Bobby Seale at UWM

Milwaukee SDS, 07.02.2008 16:04

On Monday, February 25, Black Panther Party co-founder Bobby Seale will speak at UWM.

On Monday, February 25, 2008, Bobby Seale will be speaking at UWM at 7pm in the Wisconsin Room of the UWM Student Union. Admission is free and open to the public.

In 1966, Seale co-founded the Black Panther Party with Huey P. Newton; he served as party chairman for eight years.

Throughout the 1960s and early 1970s, Seale, along with other BPP members, was frequently targeted for persecution by the FBI’s Cointelpro program.

Perhaps most famously, Seale was one of the eight defendants in the Chicago Conspiracy Trial, which also featured Abbie Hoffman, Tom Hayden, and Dave Dellinger, among others. The trial is the subject of the new film Chicago 10, which will be released nationally on February 29.

Seale has written a number of books, including Seize the Time, about his experiences in the Black Panther Party, and A Lonely Rage, his autobiography. He is also the founder of the R.E.A.C.H. organization, a youth organizing program which combines environmentalism and activism.


This event is being sponsored by Milwaukee Students for a Democratic Society and the UWM Black Graduate Student Alliance.

Homepage:: http://www.sdsmilwaukee.org

DISAPPOINTING 07.02.2008 - 22:44 Go figure the new SDS bringing in another out-of-date and controversial speaker. How much is he charging you white brats anyway? Is this what you call movement building? KNOWBETTER> The kids are alright. 08.02.2008 - 00:28 KNOWBETTER, I bet you 1 million dollars that you are white. And I already know that you are a brat. God forbid they give a militant black man who devoted his life to social change a place to speak!! God forbid that they think that establishing a radical historical precedent could be a positive step for "movement building!" Why don't you do something positive instead of nagging the people who are doing things? Hmmm? Why must you be a pretentious, condescending asshole? Is it possible that your white, middle class, male upbringing has allowed you internet access so that you can be an Indymedia police officer? Do you really think that your voice is so important that you should be able to dictate who should or should not hear Bobby Seale's message (which is provided for free in this case)? Score card: Bobby Seale = lifetime of community organizing, demanding rights for black people, being beaten savagely by police, being imprisoned, having attempts made on his life, etc. You = have internet access. Knock these democratic society kids all you want, but you, sir, are no fucking Bobby Seale. Can you dig it? Reality Check> Bobby is Amazing 08.02.2008 - 06:54 Bobby Seale is an amazing speaker. He is far from "outdated." I saw him speak at UW-Madison a couple of years ago and I was thoroughly impressed. He is funny, charming, and able to put the BPP and the revolutionary movements of the 60s into a perspective that relates to today. Bobby Seale still seems committed to the same ideals that led to the creation of the Black Panthers, and it would behoove anyone interested in social movements to listen to the wisdom of Bobby Seale. Also, i am sure he will speak about Cointelpro, and the reasons for the destruction of the BPP. Also, it seems rather naive and immature to criticize someone simply because of their age. Don't trust anyone over 30?!? Yeah, I support the young 20 something anarchists in this city and across the country, but I am getting pretty sick of their pompous, alienating, and unwarranted self-righteousness. Grow up, and listen to someone with some actual experience. Bobby Seale has more experience than all the young anarchist punks in Milwaukee put together. All Power to All People> For the Record 08.02.2008 - 12:42 That first heckling comment was not made by an anarchist. Rather it was made by a disgruntled former SDS member, interested in the political schisms and manipulations so common of the Left. A Milwaukee Anarchist> ?? 08.02.2008 - 17:48 Why does everything always come to race on these topic boards? Can a white person not like bobby seale? or is that racist? do all black people have to like seale, or would they be sell outs if they didn't? all black people don't like whiteney houstan and she is dumbface people are people> "Young Anarchist Punks" 08.02.2008 - 19:01 I don't see anything from the first comment that leads me to believe it was posted by any "young anarchist punks," although I could be wrong. Anyway, I hope people can make it out to this event regardless of your feelings on Milwaukee SDS. We've been really stretching to put this thing on. Brian Averill> Another Ad 14.02.2008 - 15:35 Another ad Brian Averill> part of the problem 16.02.2008 - 12:33 SDS is mainstream assholles that are part of the probllem what have they done? NOTHING HAS CHANGED sick of SDS> "Mainstream Assholes" 17.02.2008 - 03:53 How brave of you to express your opinion anonymously. You might have to reevaluate your definition of "mainstream." If we view the standard definition of "mainstream" to apply to SDS, how do SDS' 8 Points apply? How also do Winona LaDuke, Peter Phillips, Mark Rudd, Bill Ayers, Kevin Pina, Bobby Seale, Paul Street, and Norman Finkelstein fit into the "mainstream?" These are just some of the people who have spoken or are planning to speak on an invitation or cosponsorship by SDS. For example, Paul Street will speak on electoral politics in 2008 from a radical left perspective. Many other groups on campus have embraced candidates who have and will maintain the power structure rather than challenge it. Barak Obama is no exception. Nothing has changed? I'm not going to make some ridiculous list of minor accomplishments Milwaukee SDS has achieved. This argument reminds me of right wing comments after last year's window smashing at the Army Recruiting Center. The reactionary response pointed out that the war hadn't ended and nothing had changed; however, people were talking more about that protest than the typical discussion elicited by daily death toll figures. It's highly doubtful that whoever did smash those windows thought they'd