On The DL

Yeshitela lives the life of a millionaire, relying on guilt addled white folks to keep serving up stirfry at public events to keep him traveling the world and experiencing the posh side of 'pan africanist socialism'.

"Yeshitela lives the life of a millionaire"
This is certainly true but I would say that he has much more to rely on than his cult following of "guilt addled" white folks.
He has been getting substantial support from Jeb Bush and the Republican Party in Florida. In '01 then Gov. Bush gave him a pardon just in time to run for Mayor of St. Petersburg. He did very well for his masters, helping a right wing Republican win against a populist Democrat. Mayor Rick Baker was the local chair of the Bush campaign and also the #1 patron of the Uhuru movement, helping them obtain a quarter million dollars of city and federal money. The city government has been helping them go after public funds to start a "charter" school.
His right wing patrons came together a few months ago for a major Uhuru fundraiser at the Studio at 620. Listed as sponsors were Mel Sembler(Bush pioneer), Daryl Rouson(Republican who changed parties and won a legislative seat with Republican backing) and the City of St. Petersburg. The St. Petersburg Times promoted this event at the top of their entertainment page.

http://www.thestudioat620.org/p_apsd_2007.htm

The dream of a pan-Africa movement died with the hundreds of thousands slain in the Rwandan genocide, the DDarfur genocide, and Mugabe's impending genocide.

To see Africa as pure, or blame all its strife on a postcolonial syndrome is a delusion of the highest order

My main point was that this Uhuru movement is largely financed by Republicans for the purpose of encouraging black Democrats and gullible white liberals not to support their party.

That was the purpose of the speech at the Unitarian Church.

Their strange cult following is another story. Their analysis of problems in Africa and here in the hood is not always wrong but their solution is always self serving.

They serve their masters well.

So you're saying that the Uhuru 'movement' is a stalking horse for Republicants and that maybe Omali doesn't believe what he's saying(or yelling as the case might be)?

That's right Bart, he is not at all sincere, though his cult members are true believers. In a moment of candor he said that he had given up on the revolution and is only "trying to get as much money for my family as I can". Family members brag on the great vacations to Europe and Africa each year.

Obama has a shot at the Presidency and I think can win if we work for a massive turnout. Just need to ignore these efforts to undermine our shot at change.

It is very tough for an outside organization like the Uhurus, made up of almost all white folk, to make inroads in our community. Even down in St. Pete where many respect the early activism of Joe Waller the Uhurus never found much of a following. The massive
infusion of Republican money and lots of media have kept them in the public eye but their own words drive black folk away. He did get black votes when he jumped into the mayor's race. By being useful to the Republican establishment he got front page coverage where he accused the Democrat of racism. Horribly biased coverage.

Here is a good article on that race. http://tampa.creativeloafing.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A358

An interesting business deal for the Uhurus moved forward today. One of their leaders put together a deal to evict hundreds of frail elderly residents from the Graham-Rogall buildings in St. Pete. This public housing will go to make way for condo conversion. The tenants are going to temporary homes until the next round of gentrification forces them out again. Prominent Republican and KEGB partner Guy Burns pushed this deal through while working as a top Uhuru lawyer. His claim to fame has been to fight to keep drug dealers in public housing where they destroy families and prey on the poor.

Willie says "Chairman Omali's fees are $1,000 to $10,000 sliding scale, plus travel and living expenses for the Chairman and another person. I wonder how much of this money Omali makes gets put back into our community? NONE. That's why I don't support them” Published on the St. Pete Times web site.

I wonder how much the Unitarians took from their collection plate to indulge someone’s revolutionary fantasy. Some of this money does find its way back to my community in the form of rocks, bottles and gunfire. Shame on you who send in checks so you can watch teens throw rocks at police from the comfort of your living room recliners.