So there’s been a lot of talk about the United States, terrorism, the causes of terrorism and the U.S. relationship to the rest of the world in respect to U.S. foreign policy.  So some have articulately pointed out that terrorism is only a response to bad U.S. foreign policy.    However, the argument usually stops there and the supporting facts, as usual, are never really presented.  Facts aren’t sexy, soundbites are.  So in the process, the average listener doesn’t know what to think, but can only parrot what he or she has heard. 

In an effort to give information, I am sharing with you a list of a 30 year history of U.S. foreign policy as recorded in the United Nations.  Please note that this history crosses both Democratic and Republican Presidential administrations.  

Before you read the list you should know what the United Nations really is.  In a nutshell, the United Nations is its 5 permanent members that form the Security Council.  They are the only ones that can enforce or kill (veto) any resolution the United Nations General Assembly (all the nations on earth) proposes.

According to the Encyclopedia Britannica’s description of The U.N. Security Council:

The Security Council is a division of the United Nations whose primary purpose is to maintain international peace and security.

The Security Council consists of five permanent members, the United States, China, France, the United Kingdom, and Russia (formerly the Soviet Union)—and ten rotating members elected by the  United Nations General Assembly for two-year terms.   To prevent or halt aggression, it may impose diplomatic or economic sanctions or authorize the use of military force. 

Each of the PERMANENT members holds veto power in decisions on substantive matters, such as the application of sanctions. Decisions on both substantive and procedural matters require nine affirmative votes, including the affirmative vote of ALL five permanent members (though in practice a permanent member may abstain without impairing the validity of a decision).

Now you are in a position to understand a piece of U.S. foreign policy and how it has affected others.  Below is a list of U.N. resolutions the U.S., through its veto power, has killed and therefore stopped from being enforced by the United Nations. 

Please pay attention to the resolutions on human rights, apartheid, nuclear weapons, and basic freedoms that were killed by the U.S. throughout the period of the last 30 years.  The record speaks for itself.

 

1972-2002 Vetoes from the USA

Year--Resolution Vetoed by the USA

1972 Condemns Israel for killing hundreds of people in Syria and Lebanon in air raids.
1973 Affirms the rights of the Palestinians and calls on Israel to withdraw from the occupied territories.
1976 Condemns Israel for attacking Lebanese civilians.
1976 Condemns Israel for building settlements in the occupied territories.
1976 Calls for self determination for the Palestinians.
1976 Affirms the rights of the Palestinians.
1978 Urges the permanent members (USA, USSR, UK, France, China) to insure United Nations decisions on the maintenance of international peace and security.
1978 Criticizes the living conditions of the Palestinians.
1978 Condemns the Israeli human rights record in occupied territories.
1978 Calls for developed countries to increase the quantity and quality of development assistance to underdeveloped countries.
1979 Calls for an end to all military and nuclear collaboration with the apartheid South Africa.
1979 Strengthens the arms embargo against South Africa.
1979 Offers assistance to all the oppressed people of South Africa and their liberation movement.
1979 Concerns negotiations on disarmament and cessation of the nuclear arms race.
1979 Calls for the return of all inhabitants expelled by Israel.
1979 Demands that Israel desist from human rights violations.
1979 Requests a report on the living conditions of Palestinians in occupied Arab countries.
1979 Offers assistance to the Palestinian people.
1979 Discusses sovereignty over national resources in occupied Arab territories.
1979 Calls for protection of developing counties' exports.
1979 Calls for alternative approaches within the United Nations system for improving the enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms.
1979 Opposes support for intervention in the internal or external affairs of states.
1979 For a United Nations Conference on Women.
1979 To include Palestinian women in the United Nations Conference on Women.
1979 Safeguards rights of developing countries in multinational trade negotiations.
1980 Requests Israel to return displaced persons.
1980 Condemns Israeli policy regarding the living conditions of the Palestinian people.
1980 Condemns Israeli human rights practices in occupied territories. 3 resolutions.
1980 Affirms the right of self determination for the Palestinians.
1980 Offers assistance to the oppressed people of South Africa and their national liberation movement.
1980 Attempts to establish a New International Economic Order to promote the growth of underdeveloped countries and international economic co-operation.
1980 Endorses the Program of Action for Second Half of United Nations Decade for Women.
1980 Declaration of non-use of nuclear weapons against non-nuclear states.
1980 Emphasizes that the development of nations and individuals is a human right.
1980 Calls for the cessation of all nuclear test explosions.
1980 Calls for the implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples.
1981 Promotes co-operative movements in developing countries.
1981 Affirms the right of every state to choose its economic and social system in accord with the will of its people, without outside interference in whatever form it takes.
1981 Condemns activities of foreign economic interests in colonial territories.
1981 Calls for the cessation of all test explosions of nuclear weapons.
1981 Calls for action in support of measures to prevent nuclear war, curb the arms race and promote disarmament.
1981 Urges negotiations on prohibition of chemical and biological weapons.
1981 Declares that education, work, health care, proper nourishment, national development, etc are human rights.
1981 Condemns South Africa for attacks on neighboring states, condemns apartheid and attempts to strengthen sanctions. 7 resolutions.
1981 Condemns an attempted coup by South Africa on the Seychelles.
1981 Condemns Israel's treatment of the Palestinians, human rights policies, and the bombing of Iraq. 18 resolutions.
1982 Condemns the Israeli invasion of Lebanon. 6 resolutions (1982 to 1983).
1982 Condemns the shooting of 11 Muslims at a shrine in Jerusalem by an Israeli soldier.
1982 Calls on Israel to withdraw from the Golan Heights occupied in 1967.
1982 Condemns apartheid and calls for the cessation of economic aid to South Africa. 4 resolutions.
1982 Calls for the setting up of a World Charter for the protection of the ecology.
1982 Sets up a United Nations conference on succession of states in respect to state property, archives and debts.
1982 Nuclear test bans and negotiations and nuclear free outer space. 3 resolutions.
1982 Supports a new world information and communications order.
1982 Prohibition of chemical and bacteriological weapons.
1982 Development of international law.
1982 Protects against products harmful to health and the environment .
1982 Declares that education, work, health care, proper nourishment, national development are human rights.
1982 Protects against products harmful to health and the environment.
1982 Development of the energy resources of developing countries.
1983 Resolutions about apartheid, nuclear arms, economics, and international law. 15 resolutions.
1984 Condemns support of South Africa in its Namibian and other policies.
1984 International action to eliminate apartheid.
1984 Condemns Israel for occupying and attacking southern Lebanon.
1984 Resolutions about apartheid, nuclear arms, economics, and international law. 18 resolutions.
1985 Condemns Israel for occupying and attacking southern Lebanon.
1985 Condemns Israel for using excessive force in the occupied territories.
1985 Resolutions about cooperation, human rights, trade and development. 3 resolutions.
1985 Measures to be taken against Nazi, Fascist and neo-Fascist activities .
1986 Calls on all governments (including the USA) to observe international law.
1986 Imposes economic and military sanctions against South Africa.
1986 Condemns Israel for its actions against Lebanese civilians.
1986 Calls on Israel to respect Muslim holy places.
1986 Condemns Israel for sky-jacking a Libyan airliner.
1986 Resolutions about cooperation, security, human rights, trade, media bias, the environment and development. 8 resolutions.
1987 Calls on Israel to abide by the Geneva Conventions in its treatment of the Palestinians.
1987 Calls on Israel to stop deporting Palestinians.
1987 Condemns Israel for its actions in Lebanon. 2 resolutions.
1987 Calls on Israel to withdraw its forces from Lebanon.
1987 Cooperation between the United Nations and the League of Arab States.
1987 Calls for compliance in the International Court of Justice concerning military and paramilitary activities against Nicaragua and a call to end the trade embargo against Nicaragua. 2 resolutions.
1987 Measures to prevent international terrorism, study the underlying political and economic causes of terrorism, convene a conference to define terrorism and to differentiate it from the struggle of people from national liberation.
1987 Resolutions concerning journalism, international debt and trade. 3 resolutions.
1987 Opposition to the build up of weapons in space.
1987 Opposition to the development of new weapons of mass destruction.
1987 Opposition to nuclear testing. 2 resolutions.
1987 Proposal to set up South Atlantic "Zone of Peace".
1988 Condemns Israeli practices against Palestinians in the occupied territories. 5 resolutions (1988 and 1989).
1989 Condemns USA invasion of Panama.
1989 Condemns USA troops for ransacking the residence of the Nicaraguan ambassador in Panama.
1989 Condemns USA support for the Contra army in Nicaragua.
1989 Condemns illegal USA embargo of Nicaragua.
1989 Opposing the acquisition of territory by force.
1989 Calling for a resolution to the Arab-Israeli conflict based on earlier UN resoltions.
1990 To send three UN Security Council observers to the occupied territories.
1995 Affirms that land in East Jerusalem annexed by Israel is occupied territory.
1997 Calls on Israel to cease building settlements in East Jerusalem and other occupied territories. 2 resolutions.
1999 Calls on the USA to end its trade embargo on Cuba. 8 resolutions (1992 to 1999).
2001 To send unarmed monitors to the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.
2001 To set up the International Criminal Court.
2002 To renew the peace keeping mission in Bosnia.


