In this video, Kathleen Cleaver, a prominent leader in the Black Panther Party, delivers a compelling critique of non-violence in a society she argues is fundamentally rooted in organized force. She highlights that from its inception, the United States has used violence as a tool for expansion, control, and maintenance of the status quo—both domestically and abroad. Cleaver emphasizes the strategic shift from being "unarmed" to being "organized and armed" as the true definition of power for oppressed communities.
The conversation around civil rights often centers on the dichotomy between non-violence and militant resistance. In a re-ssurfaced clip, Kathleen Cleaver—lawyer, professor, and the first woman to join the Black Panther Party’s decision-making body—challenges the "functionality" of non-violence in a system built on its opposite.
A Foundation of Force
Cleaver’s argument is grounded in a historical reality: the creation and maintenance of the American state. She points out that:
Land acquisition was achieved through violence.
Social order in marginalized communities (the "ghettos") is maintained through force.
Foreign policy, specifically citing Vietnam and Africa, relies on organized military power.
By framing violence not as a choice, but as the underlying "language" of the society, Cleaver suggests that non-violence is an ineffective response to an inherently aggressive system.
Power Through Organization
The climax of her statement distinguishes between a large, vulnerable population and an organized, prepared one. "There’s a world of difference between 20 million unarmed people and 20 million people organized and armed to the gills," she states. For the Black Panther Party, this wasn't just about weaponry; it was about self-defense, political education, and communal sovereignty.
Further Reading & Sources
"Black Against Empire: The History and Politics of the Black Panther Party" by Joshua Bloom and Waldo E. Martin Jr.
"Memories of Love and War" – Kathleen Cleaver’s own accounts and essays on her time in the movement.
The National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) – Digital archives on the Black Panther Party’s Ten-Point Program.
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