What We Want, What We Believe The Black Panther
Party Library (DVD-Video Set)
Picture:
C Sound: C Extras: C+ Main Films: B
The rise
of The Black Panthers was seen as the biggest threat to domestic security by
the FBI and Nixon administration in particular, though they formed during LBJs
time. On the good side, they wanted to
empower African Americans in a more blatantly racist society, set up education
(give or take the propagandic side) and even set up free lunches for the
community. Unfortunately, this Black
Separatism started endorsing Red Book Communists Maoism, which meant violent
revolution, which meant the U.S. Government became extremely interested and
decided to do what they could to destroy the organization.
What We Want, What We Believe
The Black Panther Party Library is a new 4 DVD set that extensively archives their
history and show the radical politics, historical events and raw facts in a way
you will see hardly anywhere else. Roz
Payne is the keeper of their archive and has presented a remarkably complete
DVD set that is as well put together as it is researched. Of course, the group was busted up and to
this day, some of its members are still
in jail for their conflict with federal authorities. Those who think just because all draft
dodging youths and others like The Weather Underground (see their story
reviewed elsewhere on this site) does not mean all have been freed or served
their time.
This was
not all that long ago, but despite their long-term failure built on ideologies
that were never going to help (including, despite what Miss Payne may or may
not agree with, issues the Panthers had with women that helped to bring about
their downfall) and are more dated and obsolete than ever, their very existence
and fact that they even caused the U.S. Government trouble proved that things
had to change in the U.S. and they did.
Even
after the rollback of so many civil rights in the 1980s, their sacrifices
pushed the system into a better direction that has benefited African Americans
and really the rest of the country by increasing visibility, opportunity,
mutating racism for better & worse and even Gangster Rap has been
regressively imitating the shortcomings of the Panthers, whether most realize
it or not. However, there are new
challenges over racism and inequality like what happened after Hurricane
Katrina, but the Panthers even at their worst suggested empowerment for African
Americans without establishment approval and when you feel you have nowhere to
turn, that is better than nothing. This
is why we must never have in this country again a reality that allows anyone to
feel that way anymore from any minority group.
After watching this, you will understand that they did score a key
victory for progress, no matter the price they paid, some are still paying or
even if they do not believe it. They
were never going to get what they really wanted, but that they were willing to
die for it is sad and unfortunate.
Easily
forgotten in the revision of this history since the 1980s how many politically
aware non-African Americans also supported them. John Lennon most famously (and naοvely, as
covered in the recent U.S. vs. John
Lennon documentary we recommend) donated money, but he was not the far Left
figure like those of the American Communist Party and like-minded people were
the other support for the group. Even
the current ideology is trying to divide and conquer attacking the facts. It makes you wonder how much of the
COINTELPRO points of division continue and wait in the wings today. This set is a must for Political Science
study.
The 1.33
X 1 image is not bad for its age on the old black and white film footage, but
too bad they are not cleaned or restored.
The owners should consider that, with all the artifacts on the footage,
plus jump cuts that include missing audio.
Whether any of the missing snippets have survived anywhere is a big
question, though if the FBI or other government organization has better copies,
The Freedom Of Information Act might not even save them. The original sound is here in Dolby Digital
2.0 Mono, likely from magnetic mono. The
new programs do not look any better, shot on old NTSC video and with analog
sound.
Those new
segments, along with DVD-ROM extras including PDF documents & images, audio-only
clips on DVD One and an informative booklet about the 4 DVDs and the history
that makes a solid guide. Even if you
are no fan of the Panthers, this is a top-rate archival set that deserves to be
available to anyone who wants to see, know and study it as it should be in a
free society.
- Nicholas Sheffo
