
	°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°
	°                        cRaZy sounds                   °
	°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°
		      ---------------------------------------
		      a Working Class Hero is Something To Be
		      ---------------------------------------

	     X.SND  James Brown:
		     "WOW WOW WOW....  I feel good."

	 BLUES.GIF   They're playing the BLUES in Africa.
		     But I hear it LOUDER from HAITI !!!

	 BRAVE.SND   Randy Newman:
		     "I'm happy to be here in
		      the Land of the Brave..."

----------------------------------------------------------------
		      ---------------------------------------
		                    Malcolm X
		      ---------------------------------------

   It is my belief that the reason MALCOLM X was killed
   was because he stood an excellent chance of becoming
   a President of the United States.

   Has anyone read his autobiography?
   It's called:

   [*]  THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF MALCOLM X
        with the assistance of Alex Haley (author of "ROOTS")
	(Grove Press; New York; 1965)

    Malcolm X was willing to re-think
    his positions and admit he was wrong.
    He had what the Cowardly Lion supposedly lacked in the
    Wizard of Oz, and that was COURAGE.
    He also had a BRAIN like the Scarecrow,
    and the HEART of the Tinman.
    But we knew that didn't we?!

    He had excellent presentation skills.  Both Blacks & Whites
    would listen to him.  Even if they did not necessarily
    agree with him.   Amazingly even people considered his
    dreaded enemies wanted to talk with him.


   Martin Luther King would not have become President BECAUSE
   of his ties to religion.  So why he was killed
   is beyond me.  Unless he was tagged as an Uppity Black.
   But even then... killing him would only make things WORSE
   so it was senseless.  Malcolm's killing was senseless, too
   but there was an APPARENT motive.  He was on the FAST TRACK...
   a shooting star for all to see.

   Malcolm was an independent thinker.

	American Indians managed to avoid slavery because
	America was their home.  They could not only escape to
	an organization (if their tribe still existed)
	but they also knew the turf.  They could easily
	survive because they felt at home.

	Blacks brought from Africa were trapped in slavery
	because their organization (countries & tribes)
	were destroyed & broken up.  They were taken
	from their HOMEland & thrown into an alien
	environment.  Even if they escaped, they faced
	situations that they had never faced before
	in their homeland.
	SEE the article entitled "SLAVERY"
	in the Grolier Electronic Encyclopedia.


   "It is the merit of European political scientists & sociologists
    to give a high priority to the power of ideas in a social
    struggle.  In the United States, it is our weakness to confuse
    the numerical strength of an organization and the publicity
    attached to leaders with the germinating forces that sow the
    seeds of social upheaval in our community." [*] page x
    [yes magically and appropriately the page marked X
     in the beginning of the book]
----------------------------------------------------------------

    from page 407:

    "One hundred years after the Civil War,
     and these CHIMPANZEES get more recognition, respect,
     and freedom in America than our people do.
     BROTHER MALCOLM X."

----------------------------------------------------------------
                           -----------
			      X X X
 		           -----------

                          UNFORGETTABLE

	                    with Love

			Natalie King Cole


      NATALIE's music recently won an EMMY.
      You can hear it on her Compact Disc entitled
      "Unforgettable with Love Natalie Cole"
      (Elektra; 1991; 9 6I049-2)

      For FAN CLUB information write to:
      Natalie Cole Fan Club
      P.O. Box 6799I                      <- notice that's
      Los Angeles, CA 90067                  an I and not a 1 !!
----------------------------------------------------------------
		      ---------------------------------------
		          "I don't know why, there's NO
		         sun up in the sky, STORMY WEATHER"
                                 - BILLIE HOLLIDAY
		      ---------------------------------------

   I just this week received this from UNICEF:

   "URGENT

   As a result of civil strife....

   and DROUGHT,  emergencies continue to worsen in many parts of
   Africa, including .....

   Mozambique, Liberia, Somalia, Ethiopia, Sudan, Nambia, and
   Zimbabwe.

   As many as 23 MILLION people in the Horn of Africa are at risk
   from STARVATION, epidemics, & disease.  The majority of which
   are women & children."

   I was going to put UNICEF's address here but ONE BIG thing
   disturbs me greatly.  I do NOT see HAITI listed as being
   in URGENT need.  We here in Boston KNOW via even the local
   news that HAITI is in dire straits.  What's up UNICEF??
   I'm sure the MEDIA will straighten this out for US.

