Justice: what a novel concept in 21st century America. The American Heritage Dictionary defines the word justice in relevant part as meaning, “The principle of moral rightness, equity;” and “the upholding of what is just, especially fair treatment and due reward in accordance to honor, standards, or law; fairness.” 

Clearly, this above mentioned definition is not in large measure applicable to the actual principles or practices of the United States of America, either internally or externally. All of that was and is flushed down the toilet when it comes to respecting and promoting the human rights of Black, Red, and Brown peoples in America and throughout the world.  

The US flag salute, to which most American school children are routinely trained to mouth, explicitly uses, and ends with the words, “freedom and justice for all. Nothing in reality could be further from the truth. As Gill Scot Heron, the Black poet, singer, writer, and musician put it about freedom in America: “Freedom to be afraid is all you’ve won.” More than ever this is the reality in 21st century America, and it must be exposed and challenged.   

While white American liberals (masquerading as “progressives”) and their surrogates, mouth platitudes to the alleged principles of an American democracy which never in fact existed for the masses of Black, Red, and Brown peoples in America, the de facto political, economic, and cultural "ethnic cleansing" reality continues to be an increasing, daily, horrible reality, not only in Iraq, Afghanistan, Haiti, and elsewhere but also in the Black, Brown, and Red communities throughout the United States, in the form of gang violence, suicide, and despair. This must and will be changed and reversed; it is we Black and other people of color who are the ones who will do it.   

The time for colonization, mental and otherwise, is over. No more nonsense. No more acceptance of white liberal platitudes that are nothing more than de facto intellectual masturbating bibble-babble, meant to appease and neutralize the legitimate political struggles of Black, Brown, and Red peoples in America and throughout the world.   

We Black, Red, and Brown peoples must clearly understand that white liberals in America (and wherever else they might be found), in reality, spell the word p e a c e, as P I E C E. In other words a piece of power - the maintenance of their privilege politically, judicially, economically, and culturally. They surreptitiously act to maintain their power and privilege, while claiming that all they really want is peace. Peace for them versus peace for Black, Red, and Brown peoples are entirely different things, entirely different realities.  

There can be no real equality amongst economic classes without first having equality between color. To promote anything else is to promote a pipe dream and the continued subordination of peoples of color. This is something that we people of color have innately and experientially known ever since our lands and cultures were stolen and debauched by Europeans, and in particular white America. 

Justice American style means hypocrisy and in reality, no justice at all.

Notwithstanding the racist physical and mental oppression we must confront on a daily basis, our reality must absolutely be the one that we make it to be. Let the toilet flush. But make sure that we and our peoples are not among the swirling waters that take us down to oblivion. This is an important part of the essence of keeping it real in this, our ongoing struggle. Onward…  

BC Editorial Board member, Larry Pinkney is a veteran of the Black Panther Party, the former Minister of Interior of the Republic of New Africa, a former political prisoner and the only American to have successfully self-authored his civil/political rights case to the United Nations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. For more about Larry Pinkney see the book, Saying No to Power: Autobiography of a 20th Century Activist and Thinker, by William Mandel [Introduction by Howard Zinn]. (Click here to read excerpts from the book) Click here to contact Mr. Pinkney.

Your comments are always welcome.