Spring Break
American Gangsta: J. Edgar Hoover
BET finally profiles King of state sponsored Gansterism
Marvin X
Issue date: 12/8/08 Section: Opinion
BET must be congratulated for presenting a real American gansta: the FBI's founder J. Edgar Hoover. Those of us in the movement know too well his activities with COINTELPRO or the counter-intelligence program to disrupt, destroy and neutralize the liberation movement.
We suffered their spying, lying, murder and other activities during the 60s. For the hip hop and younger generation of today, we urge them to study this video as ardently as they have the socalled black American ganstas.
Even though we now have a black president, this fact doesn't preclude the continuation of similar activities under the Patriot Act or fighting terrorism. Amiri Baraka has warned us, "In the end, Blacks will be the terrorist." Black people must therefore be aware of snitches, agent provocateurs, and undercover black FBI and police agents out to destroy our liberation movement in the same manner and zeal as in the days of J. Edgar Hoover.
Watching American Gansta: J. Edgar Hoover brought tears to my eyes because I am so familiar with events during this time. Any person involved in black liberation was a subject for intelligence gathering. I remember being followed home by strange negroes on the bus while I was a student at San Francisco State College (now university).
While living on San Francisco 's infamous Haight Street , a strange negro came to my apartment asking what I wanted. Did I want guns, money, what? I looked at him and told him to get out of my motherfucking house.
During the time I was on the run and in exile for refusing to fight in Vietnam , the FBI came to my mother with photos of me in various situations, begging her to reveal my whereabouts. Mom refused, but later told me they had photos of me with my girlfriend at the time, Ethna X (now Hurriyah).
After my exile in Toronto , Canada , Mexico City , living underground in Chicago , Harlem and Philly, I was finally apprehended in Belize , Central America . At the ministry of home affair, my deportation order was read aloud: "Your presence is not beneficial to the welfare of the British Colony of Honduras. Therefore you are under arrest until a plane departs at 4pm for the United States ." I was taken to police headquarters and told to have a seat. Then suddenly I was surrounded by police who begged me to teach them about black power-the very reason I was being deported. The spies had reported to the government I was teaching black power and was therefore suspected of being a Communist. This was the label given to anyone fighting for liberation throughout the Americas , and one could be killed, jailed or deported for being a revolutionary.
We suffered their spying, lying, murder and other activities during the 60s. For the hip hop and younger generation of today, we urge them to study this video as ardently as they have the socalled black American ganstas.
Even though we now have a black president, this fact doesn't preclude the continuation of similar activities under the Patriot Act or fighting terrorism. Amiri Baraka has warned us, "In the end, Blacks will be the terrorist." Black people must therefore be aware of snitches, agent provocateurs, and undercover black FBI and police agents out to destroy our liberation movement in the same manner and zeal as in the days of J. Edgar Hoover.
Watching American Gansta: J. Edgar Hoover brought tears to my eyes because I am so familiar with events during this time. Any person involved in black liberation was a subject for intelligence gathering. I remember being followed home by strange negroes on the bus while I was a student at San Francisco State College (now university).
While living on San Francisco 's infamous Haight Street , a strange negro came to my apartment asking what I wanted. Did I want guns, money, what? I looked at him and told him to get out of my motherfucking house.
During the time I was on the run and in exile for refusing to fight in Vietnam , the FBI came to my mother with photos of me in various situations, begging her to reveal my whereabouts. Mom refused, but later told me they had photos of me with my girlfriend at the time, Ethna X (now Hurriyah).
After my exile in Toronto , Canada , Mexico City , living underground in Chicago , Harlem and Philly, I was finally apprehended in Belize , Central America . At the ministry of home affair, my deportation order was read aloud: "Your presence is not beneficial to the welfare of the British Colony of Honduras. Therefore you are under arrest until a plane departs at 4pm for the United States ." I was taken to police headquarters and told to have a seat. Then suddenly I was surrounded by police who begged me to teach them about black power-the very reason I was being deported. The spies had reported to the government I was teaching black power and was therefore suspected of being a Communist. This was the label given to anyone fighting for liberation throughout the Americas , and one could be killed, jailed or deported for being a revolutionary.
Viewing Comments 1 - 5 of 5
Wilma Tisser
posted 3/05/09 @ 9:19 AM PST
Thanks to author! I like articles like this about title , very interesting.
Jacqueline Attwood
posted 3/09/09 @ 3:33 AM PST
I thought this debate was about them, as opposed to featuring them. Whoops.
Penny Jackson
posted 3/11/09 @ 12:46 AM PST
Good scene, interesting post, thanks.
Sarah Clough
posted 3/14/09 @ 12:17 PM PST
Nice review! Thanks!
Lanman Smelcer
posted 4/16/09 @ 11:54 PM PST
That looks like lots of fun. When I was in college we didn't had so many fun activities.
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