Note: During the eighties, the UN was concerned with Saddam Hussein's use of chemical weapons. On 3/21/1986, the Security Council President, "speaking on behalf of the Security Council," stated that the Council members were "profoundly concerned by the unanimous conclusion of the specialists that chemical weapons on many occasions have been used by Iraqi forces against Iranian troops...[and] the members of the Council strongly condemn this continued use of chemical weapons in clear violation of the Geneva Protocol of 1925 which prohibits the use in war of chemical weapons" (S/17911 and Add. 1, 21 March 1986).

 
The United States voted AGAINST the issuance of this statement condemning Iraq for the use of chemical weapons against Iran.

The source for the above list was www.informationclearinghouse.info .

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October 30, 2003

THE POET AS CRIMINAL: OUR CREED

Not all poets are really Poets. Not all criminals are really Criminals. Both a driver who gets caught speeding and a convicted murderer are criminals. Technically. They are both criminals by the semantics of title, not by the substance or magnitude of their deeds.

By analogy, a real Poet substantively is akin to the worst type of Criminal. What would that be in any society? Through the word, a Poet is a traitor. S/he is a premeditated murderer. More precisely, a selective murderer of “important” people: an assassin. Through the word, the Poet is a grand saboteur. The Poet is a kidnapper who demands an impossible ransom. Through the word, the Poet does not rob small corner stores or bodegas. Instead, the Poet steals millions of dollars from multi-national banking consortiums and conglomerates. Through the word, the Poet only gets a job at a Fortune 500 company so that s/he may be properly positioned to embezzle large sums of “liquid assets.” This is our relationship with so-called sponsors.

The Poet’s crimes have style and flair. The Poet is brazen against all so-called authority. The Poet taunts all officially elected would-be tyrants. The Poet feels deeply that one of the major reasons for living is to annoy and make the lives of tyrannical rulers miserable. The Poet does not bother small people, but rather champions them. And in turn, the small people love and celebrate the Poet, because through the word, s/he represents the natural rebel that dwells within them.

Unlike the petty criminal or petty poet, the Poet is never petty. The Poet does not have jealousies and bad relationships with other practitioners involved in the sacred vocation of the word. This is diametrically different from petty poets who do not get along with each other. When petty poets see each other, they feel as if their personal territory, powers, and influence are being threatened. Not so with the real Poet and the real Criminal. We are absolutely elated to find another skilled comrade and kindred spirit. We feel instead, that our territory has increased and our mutual goals can be reached with more efficiency, flair and style. One can never properly measure the inspiration and purest of joys felt when the Poet discovers a new soul of the arts who understands the need to use the word as subterfuge and subversion against “the powers that be.”

We, Poets are born united in purpose. And for this, we love one another like professional sports All-Stars playing on the same team on all-star day. We recognize that we are the proud, the few, the chosen. Ahh…the beauty and glory of being a Poet.

--Heru

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December 1, 2003

I was recently on the cover page of Rootz, Reggae and Kulcha magazine (www.rootzreggae.com) for their special Peter Tosh print edition. Due to space constraints, my interview was severely edited. In response to numerous requests, I have posted the full un-edited interview. Enjoy:

Mikey Culture:

Every very now and then there is an artist that captures the minds and aspirations of the people. Heru not only mesmerizes audiences, but gives a heavy dose of information and inspiration. I first witnessed this talented brother two years ago on a stage in front of thousands of people at Freddie McGregor’s Rock Steady meets Reggae concert at the AT&T Ampitheatre in Miami.

After Morgan Heritage left the stage, the master of ceremonies announced that a spoken word poet was about to take the stage. I didn’t know what to expect or how the crowd would react. Suffice it to say, Heru blew everyone away. I have seen him deliver several times since then, and in my mind, this is one of the greatest spoken word artists I have ever seen.

So for this special Peter Tosh tribute issue, I thought it fitting to interview this remarkable brother who is carrying the Peter Tosh tradition with the re-emergence of spoken word poetry as his weapon. In addition to the following interview, there is more info on Heru at www.heruspeaks.com.

Greetings Heru,

Praises to the most High.

The first question that I'd like to ask you is:

I understand you were born in the motherland?

Yes, I was born in Ghana. My father is from the Akyem ethnic group and my mother is part Ashanti and Akwapim. Twi also known as Akan was my first language.

What (to your recollection) first inspired you to write poetry?

I have been a writing poetry for as long as my most distant remembrance. As a child, I was speaking and reading at a very early age. I am realizing that the affinity for language that a poet must possess was attached to my personality from birth. So writing my thoughts was natural from an early age. Later, I was informed that what I was doing was considered by some to be poetry.

When did you first start out doing Spoken Word Poetry? How many years ago?

Well, through the advent of hip-hop, as a teenager, groups of friends would always pretend to be rappers. We would write something the night before at home and go to school the next day and recite it live and direct in a more hip hop type vibe, with beat-boxing and all of that.

The major event in my life towards my development as a poet was when I began listening to Reggae Music. My father had a record in his collection called Survival. It had all the colorful African Flags on it. So I decided to play it. The first Reggae tune that I heard was Bob Marley’s Ambush in the Night. That’s when I was 16 years old. The lyrics and emotion within the song absolutely floored me. Up until that point, all I heard was Rap music, R & B, and a Chicago developed form called House music. So as a young black boy growing up in Chicago, if you want to listen to music, you turn to the black radio stations. But, they didn’t play reggae-- at all. Then, when I investigated what the reggae musicians were actually defending, I was enraged that “Black” radio did not play really the blackest music around. No-one was consistently defending blackness with no apology like reggae musicians. Do you realize how different the youth of today would be if Peter Tosh was played 24/7 on black radio instead of these idiots that are shoved down our throats? For real. Reggae completely and absolutely transformed my thinking patterns and self-identity. These black thinkers who happened to be great singers and songwriters forced me to examine my history.

So poetry-wise, I wouldn’t consider myself a meaningful poet until I began learning our people’s history and becoming politicized through studying Malcolm X, Marcus Garvey, CLR James, Walter Rodney, Kwame Nkrumah, Harriet Tubman, Queen Nzingah of Angola and other giants of Africa’s collective womb.

So after being immersed in self-study, I began writing serious lyrics and then I considered myself a poet.

When I was in law school, I helped form a band called Thinketh Man Rescue and I was the songwriter. I left Boston after I graduated and moved to Miami for its warm climate. I had no band. Only my lyrics. So I would go to open mic sessions and perform my songs as spoken word poetry. Well, soon thereafter great numbers of people were requesting cds and performances. This was circa 1998-1999. Soon thereafter, I retired from practicing law and have never looked back.

I see you mentioned Peter Tosh. As you know, this is a special issue livicated to Peter Tosh. Bredren, can you share your thoughts about him?

Peter Tosh is Black music’s philosopher king. This is without debate or question. Listen. I’m a guy who reads about everybody and don’t really get caught up in advertising hype. So I investigate people for myself, however big or small. So after the African jury comes in on Peter Tosh, we will realize that the man has not fully received his full credit or position in martyrdom.

Peter Tosh was a man of superior intellect. If people don’t realize that, they must read any transcribed interview with him. You quickly realize that his level of thinking rivals some of the greatest minds who are celebrated today. In any field. His conceptual analysis and use of language within his answers of seemingly mundane questions was without peer. People really have to check it out. There are some illustrative interviews with the European guy Roger Steffens, among others, on the internet for everyone to read.

