Do we need a "Critical Mass" in order to start a revolution?

[Kala Mujibha]

Do we need a "Critical Mass" in order to start a revolution? If so, why? If not, please explain- historical examples would be helpful in this discussion.

[Kala Mujibha]

I appreciate all the comments on this discussion.

Final thought- no we don't need a "critical mass," as in a large group of people, to start a revolution. We need a well structured, adequate group. Eventually we do want a critical mass to come on board.

The when, where, and how of it... I think that's another thread, so I'll go and post there!

Much appreciations again to everyone who responded to this!

Kala

[rasheedah Mwongozi]

Greetings,

My knowledge in this area is somewhat limited. However, when I was in high school the Black Panther Party was going strong in Oakland. The most we could do was stop hot combing our hair, carry the Panther newspaper in plain sight over our text books, and explain to our white classmates why we were changing so drastically. It was during those days that I gave thought to revolution. I was not familiar with the phrase "critical mass" at the time. I did figure that it would take the majority of the people to start a revolution. I also was not convinced that one could have a revolution in the United States without the army and the police forces on our side. From my meager knowledge of revolutions this seemed to be a common factor among successful revolutions.

In my later years I have come to see that the revolution now has to begin with a revolution in the minds of the people. Being the age that I am I have an idea of how long it takes and how ardous a task it is to encourage and ignite a revolutionary frame of mind in the average person. I have not studied this topic enough to be able to offer any historical examples. I apologize for that. Presently, in the latest pile of books I am reading, "The Art of War" by N. Machiavelli is among the stack. Based on what I have read so far I think it quite possible that I will be further enlightened as to what is necessary in terms of mind set and strategy to have a successful revolution. So far in my reading what I have found most intriguing is his discussions on what the rulers must do to keep the warriors from going to war when the rulers need peace for their own purposes as well as war

I ask your patience if I am somewhat off the mark with this. I have not had such discussions since I was protesting the Viet Nam fiasco in youth.

Love and Gratitude

[Marion Lamar Perryman]

Greetings and Shalem,
Brothers and Sisters of The Critical Mass. This reply was going to be in the Section on Politics/Nationalism but felt a need to respond here.
In response to The question (s) and anwers posed and posited by Sisters Abenaa Taundra, Cicely, Stacy Sekhmet, The Brothers Abdurrahman Nelson, Talib Muhammad, Ayinde, Kala Mujibha and Obadele Kwame Kambon and Others ;
Do we Need A Critical Mass To Start A Revolution ? The Answer is Yes.!
No revolution that produced Biological Freedom and what goes with it has ever been launched or succeeded without one.
Now in the case of the present generation The Revolution has always been ongoing in some shape, form or fashion. Not as successful as it should be but still here nontheless. The answers provided take on 3
critical areas :
1. Media/Communication
2. Knowledge
3. Land
Again, my response will be given as a Political/Nationalist Question as Well. That is Are We Black Americans , Black Africans OR Both ?
This question recieves very different answers from all generations, age groups and backgrounds in Black America.
The answers to Both these questions shows that we have a revolution ongoing but what WE NEED IS AN EVOLUTION.
That is what a true revolution does. It Produces an Evolution. The Basis of this Evolution has to come from a knowledge of Self ( Something that Religions ( Islam-Christianity ) and Darwinism ( Animal Based THEORY
of Human Evolution, CAN NOT Give. WE Can Only get This from SPIRITUALITY AND SCIENCE, The Human Biological Evolutionary Sciences so i will Address The Media/Education, Knowledge and land Issues all at Once.
First of All Our Evolution Now Is to be based On Anthropology, Ethnology, Archaeology, Tribalism and Linguistics. How does this apply to our situation here ? In short WE Need To RECLAIM ALL of Our Ancestral Heritages and not Just Some. The Black American Of Today is A Product of 1. Black Indigenous Native American Indians ( The Cherokee-Seminoles Nation Family ; and 2. West African Tribal Ethnic Peoples.
To make a long story short ( for right now that is! ) The Biological evidence Conclusively Proves that The Native Black, UNMIXED, Indians Inhabited The Southeastern United States, Some of The Island Nations
and Parts of South America long, long, long before columbus Arrived ( and his was not the first whites here either ) . They lived here Among A
Indian and Oriental Native American Population, The ones Now called Latino-Hispanics Today. All Three Racial-Ethnic Groups Inhabited This
Land mass Before European Caucasian Domination in their OWN TERRITORIES and even Nordic Europeans lived in Canada and Northern
United States. That is How They KNEW about Our Ancestors.
When They began Racial, Industrial, Economic Caucasian Imperialism
They Brought over Our West African Ancestors Who MIXED in With Our Native American Black Ancestors and because of " The Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade " ( Forcible Removable, Maafa, the REAL Name of Slave Trade ) , They Began in later times To Call Us ALL "NEGRO" AND AFRICAN-AMERICAN.!
The point of The Matter is that There are Black Peoples on Every Continent in The World and it has ALWAYS Been So For The Longest Periods of Time. There Are Black Africans, Black Asians, Black Europeans, Black Australians, and Black South and North Americans
( Whom We Are ). Therefore to label ourselves as " African-American "
is Misleading in The Sense That WE are Also Native Black Americans BY
BLOOD.!
Now, We Must Also teach ourselves and Our Children that We are The products of West African Canaanite Peoples Whose Tribal-Ethnic Groups Spans the Nations of Egypt, Sumeria, CANAAN_ISRAEL, The ORIGINAL FOUNDERS OF CLASSICAL GREECE in the Mediterranean,
And The West African Empires of Ghana, Mali, Songhai and their Various Satellite Kingdoms.
We must Teach Our Children Black Evolutionary SCIENCE of ANIMISM
and NOT False Darwinism. Animism, The Science of The Ancestors Teaches That Wea Are The Products of The Four Elements and Nature's
Intelligence here.
More Later On.
Hetep.!

[dadieshak]

What we need more than anything is panafrikan solidarity and unity at home and abroad. We are hostage to the google eyed utubed fascist cyber kkklan neophytes who control the net. We need to control our own sites. The racists target progresssive media wherever it may be found on the net and they have developed a sophisticated cyber network that crosses national borders seamlessly. The British BNP and their skinhead geek allies have been active for some time. That is why so many progressive channels and videos are constantly under their racist assault and often banned and shut down.
Do we need a Critical mass?
the answer my friend is blowing in the wind
one love
ras shak
btw thanks for initiating this excellent discussion and all the insightful discourse it has engendered

[Ali Aminifu]

Hotep and greetings, we need to Repatriate! We need to Exodus from this system. Yes, that means, a revolution to go back home, Akebulan. Htp!

[dadieshak]

Our situation is CRITICAL! and all over the diaspora and on our beloved Mother Afrika our people cry out for justice and are suffering under colonial and neo colonial intrigues. We fight or die!
The time has come for our people to make a stand for our ancestors, the present generation and for those to come. Revolution in Cuba began with a rag tag force of 12. The revolutionary zeal is infectious and spreads like wildfire as was the case in Haiti and Cuba. The critical mass is really the courage to make a stand and when our people see courage in us it inspires courage in them. The revolution has already begun and it will not be televised or blogged. We just need to get on board.
Free the Land!
A Luta Continua!