BITS 'N PIECES

KANSAS CITY BLACK LIBERATION RADIO

Greetings, sistas and brothas. Many of you have requested informa-tion on starting your own low-powered radio stations. S.T.A.C. (Stop Targeting the Afrikan Community) is committed to sharing this information with all who want to know. However, as you may know, KCBLR is only a few months old. The company from which we bought our equipment has not done justice by us. The transmitter never worked properly when we bought it, nor did the company fix it for us. We do not want the community to conduct business with this company. Therefore, we must find someone else to buy equipment from.

When we work out all the glitches in the system, then we will put on tape, step-by-step, how to connect everything, where to buy the equipment, and how much it costs. As everyone should know, when work is being conducted, there are very few workers, so bear with us. The information will be shared. S.T.A.C. prides itself with serving the Afrikan communities, and we believe that our communities deserve the best, so we will not half-step. Pyramids were not built in a day.

KCBLR is in need of donations (i.g., CDs, equipment, mikes, speakers, VCR, etc.). We need a production studio, which requires extra equipment. Anyone wishing to send monetary donations should make checks or money orders out to Shiriki Unganisha and note that it is for KCBLR. KCBLR is the pilot program for Black Liberation Radio. We maintain the only way Afrikans are going to be informed is to inform ourselves, our way. We must control the flow of information to our communities; therefore, we've got to control the means of distributing the information.

We want to start a nationwide Black Liberation Radio Network-not that we will not work with or support other low-powered radio stations-but we must have our own, FIRST!!!

KCBLR can be reached at P.O. Box 320441, Kansas City, MO 64132. Phone/Fax: 816-523-0540. Messages can also be left at 816-333-9814.

ECONOMIC SANCTIONS

Two years ago , S.T.A.C. held a conference on Economic Sanctions Against Racism (ESCAR) here in Kansas City, Missouri, with the focus on the Prison Industrial Complex. In a nutshell, the conference was to bring attention to the Prison Industrial Complex and show that it is no more than the 21st century Slave Trade. If we look back over history here in the U.S., we see the only time the powers-that-be stop and pay any attention to the struggle of the oppressed is when you're (a) killing them or (b) causing them to lose money. Amerika is showing no signs of slowing down implementation of martial law. Since the so-called war on drugs/crime, we saw the rise in the incarceration of Afrikan males between the ages of 18-25. This also includes other people of color and poor whites.

Now they are targeting our babies for incarceration with their Juvenile Crime Bill. Here in the State of Missouri, they can try an eight-year old as an adult. This is the LAW. Are we going to sit back and watch the babies rounded up and leased from plantation to plantation, just like during overt (legal) slavery? Do you see any difference in 1997? Economic Sanctions is a powerful and effective tool of resistance. This is why you will never see the present so-called leadership conduct serious organizing around economic sanctions. I maintain that we are the leaders we are looking for. First, you become informed. Then we can govern ourselves accordingly.

Three proposals were presented in targeting the Prison Industrial Complex: (a) boycotting the phones, (b) boycotting canteens during visits, and (c) boycotting the prison commissary. I believe conditions will give birth to a target that will rock the very foundation of this racist system. I wanted to assure everyone that we have not forgotten about ESCAR. We have the documentation to validate that the 21st century Slave Trade does exist, and when the workers are ready to take on this task, we're ready. There is plenty of work to be done, but there are not enough committed and dedicated workers to do it.

You kaptive sistas and brothas in concrete city must get serious about the struggle for liberation as well. I believe any struggle of economic sanctions targeting the Prison Industrial Complex must come from the efforts of you kaptive sistas and brothas along with our support out here on the streets.

UNITED WE WILL WIN

Feel free to call Sista Shiriki at (816) 333-9814, or write me at P.O. Box 320441, Kansas City, MO 64132 or shiriki@gvi.net

OCT-NOV 97 -- N.C.Xpress -- Archives -- Electrons to the Editor