The Kreed of Foundation

BY TEK MILLER (E. LANG)

In a time of rapid transformation, whoever stands still will soon be left alone. To continue to operate from old strategies that are not effective is a waste of time and energy. Certain methods will have to be adapted to in order to be compatible with the newer systems for which our Damu organization is trying to establish. We will build a foundation for success and begin to develop personal and unified goals that will bring meaning, understanding and enlightenment to our organization. Building this successful foundation is a strategic role that must be done with dedication and proper leadership so that we can build constructively unto our organization and no longer allow ourselves to be divided or destroyed.

Education is the first step towards our transformation. We must first educate ourselves so that we can teach the damus who are deaf, dumb and blind the truth of our existence. We must no longer allow ourselves to be brainwashed or fed false knowledge. Secondly, we must be dedicated and disciplined to represent our damu organization. We must be proud of who we are and not be afraid to stand up and fight for the freedom, justice and equality that we deserve. We must be there for our komrades in their time of need. Unity is the main principle of solidarity. Each step of personal growth provides support for every member within our organization and the gains of each member anchor the advancement of our nation.

The most important factor in the transformation of our nation is action, we must begin to put our thoughts and strategies into action. Without action there will be no mobility, we must continue to conquer what is rightfully ours!

The three main principles for which we should be advocating:

Freedom: is to be free from oppression, poverty, degradation, humiliation or any form of bondage that conquers and controls our nation mentally and physically. We must strive for liberation by any means necessary and not allow ourselves to fall victim to our own demise no matter the situation. We must be in control of our own existence. We must be the vanguards of our nation and live within the bounds of our judgment.

Justice: is the benefits, positive or negative actions, that affects our nation as a whole. We must demand justice from our oppressors when their actions towards our nation go against what we stand for. Justice is a weapon, it is a weapon that we must use to regain the dignity and respect that we deserve within this society that we live in. Justice is the principle of fair dealing. The law that distinguishes between right and wrong. If you love your nation then you will make sacrifices to keep your nation strong no matter what those sacrifices may be. Justice is the joy of freedom.

Equality: is what we demand to be able to be treated as equals within our community, as well as in society in general. When you’re knowledgeable of your existence you begin to be held accountable for your actions. Equality is to be equal in all things, no matter the level or circumstances we must not allow our oppressors to separate and divide us into the categories of their choosing. We are a powerful nation!

*When we become liberated we get served with the justice that we demand and become equals within our societies.

One of the most important positions we must hold within our nation of black leaders over our domain is advocacy, otherwise known as upliftment. We must be the backbone and the foundation of our komrades, to be there in their time of need, therefore we must never stray from our obligations within our nation, we must stand united and never be divided. To be united is a bond that must persist even when we are not physically around or near our komrades. The key to building our nation into a righteous movement is to stand united for a meaningful cause. Our cause is to override oppression, to bring freedom, justice and equality not only to the black liberation organization or defense movement, but to fight to protect and uplift all new afrikan brothers and sisters so that we can garner the support and love needed to strengthen our communities. We are the face of our community but the conditions that plague our community do not define who we are as strong black men and women.

The majority, if not all black leaders over our domain, come from similar backgrounds that consist of drug abuse, violence, oppression, poverty, corruption, rape and murder to name a few. These types of environments cause us to develop an unconscious mindframe about our self-worth and make us believe that our existence revolves around these things, thus making us a product of our environment. We need to reverse the cycle and be advocates of our communities and our younger generation so that we will no longer be psychologically dependent on the destructive nature of our environment, as well as our oppressors. To be an advocate is to develop a clear presentation or productive examples to be followed, that will bring about a change within our nation. There are two types of advocates: one who leads by example and one who leads by way of rhetoric. We must combine the two together so that when we advocate our komrades we do so on a more direct level so that the things that aren’t understood can be broken down in lessons for understanding.

We must favor our weaknesses over our strengths because our weaknesses build our strengths, when we are vulnerable to destruction and manipulation. Therefore to keep the foundation and development of our nation strong and solid we must find productive, meaningful and successful ways to advocate our komrades’ weaknesses. We must never hold our levels of leadership over our komrades to make them feel less than or inferior to us. We are all equals. This is what being united represents: equality. By the same token we as leaders must stand in front of our komrades to protect their well-being. We as leaders are responsible for our nation. We must be the face of our nation, the air need for our nation’s lungs to breathe, the blood needed for our nation’s hearts to pump and the energy needed for our nation’s body to move swiftly through the trap that’s designed by our oppressors to destroy our movement.
We as black leaders over our domain must acknowledge our faults and take responsibility for the actions we caused that helped destroy our nation as well as our communities. This in return helps us rebuild our nation into a righteous movement. It’s important for Damu to study true afrikan American/new afrikan literature as well as build mentally, spiritually around the new afrikan movement and most importantly the black liberation movements and organizations in its entirety. For this is what the (dough) Damu movement is implemented around. True afrikan amerikan/new afrikan literature helps us define who we are as beautiful black men and women. It gives us our true identity/understanding of who we are, where we came from and which direction we are headed. The new afrikan movements give us a solid foundation to build on as well as the truth of our afrikan roots and heritage. It defines what our true identity is as revolutionary freedom fighters and it enhances our spiritual, physical and mental structure for us to contribute to our existence meaningfully.

When we are brainwashed while seeking the truth of our existence we cannot be held accountable, but when we fail to seek the truth we are only to blame ourselves for our own demise. The foundation of Damu is built around the unity and brotherhood amongst all Damus regardless of set and banner. We are trying to organize the mentality and actions of our fellow Damus who have embraced this negative “gang bangin” ways and create revolutionary warriors, united and standing for a true and meaningful cause.

We must pick up where we left off and take the same principle discipline and struggles that was used to overcome our conditions within these prison walls and base them into our existence on the streets to overcome those conditions. This is why it is so important for us to re-define who we are and build a solid structure around our organization to solidify our unity and devotion, as black leaders over our domain. We must guide one another when we are lost, once should lead from strength thus causing the followers weaknesses to strengthen. Our environment don’t define who we are, our actions do. make sure you live for the cause and not just because!
In solidarity through all struggles.

Eddie Lang
CCI #532-018
Chillicothe Correctional Institution
PO Box 5500
Chilicothe OH 45601