The Middle of the Ring

                                                                                                  Supreme D. Dow

Where is the movement?

The movement to end racism and the oppression of Black and poor people in the United States and world.

I’m not asking about a program, an initiative, a theology or philosophy.

Where is the movement?

A verb: the action based collective aspiration, and mobilization to liberate.

We have a growing Christian church ministry in this country that builds magnificent structures and “Temples of God” that attracts tens of thousands of members every week. That’s a movement – a movement of Black people going to church every Sunday.

There is a prison system that receives thousands of inmates daily from across this country and houses hundreds of thousands if not millions of young Black men and women. That’s a movement – a mobilization of our young into the prison industrial complex.

Each and every week I watch, as bearded muslim men and garbed muslim women travel to and fro – on Fridays setting up vending stands prior to and after Jumah services.

Is all of this a movement?

Where is the Movement?

Black nationalists write academic papers on the intracies of oppression and racism; Five Percenters draw up the predicament of Black folk in heavy mathematics and scientific terms; Revolutionaries make noise, movies, and rallies to free all political prisoners;

and all of this is, yet, independent, isolated, demarcated movement.

But where is the unified network and collaborative effort to stop the killing of Black youth by their peers and police?

Where is the movement,

the action

the drive

to move some of the money tithed to the church; collected before and after Jumah;

drawn up from high science; and raised by revolutionaries

to stop the bleeding and loss of life that plagues our cities

because of mis-education, poverty and self hatred –

All perpetuated by way of a racist and classist state,

enforced by a three branch government that rambles on and on

about balancing a budget and reforming entitlement programs?

A movement

not a new CDC

pop warner football league for at-risk youth

no book-bag giveaway initiative

or free turkey bag and trimmings before thanksgiving

Where is the movement that has teeth

and bites and rips at the core of what causes our children to be so bitter and un-loving?  Where is the movement that grabs and shakes, and paralyzes racists and neo-capitalists?

Where is the movement that is grown from the streets and transforms the country?

We need a movement –

religion in the streets

philosophy guiding the intentions

high science dropped by the wise

and change, a reality.

 

Where are our movement people?

Have we lost them to religion

culture

science

philosophy

and universities?

Have we stymied the growth and extinguished the fire in the bellies of our youth that so desperately want and need a better life?

Have we all just retreated to our respective corners, leaving the middle of the ring and the depths of our hearts vacant, only to be occupied by the fighting of a left or right – wing – who need to control and condense our lives and communities?

We need Movement people!

People of action;

people who wear timberlands to go to work

people who don suits to sit by the door, and act

people who wear hooded sweatshirts

not to hide their identity,

but to keep warm

because the rumble is in the street – the middle of the ring.

We need movement people who do more than recite hip-ass poetry

and underground rap lyrics.

We need movement people

that can and will do more than write tight program proposals and mission statements.

Movement people move and act as they articulate.

Movement people organize, plan, come together, then get in your face and challenge

and don’t play it safe.

Movement people are young

old

pastors

imams

deacons

rebels

thugs

just released

husbands

wives

girlfriends

homies

ceo’s

city workers

the un-employed

under-employed and

gainfully employed-

thinkers, but doers,

planners, but risk takers.

Movement people aren’t convinced by a meeting

or conned and calmed by a politician

and they stand in awe of no one.

Where are our Movement people?

Where is the Movement?

Who is in charge here?

 

Can I speak to the person in charge, ‘cause I see no movement, no leadership as a people. No movement toward a common goal or destiny.

 

All I see is talkers

thinkers

writers

rappers

pontificators

politicians and pols on tv –

we don’t need them.

they are tired and worn out.

 

For this movement, we need movement people!

 

Calling all movement people!

Calling all movement people!

Time to stand up and do something.

Calling all movement people!

We meet and move tonight.