> : > ----- Original Message -----
> : > From: <ElombePLC at aol.com>
> : >
> : > Sent: Saturday, December 16, 2000 11:20 PM
> : > Subject: RE: COLIN POWELL & CONDOLEEZA RICE AS POWELL'S 1ST CHOICES...
> : >
> : >
> : > HAVING GROWN UP WITH POWELL IN THE "SOUTH" BRONX, HE LIVING AT 954
KELLY
> : ST. AND MYSELF AT 751 KELLY, ATTENDING THE SAME ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, P.S.
> 39,
> : SAME CHURCH, ST. MARGARET'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH, AND PLAYED ON THE CHURCH'S
> : BASKETBALL TEAM TOGETHER (ALONG WITH MY BROTHER KWAME), I BELIEVE I HAVE
> HAD
> : A LONGER HISTORY OF OBSERVING
> : > THE FIRST COLORED FELLOW TO SERVE AS A WHITE HOUSE FELLOW (AT THE
NIXON
> : WHITE HOUSE),
> : > FIRST "NEGRO" TO SERVE AS NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER (AT THE REAGAN
WHITE
> : > HOUSE),
> : > FIRST "BLACK MAN" TO SERVE AS CHAIRMAN OF THE JOINT CHIEFS (DURING THE
> : > ADMINISTRATION OF GEORGE BUSH I,
> : > AND WILL NOW SERVE AS THE FIRST "AFRICAN-AMERICAN" SECRETARY OF STATE
IN
> : THE ADMINISTRATION OF GEORGE BUSH II,
> : > I THINK IT'S SAFE TO SAY THAT POWELL HAS BEEN CONSISTENTLY SERVED AS A
> : FIRST CLASS "HOUSE N----R" IN THE DEFENSE OF THE INTERESTS OF SOME OF
THE
> : MOST NOTORIOUS ENEMIES OF AFRICAN INTERESTS AND HAS ESTABLISHED A
HEINOUS
> : RECORD OF PARTICIPATING IN THE KILLING OF "PEOPLE OF COLOR", WHETHER
FROM
> : ASIA, THE ARAB WORLD, THE CARIBBEAN (ESPECIALLY THE CRIMINAL INVASION
OF
> : PANAMA),
> : > AND NOW AWAITS ORDERS THAT GEORGE DUBYA WILL SEND OVER FROM HIS
NATIONAL
> : SECURITY ADVISER CANDOLEEZA RICE TO THE U.S. SECRETARY OF DEFENSE
> CANDOLEEZA
> : RICE TO CONTINUE FURTHER INTERNECINE COVERT ACTIONS IN AFRICA.
> : >
> : > I AM RE-POSTING THE ANALYSIS I WROTE OF THESE RACIAL SCOUNDRELS AT THE
> : TIME OF THE REPUBLICAN CONVENTION TO REFRESH YOUR MEMORIES IF YOU HAD
NOT
> : READ IT BEFORE. AS I SUGGESTED THEN, KEEP IT FOR YOUR RECORDS.
> : >
> : > IN FRATERNAL CAMARADERIE,
> : > ELOMBE BRATH
> : >
> : >
> : > TEN-HUT! RIGHT TURN, FORWARD MARCH
> : > Gen. Powell Invites You To Join The Grand Ole Party
> : > by Elombe
> : Brath
> : >
> : > Before Black people get swept up in the duststorm left by Ret. Gen.
> Colin
> : > Powell's speech to the Republican Convention which, under the guise of
> : > speaking on education, glorified most of the ultra- reactionary
> leadership
> : > of
> : > the Grand Ole Party (GOP) which have held state power and executive
> : > privilege for twelve years of the last two decades, we need to
> understand
> : > the
> : > man who spoke and who and what he was speaking for - and against.
> : >
> : > If you think that Gen Powell, whose popularity is based on his
> reputation
> : > for
> : > waging war on Third World nations from Vietnam to Iraq and Panama, was
> : > speaking on behalf of the broad masses of Africans who are suffering
all
> : > over
> : > the world, you are dead wrong. Likewise, if you think that he was
> speaking
> : > up
> : > for the advancement of the majority of African-Americans in the United
> : > States, wrong again. And if you thought that he was trying to see that
> our
> : > people get a proper education to carry us through the 21st century,
> well,
> : > sorry, wrong again.
