Editor‘s Note: This was another interview I was really looking forward to. The FTP Movement on the Ning network has plenty of activity but one element stands out heads and shoulders above the crowd, the site originator Bro. Kalonji Changa.
I have watched this busy young man use the democratic power of the Internet to dispel and dislodge the rumour that African men are not concerned with uplifting their own people and other oppressed populations across the world. I admire his tenacity, his organisational skills and the clarity of his political perspective and it shows in his sincere efforts to raise the consciousness and condition of the African Diaspora. Let this brief interview lead you to learn more at the FTP Movement. It‘s more than just another social networking community for African folks, its a movement making inroads in freedom of the African mind. Get on board.
– The Angryindian
Thank you brother Changa for taking time to chat with the readers of Inteligentaindigena Novajoservo.
1) Tell our readers a little about yourself and your African-centered activism:
I am a People’s Advocate, a direct representative of the nameless, faceless, hungry, oppressed, forgotten and the unloved. Working on behalf of the special uninvited guests that society would like to sweep under the rug or eliminate all together – the so-called homeless, the at-risk youth, the political prisoners and other victims of a morally depleted, ruthless establishment. I am also the National Coordinator of The FTP Movement and the East Coast Representative of The Original Black August Organizing Committee.
2) What led to the formation of the FTP Movement on Ning.com? And what is the philosophy behind the acronym “FTP”? :
When Marcus Garvey was on his way to Atlanta Penitentiary he made a statement to a reporter saying, “You may have the lion in the cage, but I left many cubs in the bush”. We consider ourselves the cubs that he left in the bush, and we are all grown up now, and we have not forgotten. The FTP Movement was developed to assist in getting “The Movement Moving”. There has been a whole lot of theory and not enough practice. The FTP Movement is where theory meets practice; minus the empty rhetoric, mindless activism and fashionable militancy. We look at the Liberation Struggle as an ongoing process with reachable goals that could be met through a consistent dedication to resistance. The FTP Movement is a national formation built on love, respect, loyalty, discipline and principled unity. Our mission is to raise political awareness, and engage and inspire people to take an active role in building the community. We have a number of different programs such as The Feed The People Program, Siafu Youth Corps, MOBBB (Mothers of Black and Brown Babies) and Mama’s Army. We established the FTP Ning site as a means to expand our scope of communication, and to correspond with a broad range of others who think beyond the ruling class means of propaganda.
3) What is your evaluation of the Barack Obama presidency thus far? :
Mr. Obama represents a last ditch effort to save the image and the neck of a deteriorating, rotting empire. The tall, dark, charismatic fellow and the program of democratic fascism that he is a willing participant in does not provide the solution, because it is the actual problem. Mr. Obama has proven his allegiance to Israel and the major corporations that run this country and he is not interested in the issues that directly affect neither the original occupants of this land nor the original occupants of this planet. Barack Obama is a representative of the oppressor and as a representative of the oppressor he can do nothing but just that- represent the oppressor and no one can deny that. It’s unfortunate that many of our Brothers and Sisters have been duped into believing that the ‘change’ Barack Obama spoke of was for the betterment of the deprived and subjugated. A smooth orator equipped with slick sound bites and a brilliantly delivered array of speeches; Mr. Obama has yet to address the issues that affect oppressed people. It amazes me to see all of our people who had a strong battle cry for the continent of Africa, now switch tunes as if we have “made it to the mountain top”, simply because there is a Black president in office. Indeed it is cute to see “Black faces in high places”, but as Imam Jamil Al-Amin (H. Rap Brown) put it, “To be Black is necessary, but it ain’t sufficient”.
4) Since the founding of your on-line community, have you noticed any progression in the presence of non-European Internet information? :
I have definitely noticed a progression and in many cases it is refreshing. However, for our people who lack political education and or the ability to research, the lazy reader, will take anything they read as factual.
