I appreciate the debate, and I respect your opinion all though I do not agree. There are many factors at play that we have to acknowledge in this conversation; one is that you are a dope influential artist, with a certain amount of popularity, that I would say insulates you from all of what is happening on the ground floor of Occupy. Wherever you move, crowds move. You are seen as one of the top voices in Occupy, keep it real. Which means that you may not know what you are talking about, considering that we all are not famous like you.

Yes there are Black and Brown folks that are a part of Occupy, the question is whether they have decision-making power, and if you say they do, do they feel like they do? Does marginalization speak for something? I have been out there many days studying this phenomenon and how people are relating to it. I talked with people Black and white at all levels, not just here but in San Francisco too, to come up with what I think about this situation.

I agree that the mass media has an agenda that is against a people's movement so there is no need to debate that point. Do you not agree that the vast majority of Occupiers are white 20-30 year old hippy or anarchist types? Would you disagree that that is who runs the general assembly? If you remember on the day that you spoke at the library, it was well known anarchist who gave you the mic, so that analysis of what is going on is real and can not be ignored. Where are all of the Black organizers of Oakland, many of the people that I have seen that are Black are artists basking in a few minutes of fame rather than trying to organize for a better tomorrow, and I'm definitely not insinuating you because I do know some of your political organizing history. Keep it real, and think about.

The other groups of Black people are people who are new to fighting for social and political issues, which is great. Where is the Occupy Movement leading them? Is this about reforming capitalism and saying we want a few more crumbs or is this against capitalism? It seems to take on both orientations. Is this against slavery, or is it that some people are just mad because they never get to hold the whip. I would say that the latter is true. Hang out, with the Black crew that hang a stones throw away from where dude got murdered. Ask them how they feel. Sit there and watch some of the commotion that goes on, and is unresolved because Occupy asserts white dominance but doesn't want to deal with racism in the working class.

The community galvanized against the Riders, the police and city government in the Oscar Grant case, and Lovell Mixon to name a few campaigns that I've seen within the last 7-8 years to name a few, so I don't know why you feel like that. You keep mentioning the Black Panthers, but what led to their break with the Peace and Freedom Party, lets also talk about how Paul Robeson, Langston Hughes, and Richard Wright, all in the Communist Party or associated with it, what they had to say about being lead by a force outside of our community, towards the end of their lives. Do you not see racism? Can you see it in this movement? Can you see it in the abstract goals, where there are real situations going on on a daily basis. Where is the support for justice for Rahiem Brown in Oakland and Kenneth Harding in San Francisco.

In a city where we are reportedly 30% of the population, we make up none of the true leadership in Occupy, except for you. If the city "caved in" shouldn't we, the people have asked for more than that the chance to "shoot a warning shot" at the port? Most people that I talked to were down to take the port, why was it a warning shot? I think controlling the port could have brought Oakland to its knees, but we settle for a warning shot? There's no warning when they shoot. Luckily it was white kids, if the port occupiers were Black all kinds of shit would've have already happened.

The white activist shot the police with paint guns, in the neck, and were not murdered on the spot like Black people would have been at a Black rally. I was there to witness that with my own eyes. Will you deny that white privilege, has anything to do with how the police are treating this movement?

Nowhere in your whole article do you discuss racism in the working class. I mentioned that in my article, where is your analysis on this? I know that that is not convenient to talk about right now. I'm adding to the discussion like everybody else, it is sad that you see it as "pot-shots" when I tell the world what's on our Black minds. I'm trying to help it, by hopefully critiquing it and altering it to something we can ALSO believe in. I don't know how informed you are about Black politics in Oakland, but the campaign to keep the five schools open is a Black and Brown led campaign, can we get some of you and your Occupy crew to support that, or can we fight against gentrification in East and West Oakland, where Black and Brown families are getting their homes took, like my grandmother in East Oakland, instead of camping outside of city hall? Lets address some of the Occupiers being gentrifiers? Can we politically educate on that? What is this mass gathering of people dominated by white folks fighting for something abstract about, that is what me and some many others are trying to grapple with at the bottom of the 99%. Boots we are eagerly waiting your response.

---

Add this page to your favorite Social Bookmarking websites