> : >
> : > Gen. Colin Powell was simply speaking up for the corporate interests
> : > that have feathered his nest and have chosen a high profile role for
him
> : to
> : > help consolidate their vested interests without stirring up the
> : "democratic
> : > distemper" in the U.S., particularly Black people and other peoples of
> : > color.
> : > This is why Powell, the U.S. champion of volunteerism, is reported to
be
> : > paid
> : > $150,000, plus first class travel and accomodation, per speech. While
> : being
> : > hinted as a possible Secretary of State (or is it Education?) in his
> : cabinet
> : > by Gov. Bush, Powell also let it be known that he could just as well
> work
> : > for
> : > Vice-President Al Gore if he is the one who is victorious in November.
> : >
> : > The general's admission is another reason why so many people now
believe
> : > that
> : > there is no major difference between the Republican and Democratic
> : Parties,
> : > both which uphold monopoly capitalism and are sponsored by corporate
> : > interests. And it's not just Powell that, when push comes to shove,
shut
> : up
> : > and either directly take the money or fall in line with those who are
> : bribed
> : > and hired to help manage an economy favored for ruling class
elements -
> : the
> : > real minority special interest group that controls this country.
> : >
> : > It was interesting that Powell, so trusted in regards to national
> security
> : > of
> : > the United States that he could be chosen to be the National Security
> : > Advisor
> : > for Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush, as well as the chair of the
> Joint
> : > Chiefs of Staff of the country's military apparatus, was not invited
to
> : say
> : > anything on the second day of the ceremonies. This Star Spangled
Banner
> : > Extravaganza with Bombast Bursting All Through the Night tribute to
> : > America's
> : > wars, featured Bob Dole, Stormin' Norman Schwarzkopf, McCain et al,
> heard
> : > not
> : > a peep from the military man who was responsible for probably killing
> more
> : > people of color throughout his career than all of them put together.
> : >
> : > Powell's role at the convention seem to be saluting all of his former
> : bosses
> : > and praising the Texas governor whose five and half year tenure is
> marked
> : > with his presiding over the executions of over 135 inmates, including
> : Shaka
> : > Sankofa (formerly known as Gary Graham.) It was Shaka Sankofa whose
> : > presumption of innocence caused many people, both pro- and anti-death
> : > penalty
> : > advocates, to take pause and show enough concern that the case was
seen
> as
> : > one of the best illustrations to call for a new trial in history.
> : >
> : > This fact did not dissuade Bush from allowing the execution of Shaka
> : Sankofa
> : > to go forward. What was particularly repugnant about Bush's modus
> operandi
> : > was use of a host of Black intermediaries to cover up his criminal
> : > conspiracy
> : > to engage in state sanctioned lynching. From the so-called "one eye(d)
> : > witness to a Mock attorney to a covert agent presiding over the Texas
> : Board
> : > of Pardons and Paroles to our so-called Black Supreme Court Justice to
> : > absorb
> : > and deflect attention to themselves and away from him; it was a
devious,
> : > slick revision and twisted update of the senior Bush's playing of his
> : Willie
> : > Horton electoral race card that destroyed his Democratic opponent,
> : > Massachussetts Gov. Michael Dukakis.
> : >
> : > In the case of John McCain's befriending of Gov. Bush in the most
> humbling
> : > superlatives, his omission of any murmur of the influence of "soft
> money"
> : > (i.e Big money financing" in the electoral process, was shameful.
Being
> : that
> : > campaign reform was his main political contradiction between him and
his
> : now
> : > fearless leader upon which his former candidacy and rivalry with the
> Texan
> : > governor was based, and he defeated Bush in seven primaries, was very,
> : very
> : > interesting.
> : > And the of financial fat cats impact on the campaign was even more
> : sharpened
> : > when the New York Times revealed on Tuesday night, August 1st, that
"two
> : > elite groups of 739 individuals and corporations have contributed at
> least
> : > $94.8 million in so-called soft money to the Republican Party since
the
> : > beginning of 1999."
