Today is July 4th, Independence Day which is an interesting concept when you consider how are independence is now being compromised by those increasing erosion on our Civil and Human Rights by our government and the multi-national corporations that back them. Over the years we’ve seen billions spent to buy up politicians via lobbying efforts and the emergence of official partnerships via ALEC (American Legislative Exchange Council ) where corporations write laws that are later championed by elected officials. Its patriotism at its finest, if you have millions and billions.
Speaking of which, we’d be remiss if we didn’t mark Independence Day by acknowledging a disturbing trend that is best personified by New York’s billionaire Mayor Michael Bloomberg. This is a man who once famously said NYPD which is 40 thousand strong, is his own private army. He than commenced to allow that police department to cripple our independence by having them deploy an invasive policy called Stop and Frisk..
Under Bloomberg, his private army have executed stopped and frisked over 5 million times, with 85-90% of being Black and Brown men.. Less than 10% of those stops were found to be in violation of any law, minor or major.. Yet in spite of massive complaints and a number of high profiles cases of police killings and brutality during stop and frisk encounters, Bloomberg as said the police need to stop more Black people and that they are going hard on too many white folks….
Last week NY’s City Council recently voted to reign in some of the stop and frisk tactics.. the billionaire Mayor got pissed and is now investing his personal fortunes into launching campaigns against anyone who opposed stop and frisk..
Mayor Bloomberg & NY Police Commissioner Ray Kelly wanna up the ante with Stop and Frisk
Again, I cite Bloomberg and his antics because he personifies the growing trend in America that we should peep this independence day.. That would be Corporate dominance and tyranny, the privatization of public space and goods.
This July 4th we should note that in the name of so-called national security our independence is marked by major telecom and internet companies collecting personal data from millions of people for the NSA. Many of those people later down the road may face scenarios where they have to prove their innocence rather than be proven guilty of any sort of crime or in the case of this data collecting ‘associated’ with folks connected to terrorism.. Those same corporations while wrapped in the flag of ‘patriotism’ have used the media outlets they own to hire pundits who will not only justify towing the party line, but will enthusiastically cheer what many see as fascism…
Our Independence Day is now marked by a huge increase in private prisons and detention centers and harsh new laws that make it easy for anyone to get caught up and become a long-term resident in these facilities. It’s now known that in 2013 a sound monetary investment may be in private prison stocks.. This is something that several our most popular TV and Cable outlets have found to be the case, hence they’ve invested.. Yes I’m talking about you Viacom which includes MTV and BET.. Yes, I’m talking about you Time Warner..
Today should not be a day to blindly shoot of fire works and stuff a bunch of hot dogs down our throats.. It should be a day we reflect on the imperialistic direction this country has turned and what sort of things we can do to both raise awareness and craft solutions. This should be a day that we all ask ourselves, how did a country which was founded in 1776 with the backdrop and official policies that supported Native American genocide and African people being enslaved, 235 years later, still be vicious and oppressive to many of its people and folks around the world.
Today we should be questioning our foreign policy far too often supports ruthless dictators, undermines duly elected leaders and has a policy of bringing about regime change when leaders we don’t like stand up to us..We wont even talk about our Drone policy which has brought terror to the lands of people who’se countries the average American couldnt find on a map if quizzed. Much of foreign policy is driven by the companies and corporations that make up the Military Industrial Complex.. Again the key word to all this privatization.
If you wanna be a true Patriot, question our government and hold those who make bad and unlawful decisions accountable
Below are 3 Dope Songs to Mark Independence Day.. along with several bonus songs that give us some compelling perspectives about America, Home of the Free Land of the Brave..
Brother Ali ‘Uncle Sam Goddamn’.. This is an honest and heartfelt song where Minneapolis based Brother Ali ask the tough questions of Uncle Sam and of himself who lives within these lands…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46l236O7Iv8
Immortal Technique ‘4th Branch’.. This is a classic song from this Harlem based emcee. The 4th branch has always been the media and in this song he shows how its been used to corrupt people’s ideology. Often times its that same media that beats the drums of war under the guise of Patriotism..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GSfk0wLs4EE
Flipsyde ‘US History’ This Oakland based group literally flipped the script, by doing a song about the rise of the world’s biggest Super Power.. It’s a history lesson all of us should be taught in school. Its also a song that gotta lot of love all over the world..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1EJfgedNPY
Bonus Songs
Lowkey & M1 Obamanation pt2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oiYinwW1ZlE
Dead Prez Propoganda
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psdgRH_p3XI
Killer Mike Reagan
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6lIqNjC1RKU
Gil Scott-Heron Work for Peace
Sage Francis makeshift Patriot
Someone was complaining about today’s BART strike, talking about how it was a drag because traffic was gonna be messed up… Yes of course its gonna be messed up.. That’s the purpose of a strike to shut down business and show the importance workers have to a larger system.. That’s shown when vital services they provide are with held..
Just got word, one of the greatest and most influential martial artists Jim Kelly aka Blackbelt Jones has passed away.. I recall seeing Jim Kelly as a kid alongside Bruce Lee.. His presence was appreciated and inspired many, especially at a time when Black folks were really into defining themselves on their own terms..When we talk about the influence Bruce Lee and his movies had on Hip Hop, we can’t really have that conversation and not include Jim Kelly..
Just peeping the news this morning about the House not even debating the Immigration Reform Bill.. Granted , many of us know the bill itself is kinda weak, but that’s not why the House won’t debate it.. They wont debate because politically they know there can and will be no consequence..
The focus has been on national elections but as you can see from the drama that unfolded and will continue to unfold in places like Texas, the political action is stateside and locally.. For example, Texas state senator Wendy Davis the women who filibustered SB5 in Texas is targeted for redistricting.. In short they gonna remove her seat. And now Texas is putting in place one of the strictest Voter ID laws in the country.. Any state with a majority minority pop can expect to see similar patterns play out..
Watch out for well-funded disinformation campaigns including some that will say if you owe money, child support etc, you are not allowed to register or vote.. Look out for campaigns telling you Not to vote because it doesn’t matter and electoral politics is a farce….It’ll be slickly packaged as being anti-authority. Some of will manifest itself in the form of ‘whisper campaigns’. Some of it will come in the form selected spokes people who suddenly have media access burst on the scene and start telling you none of this matters.. A good look at the documentary Merchants of Cool can spell out how these types of techniques and other stealth marketing techniques are effectively used.
Here’s a quick update from Austin Texas where state senator Wendy Davis out of Forth Worth is now on her 10th hour of filibustering. Its been a grueling process with Lt Gov David Dewhurst going all out to bah on her as hundreds of people are in the rotunda bearing witness to this historical event. We talk to long time activist Carmen D Llanes who filled us in yesterday and is now updating us on the crucial details as they are unfolding now Click the link below
The Voting Rights Act, first signed into law in 1965, was a keystone victory of the civil rights movement. African-American citizens withstood beatings, fire hoses and dogs to see the law passed. Some even gave their lives.