Protest! Protest! Protest!

Happy New Year! Imagine my surprise when I realized that I haven't posted a political blog since last July! One of my New Years resolutions for 2015 is to blog more frequently this year than last. So, I'm writing my first blog this year on January 1st, 2nd, 3rd 4th.   Here lies the problem, time is going by too fast!  

The news story that caught my eye this year was the demonstrations in Ferguson, New York, and elsewhere.  Like many of you, I became very suspicious as I noticed the professionally printed signs being carried by some of the protesters. I wrote down the organizations, piecing together a small list: Peoples Power Assemblies, New Black Panthers, RevCom.US, and Occupy. Not surprisingly, when I Googled, most were affiliated with communist organizations.  

But, we live in a free country which means everyone has the right to protest, even communists, who openly support destroying our country. Right? But here is the problem. Well intentioned protesters, with legitimate concerns, are being hijacked by communists and anarchists who couldn't care less about peaceful protest, Michael Brown or Eric Gardner. Their sole purpose is to disrupt, instigate riots, destroy property and cause chaos. Their ultimate goal is to destroy this country by destroying its government. 

In 2014, I think the media was dishonestly silent about who the organizers and leaders are within these violent groups. In my opinion, the media failed to do their job by not explaining why these communist and anarchist groups were a major part of these demonstrations.   

What a protest or demonstration is meant to do is bring attention to objectionable situations or policy.  After all the demonstrations across the country, it is still not clear to many Americans what is actually going on. That’s because the details in the deaths of Gardner and Brown don’t justify the reaction of thousands protesting across the country. And the physical and verbal violence of the protesters are more frightening than the police action.  

After several months of vetting the dialog, I believe two reasons emerged for the angry protests. Black people believe the cases (Brown/Gardner) point to a systemic problem with justice in America, and there is a sense of institutional racism in America.  

Whether we believe it or not doesn’t matter, what matters is that 13% of Americans feel stuck in poverty and without hope. That’s what matters. I ask you, if instead, this situation were a natural disaster, or an apartment building fire, or a large industrial accident, wouldn’t you expect Americans to rally around and help? The answer is, of course, yes. 

But, there is another problem. Who wants to help a people who arrogantly defy you, who refuse to obey the laws of the land, who call the police pigs and advocate killing them just because they are police? Who wants to help people who have received enormous financial benefits and address our nation as Amerikkka, who advocate the violent overthrow of our government and blame us for their predicament just because of our color?  

Because of the protests, the divide between blacks and all other races have widened substantially.   Offering to organize and teach how to antagonize, riot, burn and loot, Communists and Anarchists stand smiling like Cheshire cats. They have thrived on the unrest and they are hell-bent on making things even worse.  

Communist Radical Lisa Fithian in Saint Louis organizing, and teaching protestors in the art of antagonism.

Oprah Winfrey applauded blacks for taking to the streets in protest of Brown/Gardner. But lamented the lack of leadership in the black community saying, "What I'm looking for is some kind of leadership to come out of this to say, 'This is what we want. This is what has to change, and these are the steps that we need to take to make these changes, and this is what we're willing to do to get it.’"  Because Winfrey expressed her desire for leaders and solutions, she was hammered on Twitter by thousands of ungracious respondents. I’m afraid the rioters, looters and burners don’t want resolution.  They love their hate and want to bask in their unrighteous behavior.  

I’d like to end this blog with a positive thought by siding with Winfrey.  I hope 2015 will be the year strong leadership emerges within the Black community and they determine the necessary changes and commitments to make it happen. When that happens, they will be embraced whole-heartedly by the remaining 87% of Americans.