> : >
> : > The two groups, the Republican Regents who gave $250,000 each to the
> party
> : > every two years, headed up by Mel Sembler who is the finance chairman
of
> : the
> : > Republican National Committee, and Team 100, which was formed in 1988,
> : whose
> : > members gave at least $100,000 to the RNC (and/or GOP) also every two
> : > years..
> : >
> : > McCain, another military "hero" but dissimilar to Powell's "heroics",
> had
> : > also signed on to perform in the carefully crafted script which seems
to
> : > have
> : > been a passport to get onstage in prime time during the show in
> : > Philadelphia,
> : > gave their blessings to their newly beloved candidate in the most
> glowing
> : > platitudes. Ret. Gen. Powell, sounding more like someone auditioning
for
> : > Education czar than a former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
with
> : his
> : > eye on the Secretary of State slot - or maybe that of his former boss,
> : Dick
> : > Cheney, President George H.W. Bush's Secretary of Defense.
> : >
> : > If anyone thinks that Colin Powell's tongue-lashing of the assembled
> : > Republican Convention attendees on affirmative action and admonished
> them
> : to
> : > persuaded urban so-called "minority" youth to go to college instead of
> : being
> : > shuttled off to prisons and death chambers that he is spearheading the
> : > democratization of the GOP by de-emphasizing its racist character,
think
> : > again. His speech was tailor made-and approved by the RNC as a tactic
to
> : > confuse enough of the Black and Latino electorate to win over a
fraction
> : > more
> : > of both previously despised communities to increase their image of a
> new,
> : > all
> : > inclusive, Big Tent political formation with Abraham Lincoln as its
> : standard
> : > bearer.
> : >
> : > About this Black fidelity to Abraham Lincoln. Doesn't anybody remember
> : that
> : > it was Ole Honest Abe, the 16th president of the so-called "Great
> : > Emancipator" who said that, "I am not, nor ever have been, in favor of
> : > bringing about in any way the sociaI and political equality of the
white
> : and
> : > Black races - that I am not, nor ever have been, in favor of making
> voters
> : > or
> : > jurors of negroes - nor of qualifying them to hold office, nor to
> : intermarry
> : > with white people; and I will say in addition to this that there is a
> : > physical difference between the white and Black races which will ever
> : forbid
> : > the two races living together on terms of social and political
equality.
> : And
> : > in as much as they cannot so live, while they do remain together,
there
> : must
> : > be the position of superior and inferior, and I, as much as any other
> man,
> : > am
> : > in favor of having the superior position assigned to the white race."
> : >
> : > Is Gen. Powell hip to this part of Abe Lincoln? Are you? Does the
Black
> : > community understand the fallacy that placing our people's destiny in
> the
> : > hands of hypocritical white icons and the founding fathers of the
> : > then-slavocracy which they protected in both their Declaration of
> : > Independence and the U.S. Constitution that had to be amended time
after
> : > time
> : > to make it more reflect what they said it was in the first place? Do
you
> : > think that the Republican Party, and even in a certain sense, the
> : Democrats
> : > too, are seriously going to give you unfettered prominence in their
> : > respective political formations? In education, as Carlos Cooks pointed
> out
> : > over 45 years ago, "Do you believe that the white man is going to
> educate
> : > the
> : > Black child to compete with his?"
> : >
> : > Well then, what is George W. (recently written as Dubya by some in the
> : > media)
> : > and his retrofitted Republican Party up to with its sudden overture to
> the
> : > African-American community? Is there another reason for their
> reformulated
> : > agenda?
> : >
> : > With this in mind, R.W. Apple of the New York Times recently made a an
> : > interesting observation. Apple pointed out that rather then soley
> : attribute
> : > this revised image of the Republicans as becoming a neoliberal
formation
> : > being aimed at reaching out to the so-called minority electorate,
could
> it
> : > very well be, as in the game of billiards, a "three-cushion shot, a
> subtle
> : > play for the votes of white surburbanites, a pivotal voting block that
> : > includes many voters for whom civil rights remains a high priority?"
