assata shakur

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assata shakur, a member of the black panther party, political and social activist was imprisoned in the 1970s for some trumped up, bogus charges. she somehow escaped from prison (!!!!!) and fled to cuba; she has lived in exile there as an ex political prisoner and refugee since the early 80's.

lemme just say, while random, but related,

it's about fucking time we had some congressional hearings on COINTELPRO.

if you aint familiar, COINTELPRO was an FBI program that functioned to repress political dissidence in the US beginning in the mid 1950's into the early 70's.

some shadyass motherfuckers.

COINTELPRO initiatives in many ways were responsible for assata's arrests and those of countless other politically engaged peoples including other members of the BPP as well as those involved in efforts of the American Indian Movement. 

and while COINTELPRO may have been officially terminated in 1971, we all know some shady ass shit is still going on today.

so fuck that noise.

i love you, assata

for continuing to speak out against social injustice.

i believe in living.


By Assata Shakur


i believe in living.

i believe in the spectrum

of Beta days and Gamma people.

i believe in sunshine.

In windmills and waterfalls,

tricycles and rocking chairs;

And i believe that seeds grow into sprouts.

And sprouts grow into trees.

i believe in the magic of the hands.

And in the wisdom of the eyes.

i believe in rain and tears.

And in the blood of infinity.



i believe in life.

And i have seen the death parade

march through the torso of the earth,

sculpting mud bodies in its path

i have seen the destruction of the daylight

and seen bloodthirsty maggots

prayed to and saluted



i have seen the kind become the blind

and the blind become the bind

in one easy lesson.

i have walked on cut grass.

i have eaten crow and blunder bread

and breathed the stench of indifference



i have been locked by the lawless.

Handcuffed by the haters.

Gagged by the greedy.

And, if i know anything at all,

it's that a wall is just a wall

and nothing more at all.

It can be broken down.



i believe in living

i believe in birth.

i believe in the sweat of love

and in the fire of truth.


And i believe that a lost ship,

steered by tired, seasick sailors,

can still be guided home to port.