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FREEDOMWAYS              FOURTH QUARTER 1968

this state. Racism in the organization called America plays the same role religious persecution played in the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries in Europe. A major work could be written examining how religious persecution in Europe became racism in America. And as the church played its role in the expansion of Europe and the subsequent development of capitalism, racism has played and continues to play its role in the perpetuation of state capitalism. Racism is a servant of the state. It works for the state organization. Capitalism created it; racism did not create capitalism. Racism enhances the operation of the state organization for a very few people. Of this teachers must become knowledgeable. We must interpret accurately not only our subjective personal experiences but also establish their relationship to the larger historical process.

Our political membership in the organization called America must be stated in definite and political terms. All political relationships are defined. They may be difficult to discern in some instances but they are quite definite. Membership is not determined by what one is not; membership is determined by what one is - what one is in function, in operation, in practice, in political relationship to the state organization. Neither is membership determined by what the proclamations of a state may say. Clarity regarding this will determine the political and ideological basis of our struggle. If we are clear as to what we are politically, in relationship to the state organization to which we belong, then we will be clear as to the type of political condition we are in. We will know then the type of struggle we will have to wage to resolve that type of political condition.

This lays the basis for historical accuracy, ideological correctness and for establishing a broad, mass-based movement. This political clarity is important so that our movement and our leadership do not become isolated and destroyed.

Those of us of African ancestry are not citizens of the state organization called the United States. We are in fact colonial subjects. The FREEDOMWAYS articles by J. H. O’Dell “A Special Variety of Colonialism”* laid an excellent basis for a political and ideological understanding of this thesis. Our failure to view ourselves politically as part of the colonial world has been and continues to be one of the major shortcomings of the present movement. We have to define ourselves, first, in political terms. We must answer correctly the

* Fall 1966 (Volume 6, No. 4) and Winter 1967 (Volume 7, No. 1).

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