The Pendulum Effect by Mumia Abu-Jamal

The Pendulum Effect
by
Mumia Abu-Jamal
(Recorded Nov. 1st, 2009)

Mistah F.A.B. Speaks Out In Support of Mumia Abu-Jamal

Via Journalists4Mumia:

On April 24, 2009, in Oakland, CA, Mistah F.A.B. speaks at an event marking Mumia Abu-Jamal's 55th birthday and the release of his new book: 'Jailhouse Lawyers: Prisoners Defending Prisoners v. The USA'.

F.A.B. is one of those guys that epitomizes the phrase "don't judge a book by its cover". At first I thought he was just a composite Bay Area rapper. Just your typical flammy, dank-smoking, ghost-riding, B.F.O., all about his scrilla. And he might be that too. But he's also got some stuff to say...

Update: Props to F.A.B. for the thanks and all of the several, various, assorted, numerous, multiple shout outs!

^ Ha!

Mumia Abu-Jamal: 'The Meanings of Victory'

The Meanings of Victory
Recorded 11/4/08

Mixed with Statik Selektah's instrumental to "To the Top (Stick 2 the Script)"
featuring Cassidy, Saigon & Termanology.

Enjoy:


[The Meanings of Victory (Hurricane Ivan's To the Top Mix) by Mumia Abu-Jamal]

The count has been called and Barack Hussein Obama, Jr. has become the 44th President of the United States of America.

But, in truth, history will record him as #1 - the first African-American president.

It is undeniable that this is a singular political achievement, a work of impressive political skill, and (we must admit) a gift of the political gods.

Among friends, in the privacy of a prison visiting room I've often made the following half-joke. Obama wins handsomely, and in his acceptance speech, flush with victory, loaded with 'political capital', he would open by saying, "My fellow Americans -- first and foremost, I want to thank the one person who made my election possible (if not inevitable): George W. Bush!"

I always got a laugh, for like all good jokes the truth makes it happen.

And the truth is, without the blunders of Bush, Obama would've been an also-ran. His fundamental issue, which set him apart from the rest of the Democratic pack, was his early opposition to the Iraq War. That gave him a wind that carried him far and long beyond his competitors, who were, for the most part, half-hearted war supporters -- or worse, people who supported the war only because to not do so, would've harmed their political careers (or so they thought).

That wind carried him to the Oval Office, the grandest prize in U.S. politics.

But what does it mean?

We cannot deny its symbolic value. In millions of Black homes, his picture will be placed on walls, beside Martin, John F. Kennedy, and a pale painting of Jesus. I'd be that quite a few African homes (especially in Kenya) will also boast his smiling visage.

But beyond symbol is substance, and substantively, some scholars have defined Obama as little different from his predecessors. Political scientist Clarence Lusane, writing in a recent issue of The Black Scholar pointed to the money men behind both Obama and the Democratic Party, and noted the following:

The promotion of U.S. hegemony, expansion of markets for U.S. corporations, security-based multilateral relations, protectionist trade policies, and a focus on terrorism will likely be key priorities demanded by the major political and financial backers of the Democratic Party.

In other words, in a number of key areas, an Obama administration would echo the policies of both George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton." *

Yet, symbols are powerful things. Sometimes, they have a life all their own. They may come to mean something more than first intended.

History has been made.

We shall see exactly what kind of history it will be.

--(c) '08 maj

Send our brotha some LOVE and LIGHT at:
Mumia Abu-Jamal
AM 8335
SCI-Greene
175 Progress Drive
Waynesburg, PA 15370

Mumia Abu-Jamal: 'Obama Abroad'

Obama Abroad
Recorded 8/8/08

I've mixed this great radio essay with the Mr. Walt-produced instrumental to "Change" by Shadez of Brooklyn.

Enjoy:


[Obama Abroad (Hurricane Ivan Change Mix) by Mumia Abu-Jamal]

Download @ zShare

Send our brotha some LOVE and LIGHT at:
Mumia Abu-Jamal
AM 8335
SCI-Greene
175 Progress Drive
Waynesburg, PA 15370

Mumia Abu-Jamal: 'Sean Bell's Second Slaying'

Sean Bell's Second Slaying
Recorded 4/25/08

Outraged. That's how I feel about this whole matter... As usual, Mumia puts things into perspective with eloquence... I've mixed this great radio essay with the DJ Premier-produced instrumental to On the Rise Again by Kool G Rap.

Enjoy:


[Sean Bell's Second Slaying (Hurricane's 'Rise' Mix) by Mumia Abu-Jamal]
[zShare link]

1

Letter to the President [Documentary]

I posted up the trailer to this documentary a while back, and I was pleased to see it finally get released online. Shouts to World Star Hip-Hop for putting this stuff out. Enjoy! (Part 2 can be found below...

Mumia Abu-Jamal: 'Between Rap and Reggae'

Between Rap and Reggae
Recorded 2/8/08

I've mixed this great radio essay with the instrumental to Damian Marley's Welcome to Jamrock.

