uproot.

Bolding by me..

“…Besides the obvious gain to Rosenfeld directly of hoping to increase book sales and his wallet, we must ask the larger political question, how does this accusation against the deceased Aoki affect the larger politics of today?

Well, here’s how: It fuels doubt on so many levels to building radical politics, sowing dissension between Black nationalists and Asian American radicals, distrust of our revolutionary leaders of past and present, fear for the police-state and its power to extend itself into the core leadership of revolutionary movements and, as witnessed by Scott Kurashige’s capitulation to the reformist politics of non-violence, to elevating Martin Luther King Jr. above the Black liberationists (Kurashige calls for a re-look and re-examination of MLK, implying this is safer and more amenable than the “violence” advocated by Aoki and the Panthers). And this is simply the tip of an iceberg building to stave off the growth of radicalism generated by the Occupy, eco-socialist and anti-globalization movements both in the U.S. and across the planet.

Here is the initial reaction by most people not cowered or shocked by Rosenfeld’s accusations, who either personally knew Richard Aoki, as I did, or who are accustomed to or familiar with such “dirty tricks” as employed by Rosenfeld: If Aoki was an agent, so what? He surely was a piss-poor one because what he contributed to the movement is enormously greater than anything he could have detracted or derailed. If it is implied that Aoki promoted firearms and violence to the Panthers, well, here’s some news: The Panthers were well on that direction as part of the trajectory set by Malcolm X, Robert F. Williams, the Deacons of Defense, who the Panthers modeled themselves upon, Harriet Tubman, Geronimo, Tucemseh, Crazy Horse and so many others.

And if you are gullible enough to believe these “dirty tricks” – which isn’t surprising given how media hype today is so powerful and influential – and rely upon the internet instead of actual experience in struggle and revolutionary organizing, then you need to get real, get serious and deal with counter-hegemonic consciousness-raising for yourself. But most of us who never were shocked by this accusation towards Richard simply took the attitude, PHUCK THEM – Farrar, Strauss and Giroux; Swearingen, Rosenfeld and anyone who swallows this crap!”