   Nationally...
   I'm sure there's probably a National Media station that
   highlights Charities in need.  I just can't think of it.
   If I ONLY had a Brain, the Heart, da Nerve...

   In Boston...
   there's  a segment of a local news show that's hosted by LIZ WALKER
   called Wednesdays Child that gives information on Children and
   Young Adults who are looking for part time (but with a long
   commitment) support for their lives.
   I'd suggest that that TV show producer read page 21
   of Malcolm X's Autobiography:
   "A white man in charge of a black man's children!
    Nothing but legal, modern slavery -- however kindly
    intentioned."

    and from page 364:
    "... the struggle of the American BLACK MAN is International."
----------------------------------------------------------------
    'ARETHA warning Matt Murphy to "THINK", in the 1980 film
    THE BLUES BROTHERS.'

    caption to a photograph (opposite page 119) of the book:

                "ARETHA FRANKLIN
                 the queen of soul"
                written by Mark Bego
	       (St. Martin's Press; New York; 1989)
----------------------------------------------------------------
       I put this section here for my
       Junior High School Reading Teacher,
       who taught me how to read and to THINK.
       She used boxes of special reading materials that
       were segmented at various reading skill levels
       and she monitored us.  And guided us along.
       But the key is she gave us diversity and
       WE had to make the decision.  We learned
       from our mistakes as well as our successes.
       I NEVER heard a negative thing about her INSIDE
       of her classroom.  But I did hear negative comments
       about her outside of the classroom BUT by just a
       few kids.  And these kids gave me the impression they
       hated alot more than just her.  The MAJORITY
       of students in my all the schools that I attended
       were not this way.  But don't believe just me!

       My Reading Teacher, although she never learned of this,
       was the reason, I am PROUD to say, I have my nickname.

       How did I get my nickname?

       Well, it's a short story:
       I mentioned that I thought she was a great teacher
       during a small group discussion by the small group
       of students mentioned above.  Students that were
       in my reading class with her.  I mentioned that
       I thought she was a good teacher.  I liked her
       and the way she taught.   The next thing I knew
       I was labeled and tagged with the nickname B.U.D.

        And the next thing I knew I was also looked down
	upon by more students than I had been originally.
	And it wasn't because of my YAK BREATH.

       I received this nickname ONLY because I said that
       I liked my reading teacher who was (and is) BLACK.
       Isn't that STUPID.  Well we all know that anyone who is
       racist IS stupid.  They don't check your pedigree
       when they pull out a weapon.  They checked their brains
       at the door (if they ever had any).
       It was only this small group of individuals and I'm not
       even sure they all were really racists.  I bet some
       were just AFRAID to speak out against the group.
       But you MUST keep in mind that I knew that this group
       would not strike at me because I had never seen them
       do that before even though they had harassed others
       for different reasons (kids being kids).

       RACISM is HATRED that involve acts of violence.
       And in its subtler forms, RACISM also involves acts of FORCE.

       What was the namecalling as kids? Was it real racism?
       Yes because of the word BLACK.
       I probably could have become a member of their
       group if I said I didn't like my BLACK teacher.
       But I didn't buy into their group
       because I liked my BLACK teacher.  It really did
       not matter to me that she was BLACK.  What mattered
       was that she was smart and an excellent teacher.
       My feeling is also that anyone who isn't racist,
       but who is AFRAID to standup for BLACKS, or anyone else,
       is a coward. And more importantly, IS PART OF THE PROBLEM,
       and NOT part of the solution.  I'm sure that you'll
       find that this idea is from an Eldridge Cleaver quote:
       "If you're not part of the Solution,
	you are part of the Problem."

       Our parents (our past) made sacrifices for us.
       But I didn't think about that when I accepted
       the nicknem B.U.D.  I just did what I knew to be right.

       Then there was the dare to see whether I had the balls to
       put my nickname in the High School Yearbook.

       If you look there you'll see it,
       because I wasn't ashamed.  I'm a fighter.

       But you'll see if you look there that...
       I did it in such a way that the school, & most of the
       people in the school, did not get tagged as racists. Because
       they weren't.  It was just a small group of individuals.
       If you read Malcolm X's autobiography you will find
       that this is what he also thinks.

       So I put it as just plain B.U.D. and I didn't spell it out.
       That way ONLY the small group who named would
       know about it since it was NEGATIVE, and
       I wanted it to just vanish over time.  There was no
       need for it to continue on...


