are different.

 I have always been one to adopt the habits of others that I admire. It was something that I started to do many years ago. You often find people who are jealous of others because of the way  they live, better yet their perception of how they live. I have always been one to adopt the habits or traditions that I find pleasing and adapt it to my life. Jealousy is such a waste of time and energy. My mother taught me years ago to never desire and definitely not covet what you see in others, because you have no idea what they do or have to go through to maintain. My method has always been to adopt and adapt, and most of all compliment.

My Trip Home

The first two weeks of September I spent in Georgia visiting family and friends. I was not aware of how much I have missed everyone back home. I have been living in Los Angeles for just about five years without those close connections. Yes I have been back to Georgia a few times but only for a few days at a time. So I stay connected to everyone via cell phone and internet. I am sure that is not surprising to anyone. However convenient modern day technology is, it is no substitute for socializing with those you love and those who love you.

I was also fortunate enough to reconnect with some old friends that I have not spent anytime with in 25+ years and that was great. In every situation it appeared as though all of those years were a blur because we just picked up where we left off. A couple of them I didn't have a real relationship with at all, but we went to school together and traveled in the same circle of friends, so in that case we were able to discover each other and enjoy each other.

My time in Georgia also allowed me to meet some new relatives that I discovered through my genealogy research, predominantly with the use of ancestry.com. That was especially powerful, because we discovered how much we have in common and in a few cases how similar our personalities are. It continues to prove how strong genetics can be.

This trip was tremendously enlightening and encouraging as well as soothing to my spirit.

Two major events took place while I was in Savannah. One was the Labor Day Cookout given by my cousins Ella and Delores who are sisters.Delores Thompson Blige

Ella Thompson Brown

This is an event that takes place every year and the family comes from all over the US to attend. I think this time I was the one that traveled the furthest, coming from California, and their brother Marvin and his family coming from Denver. It was great to see them all.



The second major even in the order of which they happened was my parents surprise 5oth Anniversary Dinner. It was much smaller than I would have liked but it was nice just the same, and they didn't expect it.

This was an intimate dinner of 20 people held at the The Pink House in downtown Savannah.
There were pleasantly surprised, my mother started to cry and my father was smiling from ear to ear. It was great to be able to do something for the two people that have given me so very much in my love. I love them dearly and I wish them many more years together.

What is his story? What was his position in life 20 yrs ago?

I often ask myself these questions when I see people like this gentlemen. He obviously has a story and something to say. What is it? Has anyone of us ever stopped to ask? I want to ask at times, but am afraid of what I going to hear. I am afraid that I am going to hear how he was once, what we would consider, a productive citizen and fell on bad luck.  Possibly because of mental illness, physical illness, or merely lost of income, and even worst, lost of hope.
Then there is another fear,, that he would be angry and say or do something to me that would hurt my feelings or worst hurt me physically. This is not the greatest fear at all.

We don't want to ask because we don't want to care, so as not to feel even more helpless in this massive problem called "Homelessness" than we feel already.

So at most we give them money, feed them, talk to them for awhile, or just give them a smile and go on with our lives.
I know I often feel very bad when faced with these situations because I know that I am not but a heart beat away from being in his shoes. All of these fears are ways we justify doing nothing, and I must admit that I am included in this bunch. I wish that I was not but I am. How do I move away from the excuses and move toward some sort of action.


As I was sitting outside of California Pizza Kitchen eating with my daughter, this gentleman passed by, as we were eating outside on the patio, he looked right at me. That is when I noticed that his left eye was cloudy, but he was looking right at me. I smiled at him and said hello, and he greeted me in such respectful and warm way. At that moment my thoughts of pity turned into respect. Respect for him as a man, as my brother, that has endured something heavy in his life. What could that be?

This reminds me of my most recent visit to Wal-Mart a few days later and the cashier was a mature gentleman. The total of my bill was $19.68, and without any real thought, I blurted out, "that was a good year", like I would know, because I was only seven years old. The cashier said "not for me", and I asked him why not, and he said, "I was in Vietnam." I immediately felt terrible for making the comment, but I came back with, "Thank God that you lived to tell about it."
 He may not feel that way either, because I have no idea what he has suffered and may still suffer from being in that war. This may not have effected me as much before, but now that I am living through the times of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars and am mature enough to understand the pain and politics involved, I see things a bit different.

When I had this short exchange with the Wal-Mart cashier, the gentleman in the above photos came to mind, because I don't know his story and I do know that there are a great deal of Vietnam veterans living on the streets here in Los Angeles.

How do you feel when you are faced with the same things? What do you do? What would you like to do?

Todays Nightmare - at the Dentist

Today was a pretty tough one after spending five hours at the dentist office.I was so ready to run out of there. I have never liked going to the dentist. For me it is almost as invasive as my gynecologist. I guess with the latter, I have come to expect it and am use to it, and it is usually pretty quick. However, when someone is in your head sticking and poking and prodding for five hours, you are ready for them to get the hell out. I don’t know anyone that likes the dentist, but I like it even less than most. I always associate a dentist with a construction worker. These days they do pretty much the same thing. Often times they build foundations to put a crown or a bridge or even an implant. Then they sit back and admire their work. They say things like, “that is a beautiful crown, it’s porcelain”, even before it is in your mouth.
They use a great deal of tools for pushing things in the gums, in the teeth, around the teeth and for clean-up during and after their construction. Not too mention, they often times use a great deal of pressure to make things stay in place. We will not even talk about the DRILLING. Like I say, very much like a construction worker. One of the differences may be that a construction worker often times have a larger space, or parcel, to start his construction, when the dentist has a hole in the front of your face to go through, frequently forgetting that there are lips in front of those teeth. After they finish rubbing every instrument and cleaning device over them, you want to forget that the lips are there too. Sort of like building a small city in a gourd. It takes patience, precision, and if you are lucky, a gentle hand.

Santa Monica Mall

The Santa Monica Mall is now re-opened after closing for reconstruction two years ago. Of course I was anxious to see it and I did just that. It was impressively designed, but I still think the Promenade is my favorite. This new mall is three stories high and is an open air design. The concern I have with that is the fact that it gets pretty cool out there as it was yesterday after five, and what happens when it rains?
However it is beautiful. My favorite store is going to be there, Nordstrom, but it was not opened as of yesterday.

I love shopping in Santa Monica and now there is somewhere else to go.