Seize the Time: The Story of The Black Panther Party: A Manifesto of Courage

Seize the Time: 

Or the manifesto on how to oppose this racist, capitalist oppression (black) people and other peoples are subjected to.

The 1970 book telling it like it is
If I had to choose ten books which had undue influence on Belgo Geordie, the bairn, this would be one*. I cut my political teeth on this book and went bollocks to "Cider with Rosie" (good book but!) and used Seize the Time  for my 1971 English O level paper (were meant to be novel and so what!), it was still a story and a powerful narrative of what can happen when good men and women take a stand. Not sure why a weedy, white Geordie found this book so profound. But reading back on it, it remains relevant and a call to political action at the most fundamental of levels.  

Recently watching the animated version of the Chicago trial (Hoffman et al) I was reminded how much black America paid a huge price compared to most of the white revolutionaries of that era. Huey Newton stating " I'm standing on my constitutional rights. I'm going to stop you from brutalizing my people". But Huey and Bobby and others were targeted and brutalised. Why did the other defendants not take a stand when Bobby Seale was shackled and gagged during the Chicago trial? These were watershed moments where key white political activists did not stand up to be counted. Bobby Seale was jailed for four years at the end of this trail for contempt of court when all he was doing was asking his right to represent himself. And this schism of injustice still resonates through America and the world today. 

Polemics aside, look at what Bobby Seale was expressing in this book through his writing; Breakfasts for children, soup kitchens for the poor and needy and free education as a means of gaining literacy and freedom. Does that still not resonate? And the Black Panthers were better in the equality of women domain than the Hippy/Yuppies who treated women like shag machines under the guise of free love. 

It was easy to be sucked into the leather jackets, the black gloved raised fist, sunglasses and guns-then later the drug appetites and miss what this was about. Newton's principal to stand up for basic human rights. The right not to be harassed, the right to challenge being treated as unequal because of the colour of your skin, to stand against the principal be condemned by birth to have to struggle to access good education, a healthy diet, meaningful work and a life based on autonomy and respect. The pressure put on the Black Panthers would have crushed most of us as flat as a milk bottle top but most of these people stood up and although some cracked, don’t let it take away from the message. We all have a right to basic things in life. Reflect on that with our current love of consumerism produced by sweat labour, our shallow media of ten second sound bites, imagery out of context. We the majority in the developed world still get by on the dispossession of the many. This book written during 1960- 1970 is still relevant today. Seize the time Bobby Seale-you were a courageous and forthright man and I for one, honour you to this day. 

*Bugger! Allreet, Me Family an' Other Animals was another

Bust the budget march Sydney July 2014

"BUST THE BUDGET "                            
From Little things Big things grow*, the people's anger on the streets of Sydney       

It is the people of the land

SYDNEY 6 JULY 2014

On a beautiful, sunny Sydney Sunday, the police suggest about 6000 people turned up to the "Bust The Budget" rally in George Street. Hmmm...must have been before the Maritime Union of Australia (MUA-here to stay!) arrived...anyhow yon police with pencils and pads counting; keep your day jobs, it may not yet be your time to branch out into mathematics. Belgo Geordie, using fingers on two hands counted 15,323 marchers and fifteen dogs and one man in a grey/silver suit from ASIO.

Town Hall Square was a mass of colour, banners, all ages-representing that cross section of Australian society still driven by decency.

It is about what we leave her generation

Good on the combined unions sounding the battle charge. As ever, the speakers were mixed but mostly inspiring. The indigenous woman brought some fire and brimstone-rightly acknowledged because our indigenous communities will wear the brunt of all of these changes. A matter of fact analysis from the NSW Nurses and Midwives Union on the state of the health sector and the Coalition's impending slash and burn. It was good to hear the students were being activated. The plight of welfare and carers was a moving call to stand for the rights who cannot speak for themselves but will be marginalised by the impending changes. The last speaker fired up and reminded us of the combined power of the unions.

However, "Bust the Budget" must seem like a good rallying cry for some in the union hierarchy but there is a much darker heart to this matter; as was picked up by a number of speakers and expressed in banners, placards and the conversations of those attending.

   

This is a return to class war. A cruel and relentless attack on core values. It has touched a nerve in people about what makes a fair and just society. The budget is a symptom, but it is not the sum total of the disease currently attacking our society. This march was on a day when Morrison is still keeping stum about boats being "stopped" or worse handed back to Sri Lanka. Manus Island is still a prison. Refugees and migrants are still being demonised.

  
When a government tells working people they have to make sacrifices they do so by employing spin doctors to sell the message that "we" are living beyond our means. As mining companies, banks and businesses use creative accounting and offshore transfers to avoid paying tax; while shedding more jobs because the cost of labor in Australia is too expensive. Then they wring their poor rich hands and say they can't afford to pay tax, wages, carbon (or pollution) tax and if we the people don't like it-then they will take their business away! Greed is good, is it not?

I cannot begin to imagine life without Gina and Clive, can you? Then you have old men in suits in Canberra, who benefited and continue to benefit from a welfare state, tell our youth their future is one of excessive debt, limited access to quality education, health, housing, and more importantly; meaningful work. Abbott, so wedded to Mother England he wants a return to the class system of privilege and divine rule and divide and rule.

Come on kids know your place

In other words, the children of wealth will be all right because they (their parents) will be able to afford private education, university and have the old boys network to get them into jobs at the big end of town. All others can be thrown to compete on the scrap heap of casual labour. Practice tugging your forelock and if you are female, not being seen let alone heard.

And for those currently disadvantaged such as our indigenous people, those with disability, old, sick, homeless, heading towards us in a leaky boat dreaming of a better future; they have no place in Tony Abbott's vision for Australia. For the record Tone, what will you do with us. Reservations? Detention Centres?...

The message is clear. It is not just this budget. It is the ideology driving it. It is a small minority dictating terms under the pretence they achieved a mandate in the last election. Rather than the reality, they cashed in on the electorates disillusion with Labor and took advantage of Murdoch's  24/7 media hatchet job; presenting his poisoned view of the world as news!

People have woken up and in marches such as these will not be taken for the fools politicians think the electorate is. I am proud of the people who marched today, who spoke, who stood up for something more than just what they could get for themselves. They are the people Mr Abbott and you would do well to take note!

Justice now...

* With thanks to Mr Kev Carmody, you are the man...and if you have not heard Mr Carmody's music-check it out, he is one our great poet troubadours and speaks from the heart.