U.S. President Joe Biden and the Democrats pretended to support an increase in the minimum wage to $15 per hour and a stimulus payment of $2,000 per person. They also claimed to be outraged by former President Donald Trump's moves to dismiss the result of the 2020 election and remain in office no matter what. Then last week, with full support from the corporate media, Biden released “The American Jobs Plan" and "The American Families Plan,” both meant to revive the so-called “American dream” by bringing Keynesianism back from the dead, along with FDR!
Once in office, though, Biden, who was put in place by neoliberal finance and corporate transnational capital, dutifully began the process of scaling back on his “progressive” stances. The $15/hour minimum wage proposal was scrapped using a shady parliamentary device that gave cover to Democratic Party backtracking. Then the $2,000 check became $1,400. Plus, although Democrats loudly condemned Trump's anti-democratic moves, the Biden-Harris administration gave the green light to its puppet in Haiti to ignore the requirement to leave office February 7. This came despite thousands of Haitians marching in the streets in opposition.
The Black Alliance for Peace (BAP) was not surprised by the Biden-Harris administration's decisions, especially in the field of U.S. foreign policy. Why? Because we understand U.S. policies are not guided by the whims of the individual who sits in the White House, but by the objective interests of dominant sectors of the ruling elite. And since it has been clear to us ruling-class interests are intimately bound up with aggressive anti-democratic and militarist state policies, we knew the neoliberal Biden-Harris administration would intensify U.S. rogue state actions.
In Haiti, after the masses of Haitians went to the streets when President Jovenel Moïse refused to step down, BAP said:
"As Black radicals, we are compelled to call out the white supremacy and double standards of this administration. The Biden administration cannot have it both ways. It cannot pretend that Black lives matter and Black participation in democracy is important in the United States, while denying the value of Black life and democracy in Haiti."
And as the corporate press glossed over the Biden-Harris administration following in the Trump administration’s footsteps by reversing an internationally recognized agreement when it openly violated the terms of the Doha agreement that required the United States to pull troops out of Afghanistan by May 1, BAP said:
“BAP is concerned the attempt to move the date of U.S. withdrawal past the agreed-upon May 1 deadline will give hardliners in the Biden-Harris administration the opportunity to create the conditions for continued U.S. occupation of Afghanistan by baiting the Taliban into renewed attacks.”
Call it "double standards" or "having it both ways" or "bait-and-switch." These are the standard operating procedures of servants of the neoliberal elites. A lesson in power politics that, for many, if not understood at this point will become quite apparent when they realize the grand proposals for massive state interventions in support of education, jobs and infrastructure are all just part of the project of narrative management meant to disarm political opposition within the Democrat Party.
For BAP, the first 100 days of the Biden-Harris administration's domestic and foreign policy public-relations stunts and mystifications only remind us of the cultural and ideological terrain we are compelled to operate in as we struggle to build a movement to shift power from the rapacious elite of the United States and the Western world.
PRESS AND MEDIA
On the April 20 episode of "Voices With Vision," Netfa Freeman, who represents Pan-African Community Action (PACA) on BAP's Coordinating Committee, and co-host Craig Hall, addressed “Who Will Save the World from the Saviors?” in a message from the coordinating committee of the Black Alliance for Peace. They lifted up political prisoner Mumia Abu Jamal, his struggle to live, and gatherings honoring his 67th birthday over the April 23-24 weekend in Washington, D.C., and across the world. Comandante Raul Castro has stepped down as the president of Cuba’s Communist Party. Then they covered what that means and what it does not from a revolutionary perspective with journalist and author Arnold August. The show started with sound related to the Derek Chauvin trial and a poem by El Jones. This episode also included a clip from a BBC interview with United Nations Environmental Advisor Professor Jeffrey Sachs criticizing the BBC for how it conducted the debate he was invited for about climate change. And the song "Real" by Xavier Edwardz, featuring Reuel Lynch.
