BlackMan Time

Archive for July, 2005

Yesterday’s shooting of an innocent man by London police who mistook him for a terrorist, tells a great deal about British police’s so-called intelligence. It means they got none.

Intelligence in this sense means prior knowledge about what was going to happen. But, intelligence as in having sense and sensibity could also be appropriate here too.

The reason is simple: it is apparent that the police are now going about their business with a shoot-to-kill policy in place. And, anyone of an Asian, Black or dark complexion are most likely to be targetted as suspects. Surely, this is simply not acceptable.

It is tragic that London should be the target of a terrorist bombing campaign. But it is doubly wrong for the police to kill innocent people in pursuit of the perpetrators. And it is totally criminal to look to innocent people of colour as scapegoats to kill. Simply issuing words of apology after you’ve murdered people under these circumstances is not good enough.

Using the excuse that they thought this particular man’s clothes and suspicious manner marked him out as a potential terrorist, is weak beyond sense.

Fearing that he may have had a bomb under his clothes is reasonable but after subduing him, including a number of police sitting on top of him and then shooting him while he is on the ground, comes across as desperation beyond comprehension.

We all acknowledge that these are trying times for the London police, but they need to understand that they are not the only ones who have to temper common sense with common decency. A shoot first, apologise later policy is just as terroist as a bomb now and repent later one.

I don’t know about you but the latest Live8 concerts to raise awareness about African poverty, has got me thinking. My thoughts occupy the fact that so many white people are willing to pay lip service to Africa. What has happened to the idea of us helping ourselves?

Black Power, as far as I can see, is the best route for us to do so. Black Power describes the aspiration of many Africans/Black people, whether they be in Africa or abroad, to national self-determination of their own fate or course of action without compulsion.

Black Power also describes positive common conciousness amongst all Black people. It calls for Black people to identify themselves as a group, to place emphasis on and pursue a historical understanding of Black Culture, and for Black people to work collectively towards the progression of their race in whatever society they live in.

As such no white-led initiatives, however well meaning, heartfelt or humanitarian, can be trusted to deliver equality and justice to Black people. We have to recognise that the only people who can help us, is us.

We beg neither charity nor handouts from anyone and if we choose to collaborate with anyone such collaborations must not come at a price where we get the worse end of the bargain.

We will (and should!) be forever working towards the goal where we are masters of our own destiny.

Selah.