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Garvey & The Abolition Commemoration Farce

Garvey & The Abolition Commemoration Farce

By N Oji Mzilikazi

August 23, 2012

(Originally published in the Montreal Community Contact Volume 22, Number 16)

Mr. Hits told me about the Marcus Garvey discussion taking place at the United Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) on August 17, 2012 – the date of his birthday. Never mind I had no details apart from the date, and was disappointed in their 2011 Emancipation and Garvey’s birthday celebrations; I informed others about the event.

I scoured The Community Contact looking for an article or advert about the upcoming symposium for more information, but to no avail. I called Mr. Peter Francis. Luckily, he had a flyer that he read to me.

Given Garvey’s message and philosophy, given that the UNIA is the upholder of Garvey’s legacy, and given the steadily increasing educational failures of Black youth in Canada, the United Kingdom, the West Indies and America, how could the UNIA decide to present something as important as “A Critical Discussion of the Garvey Model of Education and Development of the Black Community” and not get it in our West Indian/Black newspaper?

I was sixteen when I met the Rt. Honourable Marcus Mosiah Garvey. I was introduced to him by a dashiki clad, afro-wearing professor – a revolutionary sight among the teaching faculty, who from unverified reports was supposedly expelled from his teaching job in Jamaica because of his “extreme revolutionary and pro-Black politics.”

We – a group of students would go to his home to read, discuss and critique things from “Garvey and Garveyism” – what we considered the “Black Bible.” He was the only person we knew with a copy. It wasn’t available in any bookstores – so all the more precious. Though he had other “Garvey” papers and books; that compilation by Garvey’s wife Amy was the Holy Grail.

I had cut my teeth on the likes of Malcolm X, Herskovits, Black Panther ideology and Maurice Cornforth – Dialectical Materialism. I knew Mao’s little “Red Book” by heart. Garvey blew my mind. It’s as if he spoke directly to me. I wanted to walk in his shoes.

Garvey opened a whole new world of thinking, being and living. Garvey centered my politics. On account of Garvey, my socialist/communist leanings were replaced by Pan-Africanism. And though spiritual and religious philosophies were to shape my politics – making me the person I am today, Garvey holds a special place in my heart.

The event started an hour late – waiting for people to show. How can one attract people; consumers and/or participants to anything, if the marketing strategy for the product isn’t properly conceptualised or well-executed?

The seminar failed to deliver. There was no critical discussion. There were no nuggets of educational information for someone with children or family attending school to take away and apply. There was no conjuring of Garvey’s spirit or transmission of his light and electricity for inspiration and fortification.

As if the speakers were ignorant of the stated subject, lazy in their preparation, and depending to wing it from accumulated knowledge; they were short on being on point and presenting well thought out constructs.

Though a question period was slated after the three speakers, I interrupted the proceedings upon completion of the first speaker remarks. I wanted to know if I was in the right place. The esteemed doctor’s dissertation was nothing but intellectual masturbation and 360 degrees removed from the designated subject.

The master of ceremonies/moderator coolly shut me down with, “the doctor was setting the stage for the next two speakers.” The other two speakers never took the stage. They meandered as well.

Cliquishness and cronyism is of such that quite a few times the second speaker referenced comments made by the first, to try and imbue credibility to him, given my stinging remarks.

How can the UNIA execute their mandate and keep the spirit of Garvey alive when he is remembered once a year? How can the UNIA birth Garveyites, when its existence is kept secret and they remain a tight-knit clique of folks who have no fight left in them – a malaise that afflict many Black organizations?

A storied association like the UNIA ought to have monthly discussions on Garvey and Garveyism. Marcus Garvey is their raison d’être. They ought to bring in scholars and authorities on Garvey like the acclaimed and well-respected Tony Martin. Monthly discussions and the like would ensure when Garvey’s birthday come around, UNIA’s cup runneth over.

Thanks to the politicking by the Black Coalition of Quebec, the City of Montreal has been commemorating the Abolition of the Slave Trade for a number of years now. And while that is a good thing, it has basically remained a cliquish wine and cheese affair at City Hall.

