Voice of the International African Revolution! - Uhuru News

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12 THE BURNING SPEAR April 2003 Letters to the Editor Read and Distribute The Burning Spear! To the Editor of The Burning Spear Newspaper, Uhuru! In last month's issue of The Spear, there was an interview entitled "Anti-War Sentiment Infiltrates Ranks of U.S. Military." The article was an interview with a young, colonized man enlisted in the U.S. Marines who refused orders when he was activated for the war against Iraq. At that time he was in the process of filing his conscientious objector papers and had to remain anonymous. "Soldier" as he was named in The Spear interview, has since publicized his case, and it is no longer necessary that his identity remain unknown. I would, therefore, like Spear readers to know that the article was about my brother, Stephen Funk. I am writing this letter in appreciation of the Uhuru Movement for its unwavering support and involvement in my brother's case. When Steve was in boot camp he wrote many letters to me talking about his trainings and the experiences he was going through, as he described in The Spear interview. For the most part, I found it difficult writing back, because I was very subjective and critical of my brother for joining the Marines. I was lost on how I should respond. It was a member of the African People's Solidarity Committee Opinion continued from page 11 African nation. Africa' s pregnancy with an unborn nation is even longer than that of the protraction of birth of the Arab nation!! As an Ethiopian-African citizen of the world I am deeply ashamed that Eritrea and Ethiopia have joined the "coalition of the willing" to bombard the Iraqi people with inhumane horror. I believe this action is anti- African, anti-Arab, anti- international law, anti-civilization, anti- human, immoral and unjust! I appeal to the regimes of Eritrea and Ethiopia to withdraw from the coalition and learn to work consistently to create the African nation and the Arab nation. It appears that Fanon's warning of a false decolonization rings more true than ever now. It is not the African interest that you are protecting by being fellow travelers to a classic imperialist war — where might is equated with right. It is somebody else's interest that you are serving. In fact you are serving the interest of those who protect the international financial institutions, banks and corporations that have African People’s Socialist Party (APSC), a cadre formation under the leadership of the African People's Socialist Party (APSP) who stated to me the importance of providing leadership to my brother. When I did write back to Steve, I would try to provide him with the political education I had access to through my relationship with the Uhuru Movement. I could tell some of this was reaching him because, as time went on, his letters would express his growing understanding of what the U.S. military is, and what it represents to oppressed people, including Filipino people, like our family. When he finally got out of training, I tried to spend more time with Steve and continued to politicize him. He read Overturning the Culture of Violence and I talked to him about the history I read from "Philippine Society and Revolution." After only a month of getting out of training, he told me he was going to try to get out of the military altogether. Then, on February 9th, he was activated. He called me up looking for leadership. I then again called the APSC cadre, looking for the same. Through these discussions, the reality that my brother was being called on to actively participate in the continued atrocities of U.S. imperialism really hit home. Both my brother and I realized that nothing could be worse than being a soldier in the U.S. military. He then decided he would resist the military by refusing to appear at Camp Pendleton and filing for Conscientious Objector status. Needless to say, I was very proud and relieved that my brother took this stand. On February 12th, the day before Steve was scheduled to ship out, we had our weekly Wednesday night rally of the International People’s Democratic Uhuru Movement (InPDUM), here in Oakland, together over-burdened Africa with debt. Twelve African States have debt over 100 percent of their Gross Domestic Product (GDP). This makes these countries exist only to pay debt! What business do Eritrea and Ethiopia have in supporting powers that lead such an unjust system? Truth is the first casuality of war Blair and Bush believe their own lies that the Arab Socialist Party of Iraq is Saddam and that he is isolated. The Iraqi people have been ready for 12 years to welcome them with undulation! It seemed that did not happen, though there are reports alleging manifestations of rebellion. There is no doubt that there are people who have resorted to native tactics to undermine the superior power of the invading U.S. and British air, sea and land forces. The command and control of the resistance seemed to be distributed and dispersed amongst the civilian population. First and foremost, all liars deceive themselves first before they deceive others. The graver the lie, the graver the self-deception, and the more dangerous the actions to San Jose, CA: Stephen Funk walks with mother, Gloria Pacis, left, and sister and APSC member Caitlin Funk to turn himself to Marine unit California. Steve came with me to the Oakland Uhuru House. It was a special rally, where our branch presented a video showing the APSP’s trip to Azania and had a special guest speaker, Chairman Omali Yeshitela, himself. At one juncture in the program I got up and introduced Steve, and the stance he decided to take. The Chairman immediately put forward Steve and deepened all of our understandings about the significance of this stand. It was very moving for everyone in the room, and I believe this helped Stephen become more consolidated in his stand and find strength in the support of the Uhuru Movement. From there, Steve has since found support