As an artist, his contributions to reggae as a pure musician and a lyricist are extreme. He was a teacher of musical concepts to many of the great names in music. He taught Bob Marley how to play guitar. He was an innovator of Reggae Rhythm guitar. As a lyricist, his pan-African expressions are unparalleled and severely deadly to all enemies of Black people. When downpressors hear something like “you inna mi land, quite illegal…” They must scatter, my friend.

There is a story of how Peter Tosh’s albums were absolutely banned in apartheid South Africa and how the people would risk their lives to just have an opportunity to listen to his words on bootleg tapes. They would risk their lives, bredren. His music in particular was anthemic to the liberation movement over there. Just ask the great Lucky Dube. He’ll tell you.

Sometimes I wonder if Jamaicans of today realize the international quality of serious men and women that have been produced from such a small island. I think many would be surprised about the impact and absolute reverence someone like Peter Tosh has in the worldwide African mind.

The Spoken Word Movement though around for years in America
(originating from the oral traditions of Africa), never seemed to really take root amongst the Young black urbanites of America until the onset of "Love Jones," and especially after Russel Simmons Def-Poetry Jam. Could you speak to this?

Yes, well this is the power of marketing. Movies and TV shows are the most powerful taste-makers of today. There were always open mics, but predominately in white bohemenian type joints. When Love Jones came around, there already was a subculture of black poets, but they weren’t getting any mass exposure, so they typically exercised their art and passion for writing and expression in anonymity and obscurity. After Love Jones, almost everyone became a “poet” overnight. Open mic spots were birthed one after the other at a mercurial pace. What happened was people attached poetry with social interaction, entertainment and so forth. It became glamorous and anyone could have the spotlight based on any level of talent.

The situation on the ground was positive and simultaneously negative. It was positive in that literacy became cool. Having a journal and writing thoughts to be shared became a normal way of life. The other positive is that the average person was given the opportunity to have a voice and conquer any fears of public expression amongst his/her peers. This is very important, particularly for women, as throughout their schooling they are reinforced to not speak up and shy away from public declarations. So the opportunity to speak in front of a crowd of one’s peers does a lot for self-esteem. So I applaud that.

The negative aspect was that people actually emulated the brand of “poetry” that Love Jones displayed, which devolved into pornographic monologues from poetry spot to poetry spot. So through Love Jones, poetry, by the time it got into the hands of the masses of black people went through a literal stripping down and became de-fanged of political and historical analysis. This is what I call the “Americanization” of Black art. This is the process in which an art, in it’s rawest, blackest, most African form, which addresses the visceral concerns of the people, becomes an almost unrecognizable species of art that speaks to the 1)Tastes, 2)Interests and 3)Values of the invader, not the invaded. Check the “Americanization” of Iraq. The first business that popped up was the sale of pornographic video tapes, Hollywood movies and American flags.

Onto Def Poetry on HBO. People need to understand the biography of Russel Simmons. He is a businessman, whose modus operandi is picking up on what is hot quickly, owning it, packaging it according to his sensibilities and selling it. Therefore, when it mushrooms into a huge commodity, like hip-hop, he receives the lion share of revenues, because he was there from the start of its commercial appeal. Then he can in fact control the avenues of production and publicity and therefore the artists. We can see this already. A great majority of the poets who have appeared on the show are now calling themselves Def Poet so and so. It is as if they are owned by Def Poetry Jam, when it is just a 5 minute appearance on a TV show and not even being signed to a record label. They are proud of the Def Poet so and so distinction because they are grateful for the exposure that the TV show has given them. And at the same time, Russell Simmons gets name brand recognition. This puts him in a great position to have the greatest percentage of market share when spoken word poetry “blows up” like it is presently.

Again, for the average person, the best thing that comes from this type of exposure is the promotion of literacy and expression, so I fully support that aspect.

Can you speak on the relationship between Hip Hop and Spoken Word?

Yes, they are both tools created by African diasporic people in an effort to express our collective psychic thoughts. Well, Hip Hop has 5 elements: rapping or emceeing (Jamaicans call this dee-jaying), break dancing, dee-jaying (but Jamaicans would refer to as a selector), graffiti, and beat-boxing. The most prominent is the rapping aspect. I think that’s what you’re referring to.

The difference in Spoken Word Poetry is the artist typically is a cappella. Therefore, for a spoken word artist to be memorable, he or she must have great presence, have a voice that commands collective ears and certain syllabic rhythm and compelling use of language. A lot of rappers could not survive as spoken word artists as most of them are eating because of the beat or musical track that causes people to dance to some of the most bizarre thought patterns and undeveloped lyrics.

The other difference is that since spoken word poetry has not gone through as much “Americanization” as hip-hop, most spoken word poets have material that is much more sane, political, cutting edge and worthy of our ancestors than the average rapper. So in that sense, at this time, pound for pound, spoken word poetry is more raw and dangerous to Babylonian values.

But this is the nature of black art forms in America. We start off with a raw form of cultural honesty, the powers that be catch on, co-opt it, recruit a few well paid poster boys with no African centered principles or backbone and it becomes weak and doesn’t defend anything. This happened to blues, jazz, rock and roll, hip-hop, etc. When it happens to spoken word poetry, in true African tradition, we’ll come up with something else. Maybe we’ll resurrect the talking drums. Yes-I.

There seem to be two broad categories that have arisen in the Spoken word movement, the politically (message) oriented poetry and the Love (romantic) oriented poetry. A rough analogy could perhaps be made with Reggae Music in which you have two broad categories, political (message) oriented Cultural Reggae and misogynous (Love-Lust) oriented Dancehall reggae. Could you speak to this?

This is a great question. Especially for me because I am a devotee of reggae music. Reggae, real reggae, the cultural type, is a perfect music. The time and space within the music, the commitment to African ideals with no apology, the theme of repatriation, black heroes and sheroes, etc. Serious thinkers. I’m happy that you didn’t mean to make a distinction between lover’s rock and political reggae, because lover’s rock is cultural and political. For a black man to profess his love with no apology to a black woman, with the grace of a Beres Hammond, The Mighty Diamonds, Gregory Isaacs, Ijahman Levi, Dennis Brown, etc. is more revolutionary than one can imagine.

The difference between Cultural Reggae (where lover’s rock is included) and the overwhelming amount of Dancehall music is the difference between a man in Africa who has been through an African rites of passage and one who has not. One has a sense of responsibility for his village. The other does not. One is looked at as a man and the other is still regarded as a boy. He may be old enough to be a man but his behavior indicates his lack of maturity. He lacks grace and has no regard for public decency. In fact, the man that stays a boy devolves and begins to engage in animalistic behavior, because has not been properly trained and enlightened. That was the whole point to the famous novel called Lord of the Flies. Some dancehall artists prove my point by even having animalistic names. Compare the names between culture artists and dancehall artists. You have Warrior King, then you have Elephant man. There’s the Wailers and then you have Supercat. You have Luciano, the bringer of Light and you have Tiger. You have Sister Carol AKA Mother Culture and you have Bounty Killa. In fact, Bounty Killa never got banned from the Jamaican government when he was talking pure gun lyrics about murdering random brothers, but when he started reflecting political clarity in his art by challenging the government and its abuses of poor people, his songs were banned. These are no coincidences. And it is the culture artists that are getting a fight from Babylon because of the African enlightenment and stature that we represent. We welcome it. As George W. Bush says, “Bring it on.” Yes-I.

Same way with the world of poetry. The cultural and political poets will never be pushed out front by Babylon and dem friends. So what we must understand as Marcus Garvey discussed, is the science of propaganda, and that all art is propaganda. The question to all artists is which side are you gonna promote? Something that will make your ancestors smile or something that would make them ashamed that you even pushed out from the womb.

For those who haven’t been fortunate enough to see you, which category, if any, does your poetry fall under?

Yes, bredren, well you’ve seen me perform at the AT&T Ampitheater at Freddie McGregor’s Rock Steady meets Reggae and many other shows. You’ve also heard my CDs, so you know my works. But my declaration to those who have not seen me perform is, I am here to make my ancestors smile a big smile. A very big one.

How would you define Poet?