> : >
> : > Apple points out that David Bositis, a member of the nonpartisan Joint
> : > Center
> : > for Political and Economic Studies, believes that Bush "has no chance
of
> : > getting any significant African-American vote", adding that the
> governor's
> : > overtures are "not even about that." Instead, Bositis says, "It's
about
> : the
> : > suburbs, and about moderate swing voters all across the country.
There's
> : no
> : > better way to distance himself from Tom DeLay and Dick Armey and the
> other
> : > hard-liners in Congress than showing that he's friendly to blacks and
> : > Hispanics."
> : >
> : > TEN-HUT! RIGHT TURN, FORWARD MARCH!
> : > Gen. Powell invites you to to join the GOP
> : > Part 2 / by Elombe Brath
> : >
> : >
> : > Contrary to what you have been led to believe, Gov. George W. (Dubya)
> Bush
> : > of
> : > Texas is not a reformed conservative politician; nor is he reformable.
> His
> : > claim that he was converted to a political position of "compassionate
> : > conservatism" after reading a book by Marvin Olasky, the author of
that
> : > concept. Although Olasky's new fame has him going along with the idea
> that
> : > Bush represents the new Republican credo, it would make more sense if
> : > so-called "compassionate conservatism", as a philosophical
orientation,
> : had
> : > been identified with Illinois Gov. George Ryan, a fellow Republican
> : > conservative who not only upheld the death penalty but the principle
of
> : > compassion. For after Gov. Ryan was presented with evidence indicating
> : that
> : > 13 people on his state's death row were innocent, he immediately
> : established
> : > a moratorium on any further executions until he could be guaranteed
that
> : no
> : > innocent person would be put to death because of judicial error.
> : >
> : > Gov. Ryan's logic didn't impress Gov. George Dubya. No, not in the
> least..
> : > George Dubya is a double-talking, double-dealing master of Orwellian
> : > double-speak. Don't let him or anybody convince you otherwise. He is a
> : > pious
> : > and devious political fraud who, while hiding behind religious
> conviction,
> : > and claiming that he was darn sure that no one who has been executed
> : during
> : > his five and a half year regime was innocent of the crime for which
they
> : > were
> : > convicted, ordered Shaka Sankofa to be executed by a lethal injection
on
> : > June
> : > 22.
> : >
> : > This travesty of justice was carried out as thousands of people around
> : this
> : > nation and throughout the world, representing not just death penalty
> : > abolitionists but also some pro-death penalty advocates, religious and
> : > political leaders, human rights activists and even many media
> : personalities
> : > and institutions who called for both calm and caution in carrying out
> the
> : > final solution in a case which they thought had enough outstanding
> : > contradictions that a new trial was at least in order.
> : >
> : > Yet all of this fell on the deaf ears of Gov. Bush. In fact, today the
> : media
> : > and political punits act like Sankofa's execution never happened. Gov.
> : Bush
> : > is being promoted like some sort of savior. Indeed, at the recently
held
> : > Republican Convention, Bush's boy Ret. Gen. Powell distorted the
African
> : > tradition of singing praises to the valiant by extolling the bogus
> : character
> : > references and virtues of his new lord as the saving grace of America
> : while
> : > entertaining the overwhelming white and rich delegates assembled by
> : > criticizing the Republican record of civil rights and affirmative
> action.
> : > When Powell was telling them about why they should be sending to Black
> and
> : > Latino youth to colleges and not to jails, claiming that this "doesn't
> : > work",
> : > I can imagine many in the audience muttering under their breath, "Get
> real
> : > buddy, it sure as hell is working for us."
> : >
> : > In the case of John Mc Cain, he's another hypocrite. Mc Cain ignored
his
> : > alleged concerns about soft money and the monied class influencing the
> : > electoral process, his pet peeve, when he failed to mention this
> : > exclusionary
> : > factor which often dictates not which class will control the
election
> : but,
> : > more importantly, who will make the selection of which candidate - or
> : > candidates. It is this factor that leads to the interest of profits
> : > overwhelming those who wish to represent the people's interest.