Enjoy:



1

Mumia: 'America's Martin and Martin's America'

America's Martin and Martin's America
Recorded 01/11/08

Another great radio essay (put your politics aside and just listen to the wisdom) about the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy and what his 'dream' was really all about. I mixed it with the instrumental to Big Dreamers by Reks from Statik Selektah's GREAT surprise album, 'Spell My Name Right (The Album).'

Enjoy:


[America's Martin and Martin's America (Hurricane 'Big Dreamers' Mix) by Mumia Abu-Jamal]

Mumia Abu-Jamal: 'The Idea of a Black President'

The Idea of a Black President?
Recorded 12/13/07

I've mixed this great radio essay with the Pete Rock-produced instrumental to Wishin' by Edo G & Masta Ace.

Enjoy:


[The Idea of a Black President (Hurricane Wishin' Mix) by Mumia Abu-Jamal]
Full transcript:

For much of the US populace, the very idea of a Black president is one so new, so novel, that it forces many people to think of it as if it is barely possible; as if it is the stuff of fiction, not fact.

Fiction has indeed been the realm of this idea, as in movies, and television series, actors have played the part, but that, of course, is on TV.

Of course, time will tell if that is more than imagination, but for millions of people who share this vast land space we call North America, the idea is neither new nor ground-breaking.

That's because there are some 100 million people living in Mexico, and that country had a Black president (albeit briefly) --some 173 years ago.

It was during their war for independence from Spain, when a warrior emerged, a Black Indian named Vicente Guerrero.

In his first battle, he was commissioned a Captain. As the independence war raged on, many of the leading revolutionaries were either killed, or captured. Guerrero fought on, leading some 2,000 men into the Sierra Madre mountains to continue the fight.

By 1821, the Mexicans were prevailing over the Spanish, and Guerrero was hailed as an incorruptible independence fighter. In 1829 he became President of Mexico, and as scholar William Loren Katz writes in his 1986 book, Black Indians:

He began a program of far-reaching reforms, abolishing the death penalty, and starting construction of schools and libraries for the poor. He ended slavery in Mexico. Yet, because of his skin color, lack of education, and country manner, he was held in contempt by the upper classes in Mexico City.

This president who had, according to {US. historian M.H.} Bancroft, " a gentleness and magnetism that inspired love among his adherents." was still " a triple-blooded outsider." Black historian J. A. Rogers summarized Guerrero's striking accomplishments by calling him 'the George Washington and Abraham Lincoln of Mexico."[p.48]

Guerrero, who in his youth was an illiterate mule driver, once bitten by the bug of Mexican independence, rose to the highest office in the land.

He learned to read when he was about 40, and helped craft the Mexican Constitution, of which he wrote the following provision: "All inhabitants whether white, African, or Indian, are qualified to hold office." He wrote this in 1824, over 30 years before the US Supreme Court's infamous Dred Scott decision, which announced, emphatically, that"...a black man has no rights that a white man is bound to respect." and that black people weren't, and could never be citizens of the United States.

In that era of revolution and social transformation, a Black man became president of the second largest country in North America.

Today, 178 years later, we still wonder if such a thing is possible.

What does that say about the United States?

--(c) '07 maj

{Source: Katz, William Loren, Black Indians: A Hidden Heritage (New York: Simon Pulse, 1986 [Simon Pulse/pb ed.,2005], p.42}

1

Mumia Abu-Jamal: 'The Obama Factor'

The Obama Factor
Recorded 11/27/07



MUMIA'S COLUMNS NEED TO BE PUBLISHED AS BROADLY AS POSSIBLE TO INSPIRE PROGRESSIVE MOVEMENT AND HELP CALL ATTENTION TO HIS CASE.

Mr. Jamal's recent book features a chapter on the remarkable women who helped build and defend the Black Panther Party: *WE WANT FREEDOM: A Life in the Black Panther Party*, from:
South End Press
Ph. #1-800-533-8478

What Are You Thankful For?

"The China-men built the railroad, the Indians saved the Pilgrim/
And in return the Pilgrim killed 'em/
They call it it Thanksgiving, I call your holiday hell-day/
Cause I'm from poverty, neglected by the wealthy/..."
^ 'What Goes Around (Poison)' by Nas [Lyrics] ^


"...Now listen, when you celebrate "Thanksgiving"/
What you are actually celebratin'/
is the proclamation of the Pope of Rome/
Who later, in league with Queen Isabella/
sent Cardinal Ximenos to Spain/
to murder any blacks that resisted Christianity/
These Moors, these black men and women/
were from Baghdad, Turkey/
And today, you eat the turkey, for your "Thanksgiving" day/
as the European Powers destroyed the Turkeys/
Who were the forefathers of your mothers and fathers/
Now fight the power, you b*tch-*ss n*ggaz!/..."
'Nature of the Threat' by Ras Kass
['Nature of the Threat' zShare link] [Lyrics]