Being a poet is 70 percent listening and 30 percent expression. The poet experiences language different than others. He or she hears words dynamically. Words being used creatively in context is a source of excitement and curiosity. However, the poet is not born to merely play with language for the sake of entertainment, but to use language as a divine tool to communicate complicated truths to humanity. Therefore, there is no-one who can be a bonafide poet who lacks an enduring philosophy of life. This requires extensive historical analysis, contemplation and meditation. This also requires an opinion which may not be popular with the masses. But such opinion is for the long-term benefit of the masses. In other words, to be a poet, is to welcome proven counsel and regularly soak in the wisdom of learned elders.

In Ghana, the Twi or Akan word for poet is Awenfo. This means weaver of important words. Not just a weaver of words. A weaver of important words.

The most concise definition of a poet I can give is-- a poet is the memory of the people. A weaver of important words with no apology. And the only applause we seek is from the spirit world. Yeah man.

Speaking of the spirit world. People have remarked that you look like a possessed man during your performances. What is your feeling on this?

Yes I am possessed. To possess is to own and control. So I am the possession of Africa, I am the possession of all my ancestors who breathe the air of vengeance. Asante sana, bredren.

Heru can be reached at www.heruspeaks.com <http://www.heruspeaks.com>.

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December 31, 2003

This is an interview with Rolling Out Magazine. I am posting it before the magazine goes to print. I don’t know what the interview will look like post-editing, so for the sake of history, I have provided the full interview:

You stand out amongst most of the spoken word artists in South Florida. What do you feel differentiates you from the others.

Yeah, well, thanks for the kind words. Wow, this is an interesting question, because it requires me to compare myself to other artists. I think this would be better answered by someone who is a fan and has observed my work juxtaposed to others.

What I can say about myself, without comparing myself to others, is I am just one in a long, long line of artists who seek to use art to shed simple light on complicated truths. I am Black, an African with no apology and this is reflected in my work. I am clear about the sacred nature of poetry and the word within an African historical context. I’m also willing to take the responsibility of doing right by my people, without issuing unconvincing excuses for laziness in the face of ancestral critique.

On the same note, there are many spoken word cd's circulating the scene,when can we expect a Heru project?

Well, I’ve already sold a couple thousand CDs of Volume 1: Mystery School and Volume 2: The Nephew of Nebthet. I’m still selling those (on www.heruspeaks.com <http://www.heruspeaks.com>) and I am working on 3 more CDs Volume 3: Queen Nzinga’s Rightful Revenge ,Volume 4: Wounded People and Volume 5: Ostentatious Cripples. They will be introduced to the mass consciousness early next year. These will be mostly live recordings from live shows of new pieces because I think it’s good for people to hear what goes on during my live shows. Pure Riot. Black people are alive and awake, contrary to popular belief.

You do not regularly attend open mic's yet many are familiar with your work, how is that? Do you travel to do shows in other cities?

Yeah I travel a lot. I usually perform at universities or festivals. But, whatever city I’m booked in, I try to go to an open mic. So really, I perform everywhere. Performance is one of my blood’s passions. I think the familiarity of my work is due to the circulation of my CDs. People actually listen and memorize the words to some of my work, so it’s wild when I’m performing, in and out of Miami, and I see people voicing my pieces along with me when I’m on stage.

I also have knowledge that my CDs are widely bootlegged. This is great to me, as that just spreads the word. I make most of my money from performance fees, not CD sales, so if someone is industrious enough to bootleg my CDs, that just increases demand for my performances. So it all works out lovely. So to the bootleggers, I send you much love and warm greetings. Keep on keeping on.

In addition to the bootlegging, I get radio play on big commercial stations like Hot 105 in Miami, particularly Demas’ Funk Jazz Lounge. So that plays a huge part in my work seeping into the minds of people.

Besides Demas' show on Hot 105, are there any other stations showing you love?

Yes. You see, I’ve been very fortunate to have my cds played all over from Jamaica, to St. Kitts, New York, Atlanta, Florida, London, France, Ghana and Tanzania. On my website www.heruspeaks.com <http://www.heruspeaks.com>, I have a listing of some of the stations that play my CDs. Actually, because of my website, I even get love from Japan. All independent artists must have a website.

I am familiar with some of your community involvement, but please tell Rolling Out readers some of the things that you are involved with in the community?

Well, I used to practice law in Florida, and routinely provided free to low cost legal services to community folks. But I have since retired from being an attorney as it was getting in the way of my art.

I have taught poetry and literature to middle school and high school black youth in Miami and Fort Lauderdale.

I also started a weekly poetry joint called, Spoken Word with No Apology, in Liberty City at The African Heritage Cultural Arts Center. We were very proud of bringing that vibe to our people.
It was awarded the best place in Miami to hear spoken word poetry by the Miami New Times.

Because, I am basically a well-paid artist, one of the ways I give back is by doing free shows for meaningful causes.

Whenever I’m in town, I record talented poets and singers who have African liberation as their theme for free on my digital studio. This way, talented artists who lack the funds can come to me and leave with a CD, mixed and mastered for free. In this way, I fight against the system of poverty that keeps genius silent due to lack of funds.

However, the most ambitious project I have on deck is opening and maintaining a pan-africanist community owned cooperative grocery store. If we don’t feed ourselves, there’s nothing else to talk about. I have secured the building for the store on 62nd street in Liberty City and have my office right next door. I just have to be in town long enough to implement stage 2 of the plan, which is collecting 250 dollars from 200 serious folks so we can be capitalized at $50,000 and start small operations. Anyone who wants to reach me on this can contact me through my website www.heruspeaks.com.

This sounds cliche, but what inspires your writing?

The thing that inspires my writing is the fact that there is a grave need for it. Those of us concerned with the upliftment of our people have to investigate and experiment with creative ways to give information to our people. Poetry is a powerful tool for that.

Besides writing and performing are there other artistic sides to Heru?

Yes, I used to be a great painter as a child. I lost that talent and am interested in its resurrection.

I play rhythm guitar. I have invented the double down reggae skank technique. Last year, I was unanimously ordained the high priest of skankology. (Laughter)

I am also working on a film in New York, with a genius film maker named Dennis Leroy Moore, the maker of the highly acclaimed film As An Act of Protest.

Where do you see yourself in the next 5 years?

I see myself in Africa with a Black Beauty Queen.

What advice do you have for those who are coming up in the spoken word scene?

There are a few words of advice I can give to up-and-coming spoken word poets.

1) Study. What I mean is study language, politics, history, emotion and rhythm. These are the qualities that separate great poets whose name and works survive their immediate generation from good poets who are the flavor of the month.

2) Listen. Seventy percent of being a poet is listening. The difference between poets and others is not how we use words but how we hear words.

3) Have your own website. This small detail is invaluable for the independent artist on many levels.

4) Travel outside of your town. However, before you travel, make sure that you have achieved a great stature in your own town as a memorable poet. If not, you will have a rude awakening as across the country there are so many different styles, talents and modes of presentation. So if you’re not tight-work with your art, you will lose a lot of money and self-esteem.

5) When you feel, through the unsolicited words of others, that your grasp of your art is world class level, I would advise the artist to find a way to live in New York. Local New York talent becomes national and international talent. New York has the infrastructure in place to propel a local talent to world wide status. Personally, I live in both New York and Miami. The move to New York has benefited me greatly as I was booking gigs in London within my first 3 weeks of moving here.

6) Last but not least, to all artists: Attempt to be on the heroic side of things. The art will reward you in ways not readily identified. There is no feeling better than receiving the collective love, admiration and respect of your people who have been through so much pain and wickedness. This love is the truest love.

---

January 15, 2004

I have received exactly 218 e-mail requests to post the lyrics to my poem about the Bush Administration. Actually, I can't really perform publicly without someone who has heard it before requesting that I perform this poem. It seems that Bush is not as popular as the fabricated media polls would have us believe. Anyway, here it is. Enjoy:

HUSH, HUSH, HUSH, HUSH…
By
HERU

He said:
I've come to liberate you, for real
But, DO NOT BURN YOUR OIL FIELDS

Hour after hour on the hour every hour
You are now witnessing those
who shall propose
future nuclear showers
And George Orwell Bush says:
Slavery is Freedom
War is Peace
Ignorance is Power

Hush, Hush, Hush, Hush….

