I have a dream: For Liberation from the Congo to Palestine – at an MLK rally in Mineola (which marked 100 days of the ongoing genocide in Gaza) where I was honored to speak about the “triple evils” of racism, poverty, and militarism, and reference the work of both Dr. King and Cedric Robinson who taught us the meaning and deadly implications of racial capitalism:
“Racial capitalism explains why the US and UK are bombing Yemen to protect shipping lanes, but refuse to protect the lives of Brown children in Gaza.
Racial capitalism explains why the House passed a $14.5 billion package in additional aid to Israel. The understanding is that Israel will spend that money on US bombs, and redirect taxpayers’ money (which is publicly owned) into private pockets.
Racial capitalism is why the impulse to ‘empty’ Gaza went hand in hand with bids for gas exploration along its coastline.
In the same way, the intersection between racism, the creation of ethnic divisions by colonial powers, and non-stop capitalist extraction, has led to horrors in the Congo.
In Sudan too, the atrocities that we are seeing emerge from a divide and rule policy that created conflict and facilitated colonial theft.
Whether it’s the domestic policing of Blacks, immigrants, and Muslims, increased incarceration and border security, or racist wars such as the war on terror or the war on drugs, we always return to the unholy alliance between racism, economic exploitation, and military violence.”
Thank you dear Farhana Islam for inviting me and thank you dear Nia Adams for introducing me to Farhana <3