       But then a POSITIVE use for it MAGICALLY appeared,
       so I resurrected it.  Again I wasn't
       going to spell it out because I didn't see a need,
       and THEN there was Los Angeles, Africa, etc, etc...
       And even though it is more dangerous to spell it
       out now, I haven't changed.  I have nothing to lose.
       And America has everything to gain.

       SO... I will spell it out here now just so that
       you'll understand what the initials stand for
       and what those FEW racist individuals named me:

                Black Ugly's Daughter
----------------------------------------------------------------
                B.    U.     D.
----------------------------------------------------------------

  from page 371:

  "What you are telling me is that it isn't the American White MAN
  who is a racist, but it's the American political, economic, and
  social ATMOSPHERE that automatically nourishes a racist psychology
  in the WHITE MAN."

----------------------------------------------------------------
  another recommended book on page 397:

  CRISIS IN BLACK & WHITE
  by Charles Silberman

  "one of the few WHITE writers with the COURAGE to tell
   his kind the truth."
----------------------------------------------------------------
  from page 416:

  "Whether you use BULLETS or BALLOTS, you've got to AIM well;
   don't strike at the puppet, strike at the puppeteer."
      -> germany <-
	 Engelmann
      P.S. don't forget you need more info then what I put
	   here to verify this.  I believe you'll find it.
----------------------------------------------------------------

  P.S.  Spike Lee, the famous director,
	is working on a movie about the Life of Malcolm X.
	I don't know when it's due out.

----------------------------------------------------------------

  P.S.S.   From MALCOLM X's autobiography, page 373:

  "I'd watch the DANGEROUS wolf closer than I would
   the smooth, sly fox. The wolf's very GROWLING would keep
   me alert and fighting him to survive, whereas I might
   be lulled and FOOLED by the tricky fox."

  What this means is, DO NOT just take this information to be
  the TRUTH.  You must gather more information.  You MUST
  think for yourself and from ALL that draw your own conclusions.
  DO NOT take the easy road and just accept what anyone says.
  And do not assume that there are only two critters out there.

  And MOST important of ALL:  Gather information & experience,
                              THINK,
			      Stand up for what you believe in,
			      and SPEAK OUT.

  These are what I think are MALCOLM X's TRUE STRENGTHs!
  You can only decide what you think by reading his autobiography,
  NOT by accepting what I put here.
  And why he could easily have become
  President of the United States of America
  Home of the BRAVE,
  but not the ONLY home of the BRAVE.
  I was going to say America, the home of the Brave & the Free,
  but NONE of us are FREE until we ALL are Free.

  And do NOT just accept & parrot ideas unless
  you decide that you want those ideas.
  If you parrot back something without thinking,
  you are a SLAVE.
----------------------------------------------------------------
 P.S.S.S.  Here's what ideas I've managed to gel from reading
	   Malcolm X's autobiography.

	   1.  I'd don't know who really killed Malcolm X.
	       He may even have died of natural causes.
	       More importantly I don't even know if he's really dead.
	       SEE the movie as to why I believe this.

	   2.  My guess is that Malcolm X didn't know how to
	       write (he may not have known how to read, too.
               But I really don't know.)
	       I believe that Malcolm X
	       strongly felt that he should have an Autobiography
	       but he was very disturbed that he could not write it
	       himself.  He was VERY AFRAID that he would not
	       be able to get his ideas on paper because
	       a.  He could not put them there himself
	       b.  He was sure that the media would modify
		   his message so that his truth would not
		   get out.

	       This is why he required Alex Haley to record
	       exactly what he, Malcolm X, said.

	       When you read his autobiography see if you can
	       tell whether it was written in this style.

	       I think it was because there are alot of contradictions.
	       In one place he seems to be saying something is a
	       small problem.  Some place else it's a big problem.
	       TOO BAD Malcolm could not have written (and re- written
	       and re-written) his autobiography.  I think
	       some of his main points are fuzzy because he did not:
	           a. Know how to write.
		   b. He did not trust his author, ALEX HALEY,
		      whom, as we all know, wrote the book
		      that became the TV special called ROOTS.

	       It's a REAL waste when an Intelligent person
	       like Malcolm X can't write (or read).

	       I believe he can read because he mentioned reading
	       books in his book (but maybe he can't).