Unanointed, disjointed, self-appointed so-called leaders of the so-called free world
have hearts that bleed not blood but oil,
They've got other countries around the world saying "Thank God we ain't got no oil"
Even though we're used to being attacked for what lays beneath and above our soil:
Africa. Asadica equals America,
America equals Asadica, because A-merry-ca sure ain't merry,
Pumping and humping other nations for what they got,
Like Billy Bob did Halle Berry
Scary, quite contrary
Mystery Babylon the Great, Mother of all harlots, Queen of all whores,
Lift up that skirt and pop that cherry,
And watch her drip not blood, but oil
To the victor always goes the spoils,
and secret sugar daddy cartels control the price.
And to prove my point,
there's even an Exxon oil tanker named the Condoleezza Rice.

Hush, Hush, Hush, Hush…

As I rewind in my mind through the process of time,
I see a sixteen year old black girl named Condoleezza sitting on a park bench and crying.
She said that young black boys would pay her no mind,
they would all go on dates and leave her behind.
She said in due time-- she would make the world miserable for everyone,
through the devices of her own design
and a burning bush shall be the sign.

Hush, Hush, Hush, Hush…

He's quiet, slick and crazy, quite slick and zany.
He's the real MVP, More Valuable than the President,
He's the VP, the zany, Dick Cheney,
claims he
hates homosexuals, but has a lesbian daughter, yes a daughter who only likes ladies
who maybe
wants to adopt a baby
named Jamie
with her off and on girlfriend named Amy.

Hush, Hush, Hush, Hush…

Hour after hour on the hour every hour
You are now witnessing those
who shall propose
future nuclear showers
And George Orwell Bush says:
Slavery is Freedom
War is Peace
Ignorance is Power

George Orwell Bush hates affirmative action,
but how did he get into Yale?
Was it not by inheritance?
Was it by his own merits?
And if you think he has a scintilla of intelligence,
then I've got land on the moon for sale.
He believes that Iraq and Al-Queda have something in common because both words contain the letter Q.
He's like a child who was forced to wear penny loafers because he never learned how to tie his own shoe.
Remember, he almost choked to death on a pretzel because he forgot to chew.
If a wall is red, he will tell you the wall is blue.
Hell no, I will not do what you want me to do.
Speaking like a cowboy, telling folks they've got two sun downs to leave town,
I saw him on September 11th trying to read to school children,
but the book was upside down.
Mayne, you're trying to bring democracy to Iraq,
but you didn't even win your own presidential campaign?!
Mayne, you can't even win an international popularity contest with Sadaam Hussein?!
Mayne, he doesn't even pretend to act like Bill Clinton and feign to feel your pain?!
Mayne, because of him, the whole world thinks everyone in America is insane?!
Mayne, see what happens when you've got a president who thinks he's John Wayne?!
Mayne, I hate to crash your parade but here comes the rain,
I hate to trash your charade but let me make it plain:
George Trouble-U Bush is a raatid bad joke,
He stays rich while every one else is a raatid tad broke.
And the U.S. media is a raatid bad joke,
it's a circus with mirrors and raatid mad smoke,
Yes, George Trouble-U Bush is a raatid bad joke,
He asked Brazilian leaders, "Brazil has raatid black folks?"
Yes, the U.S. public is a raatid bad joke,
It's a race against time, and we're swimming the raatid backstroke.
Hush, Hush, Hush, Hush….

Unanointed, disjointed, self-appointed…
He's a retired four-star general who will sell you out quicker than Pat Sajack will sell you vowels.
So, while we're trying to free Mumia,
we might as well, free Colin Powell,
Throw in the towel.
Colin, you need to start listening to your ancestors instead of listening to Georgie-Porgie.
Those documents you turned in to the United Nations on Iraq, happened to be a forgery.
Y'all are handling international situations horribly.
And Sadaam Hussein would have probably given y'all some free oil if you would have just asked cordially.
And we turn on the tv and see
Dan Rather, Tow Brokaw, and Peter Jennings lying-simultaneously.
They are teleprompter parrots who cannot speak-extemporaneously.
And even if they tried they would be fired-instantaneously.
By thieving C.E.O.'s who laugh all the way to the bank-blamelessly.
Because they are manufacturing your consent-shamelessly.
While rappers are Andy and Amos-ly rhyming about black on black crime-ing-famously,
And American minds are Gone with the Wind-aimlessly.
Because everyone has fallen for the American dream and illusion,
that you can live and die--painlessly.
Hush, Hush, Hush, Hush….

He said:
I've come to liberate you, for real
But, DO NOT BURN YOUR OIL FIELDS
Hush, hush, hush, hush…

© Heru for No Apology, Inc., 2003. All Rights Reserved.

---

MARCH 27, 2004

This is a summary of the cooperative grocery store that I have been working on. I have secured the building for the store and am in the process of developing a detailed business plan, negotiating with suppliers and procuring free materials (shelves, counters, cash registers and advice) from "mainstream" health food stores like Wild Oats and Whole Foods.

I would like to give special thanks to the numerous folks in the black family community who have helped and will soon help to make this vision a reality.

I can be reached at nilevalleyshop@yahoo.com for any inquiries about this very important project.

INSTITUTION BUILDING-Phase 1

NILE VALLEY GROCERY EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

What is proposed is a much needed Pan-African community cooperative grocery store. The following business model ensures that each shareholder will have a vested interest in engaging in the process of trade, both as consumers and suppliers.

The initial goal is to have 200 conscious members of our community each commit 250 dollars. This would give us 50 thousand dollars in start-up capital to make renovations, to stock and equip the store to be ready to take customers. In addition, we will have a ready-made built-in market of 200 regular consumers/shareholders.

This will be South Florida's first 100% Conscious African community co-operatively and collectively owned grocery store. This shall be one of many projects to come that will create community health and wealth.

LOCATION

The Building for Nile Valley Grocery store will be located on 829 NW 62nd Street, in Miami, FL. This is a prime location as it is 3 blocks from I-95 62nd Street Exit. In addition, the store will be located in the middle of Miami's historically black section named Liberty City.

UNIQUE COOPERATIVE MODEL

There will be a built in customer base, as 200 people would be members/shareholders/owners who will have a vested interest in shopping for their groceries at a store that they jointly own, instead of Publix, Winn-Dixie, Whole Foods, Wild Oats, etc.

The 200 members will sign commitment letters, stating that they will purchase groceries from their own store. Therefore if alternate sources of funding are needed, a built in committed customer base shall pre-exist to provide evidence to substantiate the feasibility of this venture.

Preliminary research has shown that the average proposed member spends $500 per month on groceries. If 200 people spend an average of $500 per month at Publix or Winn-Dixie, there is an amount of $100,000 per month spent on groceries amongst the group. This means the collective shall spend $100,000(12 months)= $1.2 million dollars at the grocery in one year alone. This calculated revenue does not include the revenue generated from non-members (at-large public) who will also buy goods.

Members/Shareholders/Owners:

For the purpose of clarity, members, shareholders and owners are the same.

1. Shareholders/members will pay a fee of $250.00 per/share. Limit 10 shares per person. Each share represents one vote. The shares are privately offered and not open to the general public. Acceptance of shares will be authorized by the board of directors.

2. Shareholders/members will be issued a stock ownership certificate indicating the value of the stock and the amount of votes said stock represents.

3. Owner/members will sign a letter stating that s/he will be a regular customer at a reasonable spending average reflecting the amount spent at other "mainstream" grocery stores.

Member Benefits:

1. Order online. We will set up a billing system, where members can order online. We will deliver groceries to weekly drop off points in West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale, North Miami and South Miami. Consequently, members do not need to come to the grocery store continually. Members can have a set shopping list packed for them weekly and pick up bags at the designated drop off point or the grocery store.

2. Microloans: Needed cash loans for members to be suppliers. Example: Nile Valley Grocery coop is buying $1,000 worth of water wholesale per month. Member A, who owns stock, wants to start a water purification business. The cooperative will give a micro-loan to member to purchase bottling machine and purifying equipment. We will buy wholesale from the member/vendor and stop buying from the previous 'mainstream' vendor (Zephyrhills, Poland Springs, etc). The water product will be sold directly to the other 200 or so member/owners and other public at-large. This is vertical economics. Member/vendor will be able to pay off micro-loan quickly with this form of cooperative economics.

Member/vendor can also have the background of being a supplier for Nile Valley Grocery, which s/he co-owns for the purposes of expansion of their particular product.
If other sources of funding are needed by member/vendor, the cooperative will enter into a formal contract with member/vendor. This way, member/vendor can be aided in securing a more traditional business loan or grant by providing evidence that a pre-existing market for his/her goods in the business plan already exists.

