Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Black Militancy, late 1960s
You are a black individual living in the US in the 1960s; the police have harassed you, and you have seen friends killed by the police for little or nothing other than the color of their skin. You have also worked for and seen the tremendous strides taken by MLK and the non-violent movement. Now the Black Panthers approach you to join them in feeding the poor of your community, educating your neighborhood kids and protecting them from police brutality, meeting violence with violence if need be. What is your decision and why?
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When the black panthers first approached me I was against joining because i wanted to keep my peaceful ways. My when I started to read to pamphlet they gave me I read the line "what good, however in non violence when the police are determined to rule by force?" And that got be thinking differently i read the platform of the black panthers and I agreed with the points. They also told me that they kept they're activities within legal bounds. MLK is one of my heroes but his ways are just not working. I decided to join the black panthers.
ReplyDeletei am now at the point in this movement that sitting around and hoping for the best without taking action is not enough any more. when the black panters aprroch me i will not join them however i will give thanks for there actions. they may not be handling the situation in the same mannor as myself however they are attempting to protect our black people from the whites that wish to harm us because they know there will be no kind of punishment for them. the black panthers are great people but i could never be one, i still believe in doing things in a way that will show our intentions but will not make us the bad guy.
ReplyDeleteI would not join the black military but my veiwas are differnt. they have my approval but i do not think violence is the key to freedom.
ReplyDeleteHearing about the black panthers at first scared me a little. I thought the violence they were doing was awful and I did not want to be a part of it. MLK's ways of non-violence are a much better idea. I do not think could or will ever join the black panthers because I do not want everything to get violent. There are other ways to deal with things and violence is not the correct way.
ReplyDeleteThroughout all the harm we have been through as a whole, i believe that violence is the easy way out. If we retaliate with violent crimes then it would be hypocritical of us due to the fact that the white people only use violence as a threat to harm us. Whenever we speak out, the only comfort they have is to turn to violence and to turn to a weapon. We are stronger, we are better and we deserve more then that. Therefore i personally would not join the Black Panther Party morally on my values against violence. However I think that their party truly "hoped that by raising encounters to a higher level, by patrolling the police with arms, we would see a change in their behavior"( Newton 347). I think that their voice and actions will speak out against society and push us further into accomplishing freedom at last.
ReplyDeleteI decided to join the Black Panthers. And that decision was not a hard one for me to make, but it was controversial. I did not join because of the violence- I was a part of SNCC and loved the non violent ways. However, i say too many of my own close friends hurt either emotionally, physically, or even fatilly. To me, this party is about knowing our rights and showing the police that when we know our rights, they have so much less controle over us. If i had to choose three points that mean the most to me personally they would be numbers one, seven and ten. Are important but the principles behind them all lead to freedom and a more peaceful community. I might carry a gun and be vigilant at all times, but that is the only step I know to take from here. Non-violence paved the way, it is time to sprint down the final strech to complete freedom.
ReplyDeleteI would agree with Rissa in that knowing our rights are essential, but I would also remind her of the economic program that the BPP advocates. It's the white power structure that harps on our guns, but if they saw the work we do in the community: the breakfast programs and literacy programs, they would realize that in the future, we will not need the guns.
ReplyDeleteJust like in our past struggles, we can not fight violence with violence. When asked to join the Black Panthers, my initial instinct was to of course join. After thinking about all we have been through and how far we have gotten without fighting back, I realized that I would only be known as a hypocrite if I were to do what the police and other men of the community had done to us. I believe that if we want to progress and gain our freedom, we have to do so in our own way and show the world we are better than what they think of us.
ReplyDeleteIf I had a chance to make a stronger stand for something I believe in doing it. What they were doing were keeping the police on a short leash, it was decreasing the amount of racial brutality. It was a different approach than MLK had but there was a chance that it could make a bigger change in a quicker time.
ReplyDeleteToday ater going to the store down the street i encountered Bobby Seal along with his posie talking back to a pig. I have never thought that one black individual could have the courage to defend himself in front of a white man! This is unheard of and as soon as the pig left i walked to him and asked how i could become like him and have the strength to say what he had said. There was no doubt in my mind that the Black Panthers was the best choice i have made in a long time. Huey explained to me that you have every right to stand up to white people and use force if necessary. IF we want to move on as a black community i believe we should stand up for ourselves and show the whites that we can be tough too. We have no right to stand what we have been dealt with. It is time to do somthing about this and with MLK's speech going through my head giving me the confidence there is no doubt in my mind that my time is now.
ReplyDeleteI’m sick and tired of seeing my friends being killed by the Oakland Police just because they’re Black. I have been part of many of MLK’s movements and I just don’t think that being non-violent is going to help. Huey Newton and several other members of the Black Panthers approached me to join. Without a doubt I will join because I believe everyone should have equal rights and “by patrolling the police with arms” (Newton) we will reach our goal. If I have to be violent I will be because I know to have dramatic changes you need to take dramatic steps!
