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COMMENTARY: Them Texas Chickens!!!

NNPA NEWSWIRE — “If Malcolm was alive today, he would tell you that the chickens have come home to roost again. Dallas Texas, specifically the very spot where Kennedy was killed is a heavily visited landmark. However, the sites at Southerland Springs, El Paso and the twin cities of Midland and Odessa will mark the notable gravesites that hate has unearthed.”

Published

6 years ago

September 5, 2019

Oakland Post

Martin Luther King and Malcolm X waiting for press conference, March 26, 1964. (Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA [Public domain] / Wikimedia Commons)

Quit Playin !

By Vincent L. Hall, Activist, author award-winning writer

Many historians have tried to dilute the power of Malcolm X’s frankness by comparing him to Martin Luther King Jr. Not only is that an unfair comparison, but it’s a useless argument. When it was all said and done, both men had their own strategies of liberating Black and poor people in America and humankind around the world.

During a time when America was at its absolute worst, shortly after the assassination of the prince of Camelot, a/k/a President John Fitzgerald Kennedy, Malcolm X made an angry analogy that is still heralded as one of the vilest and most contemptuous public statements ever made.

The Minister delivered “vocal Tweets” that rivaled Donald Trump. This one created unfathomable fear among the Nation of Islam and the Honorable Elijah Muhammad. In the “Autobiography of Malcolm X,” as told to Alex Haley, Malcolm X excitedly exegetes his use of a well-known agricultural metaphor: “Chickens coming home to roost.”

“It was as I saw it, a case of the chickens coming home to roost. I said that the hate in White men had not stopped with the killing of defenseless black people, but that hate, allowed to spread unchecked, had finally struck down this country’s chief magistrate.”

Malcolm X later doubled down on that statement by adding another quintessential quip. “If you stick a knife in my back nine inches and pull it out six inches, that’s not progress. If you pull it all the way out, that’s not progress. The progress comes from healing the wound that the blow made. America hasn’t even begun to pull the knife out. They won’t even admit the knife is there.”

If Malcolm was alive today, he would tell you that the chickens have come home to roost again. Dallas, Texas, specifically, the very spot where Kennedy was killed is a heavily visited landmark. However, the sites at Southerland Springs, El Paso and the twin cities of Midland and Odessa will mark the notable gravesites that hate has unearthed.

And all the while you have a sitting president who can’t wrap his mind around the notion that the hateful chickens in his own barnyard will eventually come back on him and this nation. No family — no matter how big the name or the signs that bear their name — can avoid them chickens. Them chickens venture out, but any old farm boy will admit that they always come home to roost.

Twenty hours before the law would allow Texans to carry their 22 rifles to Sunday-go-to-meeting worship services, them chickens came back to roost in West Texas for the second time in one calendar month.

Everyone acts surprised, but we know we got chickens. Texas has been pimped so well by the National Rifle Association that Governor Greg Abbott once tweeted that he was embarrassed that California had higher gun sales than the Lone Star State. Well, we used to be the Lone Star State. These fools are shooting up anything that looks like it’s shining now. Texans are learning to take cover.

Statistically, Texas has 1.2 million residents holding concealed handgun permits, and there is no prohibition of shotguns and rifles on its books. According to a Dallas Morning News article, Texas regularly receives a failing grade, and we should.

“The strong gun-rights state predictably gets an “F” from the Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, primarily because it does not require universal background checks on all gun purchases, including private sales and purchases at gun shows.

Meanwhile, the pump-action pimps at the NRA described the legislature that delivered the September 1, round of laws as “highly successful.”

Landlords can no longer ban weapons from their units. I wonder how many poor people would be saved if their run-down tenements banned weapons. Churches have no say. Pastor Robert Jeffress of Dallas’ First Baptist should welcome the “six-shooters” into his regular Sunday misinterpretation of scripture. His members need to fend off them social justice warriors whom he claims Jesus never authorized as an official Christian posse.

Foster homes and school parking lots are fair game. The bought and paid for harlots at the 86th Legislative session were even kind enough to make legal provisions for a carrier who may have “accidentally” carried where they shouldn’t have. In its next session, it will probably pardon licensees who kill accidentally.

Them chickens is coming to roost and the only advice Malcolm would give you; is to DUCK!

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#NNPA BlackPress

Black Feminist Movement Mobilizes in Response to National Threats

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — More than 500 Black feminists will convene in New Orleans from June 5 through 7 for what organizers are calling the largest Black feminist gathering in the United States.

Published

7 days ago

May 30, 2025

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown
Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent

More than 500 Black feminists will convene in New Orleans from June 5 through 7 for what organizers are calling the largest Black feminist gathering in the United States. The event, led by the organization Black Feminist Future, is headlined by activist and scholar Angela Y. Davis. Paris Hatcher, executive director of Black Feminist Future, joined Black Press USA’s Let It Be Known to outline the mission and urgency behind the gathering, titled “Get Free.” “This is not just a conference to dress up and have a good time,” Hatcher said. “We’re building power to address the conditions that are putting our lives at risk—whether that’s policing, reproductive injustice, or economic inequality.” Hatcher pointed to issues such as rising evictions among Black families, the rollback of bodily autonomy laws, and the high cost of living as key drivers of the event’s agenda. “Our communities are facing premature death,” she said.