3. Members have the benefit of voting for all major decisions of the direction of the store, such as salaries, suppliers, expansion, profit dividend disbursal, future projects, etc.

Suppliers

Our purpose is to participate in the only form of true economic uplift for a people: Vertical Economics. Therefore our goal is to have all suppliers of African descent. This includes farmers, soap makers, toothpaste makers, water purifiers, etc.

Kitchen

The building for Nile Valley Groceries contains a kitchen. The kitchen will be called Yabba Pot. Yabba Pot Kitchen will sell prepared food from the grocery store's products on a daily basis. In addition, we will teach monthly healthy cooking classes.

Again, I can be reached at nilevalleyshop@yahoo.com for any inquiries.

--Heru

---

MAY 20, 2004

For the month of June, I'm on the cover of Urban America Magazine. I'm posting the full unedited interview as there are some important points made that should not be missed. Enjoy.

How did you get started in performing spoken word?

When I was in law school in Boston, Ma., I formed a band where I was the rhythm guitarist vocalist and songwriter. I soon discovered a mystic that I could summon during my performances. From that time forward, I've never felt a more powerful sensation or feeling.

After I graduated, I moved to Miami and my band members were left behind. There was a popular open mic called Body Mind and Soul, where I would perform my songs as spoken word poetry. The mystic surfaced again, and my creativity reached new levels. Soon people began taping me live and passing out tapes and requesting CDs. So, I became a professional artist inadvertently. After I began making consistent money as an artist, I retired from practicing law. And after a few years, close to a hundred live shows, a website, thousands of CDs sold, I'm on my third CD, Volume 3: African Mathematics.

What artists inspire you and why?

I draw my strength from artists that have a sense of mission in relationship to elevating the condition of their people. Any artist that is adding clarity to our desire for a better day, has my ear and attention.

Since I travel extensively, I have a unique opportunity to see and hear literally hundreds of artists worldwide. Within spoken word, the greatest living artists are Khafra, Maha Adachi, Tyme, sister Von from Chicago, Faona, Joshua Sa-Ra and the Sol Griots. And believe me, I've seen all the famous spoken word poets and have performed with many of them, but the artists who I've just named have a depth, consistency, energy and magic that is unparalleled. The problem is the aforementioned artists don't have expensive publicists funded by certain corporate powers so if you don't catch them live, you'll never hear of them through the traditional ways of being exposed to an artist: TV or Movie appearances. But through my travels, it has become clear that they are the strongest spoken word artists our people have to offer. They are truly a gift to the world.

Musically my strength comes from Roots Reggae Music as it is single-handedly the most dedicated music to black upliftment and consistent lyrics of resistance. So, I am fortified when I listen to Melame Gange and Mode Afrika, Black Uhuru, Midnite from St. Croix (presently the greatest reggae band in the world), Peter Tosh, Burning Spear, Luciano, Ijahman Levi, The Abyssinians, Sizzla, Dezarie, The Mighty Diamonds, Dennis Brown, Hugh Mundell, Gregory Isaacs, Nasio Fontaine, Steel Pulse, Sister Carol, Yami Bolo, Alpha Blondy, Lucky Dube, Anthony B, Bob Marley, Israel Vibration, the Gladiators and many more.

Within Black American music I draw strength primarily from Curtis Mayfield, X-Clan, Nina Simone, The Last Poets, Rastafunk, Poor Righteous Teachers, Chuck D from Public Enemy, some topical KRS-One and Punch from Miami. I also appreciated Lauryn Hill's unplugged for her stepping to the plate and her rare bravery for a black American artist while all spotlights were on her.

I know you've performed all over the US and abroad. Name some of your favorite spots you have performed at?

My favorite performance experience was being the headliner at St. Kitts and Nevis African Liberation Day. Going to a different country full of strong conscious black people with extremely beautiful black women was a highlight in my life. I spent considerable time with Rastafari elders who were respected leaders in their community. We reasoned on history, politics and solutions within an African perspective for many days without interruption.

A valuable experience in St. Kitts was attending an all night Nyabinghi session where bredren and sistren from all over the island sang, drummed and chanted words of power against white supremacy and the European value system commonly referred to as Babylon. We trampled the Beast through ritual for unending hours on a beautiful summer night with Caribbean ocean winds whispering our prophesized victory as the backdrop.

Within the U.S. my favorite spots to perform have been Creative Minds House of Culture in Chicago, Speakeasy in West Palm Beach, Body Mind and Soul and the Funk Jazz Lounge in Miami, Café Mawanaj in D.C., Rush Arts Gallery in New York, City College of New York, and the Bayfront Ampitheater performing for 20,000 people at Freddy McGregor's Reggae meets Rocksteady Concert in Miami.

What do you hope people obtain from your work?

My hope is when people see me live or hear my CDs that they gain or are solidified with a sense of historical continuity and a sense of believing in themselves.

I also hope that people realize that the spirit magic that I tap into through my art is also available to them if only they will open themselves to freeing-up.

What frustrates you about touring and the spoken word scene?

Well, I don't really classify myself or my identity as a spoken word artist, per se, but my identity is a Pan-Africanist who happens to have a peculiar gift for poetry and performance. So, being a Pan-Africanist and going to poetry venues and seeing other black people recite poetry that ultimately makes a fool out of us, is the most frustrating aspect and is a supreme test in my personal patience.

Remember, I'm a man with a certain ideology. I produce art and listen to art with pan-africanist thought and analysis. In other words, I'm not from the school of art for art-sake. Actually, people with that position, prove their eternal naivete the second after that statement leaves their lips. I'm from the school of art as a tool to either enslave or free up the people. This is something beyond debate, because the powers-that-be certainly know the power of art and music. They don't believe in art for art's sake. They believe and know that all art, particularly art that is allowed to be popular and commercially viable is propaganda in one way or another. That's why popular music in America, and black music specifically is dumbed down. It has a purpose. Look at Hip-Hop and its equally retarded twin, R&B. It's dumbed down for a reason. And the reason is to keep us asleep, distracted and unaware.

After you have been assimilated through the process of dumbing down, then and only then will you have "freedom of speech" as an artist. That's when MTV and BET will come knocking at your door and hold a microphone to your mouth. Remember, the tears of a clown is simultaneously tragedy and comedy. Tragedy because of the tears and comedy because after-all, it's only a clown. Herein is the answer to the riddle of: What has happened to black people in America? We have become the metaphor for the tears of a clown.

It wasn't always like this, but when the powers that be saw that hip hop in the early 90's was actually causing black people en masse to explore the life and thoughts of Malcolm X, they had to stop that immediately. And how do you hypnotize black people? Well they went back to their old bag of tricks. They know that for some reason, you traditionally hypnotize black people with shiny things: jewelry or any metal that shines, be it a gun or today a new car. This is what hypnotized Shaka Zulu and kept him from destroying white settlers in South Africa, they realized that he loved mirrors. So as the whites brought him shiny glass mirrors as gifts of peace, they distracted him and simultaneously plotted war to take the land for themselves. Shaka Zulu soon died, and thereafter came the Great Zulu wars, black defeat, and then apartheid. The hypnotism of shiny things is also what got us into middle passage holocaust and slavery.

And this hypnotism of shiny things referred to today as "bling-bling" is what got us away from Malcom X the Pan-African Liberator as the patron saint of hip-hop and now we've regressed to Malcolm Little aka Detroit Red, the Pimp, Hustler and historical retard as the patron saint of today's hip-hop. This… Is… Sad…

So as a Pan-Africanist artist being in those types of "poetry" environments where other black "artists" are totally disconnected from the understanding of black historical trends is simultaneously annoying and heartbreaking.

What motivates you to continue to be a Spoken Word Artist?

My motivation is my sense of mission and my relationship with the international black community. I get all types of e-mails and messages about how my work has affected a life. Just read the message board on my website www.heruspeaks.com and you'll see what I'm saying. When after a performance, a 78 year old black woman who is a great grandmother has thanked you and cried in your arms, and a 10 year old child comes to you and wants an autograph and a CD but says she doesn't have money to buy it, and when you go to a different country to perform and people already know the words to your poems and are requesting their favorite Heru poem, you realize that the work you are doing is much greater than yourself, but tied in to a much, much greater purpose whose vibrations go way back in time and reach a far and wide distance beyond possibilities one has pondered. Actually this question has caused me to reflect and get a little bit emotional. I must say that I have really lived an interesting and cherished life. Being able to touch lives in meaningful ways is probably the best thing that life has to offer.