The Abolition of the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade is jam-packed with stories and issues to be told and explored. It’s ripe for annual conferences that could bring scholars, authors and brilliant minds from all over the world, including Latin America to our fair city – to share, elucidate, teach, inform, motivate and inspire.

The Black Coalition of Quebec need to have a committee in place, and working year round to ensure there is substance in their annual observances. And, of course the committee would liaison with those in other countries who take Emancipation and the Abolition of Slavery seriously, and have a history of intellectual discourse and reflecting diverse voices.

While the first thing opposition will utter is what about the funding? Where there is will, there is always a way. Since the City says it is down with the program, it can put its money where its mouth is and sponsor a first class conference to get things started. Then, the organization can begin its quest for private sponsors and partnerships.

Through our negligence, our community is in retrograde mode. Yet, there are the selfishly arrogant who give no thought as to what would be their legacy. They do not groom leadership or attract skilled persons with strong personalities to help grow an organization.

Also, because of their battle scars from fighting the good fight, accolades and a sense of power, albeit empty, and the small change that come their way, they believe they’re owed a free pass or dispensation, and are entitled to sit at the head table, even when they’re tired, have no fight left in them, and have become an obstacle to progress.

We cannot continue to tread water. If leadership is too tired to get things done they need to step aside. Let those with the requisite knowledge, skills, passion, and loads of energy revitalize our stagnant to dying organizations. Give them the opportunity to make those organizations relevant once more, and hopefully, take them into the Promised Land.

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London 2012: The Olympics White Racial Frame

London 2012: The Olympics White Racial Frame

By N Oji Mzilikazi

August 9, 2012

(Originally published in the Montreal Community Contact Volume 22, Number 15)

It takes years of training, hard-work, sacrifices, total commitment, peaking at the right time, being on top of one’s game at the right moment, and sometimes a little bit of luck for an athlete to not just qualify for the Olympics, but to win a medal as well. Therefore, one must wonder what would possess an athlete to throw away their Olympics by engaging in racism. After all, racism is not a disease hereditary or otherwise, but a deliberate and purposeful choice.

Greek triple jumper Voula Papachristou was kicked off the Greek Olympic team for a racist tweet against African immigrants in Greece. Then she had the nerve to claim being upset and bitter over the disciplinary decision.

South Korea defeated Switzerland 2-1 in a soccer match. Deep-rooted feelings of white racial superiority resulted in Swiss player Michel Morganella posting a racist tweet against South Korea. He was subsequently expelled.

16-year-old Chinese swimmer Ye Shiwen won the 400m individual medley in a world-record time. In no time at all, John Leonard, executive director of the USA Swimming Coaches Association openly cast aspersions on her swim.

He defended his suspicions by citing that “the Chinese have a doping history.” It’s not as if American hands are clean when it comes to doping.

Commentator and former tennis player Rennae Stubbs is a fan of Serena Williams. In her search for superlatives to describe Serena’s dominance, she referenced Serena hitting the ball to that of hitting a watermelon.

Though Stubbs is Australian, there is no way she wouldn’t be aware that “watermelon” like “fried chicken” have racial connotations – even though whites consume more of them than Blacks. Though no offence was intended, surely she could’ve invoked a basketball or football for the audience visualization. To pull watermelon out of the hat speaks volumes.

The Network TV Press Release of August 5th stated that the Serena Williams – Maria Sharapova Gold Medal Match drew 7.9 million viewers.

Given the 6-0, 6-1 drubbing, almost 8 million viewers saw “It Girl” Sharapova who recently won the French Open, and was on top of her game humiliated – and on the hallowed grounds of Wimbledon – the site of her greatest victory. It was the worst defeat in women’s Olympic singles final history.

Sharapova’s 2004 defeat of Serena at Wimbledon propelled her into stardom, landed her lucrative contracts and the biggest endorsement for a female athlete. A win over Serena would’ve given Sharapova the career Golden Slam (victories at the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, US Open, and Olympic Gold), the #1 rank, and undoubtedly bigger and better endorsements.

