The Millions For Reparations Rally: A Grand Success (delusional alert)

The Black World Today ^ | 8/25/2002 | Conrad W. Worrill

[pupdog]

It was a grand success because more than 50,000 African people, from 66 cities, representing 38 states, participated in the first historic rally and demonstration, singularly focusing on the issue of reparations and demanding reparations from the United States Government that ?They Owe Us!?

Thousands more African people who were unable to attend the rally participated in their local areas by passing out flyers, putting up posters, participating in local reparations rallies and forums, and helping to raise money to support this historic event. The Millions For Reparations Mass Rally was called by the Durban 400, led by the December 12th Movement, based in Brooklyn, New York and the National Black United Front, headquartered in Chicago, Illinois.

Last summer, the Durban 400 (382 Black people from throughout the United States) participated in the United Nations World Conference Against Racism (WCAR) that was held in Durban, South Africa, where more than 15,000 people attended from more than 160 countries. Our participation in the WCAR centered around lobbying the governments of the world to include in the language of the conference?s final document that the ?Trans Atlantic Slave Trade, Slavery and Colonialism were Crimes Against Humanity? and that Reparations were owed to the African continent and African people in the Diaspora.

In lobbying the Africa Group (representing 53 African countries) and working with the African Non-Governmental Organizations, we were successful in helping impact the WCAR to include in the Durban Declaration that the ?Trans Atlantic Slave Trade, Slavery and Colonialism were Crimes Against Humanity? and African people were owed Reparations.

It was suggested, in Durban, that we should take advantage of the momentum generated by the worldwide discussion on the question Reparations ignited at the WCAR and call for a Millions For Reparations Rally.

In December of 2001, the Durban 400 officially made ?The Call? for the Millions For Reparations Mass Rally. Just a note: It was never intended or expected that a million African people in America would attend the rally. However, it was our contention that at this stage of the Reparations Movement, millions of African people in America support the idea that African people in America are owed Reparations. Therefore, we appealed to representatives of those millions to participate in this rally and they did.

The Millions For Reparations Mass Rally was a grand success because we said we wanted to mobilize grassroots people on the ground throughout America, to help educate, inform, and energize everyday Black people in America to take ownership of the Reparations Movement. The Millions For Reparations Mass Rally helped contribute to the growth of the grassroots component of the Reparations Movement, thus creating the embryonic stage of building a Black Mass Reparations Movement in America.

In this regard, we were able to de-emphasize stars and celebrities being the fundamental character of the rally. Instead, we were successful in making the ?STAR? of the rally, the issue of Reparations itself.

Another extremely important factor in the grand success of the Millions For Reparations Mass Rally was that we were able to raise the necessary finances associated with the rally from everyday Black people in America. We financed this rally ourselves!

The members of the December 12th Movement, the National Black United Front and the Durban 400 worked night and day volunteering in so many ways to make this rally a grand success.

The rally received support from the members of N`COBRA, the New Black Panther Party, the UNIA, MATAH, the Nation of Yisrael, The House of the Lord Church, Trinity United Church of Christ, Congressman John Conyers, Councilman Charles Barron, Councilwoman Sandy Allen, Alderman Lionel Baptiste, Dr. Ron Daniels of the Institute of the Black World, Henry English of the Black United Fund of Illinois, Bill Merritt of the National Black United Fund, Dr. Carol Adams and the Center for Inner City Studies of Northeastern Illinois University, and State Senator Donne Trotter and a host of other grassroots organizations and leaders from around the country. Also, the Black Press and Black radio stations helped get the word out.

The Honorable Louis Farrakhan and the Nations of Islam provided a key element in the Millions For Reparations Rally?s success.

Finally, the Millions For Reparations Mass Rally was a success because of the youth participation and organizing efforts. The youth involvement in the rally was indeed inspiring. The elders in our movement were proud of the work our youth performed to make the Millions For Reparations Mass Rally a grand success.

We want to thank everyone who made the Millions For Reparations Mass Rally a grand success. We will report in future articles the post rally follow-up program of action.

[pupdog]

My high estimate of 10,000 people was higher than anyone else's. Some media talked about the "hundreds" that showed up for this.

Really, is there even any need for comment? Is it not clear from this that Mr. Worrill would have called it a "grand success" if only he and his roommate showed up for this?

There's another article on the site from someone who is a little more lucid in looking at this, and who basically says, "Uh guys, this isn't working." Tis a shame that not everyone can do such a good job as this in discarding their filters.

[Militiaman7]

Did you ever post the Kill Whitey Tshirt picture?

[pupdog]

Did you ever post the Kill Whitey Tshirt picture?

I'm still waiting for it to come back from the photo developers (took the wrong roll in, doh!) Don't worry: if it comes out, I'll definitely be posting that pic here. If it exists I should have it here by the weekend at the latest.

[Militiaman7]

Thanks

[What Is Ain't]

If this article is representative of the tone and accuracy of this 'zine I propose a name change to: "The Black World Yesterday."

