You can see BPP elder Aaron Dixon’s comments here: https://x.com/OGBlackRedGuard/status/2016183889564152308
“Chairman” Paul Birdsong’s IG is here and the top 3 posts center on the formation of the Blacklion Party, all posted in the last day: https://www.instagram.com/chairmanpaulbirdsong/?hl=en
Mixed feelings on all of this. I see Dixon’s call for Birdsong to stop posting on social media and to adhere to standards that were established in the 60s and 70s as potentially harmful, out of touch, maybe even fatally puritanical. On the other, an organization like BPP has a right to expect the highest standards of accountability of all its members. His message ends with solidarity and support for Birdsong, and the hopes that he’ll continue to organize and do good work.
In spite of what many people have been lead to believe about the BPP, they were extremely disciplined, organized, and educated. This isn’t terribly surprising. They knew then as well as now that optics will always be against them, and that PR management is to be handled carefully. Certainly in the current milieux of American fascism, Dixon could be feeling a heightened sense of awareness around this. Maybe even a pang of self-preservation.
The work of organizing will continue. Power to the people.
Goddamn fracturing, this is how they crush every movement.
So true, it’s sad to see. Divided we are conquered.
It would be nice to have some explanation of who either of those people are.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aaron_Dixon
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Birdsong
I hadn’t heard of either of them, as far as I can remember.
Ya I didn’t know the Black Panther Party was still a thing.
It isn’t still a thing, these are people trying to claim the legacy of an organization that hasn’t existed in decades. This is why Aaron Dixon is telling Birdsong to stop using the name, the organization doesn’t exist anymore and he is trying to claim it.
Aaaah gotcha
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