Conghaileach
23rd October 2002, 23:18
THE GENIUS OF DR. HUEY P. NEWTON
_________________________________________________
By Mumia Abu-Jamal
[Col. Writ. 10/3/02] Source: Afrikan Frontline Network,
[email protected] - Saturday, 19 October 2002 -
Although maligned by traditional (read: "white")history, and virtually
forgotten by a successive generation, Huey P. Newton was, by any
measure, a most remarkable man.
If one were to measure him by the founding of the Black Panther Party
for Self-Defense (as it was originally named) with co-founder, Bobby G.
Seale, in October 1966 in West Oakland, California, that alone would be
historically significant.
But Dr. Newton, a truly deep thinker, suffered from a malady that
causes many to be lost to the mists of history; he was a diffident,
poor, public speaker, in a time, and in an age, when radical oratory
was very much in demand. Luckily, some of his thoughts were placed
down on paper, where they could be studied devoid of the excess of
emotion that sometimes clouds our thinking.
His writings, of the early 1970s, predicted the rise of the U.S.
Empire, the coming of globalism (which he called and
coined, "reactionary intercommunalism"), the fall of the Soviet Empire,
the illusory limits of nationalism, and even the post-war weakness of
the Vietnamese Republic.
When he began talking about "intercommunalism", many in the so-called
left ridiculed it, as diversions from classic Marxism. Huey explained
that Marx himself wasn't a Marxist, but examined and analyzed social,
economic and historical trends, using a technique called "dialectical
materialism', or a study of the "struggle of opposites." On Russia,
in 1972, Dr. Newton criticized their acceptance of the U.S.
'peaceful co-existence' plan, which he said led directly to the
crippling of people's movements around the world:
"The Russians allowed this to happen through naivete or
treachery. Regardless of how this came about, they damaged the ability
of the Third World to resist. They could have given the Third
World every techniqueavailable to them long ago. With the high quality
of Soviet development at a time when the United Stateswas less advanced
than it is today, the Russians could have built up the necessary force
to oppose imperialism. Now, all that they can do is whimper
like whipped dogs and talk about peaceful co-existence so that they
will not be destroyed. This presents the world with the hard fact that
the United States *is the only state power in the world.* Russia has
become, like all other nations, no more than a satellite of the United
States. American rulers do not care about how much Russians say that
they are the Soviets, as long as Ford can build its motor company in
their territory" [Newton, H.P., "The Technology Question"].
Dr. Newton wrote those words in 1972.
In an article in 1974, Dr. Newton saw the U.S. as "world cop", and as
an inheritor from other empires in decline:
"Thus, the United States has replaced Britain as the guardian power
and policeman of the international system of property and privilege,
the corporate ruling class has less often been able to entrust policy
to indirectly controlled representatives and has more often had to
enter directly the seats of government itself."
This, from his 1974 article, "Who Makes U.S. Foreign Policy?",
Newton provides insight, not just into the international
(or "intercommunal") arena, but also into the nature of domestic
politics, for he clearly foresaw the spectacle of the rich and the
super-rich, using their own wealth, not just to buy politicians, but to
*become* them. Back in the age of the 'Robber Barons', the Duponts,
Mellons, and Vanderbilts, the role of politician was looked down on
with snooty disdain. Now, as we see in the "Millionaires' Club" that
is the U.S. Senate, not to mention the well-heeled clique in the US
presidential cabinet, the rich no longer trust their political
servants to do their bidding. They do it themselves.
Think about the obscene amounts of money people spend, *of their
own money*, for a seat in the Senate, or to become an ambassador, or to
sit at the table of a government regulatory agency.
Who now seriously doubts that U.S. foreign policy is really run from
Wall Street rather than Pennsylvania Avenue?
Huey P. Newton saw these things, and many other things, but he could
not see the secret tactics used against him by the U.S. government,
through the FBI COINTELPRO program; and did not know about the real
source of letters coming to him from government typewriters.
In the history of a people with one of the longest and richest in
the United States, Huey P. Newton deserves a significant place. Not
just because of his courage, 'though he had tons of that. Not just for
his brilliance, 'though he had a whole lot of that. He inspired young
Black men and women, who believed in next to nothing, to believe that
they were right to resist the Empire, that they were right to
resist the deadly onslaughts of the state, that they were right to
struggle for the freedom of their people. And that a new world was
possible.
