FULL REPLAY: Farrakhan Speaks – “Separation Or Death” was last modified: October 17th, 2017 by AQMBlog Staff
Tag
injustice
I have to structure this review of the newly released film Detroit around the words and Divine Guidance given to us by the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan published nearly five years ago when the movie Django Unchained released. In his interview with Dr. Boyce Watkins, Minister Farrakhan gave his detailed review and prophetic perspective about what he concerned himself with when watching this film. This was the filter by which I watched Detroit as well as other films that followed his interview.
In response to Dr. Boyce Watkins’ question about Minister Farrakhan’s take on the film Django Unchained, he responded stating, “I always try, Dr. Watkins, to ascertain ‘What is the motive of the writer? What is the motive of the producer?’ Not ‘What is the motive of the actor’, because actors as their job if they like the script, try to play the part. Every actor in that film, in my humble judgment, played their part. Now, looking at motives is what concerns me.”
Before setting out to see the movie Detroit, I re-familiarized myself with what took place during the Summer of 1967, not only in Detroit but in other cities experiencing unrest. I was particularly partial to the account detailed in The Final Call Newspaper, published by the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan, because of its unshakable track record of delivering uncompromised truth, especially when it comes to telling our story. The account expressed in the Final Call Newspaper was inclusive of quotes from those who were present during the uprisings of 1967 and details regarding the onset of the unrest. After my research, I bought my ticket and took my seat in the theater to see how this story would be told by Hollywood.
The beginning of the film is captioned with diluted language to describe the Black experience of injustice in a “bean shell” leading to 1967 uprising. Shortly after, it pans out to a party that is mentioned in various articles at an after-hours nightclub. Police raid this club and evacuate everyone inside through the front door to create a scene in front of the community. It is alluded that there wasn’t a liquor license to serve alcohol, therefore, just about everyone present was arrested and loaded into police cars. There were verbal protests of the arrests from bystanders, and then the police vehicles departed with many of the party-goers inside.
Then, all of a sudden it shows the bystanders loot and set fire to stores. Then, all of a sudden it became a war-zone. No exaggeration. It was quite obvious that major pieces of the story were missing. It depicted Black people as senseless and destructive for “no reason”. This was how the tone was set within the first 20 minutes. The remaining two hours got worse.
It flashed to scenes with police officers driving around harassing and beating those who lived in the community, some for just walking around in their own neighborhood. One of the first disturbing scenes was seeing the National Guard arrive with tanks. There was a little Black girl looking through the blinds of her window, when suddenly one of the guards yelled, “Sniper!” and several of them fired unceasingly into that window, where that little girl stood.
There were no real narratives, only randomly placed footage that seemed to be from that time repeating how out of control things were. It was made to appear as though the riots happened out of nowhere. Again, although some aspects were captioned in the very beginning, if you blinked you missed the fine printed “history lesson” of what sparked the rioting. Movie goers would have been lost if they failed to do research ahead of time. More visual and cinematic emphasis was placed elsewhere. What is the motive?
Things escalated from there when a White cop sees a Black man coming out of a grocery store with food. When he saw the police he began running. The cop shoots the brother in the back, severely wounding him. His partner checked him saying that they don’t shoot people who are looting. The cop replied that it was his way of sending a message to the others. Wow…doesn’t that sound familiar?
When the White cop returns to the police station a detective investigating the shooting questions him about it. The cop lies saying he knew nothing about a shooting. When caught in the lie, after it being revealed the Black man he shot later died, the detective recommended murder charges and for that cop to not return on patrol. That cop leaves and returns to the street against those instructions.
After shots were heard coming from the direction of the Algiers Motel, the troops storm the establishment, and for the next hour and a half movie viewers watched in horror the vivid torture, antagonistic, blood thirsty beasts in blue uniforms, with that particular cop as the ringleader, beat and murder the young Black men.
We watched, for what felt like hours, how the story-line was lost. At what point were the Civil Rights and Black Power activists going to be mentioned? If this was about the 1967 uprising of Detroit, where was the coverage of the outcries for justice that spilled into the streets? The scenes that were sprinkled here and there of rallies appeared more like afterthoughts. None of WHY the uprising began was focused on. For those like myself who watched the trailer, we wondered at what point was the Black security officer going to be brought in to tell what really happened on behalf of those who were murdered at the hands of the police?
For what felt like eternity, we watched dehumanizing acts against those young Black men. It was as if we were fooled into believing this was a movie discussing the historic accounts of unrest brought on by the unpopular military draft that targeted the poor and Black youth, the lack of adequate education, voting rights, etc. It was a reel of endless brutality against Black lives without a pause.
Film Review:: DETROIT – What is the motive of the writer and producer? was last modified: August 9th, 2017 by AQMBlog Staff
I think that being “woke” is such a long awaited destination that not many of us have reached fully yet. When you’re woke, you have awareness of the society you live in, and are usually outspoken in what systematically oppresses people. You have an understanding about the world around you. I think that since being “woke” is a such a journey that not everyone is on, as beneficial as striving to educate yourself is, there are some cons to it especially when you’re young.
We know that while you’re learning about racism, sexism, injustice in general, you’re also unlearning problematic behavior. Those Internalized attitudes and beliefs that are a product of oppressive systems and conditioned mindsets. The more you unlearn the more you start seeing it in other people whether it is among family, friends, coworkers, etc. It’s a shocking realization but it also is so sad because it shows how bad of a shape you were in.