Serena was the one that walked away with the Golden Slam. Serena is now the second female to have a Golden Slam. Steffi Graf achieved that feat in 1988.

Serena’s breathtaking performance, tennis clinic, and demolition of Sharapova stunned everyone.

For the first time in my life I saw tennis commentators at a loss of words and unable to unleash snide and snarky remarks about Serena.

Haters would always find reasons to hate. Serena’s few seconds of dancing celebration – doing the “Crip Walk” became a straw man. She was now endorsing the notorious Crips, even though it was a “Crip” that murdered her sister.

In the men’s tennis singles final, Andy Murray humiliated Roger Federer. The effusiveness was of such that both American and Canadian television broadcasters repeatedly ran several minutes of the match including the trophy presentation. Venus Williams and Serena Williams won Olympic Doubles Gold that very day. It brought their haul to 4 Olympic Gold medals each, and being the “winningest” Olympic tennis players ever. Compared to Andy Murray, the clip of their win was a blur.

Jordyn Wieber was the all-around gymnastic world champion and deserving the hype. Americans expected her to be the golden girl of gymnastics. Gabrielle Christina Victoria Douglas from Virginia, aka Gabby Douglas, African-American, and nicknamed “The flying squirrel” won the US Trials.

She qualified for more Olympic events than the other Americans on the gymnastic team, yet from the tone and commentary from the announcers, one would swear she was the weakest link.

The Olympic rule for the all-around finals is two finalists per nation. Wieber failed to qualify for the Olympic all-around finals. She was beaten by two other American – Gabby Douglas and Aly Raisman.

The devastation was so unbearable to both Weiber and her coach John Geddert, he blasted the rule. In addition to calling it dumb, Geddert said, it’s a shame that the world champion doesn’t get to compete in the Olympic all around finals.”

There was so much emotional investment in Weiber; gymnastic pundits and huge numbers of gymnastic fans had no room in their hearts for 16-year-old Gabby Douglas.

Gabby won the all-around gold – the medal that defines gymnastic achievements, and the hype machine that surrounds that accomplishment at every Olympics broke down. The glowing tributes to make her name a household one wasn’t there. However, the racists got their groove on; some Americans even lamenting that Russian gymnast Victoria Komova was robbed.

Approximately 10 hours had passed when Gabby won gold and NBC aired her performance. Upon Bob Costas spouting the feel good spiel of Gabby’s gold-medal performance being inspirational to young African-American girls, the ad that followed featured a monkey doing gymnastics. And, of course, it was purely coincidental!!!

When Nigeria squared off against Lithuania in the men’s basketball match, a whole block of Lithuanian supporters had their monkey chant going on. The report qualified the racist outburst with the men “were mostly drunk.” Drunk people are known to get a pass…

UK Guardian columnist Emma John, in the article, “Gabrielle Douglas wins London 2012 gymnastics all-around gold” wrote: The US duo came here on the back of a team gold won in ruthless style and were once again were niggardly with their errors. (It has since been edited.)

While “niggardly” has nothing to do with the N-word, referencing it in regards to a Black person is in extremely poor taste. Writers/journalists know the power of words and semantics. Surely, John could’ve used the simple, more to the point and better adjective that is “stingy.”

While John supposedly meant no offence with “niggardly,” its usage points to conscious and unconscious predilection of white folks to play “coded” word games in regards to people of African descent.

Douglas was the only person on team America to compete in the 4 apparatus that comprise the team competition. She had the highest scores for the USA in the Uneven Bars and Beam. She had higher scores over Jordyn Wieber in the 3 apparatus Weiber contested.

Upon the USA winning Gold, the hype machine was of such:Jordyn Wieber finds redemption in leading Team USA to gold in women’s gymnastics” (Yahoo) Alex Kay, writing for the Bleacher Report stated: Jordyn Wieber was the star for the Americans, just two days after failing to qualify for the individual all-around finals.”