The April 27 episode of "Voices With Vision" featured a tribute to Romaine “Chip” Fitzgerald by Salifu Sesay Mack, an editor at Hood Communist as well as a member of BAP and the Lowcountry Action Committee. In a segment about corporate media coverage and Mumia, Netfa and Craig spoke with Janine Jackson of Fairness & Accuracy In Reporting. Then the conversation turned to the Chauvin trial featuring a radio roundtable with PACA members. For spoken word, we showcased in the episode "Blood Splatter" by TOO BLACK and The Blacks.
Onyesonwu Chatoyer of BAP member organization AAPRP-New Mexico and BAP Coordinating Committee member Erica Caines discuss lessons from the Chauvin trial that connect Palestine and U.S. domestic colonial subjects in a Palestine Chronicle article.
Just two hours before the Chauvin verdict, Ohio police killed Ma'Khia Bryant. BAP Coordinating Committee member Margaret Kimberley and Black Agenda Report contributing editor Danny Haiphong discussed on the Left Lens why justice has not been served as liberals and Democrats have so enthusiastically proclaimed. Then in the wake of the Chauvin verdict, Netfa appeared on KPFA's "Flashpoints," 33:30 minutes into Muslim Network News' "Mujahid Talks" and 5:20 minutes into "A Critical Ear Radio" in Ireland.
BAP National Organizer Ajamu Baraka joined comedian Lee Camp on his YouTube program, "Moment of Clarity," for a wide-ranging discussion that included how the U.S. state attempted to use the Chauvin trial to sedate the public.
Netfa discussed domestic militarization in the United States 23 minutes into "The Santita Jackson Show," and on "The Rick Unger Show," both on WCPT (820 AM in Chicago). Then he appeared on Press TV and on RT America's "Watching the Hawks."
Salifu Sesay Mack penned an article that dug into U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA)'s comments referring to George Floyd as a "sacrifice." The article was re-published on Washington Babylon and included an interview with him.
BAP member Jacqueline Luqman of Luqman Nation wrote for Hood Communist why the discourse blaming Ma'Khia Bryant for her own murder at the hands of police hurts so much.
Erica and Salifu Sesay Mack wrote for Hood Communist about the ongoing violence against the MOVE family that was attacked in Philadelphia in 1985.
Then Erica was featured on BAP Coordinating Committee member Dr. Charisse Burden-Stelly’s "The Last Dope Intellectual" show on Black Power Media to discuss Mumia’s birthday weekend and Liberation Through Reading alongside BAP member Dr. Jared Ball and Dr. Layla Brown.
Margaret discussed U.S. President Joe Biden delivering his first speech to a joint session of Congress on RT's "CrossTalk."
Erica's Hood Communist article about the insidious nature of Black mainstream media in the face of "justice" was republished in Black Agenda Report. Then her Hood Communist opinion piece, "The Class Collaboration of 'Justice'” was turned into an accessible audio-reader on the Faint Signals From Vega YouTube channel.
Nnamdi Lumumba, who represents BAP member organization Ujima People’s Progress Party on BAP's Coordinating Committee, discussed worker-led independent Black political power with Dr. Sundiata Keith Cha-Jua on "RealTalk with Dr. Sundiata Keith Cha-Jua."
Netfa discussed Biden's infrastructure plan and U.S. moves to restrict African countries' access to Chinese investment 58:08 minutes into Radio Sputnik's "The Critical Hour."
BAP member Too Black spoke with Mikaela Nhondo Erskog, an educator and researcher who works for Pan Africanism Today, a working-class, movement-driven education and solidarity organization based in Johannesburg, South Africa, and for the Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research and is part of the collective producing DongSheng News. Here is part 1 and part 2 of the conversation.
Netfa discussed on Press TV that the United Nations and partners demanded the withdrawal of foreign forces from Libya.
PACA organizer Max Rameau appeared 37 minutes into Radio Sputnik's "Political Misfits" to discuss U.S. plans to bolster its footprint on the African continent that is being referred to as a “return to Africa." Max laid out how this fits within simmering tensions between the United States and China, and how countries being caught in a tug-of-war between superpowers negatively affected their ability to act independently towards their best interests.