ReplyDeleteOlivia--
ReplyDeleteI believe the Panthers do not fight violence with violence at present. They simply "observe them [police officers] from a safe distance so that the police could not say we were interfering with the performance of their duty" (Newton 347).
I believe the Black Panthers only meet violence with violence as an absolute last resort. I am aware of the Second Amendment--the right to bear arms--and think it is a good thing that these people are willing to stand up for people who cannot stand up for themselves. I would join them, at least for the sake of the defense of my brothers. If the situation absolutely came down to the worst, I know I would have to defend them both physically and psychologically.
I wish we could demand our freedom peacefully but too many of my brothas are being killed by the police for no reason. Everyone does have the right to bear arms and I believe the Black Panther Party demonstrates this by only using violence as a last resort, "We would walk over with our weapons and observe them from a 'safe' distance so that the police could not say we were interfering with the performance of their duty(Newton 347). MLK is making huge strides in our rights but not without the sacrifice of our people We need to stand up for ourselves and protect each other and use violence as a last resort.
ReplyDeleteYes, I would absolutly get involved by joining the Black Panthers. Their views are simple and need to be met and should be met for the black community to thrive. I will willingly join my brothers in violence if thats what it takes to gain our political and economical rights. "We Want freedom." (Black Panther Party) We will overcome all odds and help our communities soar by feeding the poor and educating the children, who will be our future in this world. Hopefully it will not come down to violence but if it does I will be ready, we all will.
ReplyDeleteToday, I witnessed something that I had never seen, an African American fellow like myself, Carlson Donnelly, stand up for his rights as an American citizen. I saw Carlson attempt to stand up for his rights, but once Carlson verbally resisted the pig, four pigs showed up and beat poor Carlson to near death. The reason I am telling you this is because the black panthers need support. With Martin Luther King’s amazing speech, all about non-violence and equality how could one possibly imagine to not stand by him. Although I know many people think the black panthers are a group that fights violence with violence, the truth is, we are not. We simply, “Observe them from a safe distance so that the police could not say we were interfering with the performance of their duty” (Newton 347). With this tactic, we not only protect ourselves and our fellow brothers and sisters, but we protect our own rights as Americans.
ReplyDeleteFinally a movement that I can join. The Black Panther movement.”We Have seen his philosophy on non-violence rejected(345Newton). Martin Luther King can stop segregation legally, but he cant stop it on the community. The police department are abusing there privilages all of the time on us. We all have so much anger stored up and ready to blow, and we do not know when to let it out. When we know our rights and are provoked by danger then we can rebel against them. I been getting abused by everyone in every movement that I have done, during marches sit-ins everything. All of this must stop and I am going to join this new movement of the Black Panthers.
ReplyDeleteMr. Lagan I understand that violence is not always the answer but during this time of crisis going on “they would realize that in the future, we will not need the guns.”(Lagan)? We will always need guns. We must defend ourselves by any means necessary. If it is ok to carry arms then it is necessary to carry one.
ReplyDeleteIn response to Mikayala's comment: Although you make some good points, i dont believe joining the black panthers is an asnwer of violence, it is simply just protecting your own rights by observing situations at safe distances.
ReplyDeleteFrancisco is right to prove that guns will always exist along with violence especially during this crisis as he mentioned. By joining the Black Panthers you will not be entering a gang of armed blacks but instead be joining the black brothers and sisters who feel that we should take a drastic step towards showing the white community that we are NOT scared and we will handle any kind of pig or authority that tries to tell us otherwise.
ReplyDeleteThe Black Panthers approached me asking to join. I would like to help out in the black community and feed the poor. But I cannot take part in the violence. I refuse to be pulled down to the level of those who brutalize us. It's not fair to be beaten but by giving the same treatment back nothing will be solved. It will give more of a reason to be against us. I understand their reasoning, not wanting to make it seem like we will put up with torture. but I cannot join the black panthers.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Mikayla fully. I too believe there are much better ways to solve this problem then violence. If we fight back it will only stiffle us even more.
ReplyDeleteWhen i first heard about the black panthers i was extremely scared. i dont think violence is the answer to soloving a problem, and i dont think it ever will be a way to solve one. therfore i would not join. i do want freedom as well as they do "We Want freedom" (black panthers party). however i do not think violence will bring us to peace.
ReplyDeleteNaturally, after seeing the death of so many that I loved, I was petrified by the concept of helping to patrol the police of all people. The black panthers gave me an offer I could not refuse, and I definitely want to do my part to help. The representatives have assured me that it is "hoped that by raising encounters to a higher level, by patrolling the police with arms, we would see a change in their behavior" and I have the same wishes for my people. I do not think it fair that we should be pushed around, and its time for us to stand up even taller, and stand our ground.
ReplyDeletei agree with what addy shaloop said about mikayla's post. The panthers were god for the black race, and they helped make tremendous progress in the civil rights movement
ReplyDeleteI agree with Mr.Lagan, I will join the BPP now and show the white power structure that we are willing to respond with violence and will not be passive because we demand change. With our breakfest and literacy programs we will not need to have guns and our rights will be given to us, because we are human beings...
ReplyDelete