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ESSAYS  ROBESON

shut off the filibuster until after the California primaries. Well, now we see where we are.

We know now, having been told clearly in so many ways, that the enemy are not going to give us our rights if they can avoid it. The enemy and some of our so-called friends continue to talk about something else: about the naughty behavior, all those tiresome demonstrations, the "irresponsibility" of our leaders; about how we are trying their patience; about how we must beware of the white "backlash"; and especially, most especially about non-violence.

Meanwhile we continue to warn the enemy about the forest fire which is burning, burning, but they pay little attention.

There is no need for all this talk about nonviolence, unless it means nonviolence for everybody. There is great need to talk about force and violence. The enemy with their guns, bombs, dynamite, teargas, dogs and power hoses are the violent ones. We Negroes just don't have the weapons and the equipment to be violent with.

But we are building up the idea of resistance and self defense. And we are militant. Yup. Even our children, young people, women, old people, organized and unorganized are militant-demonstrating, marching with our slogans, sitting down.

We are definitely militant, and we have powerful weapons to be militant with: we have the law, the right; we have courage, determination, world opinion, numbers, and the forest fire which is burning, burning. And we have no guilty consciences.

The enemy, and some others who claim to be our friends, say we are naughty, misbehaving, irresponsible, that we are asking too much too soon; they tell us to be patient and await gradual changes; that we must allow time to change the hearts and minds of men; that we must be quiet.

Well, now. That's what I mean by lack of communication, different language, misunderstanding: We are not asking them to give us anything; we are demanding what belongs to us.

We are telling the American people, and the world, that we have been robbed of our rights, and we are screaming Stop, Thief!! We are not waiting any longer for these thieves to make up their minds to return stolen goods, to return our rights. We are chasing the thieves in the streets and everywhere, and we are determined, determined to recover the stolen goods: our full citizenship and human rights. 

Well what shall we do this long, hot summer?

We might take a walk, as many of us as possible, to that nice 

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Transcription Notes:
---------- Reopened for Editing 2024-02-09 17:05:21