Workshops and plenaries will focus on direct action, policy advocacy, and practical organizing skills. Attendees will participate in training sessions that include how to resist evictions, organize around immigration enforcement, and disrupt systemic policies contributing to poverty and incarceration. “This is about fighting back,” Hatcher said. “We’re not conceding anything.” Hatcher addressed the persistent misconceptions about Black feminism, including the idea that it is a movement against men or families. “Black feminism is not a rejection of men,” she said. “It’s a rejection of patriarchy. Black men must be part of this struggle because patriarchy harms them too.” She also responded to claims that organizing around Black women’s issues weakens broader coalitions. “We don’t live single-issue lives,” Hatcher said. “Our blueprint is one that lifts all Black people.”

The conference will not be streamed virtually, but recaps and updates will be posted daily on Black Feminist Future’s YouTube channel and Instagram account. The event includes performances by Tank and the Bangas and honors longtime activists including Billy Avery, Erica Huggins, and Alexis Pauline Gumbs. When asked how Black feminism helps families, Hatcher said the real threat to family stability is systemic oppression. “If we want to talk about strong Black families, we have to talk about mass incarceration, the income gap, and the systems that tear our families apart,” Hatcher said. “Black feminism gives us the tools to build and sustain healthy families—not just survive but thrive.”

Stacy M. Brown

Posts by Stacy M. Brown

#NNPA BlackPress

Hoover’s Commutation Divides Chicago as State Sentence Remains

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — Hoover was convicted of murder and running a criminal enterprise. Although some supporters describe him as a political prisoner, the legal and public safety concerns associated with his name remain substantial.

Published

1 week ago

May 29, 2025

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown
Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent

The federal sentence for Gangster Disciples founder Larry Hoover has been commuted, but he remains incarcerated under a 200-year state sentence in Illinois. The decision by Donald Trump to reduce Hoover’s federal time has reignited longstanding debates over his legacy and whether rehabilitation or continued punishment is warranted. The commutation drew immediate public attention after music executive Jay Prince and artist Chance the Rapper publicly praised Trump’s decision. “I’m glad that Larry Hoover is home,” said Chance the Rapper. “He was a political prisoner set up by the federal government. He created Chicago Votes, mobilized our people, and was targeted for that.”

But Hoover, the founder of the Gangster Disciples, is not home—not yet. Now in federal custody at the Florence Supermax in Colorado, Hoover was convicted of murder and running a criminal enterprise. Although some supporters describe him as a political prisoner, the legal and public safety concerns associated with his name remain substantial. “There is a divide in the Black community here,” said Chicago journalist Jason Palmer during an appearance on the Let It Be Known morning program. “Some view Hoover as someone who brought structure and leadership. Others remember the violence that came with his organization.” Palmer explained that while Hoover’s gang originally formed for protection, it grew into a criminal network responsible for extensive harm in Chicago. He also noted that Hoover continued to run his organization from state prison using coded messages passed through visitors, prompting his transfer to federal custody.

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, who is widely considered a potential 2028 presidential contender, has not issued a statement. Palmer suggested that silence is strategic. “Releasing Hoover would create enormous political consequences,” Palmer said. “The governor’s in a difficult spot—he either resists pressure from supporters or risks national backlash if he acts.” According to Palmer, Hoover’s federal commutation does not make him a free man. “The federal sentence may be commuted, but he still has a 200-year state sentence,” he said. “And Illinois officials have already made it clear they don’t want to house him in state facilities again. They prefer he remains in federal custody, just somewhere outside of Colorado.”

Palmer also raised concerns about what Hoover’s case could signal for others. “When R. Kelly was convicted federally, state prosecutors in Illinois and Minnesota dropped their charges. If a president can commute federal sentences based on public pressure or celebrity support, others like R. Kelly or Sean Combs could be next,” Palmer said. “Meanwhile, there are thousands of incarcerated people without fame or access to public platforms who will never get that consideration.” “There are people who are not here today because of the violence connected to these organizations,” Palmer said. “That has to be part of this conversation.”

Stacy M. Brown

Posts by Stacy M. Brown

#NNPA BlackPress

WATCH: Five Years After George Floyd: Full Panel Discussion | Tracey’s Keepin’ It Real | Live Podcast Event

Join us as we return to the city where it happened and speak with a voice from the heart of the community – Tracey Williams-Dillard, CEO/Publisher of the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder.

Published

1 week ago

May 28, 2025

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https://youtube.com/watch?v=OsNLWTz6jU0&feature=oembed

May 25, 2020. The world stopped and watched as a life was taken.

But what has happened since?

Join us as we return to the city where it happened and speak with a voice from the heart of the community – Tracey Williams-Dillard, CEO/Publisher of the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder.

She shares reflections, insights, and the story of a community forever changed. What has a year truly meant, and where do we go from here?

This is more than just a date; it’s a moment in history. See what one leader in the Black press has to say about it.

Recorded live at UROC in Minneapolis, this powerful discussion features:

Panelists: