Two Januarys ago, an obscure politician from a minor political party named Juan Guaido assumed a one-month chairmanship of the Venezuelan National Assembly. Then he promptly declared himself the interim president of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.

The bizarre declaration had no legal standing. But that did not stop the Trump administration and later, the European Union, from recognizing this fictional presidency.

For most in the world, this was yet another in a series of illegal U.S. efforts to control the politics of countries in the global South. Supporting dictators, overthrowing governments with violence and destroying nations have been at the center of each of the U.S. global policies since the United States became the leader of the colonial/capitalist Western alliance in 1945.

But as Malcolm X once said, “The chickens have come home to roost.”

How ever one might characterize the events of January 6 or the several weeks since the election, one thing is certain: Millions of people in the United States have lost respect for U.S. political institutions. Across the political spectrum, people are adopting a common cry that the U.S. government doesn't represent their interests.

Decades of neoliberal austerity, low wages, de-industrialization, privatization of public services like healthcare facilities, the looting of public resources to transfer to the military-industrial complex and the inability of the state to protect the fundamental human rights of the people have created the crisis of legitimacy that has made it difficult for the U.S. ruling class to govern in the same old way.

And so, as BAP predicted when we launched in April 2017, the elites default to repression. The events of January 6 have given the rulers an opportunity to move even more rapidly to narrow the range of acceptable political thought and participation. Calls have come from some quarters of the public for retribution against the individuals that “breached” the Capitol. Now, state authorities—including Big Tech companies that have emerged as unrecognized agents of the state—have moved remarkably close to branding Trump supporters as criminal elements who deserve to be relegated to the social death that de-platforming renders today.

These dangerous times require sober, unemotional analysis and clear politics for those of us who have always been on the receiving end of U.S. political repression.

The ongoing crisis of the colonial-capitalist system is creating new expressions of what might be referred to as fascism. One framework defines fascism as the “open terrorist dictatorship of the most reactionary, most chauvinistic and most imperialist elements of finance capital.” When the whole ruling class—led by finance capital—line up with Joe Biden and Democrats, we must be careful in our analysis and positions.

The Democratic Party agenda for restoring “legitimacy” to the system will come at a cost. As oppressed peoples and workers in the United States who are in alignment with the laboring classes and oppressed nations of the world, we must not allow fascists in any guise to rebuild legitimacy at our expense.

PRESS AND MEDIA


On the December 15 episode of WPFW’s “Voices With Vision”, Netfa Freeman, who represents BAP member organization Pan-African Community Action (PACA) on BAP’s Coordinating Committee, and co-host Craig Hall, spoke with activist and educator, Russell Shoatz III, about the family’s campaign demanding the release of aging political prisoner, Russell “Maroon” Shoatz, as he battles stage 4 cancer and a coronavirus infection. Margaret Kimberley, senior columnist and editor at Black Agenda Report and a BAP Coordinating Committee member, keeps it real about Black demands for the Biden administration. Plus, hear what happened when Venezuelans went to the polls in December to elect a new National Assembly in an interview with electoral observer Michelle Munjanattu. This show features the songs "Black Holocaust" by Blacksmith, "Sentimiento” by Betsayda Machado and Parranda El Clavo, and "No Basta Rezar" (It's Not Enough to Pray) by Ali Primera.

The December 22 episode of Voices With Vision included an update on the case of freedom fighter and political prisoner Mumia Abu Jamal. Then Dedan Waciuri, who represents BAP member organization Black Workers for Justice on BAP’s Coordinating Committee, discussed the work of Black-led organization Mapinduzi as well as his political persecution. Plus, talks during a Bowie State University psychology students’ webinar on Community Control of the Police (CCOP) and the call to defund the police by Netfa and former political prisoner, Black Panther Party leader and co-founder of the Black Liberation Army Dhoruba Bin Wahad were featured.

BAP member Erica Caines and Onyesonwu Chatoyer of BAP member organization All-African People’s Revolutionary Party-New Mexico, both of whom are editors at Hood Communist, published a year-in-review piece titled, “It Wasn’t 2020, It Was The Ruling Class Trying to Kill You”.

Black Agenda Report's Left Lens featuring BAP Supporter Network Co-Coordinator Danny Haiphong and Margaret interviewed scholar and BAP member Dr. Charisse Burden Stelly on Black socialism.

Netfa was featured on KPFA's “Flashpoints” to discuss right-wingers storming the Capitol building on Wednesday. He also appeared on Press TV’s “The Debate”.

PACA and the Washington, D.C. chapter of the National Alliance Against Racist & Political Repression (NAARPR) were mentioned in People’s World on renewed calls for CCOP in D.C.

Netfa discussed his journalistic work in service of strengthening the African world with BAP member Dr. Jared Ball on IMIXWHATILIKE. Then Margaret appeared on IMIXWHATILIKE to discuss her work at Black Agenda Report.

BAP National Organizer Ajamu Baraka, who ran as the Green Party vice-presidential nominee in 2016, told Jared on IMIXWHATILIKE that electoral politics should be treated as a “strategic question” for the Black liberation movement, depending on its usefulness in putting forward “transitional demands.” The larger mission is to build “independent political formations” that “ultimately will arrive at a socialist transformation.” Ajamu said organizers should avoid “bourgeois” electoralism, which fails to confront capitalism and “colonial” rule. Black Agenda Radio re-aired a portion of this discussion.

Ajamu also wrote in Black Agenda Report that it is “critical that the Black left understand U.S./European imperialism as a race project, and organize accordingly.”

Erica interrogated in an article for Hood Communist the role and limitations of the progressive Democratic congresspeople known as “The Squad” as political allies to the U.S. left.

Black Agenda Report Executive Editor and BAP member Glen Ford wrote “Black misleaders have been busy selling out Black people for half a century, but are still only barely tolerated by the rich man’s Democratic Party and its racist figurehead, Joe Biden.”

Netfa appeared on Radio Sputnik’s “The Critical Hour”, starting at the 84-minute mark, to discuss U.S. foreign policy in Africa. This came after the United States finalized a deal with Sudan that would take the impoverished country off the U.S. list of state sponsors of terrorism and have its sovereign immunity restored in return for normalizing relations with Israel.

Netfa and lawyer, professor and author Dan Kovalik came together on “The Critical Hour,” starting at the 87-minute mark, to discuss all things Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean. They discussed the U.S.-Sudan deal, as well as new U.S. sanctions against Nicaraguan officials.

EVENTS


January 12: BAP is co-sponsoring a Council on Hemispheric Affairs webinar, “Venezuela-Iran: A natural alliance in the face of illegal sanctions”. Register here.

January 26: BAP will host a webinar on intergenerational organizing. Registration information will be available in an upcoming newsletter.

TAKE ACTION

  • Dedan 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, Dedan, Erica, Jaribu, Margaret, Netfa, Nnamdi, Paul, Rafiki, YahNé

P.S. Freedom isn’t free. Consider giving today.

Photo credit: Jessica Griffin / Staff Photographer / The Philadelphia Inquirer