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Dual Citizenship - brianold - 01-02-2007 01:50 PM
The Petition to Support Dual Citizenship for Black Americans In Afri
Posted by: "Kenneth King" nnamdi79@yahoo.com nnamdi79
Thu Dec 21, 2006 4:06 am (PST)
http://the-petition.site.io/
The Petition to Support Dual Citizenship for Black
Americans In Africa
Welcome to the website of "The Petition to Support
Dual Citizenship for Black Americans In Africa.
Dual Citizenship for Black Americans In Africa is an Initiative created by the African Union and the Leon H. Sullivan Foundation, designed to create an economic, social, and political bridge between Black Africans, African Americans, and the entire African Diaspora.
If you're unfamiliar with the initiative or you would like to read more about the African Union's proposal and other issues related to the dual citizenship initiative, please visit the "Dual Citizenship" section of our site for more information. If, on the other hand, you've come here to sign the petition and to show your support for the initiative, please visit the "petition" section of our site; you will find a full text of the petition and a link to the petition where you can sign online.
Petition Text
http://thiscause.org/p/menu.php?p=Brooks27753DB&r=0V31537SXS
To the Honorable Gentleman and Gentlewomen of the African Union and the Leon H. Sullivan Summit:
We, the African American descendents of African Slaves, with much enthusiasm, pride, and hope, support the proposal from the African Union for full dual citizenship for African Americans in Africa. We believe that such a proposal is long overdue, and see the signing of the proposal into law as the most important step in the progress of Africa and the African American Community.
We are aware that the proposal has been in the making for nearly four years now, and we urge the African Union and the leaders of the Summit to complete the legislation that will grant African Americans legal citizenship throughout Africa, creating a concrete social, economic, and political bridge between Africans and African Americans.
We are signing this petition to make you aware of the massive support that exists in the African American community for the dual citizenship proposal. We ask that you, the leaders of the African Union and members
of the Leon H. Sullivan Summit, cease any hesitation and take the long deliberated proposal from draft, to legislation, and finally to written law. Do not take a step back in our mutual progress, and do not hesitate
towards completing the most important legislation for Africans and the African American community that has appeared since the civil rights revolution in America or the ending of Apartheid in South Africa.
Turn the proposal for dual citizenship for African Americans in Africa into law now, and let the resurrection of the great continent of Africa begin.
-U.P.
- brianold - 01-02-2007 01:55 PM
Caution on Dual Citizenship Move
Posted by: "Runoko Rashidi" Runoko@yahoo.com runokor
Fri Dec 29, 2006 6:46 am (PST)
Dear Pan Africanists,
The Pan Afrikan Organizing Committee supports and advocates any positive action and effort towards the unification and the redemption of Africa and its Diaspora. Essentially, the PAOC stands for Up With Respect for Africa and African descendants, Down with disrespect, and Forward Ever with Resurrecting the Dignity and Integrity of being Black and African on this planet.
With that foundation, it is with great reluctance that we have to seriously challenge a sophisticated and well-presented effort that, on the surface, seems to advocate and follow the same principles stated above. That effort is disturbingly flawed..
We are referring, of course, to the document presently circulating on the Internet entitled, "The Petition to Support Dual Citizenship for Black Americans In Africa." There is a website link in the document, and accessing it will get you the further announcement, "Welcome to the website of "The Petition to Support Dual Citizenship for Black Americans In Africa. Dual Citizenship for Black Americans In Africa is an Initiative created by the African Union and the Leon H. Sullivan Foundation....."If you're unfamiliar with the initiative or you would like to read more about
the African Union's proposal and other issues related to the dual citizenship initiative, please visit the "Dual Citizenship" section of our site for more information...."
"We are aware that the proposal has been in the making for nearly four years now, and we urge the African Union and the leaders of the Summit to complete the legislation that will grant African Americans legal citizenship throughout Africa, creating a concrete social, economic, and political bridge between Africans and African Americans." ...."We are signing this petition to make you aware of the massive support that exists in the African American community for the dual citizenship proposal."
Repatriation and dual citizenship on the African continent for Africans in the Diaspora is a long-held dream and desire among thousands, possibly millions, of us. Repatriation is the foundation pillar for both Pan Africanism and one of its primary corollaries, the Reparations Movement.To see a well-written public announcement that this dream/desire may become a reality and that we can help to accomplish it stirs the African spirituality and adrenaline in a large number of us.