The other motivation is my innate need to share. People are hungry for the information I put in my poetry and I cannot keep food away from a starving person.

One last thing I'd like to say is congratulations to you, Tony Muhammad and your staff for having a newspaper with vision. I wish you continued strength and clarity in your mission.

---

July 9, 2004

A few people have requested that I post the lyrics to the song on my CD, Volume 3: African Mathematics, track 13: Knife Fight Fork Fe Dumpling. This was a live band rehearsal so the recording is open air. Hence the sound is very warm and raw. Here are the lyrics:

Knife fight fork fe dumpling
Divide and conquer something

Knife fight fork fe dumpling
Divide and conquer something, yeah
Knife fight fork fe dumpling
It's like we never learn nothing, yeah

No one wants to hear me sing
No one wants to see me do my thing
No one wants see me succeed
No one wants to see me perform good deeds,
No one wants to see me rise,
No one wants to see a rebel without disguise…
No one wants it, No one wants it.

Tonight's the night, I take my stand,
So put on your game face-alright.
Tonight's the night, I take my stand,
So put on your game face-alright.
No one's gonna stop this little boy from Ghana,
He was meant to be an heartical performer
Singing all the time, dancing all the time
No one's gonna stop me, now.

Africa Please Unite…

No one wants to hear me talk,
No one wants to see me walk my walk,
No one wants to hear me win
No one wants to see my face display a grin
No one wants to see me…
No one wants to see me rise
And no one wants to see me smile,
'Cause no one wants triumphant African child.
No one wants it, No one wants it.

So knife fights fork fe dumpling
Divide and conquer something, yeah
Knife fight fork fe dumpling
It's like we never learn nothing, yeah

---

OCTOBER 22, 2004

This is an article I wrote for the UNIA International Newspaper, Garvey Speaks. It will be in the November 2004 Edition.

 

ON THE ANCESTRALLY CONNECTED ARTIST

There is no mistake that African people, when left to our own devices, will always gravitate towards ancestral veneration. In fact, anyone who travels anywhere in the world, if there is the presence of an intact African, will witness a connection between that individual or group with their ancestors. This is who we are-- when we are at our best.

In the quintessential African reality, the artist who is connected with the ancestors will always exist. Always. One will notice that the art emanating from this personality type is never trivial, but consistently directed towards the purpose of collective awareness, self/group realization, memory, and agency. This is because the ancestors never care about us exclusively on an individual level. Rather, they are focused on our collective well-being. I refer to the Ancestrally Connected Artist (hereinafter referred to as the “ ACA.”) as a personality type, because this person can be scientifically identified through behavioral traits and marked patterns of thought.

For instance, there are ten main unifying and identifying characteristics of an ACA. In other words, these themes are a running thread through any serious person who uses their art as an ancestral medium. Please read carefully:

(1) MUNDACITY: The mundane aspects of daily living, are not only boring to this personality type, but are in fact anathema. When the ACA is placed into the world of mundacity and triviality, s/he feels as if they are thrust into a hopeless situation and has physiological reactions to such an environment analogous to an acute allergic reaction. Consequently, the ACA has developed ways to zone out when in such environments and fixate their meditation on places where creativity and solace are found.

(2) TRANCE: The ACA experiences sensations of immortality and invincibility during the process of artistic production and expression. S/he understands that their art is the product of dynamic and sensational ritual. Such ritual in turn fortifies the ACA’s senses and attachment to self, community and spirit. Consequently, the ACA understands the imperative and necessity of trance. Trance is the ACA’s best friend.

(3) DOWN TIME: The ACA spends his/her down time anticipating the next moment of information/inspiration from the spirit world. This time is spent soaking in the language of wisdom, revolutionarily edifying music, quiet observation, and cultivating meaningful and memorable human relationships. Therefore, even down time is productive time.

(4) EARTHLY COMPENSATION: Money for art is not the main concern of the ACA. Rather, the production of art that is eternally fresh is the central point of interest. In fact, the ACA knows that there is no form of compensation that man has invented that will be an equal exchange for what the ACA produces.

(5) A CONDUIT: The ACA understands that s/he is a conduit, and that this vocation and the journey to be a more potent conduit is what the ACA refers to as the effortless struggle: The quest to be a more complete vessel. This is the grand and incessant mission to accurately reflect what s/he has heard, seen, or felt in the spirit world, so that the Universal African People will receive the clearest communication of what the Ancestors are imparting.

(6) GLORY: The ACA understands the difference between fame and glory. The ACA chooses glory over fame, because fame is fleeting and glory is eternal. The ACA is aware of the ancient African belief that one's immortality is secured every time his/her name is uttered. Therefore, fame is inadequate as it rarely survives past one or two generations-maximum. The ACA understands that there is no famous artist who has failed to elevate the people whose name will live longer than Marcus Garvey, Queen Nzingah, Bob Marley, Peter Tosh or Imhotep.

(7) DEATH: The ACA is eager to join the ancestors so that s/he may one day be an ancestor who imparts messages of wisdom to not yet born ACAs. Therefore, there is no fear in earthly consequences for truth telling. The traditional threat of death issued by the powers-that-be only confirms to the ACA that their detractors and enemies do not know the true meaning of life and its eternal bride: death. The ACA does not see death as a threat, but a promise issued by the Creator, which supercedes the whimsical musings of mortal men.

(8) THE COSMIC LOVER: The ACA is a lover of cosmic proportions. S/he sees making love to the opposite gender as high art and gains strength from the intimate union of his/her universal counterpart. Each soul sonic session of intimacy adds clarity to his/her understanding of the nature of things. Therefore, the Kemetic symbol of the Aunkh is not seen as a static ancient symbolic relic of the past representing eternal life. Rather, the Aunkh is experienced empirically as a fluid ancestral command translating into eternal life. It is implicitly understood that this divine polarity is the electric current that controls the flow of universal waters and movement of heavenly bodies.

(9) ROLE MODEL: The ACA is more than happy to accept the so-called burden of being a role model in his/her community. In fact, the ACA hopes that many more in the community may learn the methods and rituals necessary to gain ancestral acuity. In this vein, the ACA is not a hoarder of experiences or information, but rather, a very giving soul who is willing to share with no demands of reward.

(10) DETERMINATION and BEAUTY: As the ACA understands that s/he is subject to ancestral critique, s/he never accepts laziness or shallow excuses for misleading the Universal African People. S/he understands that there are external and suicidal internal forces that seek to block the messages of our Ancestors. In response, the ACA produces art on an overwhelming level of vehemence and determination that is not easily ignored when heard, seen or felt. Through this commitment, the ACA redefines the meaning of beauty.

Although the above list identifies the sum of traits that exist simultaneously as a common and unifying thread for all Ancestrally Connected Artists, this analysis does not stop here. Indeed, the above points can also be seen as the ingredients necessary to make, create, or become an Ancestrally Connected Artist. Therefore, a mediocre artist (read: typically mainstream artist), who decides to abandon the ultimately unfulfilling rituals connected with chasing “dead presidents,” and embraces all ten points of care, will be automatically transformed into an Ancestrally Connected Artist. The ancestors are patiently waiting. In the meantime, the Ancestrally Connected Artists are diligently working--regardless of numbers.

Written By Heru (H. Emmanuel Ofori-Atta).

---

DECEMBER 26, 2004

The Hapi Valley Grocery Business Plan

Cover Letter

This business plan is based on the full participation and spending of 300 member/owners/shareholders. It includes an executive summary, a start up cost page, a profit loss/cash flow page, break even analysis and initial suppliers list. This plan is purposely brief and to the point.

The strength of this unique cooperative model is that it illustrates what 300 serious minded people can do for the development of practical African centered liberation.

Of course, the store will be open to all customers, however, I have intentionally excluded any and all outside customer support in my computational analysis. Any extra customer support on top of the 300 members support necessarily creates more favorable numbers and greater profit for the collective members/shareholders. This is welcome. However, we are not basing our success on possible and uncommitted support. All numbers are based on the commitment of the shareholders/members who have a direct and vested interest in the success of this long overdue project.

