We are all taught, seemingly in the cradle, about the glorious Constitution, a document that lies at the very heart of America’s civil religion. Schoolchildren leather handbags used to be taught to memorize broad swaths of its provisions (although it’s extremely doubtful that this is done today, in the wake of the disastrous ‘No Child Left Behind’ policy), along with the national mythology of the Founding Fathers as latter-day Olympians handing down poker chip set freedom from the heavens. Of all our myths, those inculcated in early childhood are those the hardest to shatter, because they are often the foundations of our understanding. But all nations have founding myths. The Greeks, for centuries, believed in a pantheon of capricious and often malevolent gods, like Zeus, Athena, Hera, and Ares, to explain anxiety treatment the uncertainties and travails of life, death, wisdom and war. The ‘founding fathers’, as taught to US kids, is a modern American myth, for how can slave owners be bringers of freedom, unless they free their slaves? And almost all of them — George Washington, Thomas Jefferson — even Patrick Henry (he of ‘Give me liberty,or give me death’ fame) — owned slaves, even as he uttered these words, and then wrote them. MOVE supporter, I. Abdul Jon used to say, ‘You only need to talk and write about freedom of speech, and freedom of religion and all other kinds of freedom if you ain’t got it; ’cause if you got it, and ain’t got no problem with nobody else havin’ it — and it’s real, you ain’t gotta write …
Video Rating: 4 / 5
Free? Mumia the hero!
In ten? more years Mumia will have almost served half his sentence.
@Menace3434 At the end of the day, the constitution is just a piece of paper, with well thought out, flexible rules for equalizing members of society, who were intended to be white @ the time…..
Menace, the problem is? that you hold the constitution to a level of respect that the politicians don’t…..We all know the unwritten laws of humanity, but many choose to ignore them…..
and it does not? matter if a Constitution is or not because humans would still progress because the UK for example was a monarchy that transformed in time into a constitutional one and now monarchy is merely symbolism now the UK is a parliamentary democracy they achieved this under difficult circumstances the people fought and they achieved it whit or whit out any formal governmental decree
NO your historically wrong because every mass movement in the US was countered whit heavy repression ever heard of the Haymarket massacre ? COINTELPRO ? the US government used Soviet Union type counter measures against every mass movement in the US why you think while in all the western world there is a multiparty system and in the US there is 2 party system ? the Bill of Rights of Sweden? for example has more rights in it and they didn’t use repression against any kind opposition
You’re wrong. The “conscious evolution of common people” is made possible through The Constitution. If it weren’t for The Constitution, Civil Rights, Women’s Suffrage, and just about every other social movement of the last century would have been? squashed by the government. The Constitution even allows you to be an idiot on youtube. And yet, you denounce it! You must be really, really smart.
that’s what i am doing that’s why i am a anarchist and that’s why i do recognize the Constitution i recognize that the Constitution was useless because social progress? was slow in regard to other western countries the only strength is that of the masses
the Panthers drew their social and political power from Marx and Mao they even admitted that themselves and the right to dissent is not actually recognized in the? US ever heard of COINTELPRO? why you think there is a 2 part system in the US?
the Black Panthers did that? but their position of self empowerment was taken from Mao
Without the Constitution,what legal authority did the Civil Rights Movement have?Without the 2nd Amendment and its provision guaranteeing all citizens the right to keep and bear arms, the Black Panthers would have been just another lame ass CLUB of tea drinking pansies,they did not gain their BLACK POWER until they picked up loaded weapons and started carrying them around. So shame on Mumia for forgetting his past and for forgetting where the true strength of the ORIGINAL Panthers stemmed? from.
I used to like a lot of what Mumia said, but this shows me not to put the guy on a pedestal. Now this might be too complicated for some of you to? swallow: But, realize people, is that this is the Land of the Free.That means other people are allowed the FREEDOM TO OPPRESS YOU.That may be a tough pill for you to swallow,but if don’t like your oppression, DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. The government did not automatically gift you your freedoms, you had to FIGHT and EARN them during the Civil Rights Era.
I understand what you are saying, what? I am saying is that without the Constitution there as a kind of backstop we would already all be slaves. Look at Mumia and the Black Panthers. I am disappointed in Mumia for down talking the Constitution. The Constitution and its provision demanding that the people be given the right to keep and bear arms is where the Black Panhters drew their original strength and power.The Black Panthers carried guns to equalize their position with the white pig.Bravo!
people take their rights whit or whit out formal guidance it’s part of evolutionary biology the US was the last country in the western world to allow women rights , labor rights , civil rights to abolish slavery to abolish segregation and such even tough this? godly Constitution existed in the US social progress was still slow if you compare it to other western countries this shows us it has nothing to do governmental acts but whit the conscious evolution of common people
I know my history,looks like you’re the one who hasn’t read his history.You believe everything this guy says just because he’s the? great Mumia Abu Jamal?His analysis can be wrong just like anybody else’s so get off his dick.The Constitution allows mass movements the framework with which to be successful.Take the issue of slavery,in the beginning the Constitution didn’t automatically free the slaves by decree,but it did lay the framework from which freeing the slaves could happen.Not good enough?
the constitution never was respected mass movements required to win everything from women rights to labor rights to civil rights WE TOOK? our rights nobody gave our rights study your US history
Ok, let’s just shred the one document that? has kept this country from descending into a tyranny, make Obama our King and the Pope our God, and live as slaves until all eternity. Give me a break man. Do you know how it feels to be a man who is willing to die for his principles? Perhaps you don’t…The Constitution is the most advanced legal document that exists, and you would be stupid to ignore it..do you even know what it says? That is a truly REVOLUTIONARY document….
The constitituion doesnt exist its just words on paper. It only exists if? you agree to them
The Constitution is the only thing holding the government back from being a total tyranny. I used to be a? leftist, but now I have seen the truth. The Constitution must be defended and upheld against all enemies, foreign and domestic.
truly eloquent? truth.
Well done Mumia!! I have read about your case on Wikipedia, and I? would relly like to know more! Peace!
5*****? awesome menace
Where do you get these? ? 5*