Unfortunately, however, this most recent public announcement is nothing but a tease. It may be deliberately intended to tantalize and frustrate us, or it may be an inadvertent, naive effort by someone who has not thought out the negative consequences of his/her actions. At this point, we are not sure exactly why the public announcement was made, and particularly why it was made so soon. Here are our main concerns with the petition proposal:
(1) In modern Pan Africanism, focusing on African Americans as if we represent the essence of the Diaspora is inappropriate, at best, and arrogantly ill-informed at worse. Although our $700 billion dollar plus annual spending may rank us first in access to financial resources, we are clearly not the largest population of Africans in the Diaspora (that's Brazil), we are neither self-autonomous nor self-sufficient (Central Americans are far ahead of us), and we are not the most organized (again, Central American Afro descendants are). Any proper proposal has to focus on the Diaspora, not just African Americans.
(2) The petition for dual citizenship is not an AU initiative, and to call it such is misleading and reckless. Clearly, there were AU representatives present at the July, 2006 Abuja, Nigeria Sullivan Summit which is the recent basis of this proposal. Several of those representatives even supported the idea and concept of Diasporan dual citizenship on the
continent. But in fact, the African Union, which is a governmental and deliberative body, has not--to date--addressed in any significant way the issue of repatriation and dual citizenship for Africans in the Diaspora. The issue has not been agendized by the AU Secretariat, no proposal addressing this issue has been prepared by that body, nor have there been any policy decisions motioned, floated or voted upon by any of the AU commissions regarding that issue.
(3) The African Union currently has neither the mechanism nor the political will to address that issue. Citizenship in any African country (currently 54 of them) is still totally controlled by each African country, not the AU, and as of the end of 2006, no African country (including Liberia, which used to do it) offers dual citizenship to African Americans or other members of the Diaspora. The Pan African Parliament, which is a very distinctive part
of the AU, would be the appropriate body to handle this issue, but until at least 2008-2009, the PAP exists in an advisory capacity only. The Assembly Commission (heads of state), the Executive Council Commission (foreign ministers) and the African Union Commission (the secretariat) currently have far more leverage, clout and decision-making authority and
neither of those entities is capable currently of deciding the repatriation/dual citizenship issue for the whole of Africa.
(4) The petition proposal ignores the most effective way currently to get the issue of repatriation/dual citizenship before the AU and to keep it there until it is properly handled. That method is for each sub-region of the Diaspora, as presently defined by the AU (i.e., Canada, USA, the Caribbean, Central/South America, Brazil, and Europe) to elect its AU Representatives so that we can accept the AU's invitation to the Diaspora to join the AU as voting members (the AU has designated the Diaspora as
Africa's Sixth Region). Presently, the public Town Hall/Caucus method developed by the Pan Afrikan Organizing Committee out of a Roundtable Discussion Conference in Los Angeles in 2006, in association with PANASTRAG and WHADN, is the best and most productive approach in use to get those elections accomplished. Once the Diaspora shows up to the 2007 AU meeting (the ECOSOCC Commission) organized and prepared to
participate at the AU level of diplomacy, the Diaspora can put the repatriation/dual citizenship issue on the table and relentlessly advocate it until the issue is properly addressed and voted upon by the decision-makers in the AU.
(5) The public announcement for the petition asks folks to sign up to support a proposal that has not yet been written, publicly vetted, nor submitted. That is clearly putting the cart before the horse. Even if the petition becomes a useful tactic in helping to get repatriation/dual citizenship for Diasporans accomplished, strategically, this is not the time for it. Hopes are being raised too far in advance of any chance for satisfaction. Who exactly is supposed to write this proposal? When? Can the public see it and make comments on it?
Because it is well-written, the petition announcement sounds like a very good idea to a lot of people. It is deceptively simple and can and will confuse a whole lot of us. At this point, however, we must urge extreme caution regarding it--in fact, we urge you to withhold your participation in this project-- until some more basic questions are answered and more proper information offered.
Stay strong. Stay progressive. Stay informed.
Forward Ever, Backward Never,
DLH for the PAOC
- brianold - 01-02-2007 01:56 PM
Re: Dual Citizenship for Black Americans In Africa
Posted by: "Runoko Rashidi" Runoko@yahoo.com runokor
Fri Dec 29, 2006 7:37 am (PST)
A fundamental point also is that African so-called "Americans" are not U.S. Citizens, so forget about the concept of "dual citizenship". We have never
abandoned our legal domiciles, which are somewhere in Africa, wherever that may be in Africa...they didn't keep the records. DNA may provide some perspective for those who are willing to believe test results by People who still haven't paid Reparations for slavery, but then we haven't made an effective demand either, because we don't know who we are and have no central address, identity upon which we all agree, etc. etc. etc. You should know that you are not a U.S. Citizen as soon as you find out that your status (so-called Civil Rights) comes up for periodic review and there is another review in 2007, and YES they will let you keep voting so
you can continue to think that you are free, don't worry about losing the vote, you can live the facade as long as you like.
