by Conrad Worrill
Courtesy of Mybrotha.com
I have stated repeatedly in this column that politics is "the science of who gets what, when, where, and most importantly how." This is an important concept for African people in America to remember.

It is important because the Black political empowerment movement in this country should be based on the acquisition of political power that will provide what Dr. Anderson Thompson describes as the African principle--"the greatest good for the greatest number of African people throughout the world."

With the host of political issues facing the African American Community, the African American Community needs political unity.

The only way that we can gain Black political power in America is to achieve the highest level of Black unity. In other words, in order for the African principle to become a reality we must strive for a level of Black political unity.

It is evident the African American masses understand that when our elected representatives do not represent their interests they will not support them, as evidenced by recent elections across the country.

Our African American political leaders must not forget that without the support of African American masses, their ability to represent us in the attainment of Black political power will be limited.

Group interests in American politics are as old as "apple pie." All ethnic groups in this society who have acquired some measure of political power have done so by sticking together when one in their own ethnic group runs for a political office.

The Irish, Polish, Italians and Jewish groups, etc., are all outstanding examples of this fact in American politics and American political life.

Until recently, this has not been the case in the African American community. In American politics of this century, African Americans elected to public office have tended to represent the interests of outside White power groups.

This trend needs to change. We should not support those African Americans seeking political office who exemplify this kind of behavior. We should send them a warning shot by voting them out of office.

It must be repeated over and over again that the great political movements and battles that African American people have taken on since the 1960s have been historic and important to the development of our struggles in America.

The major outcome of this movement is now slated for a total wipe out by the White political power structure of America. If we are going to seriously struggle for the continuation of the fight for Black political empowerment, we will need a new kind of Black political unity movement throughout the United States.

All African American people need to take an inventory of the current political scene in terms of how the White ethnic groups are fighting vigorously to push forward their political agendas. It should be clear that Black people need our own Black Political Agenda that speaks to the collective needs of the Black community.

The challenge of developing a Black Political Agenda requires that we take up the position of the National Black United Front (NBUF) Constitution that states we must "delicately formulate the conservative, moderate, reform, radical nationalist and revolutionary concerns into dynamic agendas, which speaks to our collective interest as a people."

In this regard, the NBUF Constitution elaborates further on this issue by suggesting, "it is vitally important that our respective organizations, clubs, political factions, and individual leaders recognize that none of us (individually) represents the Black community. Collectively considered, however, the various groups and individuals can begin to approximate the general will of the Black community, and more reasonably hope to represent the total Black community."

If we follow the ideas presented in the NBUF Constitution on the question of building unity, our chances for this occurring will be much greater. All the other White ethnic groups understand this and practice it everyday in their fight to maintain power. We must also!

Finally, in the words of Frederick Douglas who reminded us that "Power concedes nothing without a demand, it never did and it never will." Thus, "Without Struggle there is no progress."