That was no small feat in the late 1960s, and early 1970s.
His books, "Revolutionary Suicide", "To Die For the People", and
"War Against the Panthers", as well as the articles that are extant
from the "Black Panther" newspaper deserve a far wider
study, especially among Black youth, than they receive now.
Thankfully, many of the prime selections from these and other works
are available to new, young readers in the newly-published "The Huey P.
Newton Reader", edited by David Hilliard and David Weise (New York:
Seven Stories Press, 2002).
His ideas deserve the opportunity to inspire and inform a new
generation of activists, who will be stunned by his insights
into globalism, the ecology, and the role of women.
There is a reason that the government went all-out to destroy him.
There is a reason that the corporate press scape-goated him.
There is a reason why millions of African-Americans (and, indeed,
other Americans!) really haven't the faintest idea who he was, and what
he stood for.
He was, first and foremost, a revolutionary.
And to the well-to-do, the corporate elites, to them all, this meant
enemy.
It's time for a new generation to learn why.
Copyright 2002 Mumia Abu-Jamal. All rights reserved.
These are VERY SERIOUS TIMES for political activists in this country
and around the world. Get full details and keep updated by reading
ACTION ALERTS!! at http://www.mumia.org and http://www.movenet.org.
To download Mp3's of Mumia's commentaries visit
http://www.prisonradio.org or http://www.fsrn.org
The Power of Truth is Final -- Free Mumia in 2002!
CHECK http://www.mumia.org FOR IMPORTANT ACTION ALERTS!
PLEASE CONTACT: International Concerned Family & Friends of MAJ; P.O.
Box 19709; Philadelphia, PA 19143; Tel: 215-476-8812; Fax: 215-476-
6180: E-mail: [email protected] AND OFFER YOUR SERVICES!
Send our brotha some LOVE and LIGHT at: Mumia Abu-Jamal
AM 8335
SCI-Greene
175 Progress Drive
Waynesburg, PA 15370
_________________________________________________
By Mumia Abu-Jamal
[Col. Writ. 10/3/02] Source: Afrikan Frontline Network,
[email protected] - Saturday, 19 October 2002 -
Although maligned by traditional (read: "white")history, and virtually
forgotten by a successive generation, Huey P. Newton was, by any
measure, a most remarkable man.
If one were to measure him by the founding of the Black Panther Party
for Self-Defense (as it was originally named) with co-founder, Bobby G.
Seale, in October 1966 in West Oakland, California, that alone would be
historically significant.
But Dr. Newton, a truly deep thinker, suffered from a malady that
causes many to be lost to the mists of history; he was a diffident,
poor, public speaker, in a time, and in an age, when radical oratory
was very much in demand. Luckily, some of his thoughts were placed
down on paper, where they could be studied devoid of the excess of
emotion that sometimes clouds our thinking.
His writings, of the early 1970s, predicted the rise of the U.S.
Empire, the coming of globalism (which he called and
coined, "reactionary intercommunalism"), the fall of the Soviet Empire,
the illusory limits of nationalism, and even the post-war weakness of
the Vietnamese Republic.
When he began talking about "intercommunalism", many in the so-called
left ridiculed it, as diversions from classic Marxism. Huey explained
that Marx himself wasn't a Marxist, but examined and analyzed social,
economic and historical trends, using a technique called "dialectical
materialism', or a study of the "struggle of opposites." On Russia,
in 1972, Dr. Newton criticized their acceptance of the U.S.
'peaceful co-existence' plan, which he said led directly to the
crippling of people's movements around the world:
"The Russians allowed this to happen through naivete or
treachery. Regardless of how this came about, they damaged the ability
of the Third World to resist. They could have given the Third
World every techniqueavailable to them long ago. With the high quality
of Soviet development at a time when the United Stateswas less advanced
than it is today, the Russians could have built up the necessary force
to oppose imperialism. Now, all that they can do is whimper
like whipped dogs and talk about peaceful co-existence so that they
will not be destroyed. This presents the world with the hard fact that
the United States *is the only state power in the world.* Russia has
become, like all other nations, no more than a satellite of the United
States. American rulers do not care about how much Russians say that
they are the Soviets, as long as Ford can build its motor company in
their territory" [Newton, H.P., "The Technology Question"].