Oscar L. Beard
Black Reparations Activist
- brianold - 01-02-2007 02:01 PM
Re: African-Americans and Dual Citizenship
Posted by: "Runoko Rashidi" Runoko@yahoo.com runokor
Sat Dec 30, 2006 7:36 am (PST)
- brianold - 01-02-2007 02:04 PM
Re: Dual Citizenship for Black Americans In Africa
Posted by: "Kenneth King" nnamdi79@yahoo.com nnamdi79
Sun Dec 31, 2006 10:57 am (PST)
I can't imagine that the question of dual citizenship or repatriation, will ever be at the burning issue for the majority of African Americans.
But, the fact the only some Diasporans will avail themselves of that option and others not, surely should not keep those seeking dual citizenship from
proceeding, with or without, the permission of their fellow Diasporans.
(It goes without saying that African Americans retain our right to freely move about the planet and that is true whether any fellow Diasporan approves or disapprove.
If our fellow Diasporans perceive the exercise of our Human Rights as a free people as "arrogance", so be it. The problem is their's not ours.)
I don't remember reading one thing in that petition that limited its goal of dual citizenship to African Americans. But if criticism is being cast for the
reason that the petition is overreaching, that is, is presumes to speak for the entire African diaspora, I would ask that the naysayers consider that a petition only speaks for its signatories.
Finally, that others have taken a different path to achieve the same goal, is also no bar to the circulation of this petition, as no means has as yet
proven itself superior to any of the others.
Umasia......
Race: Black
Ancestry: African
Nation of Birth: U.S.A.
Citizenship: U.S.A. (and hoping for another)
Ethnicity: African American (till the day I die!)
- brianold - 01-02-2007 02:07 PM
Re: African-Americans and Dual Citizenship
Posted by: "Kenneth King" nnamdi79@yahoo.com nnamdi79
Sun Dec 31, 2006 11:04 am (PST)
The discussion between SeptaSam and Dr. Ojo about Dual Citizenship for African slave descendants seems worthwhile, revealing some stereotypes from both sides of the discussion. My concern when there is any mention of the decadent nature of African leaders is that not all African leaders are or have been decadent. We need to take this case by case as opposed to going with a blanket viewpoint about the character of African leadership, which is the intent of White Supremacy. The key to propaganda is simplicity. So it is easy to say that ALL African leaders are corrupt. On the other hand, there are some shinning examples of progressive African leadership. The idea that African so-called
- brianold - 01-02-2007 02:09 PM
Re: Zimbabwe, Dual Citizenship, and Solutions
Posted by: "Kenneth King" nnamdi79@yahoo.com nnamdi79
Mon Jan 1, 2007 9:04 am (PST)
Hotep, all.
"Once again, democracy only means that the rulers govern with the consent of the people. If that is so in Zimbabwe then whether its 26 years or 126 years it's really no body's business their own. So, it's 26 long years if you consider President Mugabe's policies a failure. And, it's 26 short years if you count them a success. Umasia"
Umasia is 100% correct! Chancellor Williams, a great Pan-Africanist historian, warned African people against the warped European view of "democracy", as it relates to time limits. Too much of a good thing only seems to be too much if one over eats (smile). Well, we'd best start figuring out prooven and suggested solutions to our governing problems.
Concerning dual citizenship in Africa, I know that there is no mass plan yet, but what about individual dual citizenship. It's too many "foreigners" in this country and others for me to believe that there is no legal loop-hole for just a handful of conscious sisters and brothers to take advantage of. Speaking of citizenship, whether dual, or renouncing the U.S. citizenship for Africa, time is running out for Africans if we refuse to contribute the time, money and "from the ground up" patience and resources it will take for us to get free from our oppressors. As of late, we have segment of Africans who are still ignorant of their true potential and their true identity, but a segment also exist which has the knowledge, but dwells so much on the problem, or the Euro-centric solution to the problem, that no real, workable solutions are implemented en mass.
I recently returned from visiting my parents in Newton, Texas, where I was raised. I spent just as much time helping them with their burdens...including those produced by the forgotten Hurricane Rita (hit the Texas, Louisiana border about a month after Katrina hit Louisiana). A lot of people in that area are spiritually, mentally, and physically "beat down" and wont last much longer in such a state. Not to mention that drugs and drug dealers have started to dominate these small town areas of Texas, something unheard of just 10-12 years ago. I understand more and more the sense of urgency one must have if they are to remain solution-oriented. I am physically exhausted and mentally a bit tired as well. I've been more urgent in dealing with my 2 remaining sisters who
live their, helping encourage them to have the same sense of urgency. Although I've made some progress, it's very, tough. Many in people now days are not trained to have the will needed to sacrifice for their own survival.