	       A very important point to keep in mind here is
	       [although I don't have the time to check this myself]
	       that I do NOT believe you will find that all of
	       the past Presidents of these United States could
	       both read and write.  George Washington most
	       likely could not read or write.  And some
	       other Presidents who may be listed as having
	       those skills, may not really have had them.

	       What this boils down to is I don't know where
	       the REAL truth lies in Malcolm X's autobiography.

	       But I did manage to glean a few interesting points
	       from his book.

	       1.  Malcolm was monitored by several organizations
		   INCLUDING organizations he was a member of.

	       2.  Information concerning Malcolm X has been modified
		   over the years by Alex Haley, by external organzations
		   by internal organizations, and yes, even Malcolm
		   himself somehow (pretty good if he couldn't write,
		   my guess is Alex Haley helped him just like the cover
		   says).

	       3. He had charisma and good presentation skills.
		  I've seen videotapes of him that I thought
		  clearly documented this so I still believe
		  he could have become President of the U.S.
		  but he would have needed ALOT of support.

	       4. Malcolm was an intelligent human being who
		  learned by listening to people of the street,
		  and from MUSIC.  This where the message passed
		  on by music is important in a different way
		  from what I have seen in the media.  I've
		  seen the point stressed that children learn from
		  music.  But it can also be a way that we can help
		  save those adults who may have given up because
		  they were abandoned by the present system in
		  America, for whatever reason.
		  I think that music is like that "Spoonful of
		  sugar" that helps the medicine go down.
		  I also think that we must increase the availabilty
		  of books on audiotapes for this very reason, too.
		  And not only in English.
		  And another sad thought.  Does anyone know where
		  the books on audiotape section is in any public
		  library?  Or even music on audiotape?
		  Likewise a Picture book section for adults
		  so that those adults who cannot read or write
		  don't have to go to the children's section to
		  borrow books (this is to encourage and NOT
		  to embarass or discourage them).
		  I've never seen a section
		  in ANY library set aside for Adults who
		  cannot read or write.  Probably also a good place
		  to put the books on audiotape section so that
		  those who can read & write also use the section, 
		  thus hopefully making those who cannot read or
		  write feel more comfortable & likely to use it.
		  AND also so that those who CAN read can AID (voluntarily)
		  those who cannot read in finding what the NON-readers
		  want (ie reading the labels for them) NON-readers
		  are both sighted & blind people.
		  If the libraries throughout the U.S. have limited
		  funding (funding for libraries are controlled
		  at the State House level & not by the Federal
		  government).

		  One of the best books to have on audiotape is:
		  "The Elements of Style"
		  by William Strunk JR & E.B. White
		  (Macmillan pubs; New York; 1979)
		  A TINY powerful book on how to write well.

----------------------------------------------------------------
 P.S.S.S.S.  Here's what POPPED out of the Alex Haley ONLY section
	     and may be a SAD clue:

	   1.  "There is nothing more frightful than ignorance in
		action." - Goethe
		ALEX HALEY reported Malcolm X as having written
		this down.  On PAGE 411.

	   2.  "Children have a lesson ADULTS should learn,
		to NOT be ashamed of failing, but to get up
		and try again.  Most of us adults are so
		afraid, so cautious, so 'SAFE', and therefore
		so shrinking and rigid and afraid that it is
		why so many humans fail.

	   MOST MIDDLE-AGED ADULTS HAVE RESIGNED THEMSELVES TO FAILURE."

		from page 411 again, and again as reported
		by Alex Haley, whom you must remember Malcolm X
		did not TOTALLY trust.
----------------------------------------------------------------
   AND finally, from page 417:

   "Brother", Malcolm X said to Alex Haley,
   "Do you realize that some of history's greatest leaders
    never were recognized until they were SAFELY in the ground!"

-------------------------------------------------------------------
  I lied.

  Here's the last thing:

    H.L. Mencken's definition of a CYNIC,

    "someone who, when they smell flowers, looks for a coffin."

-------------------------------------------------------------------
                           -----------
			      X X X
			   -----------
			    Umw„lzung
			      means
                           Revolution


   ... and yes, FINALLY, a quote from the movie MALCOLM X,
       a hard hitting movie with COOL music & imagery
       AND plenty of SURPRISES (like the STAR):

	   "We didn't land on Plymouth Rock,
	    Plymouth Rock landed on US !!"

-------------------------------------------------------------------





   