It’s sad to hear cringeworthy things from friends. But when you try to correct them, they don’t want to hear it. When you’re a teen with peers, you’re considered annoying,you allegedly “make everything about race”, and your friends might leave you…
Your passion for activism is usually shot down because you’re told that “you can’t save the world”. It’s just amazing to me that we praise historic revolutionaries and rebels, but when that one odd one out of the group shares similar revolutionary tendencies, they’re shot down.
God forbid your social media page becomes some activist encyclopedia filled with definitions of racism and posts about political affairs! To some adults, we’re just children who couldn’t possibly understand what governmental policies are, or any social issue. On one hand we’re blamed for being lazy and unintelligent, but if we can write full page articles on cultural appropriation for instance then we’re racist or just “too young to understand.”
There are educational pages ran by groups of 12-16 year olds on various social media outlets. Even with myself writing this as a 16 year old, it is clear that not all young people are clueless to what’s going on.
Youth lead revolutions. Young people for generations have led fights, movements, and changed policies. If anything we should encourage young people who show that we are cognizant of the times we live in, and want to make steps to implement effective change.
Don’t get upset with your friend for pointing out sexism in your jokes. Don’t discourage your family member who organizes protests and wants a good society to live in. Be happy that they saw something you didn’t, and actually accept the fact they want to know the truth, and want you know it too.
Stay woke, Fam.
(Follow Nzinga Muhammad on Twitter @QueenNzinga13)
The Struggle of Being Young & Woke was last modified: August 22nd, 2016 by AQM Blog Staff
“Beware Young Girl”: The disturbing trend of horrific violence and injustice towards women
written by AQM Blog Staff
Originally published 11.6.09
Hip-hop artist Jasiri X brings it strong once again.
“Beware Young Girl” explores the disturbing trend of horrific violence and injustice towards women, including the brutal gang rape of a 15 year old girl in Richmond, California, the case of Sarah Kruzan who was sentenced to life without parole at age 16 for killing her pimp, who raped her and forced her into prostitution at age 16, and the case of Heather Ellis, a college honor student who is facing 15 years in prison for allegedly cutting the line at Walmart. Episode 24 was produced by King Sym and was directed by Paradise the Arkitech of X-Clan
Click to watch: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LXaAuC3Yr8
“Beware Young Girl”: The disturbing trend of horrific violence and injustice towards women was last modified: July 16th, 2015 by AQM Blog Staff
Originally published 8.28.09
Turn off the television today and tell your teenager about this. Lest We Forget….
Aug 28, 1955, Emmett Till was murdered at the age of 14 in Money, Miss. after reportedly whistling at a white woman. Emmett Till’s mother insisted on a funeral service with an open casket to let the world see what was done to her son.
Emmett Till had been beaten and an eye gouged out.
Emmett Till was thrown into the Tallahatchie River with a 70-pound cotton gin fan tied to his body with barbed wire. The main White suspects were acquitted, but later admitted to the murder.1955 News Headline: “Negro, 14, Called Insulter, is Pulled from River Dead”
1955 News Headline: “Muddy River Gives up Body of Brutally Slain Negro Boy”
August 28, 1955: Remembering the murder of Emmett Till was last modified: July 14th, 2015 by AQM Blog Staff
Written by Jesse Muhammad
Originally published 11.6.08
(FinalCall.com News)–When the news of his third stay of execution came down the news wire, Georgia death row inmate Troy Davis immediately called his eldest sister Martina Correia to share his thoughts about the spiritual significance of why his life is being spared while others want to take it away.
“Troy told me on the phone that he believes God keeps showing him mercy because he is not the one that committed this crime,†said Ms. Correia to The Final Call. “We are elated about this stay of execution but he knows that he is not completely out of the woods. The prison officials have tried to break his spirit but they can’t. He said that’s why they are upset.â€
On Oct. 24, the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals issued a 25-day stay of execution for Mr. Davis who had been scheduled to die on Oct. 27. Earlier in the month, the Supreme Court rejected an appeal from Mr. Davis. He was scheduled to be put to death in September before a stay was issued just two hours before the time of execution.
Mr. Davis, a Black man, was convicted in 1991 of the murder of White Savannah police Officer Mark MacPhail three years earlier. He has always maintained his innocence and his case has drawn worldwide attention and support.
“My brother told me on the phone that he is grateful for all of the support he has received and the works of so many people around the world,†said Ms. Correia to The Final Call. “He understands that his life is being dangled in front of him but he won’t let his faith be shaken.â€
Witnesses claimed Mr. Davis, who was then 19 years of age, and two others were harassing a homeless man in the parking lot of a Burger King restaurant when the off-duty officer arrived to help the man. Witnesses also testified at trial thatMr. Davisthen shot Mr. MacPhail twice and fled the scene.
Since Mr. Davis’ 1991 conviction, seven of the nine witnesses against him have recanted their testimony and no physical evidence has been presented that links Mr. Davis to the killing.
“This case can be pivotal. They understand that as long as Troy is alive, it increases the opportunity for their corruptness to be exposed,†said Ms. Correia. “If Troy is freed it could shut down the death penalty system in Georgia and expose these rogue cops who get people to make false testimonies against others to secure convictions.â€
Read full article at: http://www.finalcall.com/artman/publish/article_5392.shtml
The Fight of a Lifetime for Death Row Inmate Troy Davis was last modified: June 22nd, 2015 by AQM Blog Staff