Speaking of solutions for action and our survival... Elder Adunni, Oshupa, Tabasi, for example, is in her early seventies and has all the resources for repatriation except the money to cover the surveying and legal documents...so that repatriation to the Northern Volta region of Ghana is done PROPERLY and not "bootleg". The price of doing all this for roughly 4 square miles of land "gifted" is $30,000. While this is a lot of money for an individual, it is "chump change" for a collective group of "African-Americans", especially for just a few hundred "middle class" ones, but the lack of ability to see vision and a legacy we can pass on to our children makes attaining $30,0000 a very monumental task! This a "from the ground up" infrastructure-building project that our beloved elder is willing to live in poverty in order to see it's foundation laid. We (Blacks) are considered "disposable people" by Eur-Asians and eventually, our children will be forced to flea for refuge from them. If we create a refuge now, knowing that their are no more short cuts to take when it comes to freedom, we may have a chance to save ourselves.
peace and love,
Samuel Burnham
- brianold - 01-02-2007 02:11 PM
Re: Dual Citizenship for Black Americans I n Africa
Posted by: "Kenneth King" nnamdi79@yahoo.com nnamdi79
Mon Jan 1, 2007 9:00 am (PST)
Given that it may be difficult to imagine the question of dual citizenship or repatriation being a burning issue for the majority of African "Americans", it was also difficult to imagine in 1999 that the U.S. Courts would be giving any concessions at all to restitution claims as in the recent fraud decision against Bank of America et al. Having been with the Internet Reparations/Repatriation Movement since 1999, I definitely see some improved consciousness about these issues. I haven't read the Petition to which you refer. I was simply responding to the debate about so-called "dual citizenship". My point is that you can call yourself a U.S. Citizen as long as you want, but that in itself doesn't change the fact that our legal status in the U.S. will periodically be reviewed. White People's U.S. Citizenship never comes up for periodic review, why? Because they have Human Rights to which they have mutuality, the basis of all law. U.S. African slaves descendants have Civil Rights legislated by others, granted rights, which can just as easily be ungranted, which is why the periodic review is necessary. Now I understand that many of us are not able to accept this. But our inability to accept it doesn't change the facts of law either. It is certainly in our true rights in International Law to decide if we want to seek true U.S. Citizenship with Reparations, i.e. when Reparations are won, or for any of us to choose to return to Africa with Reparations, which is the legal definition of Repatriation (not to just go somewhere) or to go to any friendly nation in the World. This will certainly be an exercise of our liberties and self determination in action with Reparations. THat will certainly be freedom. My point is simply that there is no such thing as "dual citizenship" when you don't even have citizenship on this end and your legal domicile (s) is still in Africa because we have never abandoned it. Cato v. the U.S. is an excellent Reparations case to read which clarifies how the U.S. Courts view our status in the U.S. Jewel Cato et al, on behalf of 48 million (or whatever) U.S. African slaves descendants appealed the Courts decision that the case was frivolous. The Court replied that they did not see any "cognizable" reason to even bring the complaint before a Tribunal of the Law since no law had been broken since slaves have never met with the U.S. to form any law. All of what we are calling law that so-called involves us are Unilateral White Acts, not real laws. One important effect of slavery was to destroy our nation-building skills. A slave believes it is quite O.K. for others to make "laws" for him without his/her involvement as an human being. Understanding again what law is, out of the damages of slavery, is part of the consciousness transformation we need to make as U.S. African slave descendants.
Thanks!
Oscar L. Beard
Black Reparations Activist
- brianold - 01-03-2007 12:28 PM
xxPeter wrote: The issue of birth right citizenship
for slave descendants is problematic. Was the 14th
Admendment legally ratified. The 16th Admendment was
not and there is evidence that the fourtheenth was not
also. Another thing, if the thritheenth Admendment
made slavery illegal then how were the Black Africans
brought under the 14th Admendment, if say it was a
legal ratification, if they were not citizens with
alienable (transferable) rights.The 14th could not
bestow nothing unto them .. they were already born and
had nothing to past on to their children, nothing at
all.
Where was the aggreement with those whose domicile was
still in Africa. Where was the basis of all contract
that is mutulality. After all you can not miss
something that you never had.
- brianold - 01-03-2007 12:29 PM
What part of the Constitution states we are Citizens ?
Remember, there is a difference between being a full
fledge sovereign Citizen of the several States and a
14th Amendment citizen. They're two entirely different
legal entities. One, the latter, can be legislated for
and against, while the former has all the rights
secure by that so-called lofty document. Olatunji Mwamba