The Washington Post was honest. Its headline read, “Gabby Douglas, Jordyn Wieber lead U.S. women’s gymnastics to gold” and featured a picture of Gabby Douglas airborne.

While Steve Almasy, CNN article, “Fab Five brings home gymnastics gold” acknowledges Gabby Douglas led the U.S. to a 183.596 score, he pointed out that “Jordyn Wieber was a key part of the victory also, placing third in the vault and fourth on the floor.” Third and fourth as key contributors?

The nature of the beast to Black accomplishment is always an elevation of the bar. The reaction to Tiger amassing wins was the “Tiger-proofing” of golf courses – making it more difficult for him to win. The Williams domination in tennis resulted in the slowing of the courts and changing of the ball.

Gabby won all-around gold. Interestingly, British Guardian writer Judith Mackrell opined that “the levels of technical ability require of today’s gymnast…come at the expense of fluency of phrasing, and grace,” and had high praise for Russian silver-medalist Victoria Komova, “the most dancerly of this year’s female competitors.” While she acknowledged Gabby Douglas won hearts and points, she equated Gabby to a show pony.

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Emancipation Celebrations 2012: On Blacks Being A Cursed Race

Emancipation Celebrations 2012:

On Blacks Being A Cursed Race (Part 2)

By N Oji Mzilikazi

July 26, 2012

(Originally published in the Montreal Community Contact Volume 22, Number 14)

Given the wars, famine and diseases that constantly plague the African continent, the failure of people of African descent to rebuild and build empires, including business conglomerates, the multiple manifestations of self-hate and internecine warfare; denying the existence of a curse on Blacks is a tall order…

 

…To repeat: Africa was never cursed nor the intellectually and culturally dark continent it has historically been portrayed to be. Its only curse, and that of people of African descent, is in our inability to recognise that there is no curse, and act accordingly. Up you mighty race you can!

Emancipation Day: August 1, 2012

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Sense & Sensibilities

Sense & Sensibilities

By N Oji Mzilikazi

July 12, 2012

(Originally published in the Montreal Community Contact Volume 22, Number 13)

Ti m’ba r’oto ma so, o le panu mi de
Je’nwi temi o, o le panu mi de
Otito ko ro, o le panu mi de
Bo ti mi mo’le o, o le panu mi de
Otito ko ro o, omo araiye o fe
Be fe, befe o, mi a wi temi

(If I see the truth, I will say it, you can’t shut me up
Let me say mine, you can’t close my mouth
Truth is bitter, you can’t shut me up
You can imprison me, but you can’t close my mouth
The truth is bitter, the world hates it
Like it or not, I will say mine)

– “Je’nwi temi”

— Fela Kuti

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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RCMP Commish Paulson: Giving Canadians 6 for 9

RCMP Commish Paulson: Giving Canadians 6 for 9

By N Oji Mzilikazi

June 28, 2012

(Originally published in the Montreal Community Contact Volume 22, Number 12)

In response to the feather-weight punishment meted out to senior Alberta Mountie Donald Ray for years of sexual misconduct – sexually harassing, having sex with female subordinates, and inappropriate behaviour, RCMP Commissioner Bob Paulson recently penned an open letter to Canadians decrying the discipline process enshrined in the RCMP Act…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Raising Princesses, Marrying Queens and Empresses Part 3

Raising Princesses, Marrying Queens and Empresses Part 3

By N Oji Mzilikazi

June 14, 2012

(Originally published in the Montreal Community Contact Volume 22, Number 11)

Be a cook in the kitchen, a lady in the streets
you can’t show your teeth to every guy you meet,
it’s alright to be a little sweet,
but be a model with the kids
and you know what in the sheets

– “No Pain No Gain”
Betty Wright

Women have always been the strength and backbone of the family – most organizations – the society. Women do not shy away from boring or grunt work, if that’s what it takes to put food on the table. Women are known to uproot their life in the cause of love, and to give their all. Women have unbelievable strength, patience and fortitude, not to mention powers to stir the emotions and loins…