We hear very often that only two options are on the table for Black voters in the United States: Kamala Harris or Donald Trump. But could other choices be available?
In this exclusive interview with African Stream, Onyesonwu Chatoyer, a member of @aaprpinternational (@aaprp on X) and @hoodcommunist, raises the possibility of organising for collective worldwide African liberation as a viable option beyond voting for Democratic or Republican candidates that ultimately work against the interests of the entire African diaspora, with drone strikes, police violence and Congolese child slavery being a few examples.
What Chatoyer lays out is in the tradition of many revolutionary Pan-Africanists, such as Malcolm X (1925-65) and Kwame Ture (1941-98), who worked tirelessly to organise African communities in the United States. Pan-Africanists advocate for a strong, unified African continent to protect Africans worldwide.
‘I’m not a Democrat. I’m not a Republican. And, I don’t even consider myself an American,’ said Malcolm X in his famous ‘The Ballot or the Bullet’ (3 April 1964) speech. At another moment, he said, ‘Our hope is in a strong Africa. When Africa is strong, our position in America will be one of respect.’
A unified Pan-African state could issue sanctions or cut off trade with any country that harms the African diaspora. Malcolm X once explained this using the example of China, which the United States has made an enemy, allowing Sinophobic racism to rise in the US. However, US police forces would not be able to get away with massacring Chinese people because China could retaliate.
What do you think of Chatoyer’s position? Let us know in the comments below.
Source:
http://www.edchange.org/multicultural/speeches/malcolm_x_ballot.html
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=445989550009026
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Do you have a substack? How can we support the channel