Black independent party sabotaged by Democrats

Scan page 15

"The crises we face as Black people are the crises of the entire society. They go deep to the very bones and marrow, to the essential nature of America's economic, political, and cultural systems. They are the natural end product of a society built on the twin foundations of white racism and white capitalism.

"A Black Political Convention, indeed all truly Black politics, must begin from this truth: The American system does not work for the masses of our people, and it cannot be made to work without radical fundamental change (indeed, this system does not really work in favor of humanity or anyone in America).

"Both parties have betrayed us whenever their interests conflicted with ours (which has been most of the time). ..."

So declares the founding document of the National Black Independent Political Party (NBIPP), a party that was founded by 1500 activists at a convention in Philadelphia in November 1980 and that had close to a fouryear existence.

The NBIPP charter is one of the most aggressive, anti-imperialist, and anti-capitalist documents of its kind. It clearly defines the need for Blacks as well as all working people to make a break from the twin parties of the capitalists, the Democrats and Republicans.

The NBIPP charter also includes demands for full employment; jobs for all; an end to racist job practices; an end to plant closings, the repeal of "right-to-work" laws; and the call for massive public-works programs, affirmative-action programs, free education, job-training programs, and health-care programs.

Another striking aspect of the NBIPP program is the section on women's rights. There is no Black organization or labor union that has such a strong policy in support of the rights of women. Among other points, the program states that NBIPP will fight against all constitutional or legal barriers to abortion upon demand.

A "dual strategy"

More important than what an organization writes, however, is what it does. And NBIPP, in its brief existence, failed to implement its charter. It failed, in this sense, to fulfill its tremendous potential.

The reasons for NBIPP's failure are not hard to find: The leadership of NBIPP perpetuated a "dual strategy" of having one foot in NBIPP and one foot in the Democratic Party. It was this violation of the political orientation laid out in its charter that kept NBIPP locked into the two-party framework.

Because of this incorrect strategy, NBIPP was never able to run its own candidates against the Democrats and Republicans. It was never given the chance to implement its charter. In fact, it never functioned as a political party in any real sense. Consequently, most people never even knew of its existence.

When Jesse Jackson decided to organize his (continued on page 7)

16 SOCIALIST ACTION FEBRUARY 1989 Michael Ochs Archives On June 28, 1964, at a public rally called to launch the Organization of Afro-American Unity, Malcolm X revealed the vast gulf in consciousness and commitment between himself and the many political hucksters and misleaders of Black people. He stated: "We won't organize any Black man to be a Democrat or a Republican because both of them have sold us out."

In his famous "Ballot or the Bullet" speech, he said, "You put the Democrats tirst ana ine vemocrats put you iast.не cnaracierizea ine role playea by lead ll lla alana different segments of the Democratic Party as "a giant political con game" that keeps Blacks politically impotent by keeping them in its clutches.

Malcolm was also anti-capitalist. He characterized capitalism as a system that "needs some blood to suck" in order to survive. He realized that the capitalist system dominates the political structure in this country and that it must be eliminated here and around the world in order for real liberation to come into existence.

If Malcolm X were alive today, his record proves that he would be involved in the many Innal natinnal and intornatinnal hattlafrante amainct annroceinn_ from Harlem to Central America to South Africa to the Middle East. m mary lus blur, dl tetral ar dallanunlo ayaro uppitssivn Above all, Marcoim x was an uncompromising revolutionary. He aavocatea ! --- -18 •A -I-- l._ 1/.... _.... -al.-. -1-.. that the world's oppressed free themselves totally from all forms of oppression and take control of their lives and destiny By Any Means lecessary. —KWAME M.A. SOMBURU

----- pull-quotes -----

MALCOLM May 19, 1925-Feb. 21, 1965