People of color, mainly African Americans, are a people forged through the fires of Hell while resisting every step of the way with hope that Heaven exists somewhere for them. Since the onset of this nation, and I mean since its independence from Great Britain, Africans and people of color have been subjected to all forms of terror: psychological, environmental, emotional, economical, and spiritual. From the wake of slavery to the tomb of postmodern postindustrial capitalism, people of color have pushed back against the forces of white supremacy, imperialism, colonialism, and patriarchal sexism in as many ways possible. This ranges from outright violence, a slave killing her master or more contemporary, a fast food worker going on strike for higher wages. However, because of inadequate planning, strategy, and tactics, we remain largely powerless and subjugated by American terrorism.

I find it extremely disingenuous and hypocritical that the government of the United States of America lectures the world on glib words such as “democracy,” “free elections,” “terrorism,” and “humanitarianism.” Malcolm X once said it is no shame to have once been a criminal or even have been incarcerated, but the real shame is remaining a criminal. The USA started out a criminal nation, they were breaking the laws of the Englishmen who ruled over them. They felt the laws were unjust and they were terroristic towards laymen and the wealthy. So they rebelled and fought for their freedom. Fighting against man made law is one thing however, the acts of genocide and utter human debasement perpetrated on Africans and Indigenous Americans was unprecedented and the most criminal. Not only were bodies destroyed, but languages were lost, families fractured, and worst of all souls, selves, and egos became steadfastly assaulted to this day.

Terrorism became ingrained into the American fabric, so much so that it was not only codified by law, but it was celebrated and set as the norm for the rest of the “New” World. From the rape of females and at rare times even males, imposition of colonialist English language and customs, controlling of spirituality by way of Eurocentric Christianity, and segregating the economy through capitalism terrorism has become our everyday “norm.” But what normal people live under terrorism 24/7 and what are the effects of such a condition? In war, children often suffer from post traumatic stress syndrome due to witnessing so many deaths and being in a literal Hell, for what else is war? Imagine how our ancestors must have dealt with such brash terrorism. Imagine how a mother would deal with knowing that her family would be forever fractured and her children’s father is not the man she loves, but the man who owns her existence and rapes her whenever he pleases. Imagine waking up to find out that your next door neighbor didn’t die of natural causes but he was tortured, had his penis cut off and his limbs dismembered alive and then hung after enduring all that pain. How does that affect a family or even a generation?

Culture is one way to fight back, and one way that people of color have employed effectively and not so effectively. Our culture must be made suspect as well, because it was forged in the fire of Hell and it may be tainted with the Devil’s will. However, people of color have found ways of surviving regardless of what was placed on their doorstep, even if it was a piece of their family’s body. This is where resistance comes in. Historically we have had certain periods where a culture of resistance was prevalent and we did make notable gains as human beings living under a white supremacist fascist state. From the Underground Railroad to Dream Defenders, we have made our culture one of constantly subverting the system that oppresses us. Today our culture has been co-opted and reproduced by the mechanism of capitalism, racism, and sexism; it has been fed back to us with a golden spoon that was spray painted poorly and chips lead into our bodies.

How do we fight back? One may imagine that visceral image of the Black Panthers with guns and leather jackets striking fear into everyone, even the community at times. However, this is not the 1970’s or 60’s. Our culture has been infused with a cool factor that gives us flair but no substance. The images of the Panthers that are most commonly promulgated are prior to 1967, afterwards they toned down their image because they realized they were scaring community members out of becoming Panthers because they came off as being superheros, when in fact they were ordinary people just tired of taking shit from this system. So in this post industrial age our tools must be assessed and polished to the betterment of our people in the struggle against American terrorism. This is not meant to be a comprehensive list but a mere introduction to get ideas and creativity flowing, something that has been also stifled by capitalism and racism.

1. The black church has grown exponentially over the years. In every ghetto people of color come together for God, and there is nothing wrong with this except that they do not come together for the community. I mean that while public schools are closing and young men are being assassinated and assaulted the black church not only remains quiet, but they blame the victims. Yes, I know, dealing with young people who are nihilistic can be taxing on the soul, but if you are really trying to walk with God then walk with the oppressed. Look no further than your community. Open your space, which is tax deductible, to be a safe haven for youth, LGBT and queer folks who suffer the most terror daily, students who the school system failed, and most importantly do not try to force feed them your religious dogma. If they see your actions then you will not have to say anything. They will not have to ponder about God, they will see God’s creations – us – in action as her vicegerents here on earth.

2. Stop shaming the culture we have now. Use it to transform the community through the arts. So young girls are twerking and young men are vying to be rappers and ball players or murdering one another. Don’t shame them but look to create avenues to redirect that energy. The energy and will are already there so why not use it more productively and revolutionary? I find creating a common cause or uniform is most effective, like a snapback or t-shirt campaign, or using Hip Hop. Also, when you use these things focus on the existential problems not the lofty or exoteric.

3. Get politically educated. Build a black book library or social media that focuses on where we have been, before and after coming to America. In this day and age you needn’t know everything about Africa or even African American history, there are plenty of bloggers active and websites that have readily available information, some of it already pre-packaged. If we don’t know what the plight consists of, where it came from, and who our enemy is then we will never end this reign of terror unless the world ends through nuclear war first.

America is a terroristic nation. It did not just own slaves, it was a slave society. Slavery and genocide among many other crimes against humanity were not only perpetrated here but echoed throughout the colored worlds of Asia and Africa as well as the islands of the sea. It is time we wage our own war on terror. It is time we take the steps necessary to begin to see ourselves as historical figurines in a battle against the same forces that subjugated our ancestors just a generation ago. We have only been able to vote for about 50 years or so, so technically we have only been full citizens for half a century. We must, as now nominally full citizens take control of our destiny by planting seeds of dissent and building gardens of revolution. The lesser battle is in the violent confrontations of the state, the truly greater battle, the revolution, will take place within and within the invisible walls of the ghettoes.