Tag Archive for justice

Recent Read: Revolutionary Suicide by Huey P. Newton

revolutionary suicide

Cover photo from poster hanging in Black Panthers office with bullet hole from police

There’s reactionary suicide, when you can’t take the pressure from outside forces so you end it all. Then there’s revolutionary suicide, when you refuse to accept the pressure from outside forces and in order to end it’s injustice, you are willing to end it all.

Cultivating this as his ethos, Huey P. Newton gives us insight into the birth of the real Black Panthers, media conception be damned. He touches on working with White radicals (but oftentimes clashing with their inherent drug use and in/effectiveness, the Black Panthers had a zero tolerance drug policy), adamantly adhering to the letter of the law (and yes, this includes bearing arms, he would keep law books on his person), betrayal… Read more

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R.I.P. Biggie

You cannot make a list of the greatest rappers of all time without mentioning The Notorious B.I.G. As we all know Biggie was murdered in L.A. and the case has not been closed. Today the autopsy was released. What is more frustrating is that officers close to the case have said that the case has long been solved but the perpetrators have not been brought to justice.

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Was just wondering where the Talib Kweli, Black Thought, Jadakiss, Immortal Technique, Brother Ali, & Black Milk track called “Hooded Up” is…

Well it only exists in my mind but the peeps over at the OC Weekly blog put together a post featuring five songs for Trayvon by Mistah F.A.B., Jasiri X, Tahir Jahi (from Kweli’s Blacksmith), Reef tha Lost Cauze, and Plies.

Songs for Trayvon Martin

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Common Folk Stands With Their Hoods Up in Solidarity


 

This is for Trayvon Martin. I didn’t know him. I don’t know the man that shot and killed him. I don’t know exactly what happened and no one ever will. Regardless, this teenager is dead. And it’s ashamedly not really anything new.

When people with guns make bad choices there’s no turning back. None.

I’ve gotten my ass beat down, badly. But guess what, I healed. And I would take a beat down again and again and again and never would I be justified in taking someone else’s life.

Recently in Slinger, WI a 20yr old, Bo Morrison, was also shot and killed when he ran from a underage drinking party to hide from the police on a neighbors enclosed back porch. The homeowner went out on the porch and shot him. Obviously situations like this are never cut and dry. I’m all for protecting your home and family but there’s smart ways to do so and shooting to kill is not justified unless you are in immediate, imminent, absolute danger.

To keep it real, bad choices were probably made by all parties involved but in no way should either of these young men had to pay with their lives.

(The hoody print is from OG New York street artist Dan Witz, check him out and buy from DanWitz.com)

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