from many other groups. He has gone to teach-ins to educate others on the Marines and how to become a conscientious objector. Now he has been in the spotlight of international media and is getting constant requests to speak and provide interviews. Throughout this, he looks to me for leadership, and I in turn, look to the Uhuru Movement. Throughout this whole process, the Uhuru Movement has been supportive, either through me, or directly to Steve. I have to give so much credit and appreciation to the political understanding and education of the Uhuru Movement. This is the foundation of the stand my brother has taken. When we do something wrong, such as join the U.S. military, the Uhuru Movement teaches us to make the appropriate self-criticism, and then set right the wrongs we've caused. This is what we call a rectification process. I am so proud of my brother for doing this. I am also deeply appreciative of the Uhuru Movement, and especially Chairman Omali, for providing the political foundation and support for my brother to do the right thing. A year ago, I did not think he would be joining with us on the right side of history. But with the support of the Uhuru Movement, he has. Uhuru! Caitlin Funk Member, African People’s Solidarity Committee The Burning Spear welcomes your questions, feedback, criticisms and viewpoint. Please send all corresponance to: The Burning Spear P.O. Box 11281, St. Petersburg, Fla, 33733-1281 or speareditor@yahoo.com What we seem to see are a people who have identified the invaders as aggressors who came to help themselves to their oil, their land and who wish to install a regime that is as foreign interestserving as the others of their Gulf neighbors. others from the lie. Iraq has been turned into hell on Earth by a successive series of lies that led the U.S.-British military to burn that country with hell-fire. They lied to get in. They continue to spin and lie to stay in there longer. To cover up what journalists understood as a 'pause' they have to increase the bombardment many times more. Their crime is limitless and there seems to be no earthly or divine law or authority to restrain them from their misguided policies. They must be forced by the pressure of world public opinion and continuous pressure to enter quickly a voluntary ceasefire for the sake of humanity and spare all of us from universal torment and torture from the daily diet of horrific deaths. The invaders continue to believe that only those who benefit by the regime's survival and who have much to lose are fighting. The longer they continue to believe in this lie, the more the killing will mount and the harder the return to political means of stopping this post-modernistic theatrical festival of violence. What we seem to see are a people who have identified the invaders as aggressors who came to help themselves to their oil, their land and who wish to install a regime that is as foreign interest-serving as the others of their Gulf neighbors. What we appear to see is the resourceful effort of what seemed a determined people unwilling to be subdued by the terrifying might of superior military technology. Most of see Opinion, page 26
April 2003 THE BURNING SPEAR 13 WE ARE THE AFRICAN PEOPLE’S SOCIALIST PARTY RULES OF PARTY DISCIPLINE At the June 2, 1974 Central Committee meeting the following rules were drafted so that Party members would have a guide to develop and strengthen our discipline. Basic Line of the AFRICAN PEOPLE’S SOCIALIST PARTY “All our work is guided by our understanding that our struggle for national liberation within U.S. borders is an integral part of the whole African Liberation Movement; that the African Liberation Movement itself is a part of the great contest between the ever-emerging forces of international socialism and the dying, but not yet dead forces of imperialism; that the particular character of the African Liberation Movement within the U.S. is a struggle against U.S. domestic colonialism; that the destruction of colonialism, led by a conscious black revolutionary socialist party, will constitute the critical blow in the struggle for socialism with- ANY PARTY MEMBER WHO: 1. Does not consciously strive to elevate his or her political understanding has broken Party discipline; 2. Does not strive to unite our Party with the masses has broken Party discipline; 3. Reveals Party business without authorization has broken Party discipline; 4. Discusses a Party member negatively to non-Party members has broken Party discipline; 5. Exploits or oppresses African women through action or statement has broken Party discipline; 6. Exploits or oppresses African people through action or statement has broken Party discipline; 7. Fails to initiate constructive criticism or self-criticism has broken Party discipline; 8. Uses words or actions to divide the Party has broken Party discipline; 9. Refuses to recognize and follow Party leadership through words or actions has broken Party discipline; 10 Discards or weakens Party leadership as opposed to strengthening Party leadership has broken Party discipline; 11. Helps to divide and circumvent international African unity through words or actions has broken Party discipline; 12. Uses criticism to divide and not unite the Party has broken Party discipline; 13. Uses criticism or self-criticism on a personal level and not a political level has broken Party discipline; 14. Uses criticism or self-criticism to hide her or his own shortcomings has broken Party discipline; 15. Does not carry himself worthy of emulation by the masses has broken Party discipline; 16. Displays arrogance through actions or words has broken Party discipline; 17. Displays negativism and reluctance in carrying out Party tasks has broken Party discipline; 18. Does not strive to bring more Africans into the Party or Party organizations has broken Party discipline; 19. Engages in adventurous and individualistic acts has broken see NPDUM, page African People’s Socialist Party
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