Dr. Newton wrote those words in 1972.
In an article in 1974, Dr. Newton saw the U.S. as "world cop", and as
an inheritor from other empires in decline:
"Thus, the United States has replaced Britain as the guardian power
and policeman of the international system of property and privilege,
the corporate ruling class has less often been able to entrust policy
to indirectly controlled representatives and has more often had to
enter directly the seats of government itself."
This, from his 1974 article, "Who Makes U.S. Foreign Policy?",
Newton provides insight, not just into the international
(or "intercommunal") arena, but also into the nature of domestic
politics, for he clearly foresaw the spectacle of the rich and the
super-rich, using their own wealth, not just to buy politicians, but to
*become* them. Back in the age of the 'Robber Barons', the Duponts,
Mellons, and Vanderbilts, the role of politician was looked down on
with snooty disdain. Now, as we see in the "Millionaires' Club" that
is the U.S. Senate, not to mention the well-heeled clique in the US
presidential cabinet, the rich no longer trust their political
servants to do their bidding. They do it themselves.
Think about the obscene amounts of money people spend, *of their
own money*, for a seat in the Senate, or to become an ambassador, or to
sit at the table of a government regulatory agency.
Who now seriously doubts that U.S. foreign policy is really run from
Wall Street rather than Pennsylvania Avenue?
Huey P. Newton saw these things, and many other things, but he could
not see the secret tactics used against him by the U.S. government,
through the FBI COINTELPRO program; and did not know about the real
source of letters coming to him from government typewriters.
In the history of a people with one of the longest and richest in
the United States, Huey P. Newton deserves a significant place. Not
just because of his courage, 'though he had tons of that. Not just for
his brilliance, 'though he had a whole lot of that. He inspired young
Black men and women, who believed in next to nothing, to believe that
they were right to resist the Empire, that they were right to
resist the deadly onslaughts of the state, that they were right to
struggle for the freedom of their people. And that a new world was
possible.
That was no small feat in the late 1960s, and early 1970s.
His books, "Revolutionary Suicide", "To Die For the People", and
"War Against the Panthers", as well as the articles that are extant
from the "Black Panther" newspaper deserve a far wider
study, especially among Black youth, than they receive now.
Thankfully, many of the prime selections from these and other works
are available to new, young readers in the newly-published "The Huey P.
Newton Reader", edited by David Hilliard and David Weise (New York:
Seven Stories Press, 2002).
His ideas deserve the opportunity to inspire and inform a new
generation of activists, who will be stunned by his insights
into globalism, the ecology, and the role of women.
There is a reason that the government went all-out to destroy him.
There is a reason that the corporate press scape-goated him.
There is a reason why millions of African-Americans (and, indeed,
other Americans!) really haven't the faintest idea who he was, and what
he stood for.
He was, first and foremost, a revolutionary.
And to the well-to-do, the corporate elites, to them all, this meant
enemy.
It's time for a new generation to learn why.
Copyright 2002 Mumia Abu-Jamal. All rights reserved.
These are VERY SERIOUS TIMES for political activists in this country
and around the world. Get full details and keep updated by reading
ACTION ALERTS!! at http://www.mumia.org and http://www.movenet.org.
To download Mp3's of Mumia's commentaries visit
http://www.prisonradio.org or http://www.fsrn.org
The Power of Truth is Final -- Free Mumia in 2002!
CHECK http://www.mumia.org FOR IMPORTANT ACTION ALERTS!
PLEASE CONTACT: International Concerned Family & Friends of MAJ; P.O.
Box 19709; Philadelphia, PA 19143; Tel: 215-476-8812; Fax: 215-476-
6180: E-mail: [email protected] AND OFFER YOUR SERVICES!
Send our brotha some LOVE and LIGHT at: Mumia Abu-Jamal
AM 8335
SCI-Greene
175 Progress Drive
Waynesburg, PA 15370