Looking at the stated goal of COINTELPRO on a whim today (wanted to make a post about why the movie's titled Judas and the BLACK MESSIAH and how they wanted to prevent the rise of a "BLACK MESSIAH") and just thinking about their 4th point for the program.

Namely this:

Now class, do these tactics look... familiar to you? Do the actions and words and goals of political punditry and politicians remind you of this?

It's all a part of the playbook.

The other part I want you to focus on is the phrase "black nationalist" or nationalism and the way they describe and speak about it and what and who they choose to label as a black nationalist.

In the document, they name Kwame Ture (nee Stokely Carmichael), Malcolm X, and Elijah Muhammed - all scary men to them that may tip the fight of racial justice due to their radicalism.

But they also name Dr. King as a potential threat. Why is this important?

Because no matter your respectability - in the eyes of the system, your community, and bystanders - if you aim to push for Black liberation and class solidarity, you will be treated as a threat.

(Hell, they'll even conscript your corpse to their fight after they kill you on some 'We love Dr. King, bullshit)

So fuck respectability. Do whatever it takes to reach the mountaintop. Be as grimy as you need because they have no qualms with those tactics and have no conscience.

And that's my muhfuggin' TEDTalk for today.