( The convention is at the Uhuru House, 1245 18th Ave. South St. Petersburg, FL 33705 : MAP )
Uhuru! Sisters & Brothers,
The urgency to build for this year’s monumental 2008 International InPDUM Convention is before us. The 2008 Convention follows in full force following the African People’s Socialist Party sponsored African Liberation Day in which the theme was, "The Ballot or The Bullet."
The Presidential campaign of Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and John McCain have spoken not a single word about ending public policies of police containment or reparations to the African families left homeless through the sub-prime mortgage economic attack on the African community. Let us not be mistaken, this Convention is not one that will be used to attack one black politician, but instead it will be used to help mobilize our forces to make sure Barack Obama’s black face is not mistaken for Black Power and that we understand what we will have to do to achieve Black Power.
So if you haven’t guessed already, the InPDUM 2008 Convention is a call for Black Power! A call for an end to all policies of police containment, a call to work in conjunction with all organizations fighting for power in our own hands, self-determination, and community control. The Ballot has been thrown out the window as we move from African Liberation Day into our Uhuru Summer Against State Terror in conjunction with the APSP, recognizing that white power in Black face is not the answer to the constant state of terror the African community lives in daily.
At this years Convention be ready to hear reports from all the Branches of InPDUM, a keynote presentation from our Founder, Chairman Omali Yeshitela, numerous workshops on strengthening our political education, outreach capacity and membership sustainability. Be ready to be called to participate in new ways to build organizational resources while simultaneously getting the word out about InPDUM and black power, so that we have the capacity to strike back against the STATE and develop programs of dual and contending power, and much more.
This convention will be held in the heart of the city where InPDUM’s Campaign to bring Justice for Javon Dawson is underway. Javon Dawson, at the young age of 17, did not get to celebrate his graduation for long, because the State was there to implement their terror on the African community of St. Pete and the world, when he, like Sean Bell, was murdered in cold-blood, this time in St. Petersburg, by St. Petersburg Police Department Officer Terrance Nemeth. St. Petersburg Police department backed up Officer Nemeth’s wrath when they maintained his employment and changed their story several times to cover up this murder, following this brutal attack. This campaign is being used to highlight State Terror around the country, including similar police orchestrated murders of Sean Bell, Kiehl Coppin, 92 year old Kathryn Johnston, and the brutalization of the Philly 3, among countless others. Also significant in these attacks is the ability of the State to reinforce such terror by acquitting officers involved and in the case of Sean Bell, not even allowing a trial by jury.
InPDUM will be on the ground during the convention to help initiate protest and demands in St. Petersburg supporting the efforts of the Justice for Javon Dawson Campaign and to win the masses of African people to political action through InPDUM.
Organize to bring this Dynamic, Historic, Informative, and Powerful Convention to say the least, to its full capacity! We look forward to holding this convention in the City of African Resistance, in our very own Uhuru House, the foundation of the Uhuru Movement!