[Pylot]

I am delighted that the notion of reparations is finally getting the light of day.

You see, I have documented proof that some of my ancestors actually died to secure the freedom of these oppressed blacks and I have long wondered to whom I should send a bill for the services of my ancestors.

I feel it is my honor bound duty to see that justice is done.

And 40 acres and a mule ain't gonna cut it.

[upchuck]

The Honorable Louis Farrakhan

Uh-huh.

[BIGZ]

Someone should teach these people history. The slave trade was was originally from Arica East by the Muslim nations not from Africa West as seems to be the perception at the rally. I would go after the Muslims first as they are the primary cause of slaves being taken from from Africa.

To put it all in perspective over 3.5 million slaves went to Brazil alone as opposed to the 430,000 that were landed in North America.

. The blacks that came to North America won the Lottery. In no other country in the World do Blacks have the opportunity that is available to them in the US. Education, Senators , Congressmen, Lawyers, Judges, Businessmen, on and on.

[IronJack]

This lie will be allowed to percolate through the news establishment until it assumes a legitimacy it doesn't deserve. The actual number, from eyewitness accounts, was closer to 5,000. Now, since liberals all have two faces, I can see how that number could jump to 10,000. But even drinking the electric kool-aid that this ilk does, you can't get 50,000 from that crowd.

Unless some of Calypso Louie's spaceship brethren were visiting.

[A CA Guy]

That was more like 5,000,000 people, wasn't it? LOL

[Phantom Lord]

Every media estimate I saw of the numbers put it in "the hundreds" and one even said it was "A couple hundred".

[Corin Stormhands]

My high estimate of 10,000 people was higher than anyone else's.

I was packing for vacation, but when I flipped through the channels and caught the "crowd" my estimation was about three hundred. But I can't find any pictures that show a full shot of the "crowd."

I did find this from PMSNBC: Aug. 19 — Labeled “Millions for Reparations,” Saturday’s rally at the Mall in Washington was attended not by millions, but a crowd estimated at several hundred to several thousand. Some will doubtless interpret the low turnout at an event organized to press the demand for compensation to the more than 12 million American citizens who are descendants of African slaves as evidence of indifference. They will be wrong.

They can spin it anyway they want. But what they have is an idea whose time won't come.

[spodefly]

50,000???

When they are done "kicking down the doors", "slapping"/"killing whitey", "taking what whites own them", and are living in "that house on the hill with a 2002 coupe de ville", maybe then they will get around to learning how to count.

[Pagey]

" Being a Victim is a one time event,not a Lifestyle "

Ohhhhh,that is good,I mean Great.That statement should be on T-Shirts,Billboards,Bumperstickers.The question should be:What is the Major difference between Republican and Democratic Dogma? Answer: "Well,For A Republican Being a Victim is a one time event,NOT a Lifestyle".Oh my, I can't wait to drop that into a conversation.Thank You!

[spodefly]

I wish I could claim credit for it, but the actual phrase appeared in an article written by a black man in response to the reparations rally ... I did make the graphic below, and the high res version has been printed onto stickers ... they have begun appearing wherever reparations-minded folk tend to gather. :)

[Libloather]

It was never intended or expected that a million African people in America would attend the rally. However, it was our contention that at this stage of the Reparations Movement, millions of African people in America support the idea that African people in America are owed Reparations.

This is so kewl. It's my contention that everyone in America get free cable TV. How many Americans can I get to sign up for that - a few million? Oh, yeah...

[sharkdiver]

Did the "Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan" care to pontifficate upon his current standing on black Muslims in Sudan kidnapping and forcing other black muslims and Christians into slavery. What is his position of muslim and Christian women and teenage little girls being forced to become prostitutes. When can we expect "Minister Farakhan" to travel to Africa to demand reparations for the current people forced in slavery. HHHHMMMMMMM when when when...By the way what college did he study at to be granted the title of minister?

[Guillermo]

50,000 people? LOL, more like 500.

The rally received support from the members of N`COBRA, the New Black Panther Party, the UNIA, MATAH, the Nation of Yisrael, The House of the Lord Church, Trinity United Church of Christ, Congressman John Conyers, Councilman Charles Barron, Councilwoman Sandy Allen, Alderman Lionel Baptiste, Dr. Ron Daniels of the Institute of the Black World, Henry English of the Black United Fund of Illinois, Bill Merritt of the National Black United Fund, Dr. Carol Adams and the Center for Inner City Studies of Northeastern Illinois University, and State Senator Donne Trotter...

OK, add these to the Enemies List, if they're not on there already.

[Higgymonster]

My mother is a genealogist and she found that five of our ancestors died while fighting for the North against slavery. I was just getting ready to sue somebody when she told me that we also had five ancestors who died fighting for the South. I was just getting ready to sue myself but after much deliberation have decided to settle.

Lucky that it wasn't four of one and six of the other or I'd be in court for years and of couse mad about how I've been mistreated.