"The State Targeted the Panthers Because We Were Socialists, Not Because We Were Armed"-Conway(4/12)

On Reality Asserts Itself, Mr. Conway says the Panthers were also a threat because they recognized the humanity and worked with all ethnic groups, not because they were carrying weapons
watch full multipart therealnews.com/t2/index.php?o...

[@matthewsiegfried3847]

An exceptional series of interviews. thanks to Paul and TRNN. Who else would address this history at such length? Congratulations on living up to your promise.

[@joywilder9092]

This series of interviews with Eddie Conway is the best of The Real News so far. I check every day to see if the next segment in the 8-part series is up yet. Alive and living around Black Panthers at the time on the West Coast, I was in awe of how they changed the black neighborhood, like a community resource center that infused in dispirited people a sense of hope and dignity and empowerment, but not for very long. As Conway points out, it wasn't just armed blacks but the "Bolivaran" solidarity that the ruling class could not tolerate. Now the public has digested so fully the message that "socialism = bad" that neoliberal capitalism with all its pain for the 80% is massively accepted as "TINA."

[@Crouchy232323]

When the United States and the Soviets both claimed, falsely, and for completely different reasons, that Soviet Russia was socialist, it is clear socialism is an idea which appeals to many. (the reason for the Soviets claiming this to be so).
By the US equating hardcore communism with socialism, it paints the picture they wish their population to perceive of socialism. ie. not socialism, but communism.
On the other hand Soviet Russians were wiser to the propaganda that they were living under socialism and not communism. Watch Fox news to see how many Americans equate one with the other. That didn't happen overnight.

[@TerraRubicon]

The Soviet Union (depending on your definition) never reached a 'communist' (stateless - classless) society. It simply was a dictatorship using state capitalism in the global market system. Hardly anyone sees it for what it truly was.

[@SagesseNoir]

Ironically, while the guns may have attracted attention and electrified the imagination of the community, it was the socialist philosophy and community programs which frightened the government....It was the example of the Panthers to the black community, and other oppressed communities scared the shit out of J. Edgar Hoover and the FBI.

[@victoriaallen8271]

We must have this education. We just didn't know.

[@Hulkitout]

Keep em coming!

[@thegoldenpipewrench]

Great interview.

[@AnonAnon-ym8sk]

Panthers were targeted because they were socialist and could connect to other oppressed peoples and importantly also to the oppressed poor european american but them being armed is a reason why they were targeted. BPP as a organization never took armed revolution seriously (although individual panthers and at least a core of one time panthers (BLA) did) and were never a serious military threat to the empire but their daringness to pick up guns to defend themselves was a threat if it spread to entire oppressed communities. The threat of capturing the militancy that exists in African communities and using it against the Police scares the shit out of them. The day gang bangers stop using sub machine guns and assault rifles on each other to sell their CIA crack and other horrific drugs to destroy the community and turn them on the police is their nightmare. That's why chairmen Fred was murderded by Chicago PD. Chicago BPP didn't even have a gunman on the front door to protect their leader when the pigs are hunting him is how seriously they took armed revolution too. Less military knowledge/common sense than a gang. damn shame.

[@AnonAnon-ym8sk]

Chairmen Fred was murdered because he tried to unite Chicago gangs and have them use their weapons to defend not kill blacks. Like I said the BPP did not have many guns nor a military program. THe main threat they posed in reality was feeding poor kids breakfast.

[@modelmajorpita]

Speaking of semi-militarized black power groups harassed by the government, I miss the days when Louis Farrakhan was the scariest Muslim for most Americans.

[@BigBennKlingon]

For the last 2 videos Paul seems really invested in getting Conway to unequivocally state that armed struggle was a bad idea.

[@Kelpy]

brilliant t interview, thanks!
the Kennedy's did do a lot, in addition to what P Jay said, including pushing the Civil Rights Act, and sending federal marshals, the army, and the national guard to enforce segregation in both Alabama and Mississippi, as well as several TV speeches by the President on civil rights and its importance to the Constitution and to all Americans, and they did this before their first (and only) mid-term elections in their first (and only) term. Something we have not seen in American political life before or since.

[@PetadeAztlan]

▶ "The State Targeted the Panthers Because We Were Socialists, Not Because We Were Armed"-Conway(4/8)
th-cam.com/video/EDePQW890tg/w-d-xo.html ~Pub Sept 13, 2014
====
▶ Connect @Peta_de_Aztlan
c/s