BAP organized an April 29 webinar, "#MayDayAfghanistan: Building a People's Movement to End U.S. Imperialism in Afghanistan and Around the World," a few days ahead of May 1, 2021, the deadline for the United States to pull all troops from Afghanistan. However, in recent weeks the Biden administration announced it would exit by September 11, 2021, thereby violating a peace agreement the Trump administration had brokered with the Taliban. Now U.S. officials are openly speaking about how to continue a U.S. presence in Afghanistan past September 11 to continue it's so-called "anti-terror" operations.
BAP Solidarity Network Coordinator Julie Varughese spoke about BAP's position on Afghanistan with Ramiro Sebastián Fúnez on "Unmasking Imperialism." Julie also discussed news reports of the Taliban sending letters to Afghan officials 87 minutes into Radio Sputnik's "The Critical Hour."
Netfa and Ajamu Baraka appeared 59 minutes into Radio Sputnik's "The Critical Hour" to break down Raul Castro retiring from his position in the Cuban Communist Party as well as Haiti fighting against colonialism and Juan Guaidó stealing over $150 million from Venezuela.
On Radio Sputnik's "By Any Means Necessary," co-hosts Sean Blackmon and Jacquie Luqman interviewed Netfa, who discussed the revolutionary legacy of International Workers’ Day, why it goes relatively unappreciated in the United States while being widely celebrated across the globe and the BAP statement published in solidarity with working people demanding liberation in Haiti and beyond.
Here is coverage of the remarks made by PACA organizer Rebecca Bonhomme, as young people and students from North America debated proposals at the continental youth meeting of the Bicentennial Congress of the Peoples of the World.
BAP member Solyana Bekele wrote in Hood Communist about African women having always been on the frontlines of our struggle for liberation.
Rafiki Morris, who represents the BAP member organization All-African People's Revolutionary Party (A-APRP) on BAP's Coordinating Committee, provided necessary guidance on how we win the class struggle.
BAP organized an April 22 webinar that featured several BAP members discussing "The Role of Culture in Resistance and Revolution."
EVENTS
May 22: Look out for information on BAP's African Liberation Day (ALD) webinar.
May 22-29: The A-APRP will be hosting events throughout the week in honor of ALD.
TAKE ACTION
Sign BAP petitions calling for an end to the 1033 program and peace in Afghanistan.
Dedan Waciuri, who represents BAP member organization Black Workers for Justice on BAP’s Coordinating Committee, is being charged for inciting a riot and damaging government property. Sign this petition to demand charges be dropped.
Our brother, former political prisoner Jalil Muntaqim, faces the possibility of re-incarceration for filling out a voter registration form. Sign this petition to demand charges be dropped.
The Black Latina Girls and Women Fund was created by BAP member organization AfroResistance, a Black Latina women-led organization in the service of Black Latinx women in the Americas. This fund offers financial support by giving money directly to Black Latin womxn, girls and femmes who are experiencing severe financial need across the region, especially due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Whether in Brazil, Colombia, United States or Panama, Black Latina girls, women, and femmes are organizing in their local communities in the fight against several forms of state violence. You can donate here and people are encouraged to use the hashtag #BlackLatinaGWFund.
Sign up to join BAP’s U.S. Out of Africa Network to receive the bi-weekly AFRICOM Watch Bulletin in your inbox.
Make sure you keep up with us throughout the week by subscribing to our YouTube channel, liking us on Facebook, and following us on Instagram and Twitter.
No Compromise, No Retreat!
Struggle to win,
Ajamu, Charisse, Dedan, Erica, Jaribu, Margaret, Netfa, Nnamdi, Paul, Rafiki
P.S. Freedom isn’t free. Consider giving today.
Banner photo: People waiting in line to receive food from a food pantry. Demand at pantries across the U.S. have increased since the pandemic. (Getty/Andrew Lichtenstein)