"Now this is the tale of a murderer who comes from the caucus cliffs/
Happy Thanksgiving/
He robbed and stole and killed for greed and packed us on slave ships/
Happy Thanksgiving/
He took us off to stolen lands it seemed like hell for sure/
Happy Thanksgiving/
With the crack and the guns, death and disease they called for you and your/
Happy Thanksgiving/
No whips no brew no weed to smoke not a single luxury/
If not for the bloodshed that it cost the struggle would be lost/..."
'The Struggle Will Be Lost' by Busta Rhymes & Carl Thomas
['The Struggle Will Be Lost' zShare link] [Lyrics]


"...Dawg, we livin in a prison, losin our religion/
On, Thanksgiving we thankful, just for livin in Hell/
Damn homey, I don't mean to be harsh/
But there's a Devil in the ghetto tryin to tear it apart/
And if we make it up out, we still stuck in the dark/
Will there ever be peace? Just a piece of my heart/
Never!/..."
'Never B Peace' by Kastro (+ 2Pac & Outlawz)
['Never B Peace' zShare link] [Lyrics]

George Bush: Pardon All The Turkeys
by: Bill Maher


Last year, Mumia Abu-Jamal released a very poignant and well-articulated radio essay concerning the "holiday" of Thanksgiving. I find it amazing and a bit disappointing that people hardly ever analyze the true meaning of this day, and how historically hypocritical it truly is. Anyways...

This year I've mixed this same radio speech with the instrumental to Brother Ali's defiant 'Uncle Sam G-d Damn'. Enjoy:

Mumia Abu Jamal - Some Who Feel No Reason for Thanksgiving (HHIR Brother Ali Mix)

[alternate zShare link]
[Read the full transcript of this essay here!]


* LINKS DELETED AS OF 2009 *

Mumia: Beat Camp?

Related Post...

Beat Camp?
Recorded on 10/13



MUMIA'S COLUMNS NEED TO BE PUBLISHED AS BROADLY AS POSSIBLE TO INSPIRE PROGRESSIVE MOVEMENT AND HELP CALL ATTENTION TO HIS CASE.

Mumia: The Aura of Inevitability?

The Aura of Inevitability?
by Mumia Abu-Jamal




MUMIA'S COLUMNS NEED TO BE PUBLISHED AS BROADLY AS POSSIBLE TO INSPIRE PROGRESSIVE MOVEMENT AND HELP CALL ATTENTION TO HIS CASE.

Mumia: Iran, Rumors of War?

Iran, Rumors of War?
by Mumia Abu-Jamal



MUMIA'S COLUMNS NEED TO BE PUBLISHED AS BROADLY AS POSSIBLE TO INSPIRE PROGRESSIVE MOVEMENT AND HELP CALL ATTENTION TO HIS CASE.

Mumia: When the Union Becomes Management

When the Union Becomes Management
Recorded on 10/5




MUMIA'S COLUMNS NEED TO BE PUBLISHED AS BROADLY AS POSSIBLE TO INSPIRE PROGRESSIVE MOVEMENT AND HELP CALL ATTENTION TO HIS CASE.

Mumia: Before and Beyond Jena

Before & Beyond Jena
by Mumia Abu-Jamal



MUMIA'S COLUMNS NEED TO BE PUBLISHED AS BROADLY AS POSSIBLE TO INSPIRE PROGRESSIVE MOVEMENT AND HELP CALL ATTENTION TO HIS CASE.

Mumia: Congress - Government of Which People?

Congress: Government of Which People?
by Mumia Abu-Jamal



MUMIA'S COLUMNS NEED TO BE PUBLISHED AS BROADLY AS POSSIBLE TO INSPIRE PROGRESSIVE MOVEMENT AND HELP CALL ATTENTION TO HIS CASE.

Mumia Abu-Jamal: The 9/11 Moment

The 9/11 Moment
by Mumia Abu-Jamal




MUMIA'S COLUMNS NEED TO BE PUBLISHED AS BROADLY AS POSSIBLE TO INSPIRE PROGRESSIVE MOVEMENT AND HELP CALL ATTENTION TO HIS CASE.

Mumia Abu-Jamal: 2 New Radio Essays

The War Against Shadows
Recorded on 8/15




One of the Politics of Promises
Recorded on 8/15




MUMIA'S COLUMNS NEED TO BE PUBLISHED AS BROADLY AS POSSIBLE TO INSPIRE PROGRESSIVE MOVEMENT AND HELP CALL ATTENTION TO HIS CASE.

Mumia: The War Against Ward Churchill

Recorded 8/5/07
"When a cause comes along and you know in your bones that it is just, yet refuse to defend it--at that moment you begin to die. And I have never seen so many corpses walking around talking about justice."
- Mumia Abu-Jamal

MUMIA'S COLUMNS NEED TO BE PUBLISHED AS BROADLY
AS POSSIBLE TO INSPIRE PROGRESSIVE MOVEMENT AND
HELP CALL ATTENTION TO HIS CASE.