Prison Radio
Mumia Abu-Jamal

It is tempting to view the nation’s first Black president, after 5 years in power, as George W. Obama.

Former president, G.W. Bush, was the very essence of neo-conservatism; quick to war, averse to peace, a holiday for the rich, a nightmare for the poor.

President Obama, the essence of neoliberalism, has echoed Bush’s martial spirit, and has been the benefactor of Wall Street, and the banks, while millions – millions! – have suffered from foreclosures.

In his recent speech after the painful denouement of the Trayvon Martin trial, the president hit some good points about the case, then came up empty when it came to action, saying, essentially, ‘there’s little I can do’!

Amazing.

The presidency of the U.S. Empire is, among politicians, the most powerful and most coveted post on earth.

‘There’s little I can do’!

The problems facing Black America are massive and, frankly, overwhelming, and, from cradle to a quick grave, the nation is at war with Black boys. The schools are primers for prison, and streets are doorways into danger and, far too often, disaster.

Notice the words that never passed his lips: mass incarceration; the prison-industrial-complex; the historic and unprecedented loss of over half of the nation’s Black wealth via unjust and illegal foreclosures.

The President does what the President wants to do.

George W. Bush made that clear every day of his presidency, and except for his social security reform (which, thankfully, never came to pass), he hit many of his policy objectives.

He fought for what he and his supporters wanted. Period.

This president, cool as a rule, has said what he couldn’t do.

See the difference?

Black America is on fire.

Isn’t it time someone put it out?