> : >
> : > Like Powell, Mc Cain also saluted, placed his hand over his heart and
> : > pledged
> : > his fidelity to George Dubya. An embittered Vietnam War POW who,
> : incidently,
> : > Mc Cain still uses the disparaging vile term "Gook" which was coined
> : during
> : > the Korean War for GIs to use against those Koreans from North Korea
> (but
> : > supposedly not those from South Korea!?)
> : >
> : > Mc Cain claims that he can neither forget nor forgive the Vietnamese
> who,
> : > after capturing him in the process of killing their countrymen,
> Brothers,
> : > Sisters, children, neighbors, [did not give him the death penalty but]
> : held
> : > him prisoner to the end of the U.S. Indochina war. He believes that
the
> : > conditions that he was held under during a devastating, protracted war
> : > should
> : > have been better than his fellow U.S. citizens are forced to endure
> during
> : > peace-time.
> : >
> : > We shouldn't ever forget or forgive the fact that "Gook" rhymes with
> : Spook.
> : > And those racist conceptions were authored by the same
> : > political/socioeconomic forces. Get it?
> : >
> : > Nevertheless, Mc Cain and his fellow war hero Powell are both now
> employed
> : > and engaged in a political campaign that is supposed to influence
people
> : who
> : > have been shabbily and brutally mistreated over 224 years by the
> : > conservative Republicans - as well as the Democrats - to forgive and
> : forget
> : > our experiences and give the GOP a chance .
> : >
> : > In support of wooing Black voters to cast their ballot for the
> Bush-Cheney
> : > ticket the attention of African-Americans is now being directed
towards
> : the
> : > rising bright Black star of foreign policy and national security
affairs
> : of
> : > the administration of president Daddy Bush and now his Son the
> Candidate's
> : > senior foreign policy advisor, Candoleeza Rice.
> : >
> : > Candoleeza Rice is the Republican Party's predecessorr to the Clinton
> : > Administration's Susan Elizabeth Rice, Assistant Secretary for
> : > African-Affairs within the Department of State. While Candoleeza and
> Susan
> : > share the same last name, they are not related - except, perhaps, they
> : might
> : > be able to trace their family name back to the same slavemaster. They
> have
> : > different slavemasters now but both, although highly paid, are
enslaved
> to
> : a
> : > political socioeconomic system that has enriched itself by plundering
> the
> : > majority of the world's people. Among this number the majority of
racial
> : > and/or ethnic groups are affiliated historically, genotypically or
> : > phenotypically to both Rice women.
> : >
> : > While Candoleeza is a former Soviet, now Russian specialist (i.e. an
> : > anti-communist/pro-capitalist scholar) and Susan is a highly touted
> Africa
> : > specialist (i,e. a pro-capitalist/anti-revolutionary nationalist
> : academic),
> : > they have as much in common as do their two respective political
> parties.
> : > Their party affiliations notwithstanding, the Rice "sisters" both have
> : their
> : > intellectual capabilities diminished in regards to the liberation of
> : > Africans
> : > and other oppressed people throughout the world who find themselves in
a
> : > desparate struggle trying to "free themselves form the so-called
'Free
> : > World'" by resisting the domination and stranglehold of the debt trap
of
> : > monopoly capital and its transnational corporations.
> : >
> : > A listener to WLIB called in to Mark Riley and Wayne Gilman and said
> that
> : > rightwing television host Robert Novak had claimed that Candoleeza
> Rice's
> : > speech was "dumbed down." I don't know whether if it was dumbed down
or
> : not,
> : > but I do think that for her to assert that she was pleased that the
> : > Republicans treated her as "an individual" rather than "part of a
group"
> : was
> : > pretty damn dumb for any conscious Black person to make. This is
> : especially
> : > true of young Black woman with a Ph.D, who entered the University of
> : Denver
> : > at age 15 and graduated at 19 with a BA in political science (cum
> laude).
> : >
> : > But then again, when you look at the illustrious corporate boards
which
> : > Sister Condo is a director, including Chevron, Transamerica,
University
> of
> : > Notre Dame, International Advisory Council of J.P. Morgan, San
Francisco
> : > Symphony Board of Governors and the William and Flora Hewlet
Foundation,
> : as
> : > well as being a Hoover Senior fellow and a professor and provost at
> : > Stanford,
> : > you understand where this young 45 year old professor - who as Time
> : magazine
> : > pointed out, was mentored in foreign policy by Prof. Josef Korbel, the
> : > father
> : > of the current U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright - is coming
> : from.
