Amiri Baraka, Tom Porter and Rosa Clemente all joined Jazz and Justice this week and can be heard debating Obama v. McKinney. We invite you check out this “redux” of the program and encourage that you support this liberated masses medium of WPFW 89.3 FM in Washington, DC by purchasing the entire program for $20. or make a contribution to Voxunion Media today.
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respect due to jared ball & rosa clemente for standing their ground. couldn’t have been easy with respectable brothers in-house and by phone laying down the pro-obama united front. even so, the very idea that such a conversation was allowed to take place is important. most media outlets wouldn’t even consider it. jazz and justice ahead of the curve as always – fantastic show.
I disagree.
This show had all the potential to be dynamic given who the guests were and what the topic was. Dr. Ball & Sistah Clemente (not Gonzalez), big-up for your patience and show of respect to your elders on the program (A. Baraka, T.Porter).
Obviously, those two gentlemen deserve all our respect as young Blacks/ Latinos/ People given their experience and knowledge in the Struggle.
That being said, two quotes: “We can all sing at the same time…but we can’t all talk at the same time”. And, “A man/ woman with their mouth always open can’t learn anything!”
This show was indicative of many of the problems that we, the People are suffering from. How many times did we need to hear that “90% of the Black People…”; so-on and so-forth…we heard you, now please let Ms. Clemente speak.
Just because a person has more years invested in something doesn’t make them automatically correct… No disrespect, but Dr. Baraka and Mr. Porter came off seeming old, bitter, and close-minded… Years and years of getting ripped off by the system and getting no real thanx from the People they’ve been fighting for has left them grasping for straws…anything close to a victory has them sounding intoxicated….the proof of this is how they kept repeating the same old stuff and simultaneously accusing Dr. Ball & Ms. Clemente of doing just that…
If they had a clear argument based on fact/ reality, they wouldn’t have to bogart the conversation. Came off madd-egotistical…played-out and outdated.
HTP (Peace),
Furious C.H.I.L.D.
You need to have on Professor Manu Ampim on your show. He did his Thesis on Dr King. [manuampim.com/index.html} Entitled the Revolutionary Dr King. You can purchase the 4 cd set on his website. I am telling you need to have him on. In fact, I will try to mail it off to you. His expertise on Dr King is unmatched. Also alot of Barack Obama nuts completely misunderstand history and Manu’s outstanding research will clarify King contributions as a revolutionary not as civil rights activist.
Thanks! Update our feature on Dr. King at http://www.voxunion.com/?p=60
Thank you Jared we need to keep these discussions going. It’s rough going for sure but we can all benefit bring as many ideas as possible to the fore and then forming workable some strategy. The fact is we are a diverse people representing quite a number demographic realities, if we talk among ourselves we have the possibility of bring all our resources together, if we don’t talk we’re going to stay divided. Thanks again.
Interesting talk…
From Larry Pinkney of BlackCommentator.com
October 18, 2008
Brother Netfa,
Greetings. Good to hear from you!
Thank you for sending me the link to the radio show.
I’m really glad that you liked my current BC column. Thanks bro. I didn’t realize that the system to submit comments to BC had changed. Nevertheless, if and when you get a chance to do so, please submit a comment through BC, as it helps to counter=2 0those who would love to see me silenced and / or shut down.
Yes, I do know Brother Jared and most recently saw him at the so-called ‘National Conference for Media Reform’ this past June. He is a very good brother for whom I have enormous respect.
As to being “respectful to elders” who disagree with us; respect is a two way street and Amiri Baraka is and was way out of line when he demagogically referred to all of those who do not support (this Wall Street backed, Zionist pig, colored puppet) Barack Obama as “rascals.” I too am an “elder” who spent many years in prison (enduring years of psychological and physical torture) for my well-documented political activities in support of Black and other oppressed peoples. Moreover, Glen Ford and Bruce Dixon, Ralph Poynter, Omali Yeshitela, and many other sisters and brothers (who are not Obama supporters) who are also so-called “elders.” I may be an elder but I am sure as hell not elderly, and Baraka’s demagogic nonsense is entirely unacceptable and inexcusable–be he an elder or not.
Those so-called leftists who support this Wall Street-backed, pro apartheid Zionist, self-serving opportunist Barack Obama will be remembered for their terrible collaboration with the Empire and for who and=2 0what they really are. Moreover, they should stop pretending to be concerned about and opposed to the increasing injustices at home or abroad, as one cannot both support and oppose the Empire simultaneously:
Click on BC-If You Support the Pro Apartheid Zionist Barack Obama:
http://www.blackcommentator.com/282/282_kir_if_you_support_obama.html
Here are a couple of other articles by various persons that I think you might find of interest:
1. Click on The McKinney Choice – The Progressive
http://www.progressive.org/mag/gray1008.html
2. Click on No Dog in this Fight : Information Clearing House – ICH
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article21025.htm
i recently happened upon this program at http://assata.ning.com/ and listened to it in its entirety. i could have perhaps been better interested in the points being made by Bros. Porter and Baraka if they weren’t so smug and self-righteous in their opinionating. Instead i came away infuriated, particularly at the belittlement of Rosa Clemente for which the final straw for me was Baraka’s description of the McKinney/Clemente campaign as “self-aggrandizement.”
This truly should have been called the Baraka show for the lack of time given to Rosa to respond and perhaps even share some fresh perspectives with us listeners instead of rather disgustingly and continually be interrupted and placed on the defensive.
i also found it completely disingenuous for Porter/Baraka to tell Rosa that their attacks on her intellect were “not personal,” and for Porter at one point to even state that he was “sorry” if he appeared disrespectful, in a mocking type of way. This was essentially the sort of thing you would expect by bullies on a playground, not elders who we look to as imparting knowledge, who would rather verbally beat down this young Sista while reminiscing about the greatness of their own past political activity, forgetting that the sum total is that we are still in this condition, that we still ain’t free!
So why not keep trying by any and every means necessary, and why not teach that as a means toward victory instead of just keep getting down with the democrats, ain’t that what self-determination is supposed to be about? Did you, Bro. Baraka, somehow miss how dedicated Cynthia McKinney was when exposing the criminal politricians during her time in office, relentlessly standing up for our most neglected people and our forgotten freedom fighters, and what a remarkable and brilliant Sista she is, worthy of much more than an offhanded comment about how she helped Ras in Newark? Self-aggrandizement?
Being revolutionary is supposed to be motivated by love for the people, not some pedestal propped up holier than thou speechifying!
Thank you Sis. Marpessa for this (and for reconnecting with us – we used to rap back on some BRC lists). I also owe the revolutionary world an apology for being over-deferential to my elders and letting them get too far off on the ego, disrespect, etc. That is mostly (entirely?) my fault. Thanks again for listening and for your comments.
Jared