end the war. Any anti-war activist who thinks one action will end the war is delusional, but these views are typically found outside of the anti-war movement from groups or individuals who clearly do not comprehend anti-war tactics or strategy (the media, for example). Anyway, you can be sick of SDS all you want, but it's an exaggeration to say we've done nothing and simply incorrect that we fit into the "mainstream." Brian Averill> sorry, im an idiot 17.02.2008 - 09:36 yeah, sorry for the earlier post. im an idiot. you know what happens when you assume. anyway, Bobby Seale is an amazing and inspiring speaker, and he has a lot to share so everyone should go see him, regardless of political perspective, race, age, etc, views on sds, etc. he is also funny as hell, which makes the whole experience fun. All Power to All People> SDS LIES 17.02.2008 - 12:47 SDS is mainstream. SDS brings in "controversial" speakers to a college (wow! that's new) and has a DISCUSSION on bla bla bla. It all fits into the liberal white media establishment. People sit in a college, or coffee shop and talk faklosophy all day long and blow of some steam, and NOTHING CHANGES. You aren't changing the national dialogue, and after you smashed those windows all people were saying was look at these idiots who are violent and dumb. Yes maybe on here 50 60 or even a higher percent thought it was postiive, but that's the point. on here is not representative fothe people, it's just another facet in the white liberal meida establishment. it is NOT for the PEOPLE, it is against the people. and bringing in some washed up 60s panther, who is a sell out barbque salesman and huey P called to have assassinated (look it up people) doesn't make you anything. it just means you are putting on a 21st centuray minstral show you asshole. so fcuk sds, bunch of wannabes if you really wanna make something change go join a church and help out refugees. Brian, you are aweful> SDS is one piece of a very large puzzle. 17.02.2008 - 13:53 a) SDS didn't break the windows. b) SDS puts a lot of hours into events and campaigns and has worked in solidarity with a number of other groups. Discouraging that kind of work is ridiculous, even if they don't do it the way you would prefer. c) Why would you assume that speakers like Bobby Seale are booked exclusively for the already converted? How about the more likely explanation that he was booked for the other 96% of the population who have been taught their whole lives that Malcolm X and the Black Panther Party were violent racists? d) It's often hard to distinguish between disgruntled "leftists" and crazy right wing nuts. Good job. e) Everyone on here knows who you are. You are not as clever as you think you are. Brutus the Barber Beefcake> a quick heads up about history and sh|t 17.02.2008 - 16:09 As we watch the discourse around here, let's keep something in the front of our minds... the new SDS, while autonomous all over the country, has been a renaissance of sorts, of the original movement also known as Students for a Democratic Society. They're perhaps most famous for the Port Huron Statement which almost could stand alone as a direct replacement for the United States Constitution AND Bill of Rights. OK, I'm exaggerating a bit, right? But it actually would be worth exploring as a possibility. A few masters and phd theses' have been written about just that!!! But I digress. It was a wonderful statement. So wonderful, in fact that it was seen as a direct threat to the Untied States department of justice's wayward goals and ends. As a result they were under direct attack by c0intelpro bullshit throughout their entire tenuous existance. Oldtimers strongly suggest there was never a single meeting around the country that wasn't fully infiltrated by several different governmental agencies all stepping over each other trying to disrupt and distort their each and every action. Kind of amazing they managed to get ANYTHING done, eh? So long story short, if you're getting your feathers all ruffled by say, 5 inflammatory negative replies to every single post about the new SDS, there's too good a chance that 3 or 4 of them are by people knowingly AND unknowingly doing the US Gov't's work FOR them. Try to remain calm and understand that it does almost no good to try and figure out exactly who's a fed and who's not, they've even gotten good at handling THAT toward their own disruptive goals, and then nothing gets done. Or really bad things get done. Try to accomplish things DESPITE their bullshit. You'll be glad you did. cheers, marco marco> ummmmm 18.02.2008 - 01:54 your a paranoid loser with no real friends. life. sds is the most anti-democratic fascist movement since mussolini. if you disagree with brian, or with other 'leaders' you can't be right. everything has to fall into place and there can be no dissent or disagreement. that is bull and everyone knows it. it's a big clikkk that is against democracy and against differing opinions. way to set progressive activism back a step you rich white idiots. marco > john mccain> impersonating my name in an open forum. 18.02.2008 - 13:56 I am not the author of the comment above this one, I did pen the one before that, just so's you know. Just for the record, I, marco, would never attack or criticize SDS (or any other autonomous grassroots group for that matter) unless I had something constructive to say with that criticism. I'm sure none of you need me to even suggest whoall out there benefits from impersonations, name calling, divisive language and attacks that lack anything constructive to say...  http://mke.indymedia.org/en/2005/02/202746.shtml  http://www.icdc.com/~paulwolf/cointelpro/cointel.htm marco> FYI 03.03.2008 - 17:18 I was just informed of this discussion, at 5:10pm, on Monday, March 3, 2008. I haven't posted on this thread until now (I can't even remember the last time I posted anything on Indymedia actually). Since there are a lot of goofy rumors and half-truths constantly circulating in the UWM "left" community, I figured I should just clear my name on this one, at least. Hope you all had a lot of fun arguing though. Erik S.>