> : >
> : > Born in the infamous Jim Crow Birmingham, Alabama in 1954, the same
year
> : > when
> : > the historic Supreme Court decision ordered that public schools should
> be
> : > desegregated "with all deliberate speed", when we see where Dr. Rice
is
> : now
> : > you will have a good idea of where she intends to go - and what speed.
> : While
> : > her meteoritic rise to fame and fortune came about because of the
> : struggle -
> : > and tremendous sacrifices of Black people, she evidently has nothing
to
> do
> : > with Black people now.
> : >
> : > Contrary to what the Republican Party represents culturally, e.g. the
> : music
> : > of Kate Smith (who, incidently, had her presence and music invoked),
> this
> : > convention seemingly presented more Black people entertaining onstage
> than
> : > Showtime at the Apollo. When one looked at the television screen
> : > periodically, because of dextrous camera work, it seems that every one
> of
> : > the
> : > 4 percent of Black Republicans who were said to be among the 4132
> : delegates
> : > assembled at the First Union Center were showcased for at least their
15
> : > seconds of fame.
> : >
> : > [Incidently, it was reported that 45,000 people were in attendance,
> : > including
> : > 2,066 delegates, 2066 alternates and 15,000 media personnel; the other
> : > nearly
> : > 20,000 people were not accounted for in regards to which sector they
> : > represented or how many demonstrators were outside - or if there is
any
> : > relation to this question. Additionally, if Black people represented 4
> : > percent of delegates attending and their total number was only 85
> : (according
> : > to Riley on 'LIB), did the percentage calculated also include
> alternative
> : > delegates with the party regulars, which - if done -would lessen the
> : > percentage nearly by half. [A trivia question, perhaps yes, but I
> believe
> : a
> : > very telling one. Moreso, is the observation, that Texas, the second
> : largest
> : > state in the Union, was said to have only one Black delegate.]
> : > With all of this said, prepare yourself for the most deceptive appeal
to
> : the
> : > African community as the Republican National Committee, having gone
> : through
> : > the coronation ceremony of supposedly the most qualified person to
lead
> us
> : > through the first five years of the new century: Bush-Cheney, the real
> : > choice
> : > of the dynastic ruling class and their oiligarchy is now on the road
> until
> : > November. And with the smell of fresh money in the air, folks are
> running
> : to
> : > join the reconstructed "Grand Oil Party."
> : >
> : > As of now, you can try to figure out how are you going to be able to
> : > convince
> : > the majority of white people in the U.S. that since Kings George I, II
> and
> : > III of Britain to George Washington (the first George W. as he
recently
> : > pointed out) through George Bush the 1st and possibly George Bush the
> 2nd
> : > (or as he hinted, the second George W.), along with the all the
others
> : who
> : > historically have chosen to "let George do it", simple appeals to
their
> : > sympathies never were successful in the past. And those appeals will
> have
> : no
> : > better chance travelling that road today or in the near or distant
> future.
> : >
> : > Whether we discuss Republicans or Democrats - or whatever in between,
> the
> : > fact remains that American politics, as well as politicians, are as
> : > trustworthy as Three-Card Monte. Brace yourself for a real rumble if
we
> : are
> : > ever going to be respected or gain our self-determination to realize
our
> : > liberation from this 224 year old nightmare that we still find
ourselves
> : > wistfully in search of today.
> : >
> : > Therefore, when Gen. Powell gives the order to fall in line, "We want
> : you!",
> : > take it from me: It's best you take a deferment. And when the general
> : says,
> : > "At ease, men" (and women), it's best instead for you to snap to
> : attention!
> : >
> : > _____________________________________________________________ This ran
> : last
> : > in the Monday, August 10, 2000 issue of the Daily Challenge, New
York's
> : only
> : > Black daily newspaper
> : >
> : >
> : >
> :
> : _______________________________________________
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