A board of central planners will be needed to organize the steps necessary to make this plan come to life. Also, I propose that a capital campaign begin immediately after the central planners are identified. There should be a 6 month deadline imposed to raise the necessary 300 dollars each- from 300 members, thereafter. If the full start up money is not raised by this time, all funds must be returned to the original investors.

I have not taken the liberty to open the corporation for the store, nor have I opened a bank account for the store, as this project must be executed in totality by the collective and cannot be centralized with one person.

History requires that this project be accomplished triumphantly. The ancestors are waiting for our reasoned efforts.

Sincerely,

Heru Ofori-Atta

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Business Plan Page 2

INSTITUTION BUILDING-Phase 1

HAPI VALLEY GROCERY EXECUTIVE SUMMARY (Revised from March 27, 2004)

What is proposed is a much needed Pan-African community cooperative grocery store. The grocery store will carry diverse items from natural foods and juices, health and beauty items, kitchen and bathroom supplies, soaps, fruits, vegetables, breads, and more.

The following business model ensures that each shareholder will have a vested interest in engaging in the process of trade, both as consumers and suppliers.

The initial goal is to have 300 serious members of our community each commit 300 dollars. This would provide $90,000 (ninety thousand dollars) in start-up capital to make renovations, to stock and equip the store, etc. to be ready to take customers. The strength of this model provides a ready-made, built-in market of 300 regular consumers/shareholders.

This will be South Florida’s first 100% Conscious African community co-operatively and collectively owned grocery store. This shall be one of many projects to come that will create community health and wealth. In fact, based on the profit numbers, this grocery store will be the economic springboard for many other viable projects.

LOCATION and HOURS

The building for Hapi Valley Grocery store should be located in an area equidistant to Miami and the Fort Lauderdale Area. The most appropriate area would be the Hollywood/Hallendale area.

Hapi Valley will be open seven days a week for 12 hours a day.

UNIQUE COOPERATIVE MODEL

There will be a built in customer base, as 300 people would be members/shareholders/owners who will have a vested interest in shopping for their groceries at a store that they jointly own, instead of Publix, Winn-Dixie, Whole Foods, Wild Oats, etc.

The 300 members will sign commitment letters, stating that they will purchase groceries from their own store. Therefore, if alternate sources of funding are needed, a built in committed customer base shall pre-exist to provide evidence to substantiate the feasibility of this venture.

Preliminary research has shown that the average proposed member spends $400 per month on groceries. If 300 people spend an average of $400 per month at Publix or Winn-Dixie, there is an amount of $120,000 per month spent on groceries amongst the group. This means the collective shall spend $120,000(12 months) = $1.44 million dollars at the grocery in one year alone. This calculated revenue does not include the revenue generated from non-members (at-large public) who will also buy goods.

Members/Shareholders/Owners:

For the purpose of clarity, members, shareholders and owners are the same.

1. Shareholders/members will pay a fee of $300.00 per/share. Limit 10 shares per person. Each share represents one vote. The shares are privately offered and not open to the general public. Acceptance of purchased shares will be authorized by the board of directors.

2. Shareholders/members will be issued a stock ownership certificate indicating the value of the stock and the amount of votes said stock represents.

3. Owner/members will sign a letter stating that s/he will be a regular customer at a reasonable spending average reflecting the amount spent at other “mainstream” grocery stores.

Member Benefits:

1. Voting: Members have the benefit of voting for all major decisions of the direction of the store, such as salaries, suppliers, expansion, profit dividend disbursal, future projects, etc.

2. Micro-loans: Needed cash loans for members to be suppliers. Example: Hapi Valley Grocery coop is buying $1,000 worth of water wholesale per month. Member A, who owns stock, wants to start a water purification/bottling business. The cooperative will give a micro-loan to member to purchase bottling machine and purifying equipment. We will buy wholesale from the member/vendor and stop buying from the previous ‘mainstream’ vendor ( Zephyrhills, Poland Springs, etc). The water product will be sold directly to the other 300 or so member/owners and other public at-large. This is vertical economics. Member/vendor will be able to pay off micro-loan quickly with this form of cooperative economics.

Member/vendor can also have the background of being a supplier for Hapi Valley Grocery, which s/he co-owns for the purposes of expansion of their particular product.

If other sources of funding are needed by member/vendor, the cooperative will enter into a formal contract with member/vendor. This way, member/vendor can be aided in securing a more traditional business loan or grant by providing evidence that a pre-existing market for his/her goods in the business plan already exists.

3. Order online: We will set up a billing system, where members can order online. We will deliver groceries to weekly drop off points in West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale, North Miami and South Miami. Consequently, members do not need to come to the grocery store continually. Members can have a set shopping list packed for them weekly and pick up bags at the designated drop off point or the grocery store.

Suppliers

Our purpose is to participate in the only form of true economic uplift for a people: Vertical Economics. Therefore, our goal is to have exclusively suppliers of African descent. This includes farmers, soap makers, toothpaste makers, water purifiers, etc.

Kitchen

The building for Hapi Valley Groceries should contain a kitchen. The kitchen will be called Yabba Pot. Yabba Pot Kitchen will sell prepared food from the grocery store’s products on a daily basis. In addition, we will teach monthly healthy cooking classes.

I can be reached at nilevalleyshop@yahoo.com for any inquiries.

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Business Plan Page 3

Start Up Costs

Lease ($2500/mo—3 months).…………………………………….$7,500

Initial Inventory…………………………………………………...$20,000

Equipment:

2 Sliding Glass Door Refrigerator………………………………..$1,800

1 Walk In Freezer…………………………………………………$1,300

2 Cash Registers Royal 9155…………………………………...…$600

25 Shopping Baskets, Holder, Sign……………………………….$200

2 Produce Scales…………………………………………………...$600

Step Ladder………………………………………………………...$45.00

Hand Truck………………………………………………………...$50.00

(4) 2 Sided Gondolas……………………………………………….$800

1000 Plastic Bags…………………………………………………...$29.95

2 Pricing Guns……………………………………………………...$60.00

10 Produce Baskets…………………………………………….......$500.00

Utilities:

Electricity (3 months)……………………………………………….$3,000

2 Phone Lines (3 months)…………………………………………...$600

Payroll:

2 workers same time (3 months-- $8.00/hr. 12 hrs/day)…………...$17,472

1 manager (3 months--$580.00/wk)…………………………………$6,960

1 asst. manager (3 months- $23,000/yr.)……………………………$5,750

Other:

Legal & Accounting…………………………………………………$2,000

Licensing……………………………………………………………..$500

Security………………………………………………………………$500

Space improvements………………………………………………..$3,000

Office Supplies………………………………………………………$1,600

Cash on hand………………………………………………………..$15,000

TOTAL……………………………………………………………$89,866.95

300 members purchasing a share at $300 equals $90,000

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Business Plan Page 4

Yearly Projected Profit Loss Statement/Cash Flow

Formula…………………….. Cost of goods(1 + markup) = retail price of sale

Retail Sales (Goods Sold)………………....................................................... $1.44 million (300 people $400/month)

Mark up…………………………………….....................................................65%

Cost of Goods……………………………………………………………….. $872,727

Gross Profit before operational expenses…………………………………. $567,272

Operational Expenses:

Manager……………………………………………………………………...$30,160

Asst. Manager………………………………………………………………..$23,000

Clerks…………………………………………………………………………$69,888

Total Cost of Labor…………………………………………………………. $123,048

Utilities (Electric & phone)…………………………………………………..$14,400

Payroll Taxes & Benefit……………………………………………………...$1,134

Office supplies………………………………………………………………..$2,000

Insurance……………………………………………………………………..$2,000

Legal & Accounting………………………………………………………….$5,000

Licenses……………………………………………………………………….$500

Miscellaneous………………………………………………………………...$2,000

Lease………………………………………………………………………….$30,000

Total Operating Expenses…………………………………………………..$180,082

Cost of Goods………………………………………………………………..$872,727

Total Expenses……………………………………………………………...$1,052,809

Total Sales…………………………………………………………………..$1,440,000

Net Profit before taxes……………………………………………………...$387,191

*Additional Projects (ie,real estate, sponsoring scholars, etc.) using profit should be categorized as an expenditure so as to have more money to work with before taxes.

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Business Plan Page 5 </