| When I think of the struggle for equality and freedom for South Africa's majority black population that suffered horribly under Apartheid, a few names come to mind that epitomize that struggle for me. Mandela. Tutu. And Biko.
To my young mind, Biko was larger than life, a rebel with a pen more powerful than a thousand swords, defiantly stating "I write what I like." And he did, in spite of everything the authorities threw at him.
Until that last time he went into detention. That time, he wound up dead. Massive head trauma. The founder of Black Consciousness was beaten unconscious and the prison physician recommended he be transfered to a hospital. Instead he was sent to another prison over 500 miles away, thrown naked and semi-conscious onto the cell floor and left to die.
He was destined to be a martyr even before the Apartheid regime announced he had died as a resolt of a hunger strike. The lie was so egregious that it proved to be the "bridge too far" that brought the wrath of the world to focus on South Africa and the UN Security Council - finally! - got around to imposing an arms embargo.
If the Soweto riots a year before had signaled the beginning of the end, the death of Biko was the point of no return. In less than two decades, Nelson Mandela would not only walk out of prison, he would walk into the presidency and unify his country and put the past behind with forgiveness and peace and reconcilliation.
So I guess that a republican congressional candidate who also writes for Andrew Breitbart's BigGovernment.com website being called on to disassociate from the known race-baiter, liar and propagandist is exactly like the detention and murder of Steven Biko.
My family immigrated to America in the same year that South African police murdered Black Consciousness leader Steve Biko. The racist regime that destroyed him viewed him as a threat because of his simple credo: "I write what I like." Biko understood that freedom of thought and expression were the greatest weapons against tyranny.
Last week, my opponent, Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), called on me to denounce Andrew Breitbart and to end any further association with his website, BigGovernment.com.
Her attack was typical of a corrupt Washington elite that believes it is entitled to tell people what to say and where to say it...
The First Amendment is not a perk for members of Congress and their spouses.
No one said it is, douchebag. She didn't say you can't say any damn-fool thing you like. She asked you to pick a different venue because Breitbart has proven to the entire wold that he is a liar and a race-baiter and a propagandist. And frankly it speaks volumes about anyone who won't disassociate from him.
One more thing before I go...Is anyone else as sick of these fuckers feigning martyrdom and playing the victim like a scene-chewing demi-heroine from a Tennessee Williams play as I am?
Race-baiters co-opting the heroes of movements conservatives oppose, and employing tactics they are quick to denounce in others, is just par for the course for these fucking assholes.
But Biko? Seriously? Dude... |
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