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Black Panther Party — Part 23
Page 45
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page 2 - In Defensé of Self Defense (June 20, 1967)
Without this oil the machinery cannot function. We are the @riving
shaft: we are in such a strategic position in this machinery that, once
once we become dislocated, the functioning of tiie remainder of the ma-
chinery breaks down.
Penned up in the ghettos of America, surrounded by his. factories
and all the physical components of his economic system, we have been
made into "the wretched of the earth," who are relegated to the po-
sition of spectators while the white racists run their international
con game on the suffering peoples. We have been brainwashed to be~
lieve that we are poworless and that there is nothing we can do for
ourselves to bring about a speedy liberation for our people. We
have been taught that we must please our opproasors, that we are only
ten per cent of the population, and therefore, we must confine our _
tactics to categories calculated not to disturb the sleep of our tor-
mentors. om
The power structure inflicts pain and brutality upon the peoples
ana then provides controlled outlets foxy the pain in ways least likely
to upset them or interfere with the process of exploitation. The
people must repudiate the channels established as tricks and deceit-
ful snares by ‘the exploiting oppressors. The peeple must oppose every-
thing the oppressor supports and support everything that he opposes.
If Black people go about their struggle for liberation in the way
that the oppressor dictates and sponsors, then we will have degen-
erated to the level of grovelling flunkies for the oppressor himself.
When the oppressor makes a vicious attack against freedom fighters
because of the way that such freedom fighters chvose to co about their
liberation, then we now we are moving in the direction of our libera-
tion. The racist dog oppressors have no rights which oppressed Black
peonle are bound to respect. As long as the racist dogs pollute the
earth with the evil of their actions, they do not deserve any respect
at all, and the rules of their game, written in the people's blood,
are beneath contempt.
She oppressor itust be harassed until his depm. He must have no
peace by day or nicht. The slaves have always outnumbered the slave-
masters, The power of the oppressor rests upon the submission of the
peopic. When Black people really unite and rise up in all their
splendid millions, they will have the strength to smash injustice.
We do not understand the power in our nunbers. We are millions and
millions of Black people scattcred across the continent and through-
out the Western hemisphere. There are more Black people in America
that the total population of many countries that now enjoy full men-
bership in the United HRations. They have power and their pover is
based primarily on the fact that-they are organized and unitcd with
each other. They are recognized by the powers of the world.
We, with all our numbers, are recognized by no one. In fact, we
ae ot recognize our owm selves. We are unaware of the potential
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