Unfortunately, counterinsurgency is still in full effect… you have to be critical & analytical. You can’t believe everything you read or hear. In the 60‘s part of Cointelpro was the letter writing campaign, now it‘s the Internet. The Internet is a double edge sword, it‘s a way to get information out, but it’s also the devil‘s playground. Just because you log onto a so-called „Revolutionary“ website, doesn’t mean that it’s not government sponsored and setup to purposely mislead and misinform the people. It doesn’t matter what Freedom Fighter’s name is being used. You have one or two people with 20 websites set up in the name of legitimate forces with the sole purpose of confusing the masses. If you don‘t see the people you deal with online in the community, sometimes you have to treat them like entertainment.
5) Where do you envision African Diasporic media going in light of the power of the Web? :
If done properly, Indigenous people across the globe will be a powerful force that cannot be reckoned with. By locking arms across the web alone we can disseminate pertinent information necessary for our survival. I respect the power move that Aboriginal News Group made just by uniting to push info on comrades like political prisoners Leonard Peltier, Mumia Abu Jamal, Imam Jamil and others; while simultaneously keeping us abreast to situations in Australia, South Africa and other parts of the globe where Original people have a history of resistance. I must say I am honored to be included on the pages of such a powerful propaganda weapon that is being used to alert the masses. We look forward to linking with you all and aiding in the process of properly educating those who desire to be awakened.
6) What is your position on how colonialised and occupied peoples should effectively struggle for their liberation? :
We have to have unified thought and action. It is absolutely imperative that we align ourselves with forces that are sincerely working towards the goal of liberation in a practical way. We cannot afford the luxury of having loose knit coalitions. If you don’t feel it, don’t touch it. If it’s not done right then it’s wrong. It’s as simple as that; there are no gray areas. We have to be disciplined, study together, train together and stay physically fit.
7) In your opinion, how can we as independent media activists encourage our respective peoples to spend more time and their resources on computer literacy and ownership? Also, the trend has been as of late that when most young people of colour do access the net’, they are more involved in entertainment news and producing music than in history, self-awareness and personal development. Can we reverse this trend without offending people simply not interested in liberation issues? :
To encourage our people to invest in computer literacy may be somewhat of a task. In my opinion our main focus in regards to promoting computer literacy should start with the youth. By no means am I saying don’t push it towards our older folks, but I think that since computers are fairly new tools, and with the steady advancement of technology, the youth may grab the concept a little quicker. The Last Poets had a song called “Party and Bullsh*t”, the song is still relevant today because that’s what a lot of the youth are into. So we have to continually create new avenues and find fresh and innovative ways to engage them. Young people are very visual, so we have to utilize more appealing graphics and photos. We have to do as artist/activist Wise Intelligent from the Hip Hop group Poor Righteous Teachers said, “Use the cherry cough drop method”. We have to make it taste so good that they don’t even realize its medicine.
8) What are your plans for the future, especially given the fact that print news media is pretty much at the end of its run? :
On February 15, 2009, The FTP Movement united with The Original Black August Organizing Committee, so we are officially one. We are calling this “The Year of the Ant and the Dragon” So together we are strengthening our ties with groups like Native Youth Movement, Guerrilla Republik and a host of others. With print media on the way out we have the opportunity to be more creative by utilizing tools such as video, cd’s, and even apparel in order to educate and motivate. We have to continue to have political education classes, have panel discussions and promote lectures. We have our own film crew so we are in the process of working on a video magazine. We also deal with a few different Hip Hop artists and poets, so you can expect music and concerts for political prisoners. One project in particular we are working on is “The Free Rap” CD, which is a tribute to H. Rap Brown, we have already received material from several recognized artist. We know that Hip Hop is the biggest phenomenon amongst the youth, so we utilize it to our advantage. Huey P. Newton from The Black Panther Party said, “Power is the ability to define phenomenon and make it act in a desired manner”. I think we will be all right. Asante Sana for the interview. Victory is inevitable.
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IIN sincerely thanks Bro. Changa for taking the time to talk with us. If there is a writer/activist IIN readers think should be interviewed for IANS, please tell us about it at: editor.novajoservo At GmaIl Dot Com.