Congress decided to go on vacation while millions of U.S. workers are in economic limbo and while the United States continues to engage in criminal activity, such as when it seized four Iranian oil tankers that were on their way to Venezuela last week.

Yet the focus of the corporate press was on one story: Joe Biden’s selection of Kamala Harris as his running mate.

Amid this clear contradiction, we are not going to waste any space on the merits of Biden’s decision except to raise one question: For the people of the global South suffering because of U.S. sanctions, subversions, war and threats of war, will it matter who is sitting in the White House in January?

For the Black Alliance for Peace (BAP), both parties represent the interests of rapacious capital that have decided that force, coercion, lawlessness and war are the tools that must be deployed in order to hold on to he advantages they enjoy in the international order. For us, it doesn’t matter who sits in the White House in January because the criminality of the U.S. state will continue.

Joe Biden and Kamala Harris—representing the neoliberal, transnational wing of capital—already have their marching orders. 

The Obama-Biden administration oversaw U.S.-supported and/or -initiated coups in Brazil, Egypt, Honduras and Ukraine; intensified regime-change efforts in Iraq, Iran and Syria; attempted coups in Venezuela; the destruction of Libya; expanded drone warfare across northern Africa and western Asia; and a 1,900 percent increase in military activities in Africa through the U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM). If history is a guide, nothing will be different if Biden and Harris are in the White House.

Regardless of who is in office, the wars, inhumane sanctions, death and destruction in what Frantz Fanon referred to as the “zones of non-being”—those spaces occupied by the non-European peoples of the world—will continue.

But what we also continue is the resistance. BAP will not collaborate with either of the parties. As an alliance, we maintain our independence. Individual members can do as they like. We say “No Compromise, No Retreat: Defeat the War on African/Black People in the U.S. and Abroad” and liberate all the laboring and oppressed of the world.

 

PRESS AND MEDIA


BAP has continued to lift up our political prisoners during the 41st Black August by posting solidarity videos from our members on our Instagram account. Meanwhile, BAP member, Black Is Back Steering Committee member and Black Agenda Report Executive Editor Glen Ford discussed during the Black Is Back Coalition’s national conference held this weekend why it is so important to defend our political prisoners. Plus, Glen and BAP Coordinating Committee member Margaret Kimberley interviewed Jihad Abdulmumit, chairperson of the Jericho Movement, which advocates for political prisoners.

The Burning Spear newspaper of the African People’s Socialist Party writes the bourgeoisie is attempting to ride the wave of success of the recent Black Lives Matter-associated mobilizations to prop up and solve the problems of the bourgeoisie, not the people. Meanwhile, Glen raised serious questions about the call to defund the police. He believes it can be used against the self-determination demands that the Black Liberation Movement has raised with the call for Community Control of the Police. Then BAP National Organizer Ajamu Baraka was quoted in a Final Call article that dove into a recent Amnesty International report that found 125 incidents of police misconduct took place during the U.S. uprisings after the murder of George Floyd.

BAP member Kyndelle Johnson discussed BAP’s upcoming August 23 webinar on radiojustice.org’s “Music to Resist By,” co-hosted by BAP member Bilal Mafundi Ali.

Margaret spoke 26 minutes into an online panel discussion, “Filipinx Solidarity with the Black Liberation Movement”. Then a discussion of BAP’s campaign work took place 69 minutes into the video.

BAP member Erica Caines wrote in Hood Communist that “Harris should be criticized for attempting to wipe her history clean, using ‘Black Girl Magic’ as a cloak and shield against any real accountability for the harm she’s caused. She’s attempting to rewrite her monstrous history in real-time and far too many are allowing it.” Then Margaret gave three interviews on the Biden-Harris ticket: One for Radio Sputnik’s “Loud and Clear”; another that starts at 72 minutes into Radio Sputnik’s “The Critical Hour”; and yet another starting at 61 minutes into Radio Sputnik’s “By Any Means Necessary,” which is co-hosted by BAP member Jacquie Luqman.

Ajamu also spoke to Jacquie on “By Any Means Necessary” (starting at 53:21 minutes) on the resignation of the Lebanese government amid widespread protests following the recent explosion, how the Israel lobby works to undermine longstanding links of solidarity between Black and Palestinian nationalist movements and isolate other anti-imperialist movements, and how individualism and celebrity culture are used to promote policies of white supremacy at home and abroad.

Netfa Freeman, who represents BAP member organization Pan-African Community Action (PACA) on BAP’s Coordinating Committee, discussed on Radio Sputnik’s “The Critical Hour” how more than 14 percent of U.S. commandos deployed overseas in 2019 were sent to Africa, the largest percentage of any region in the world except for the greater Middle East.

Margaret spoke with Chinese reporter Zhou Li about the Trump administration attempting to take over Chinese social-media giant Tik Tok amid the greater U.S. escalation against China. Meanwhile, BAP Supporter Network Co-Coordinator Danny Haiphong wrote in Black Agenda Report that the recent escalations provide NBA players with an opportunity to break with the dominance of U.S. exceptionalism and corporate discipline in U.S. sports culture.


  EVENTS

August 23: At 1 p.m. PST/4 p.m. EST, BAP will hold the first in our Educational Webinar Series. The topic is “How the International War Against Black People Is Being Waged Locally - & How We Unify Against It”. We will be focusing on organizing in Baltimore, Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia and the San Francisco Bay Area, but participants from anywhere are welcome. Registration is required.

August 29: Cooperation Jackson is organizing an art exhibit to commemorate the 15th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina at 1 p.m. at the Ida B. Wells Plaza, 1128 W. Capitol Street, Jackson, Mississippi.


  TAKE ACTION

  • 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.

  • Ask your local, state and federal candidates to sign BAP’s 2020 Candidate Accountability Pledge. If you are a candidate, distinguish yourself from the other corporate warmongering candidates by signing the pledge.

  • 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.

  • We are raising $30,000 to help expand our membership support capacity and revamp our website. Donate and share our GoFundMe campaign with your networks today.


No Compromise, No Retreat!
 
Struggle to win,
Ajamu, Dedan, Jaribu, Margaret, Netfa, Nnamdi, Paul, Vanessa, YahNé

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

Photo credit: Buzzkenya