MASTER SEKOU HAS
been in training for over 30
years. He said he started in the
early 1960s under a Japanese
martial arts instructor which
led to training under Master
Kilndyi, the master of the
Tamerran system, an African
martial arts.
"I learned a great deal un­
der my brother, Master
Kilndyi about martial arts in
its true origins," Master Sekou
"What is life to you?"
"Wh t ar you doing to
it t r?"
ter Sekou Bomani, an
tructor for the Bomani
rti I Fede tion id
th two qu tions may be
ked of anyone who joins the
tion.
ter Sekou said the fed­
eration tarted in 1969. The
federation ach African hi -
tory, culture, knowledge of If
while also teaching the art of
Karate and Judo, ancient Afri­
can forms of gentle self defense
for everyone regardl of sex
or age
"History and culture shapes
people into becoming more
productive while also giving
them a sense of direction and
base," Master Sekou said.
"This is what we want to instill
in those who join."
e
oe
id.
Th tru origin of martial
a was formed by th African
warrior, th old t living war­
rior according to M ter
kou.
"It wa put into effect
through th Zulu and Pygmi
tri ," He id. "They wer
very tructured looking
tri
How ver, Ma ter Se ou
ys martial have a discipline
and PUI to raise the level
of concern for pirituality, ec0-
nomics and d fense of one'
self.
"We aren't advocating vio­
lence but advocating one's
elf," Master Sekou said. "
When a person understands
one's self he'd help others. "
, TInS I A capitalist world
with some self-centered indi­
viduals who think their way is
the only way and it comes from
learning from a negative con­
cept, says Master Sekou.
"Some Black people have no
knowledge of self," He said.
"What culture has brought
them to have 'no self knowl­
edge? Black leadership is not
pushing enough knowledge of
self."
. Master Sekou recommends
the following books to read in
the Bomani Federation: The
Destruction of Black Civiliza­
tion: by Chancellor Williams,
See SEKOU, 82
continued from page A6
financi I institutions to di uss bankrolling rge Black con-
struction' firm.
Organize the foremost Black legal authorities to examine
all aspects of my r ommendations.
Detroiters must obtain more empowerment to determin the
destiny of the Black community, both politically and economi­
cally and controlling this one hundred million/billion dollar
project can a major t p towards economic freedom fO.r ��ack
folks in Detroit. To the extent that they can, Black politicians
have an absolute obligation to ensure that monie raised by
Blacks benefit Blacks. If we cannot reap the nefi of our
revenues or participate in the r building Detroit, then who
should?
BOB PARROT
Detroit
y
t
o h r
nd u
c.
IT'S SOME1HlNG WE IN· AMERICA
� Tw\T COVLDC�GE WRWORLD
directly after graduation but
was interested in s king em­
ployment.
I stated to him that I w
afraid for him being and African
American male in the city ofD .
troit. He chuckled and tated,
"What are you afraid of, I can
take care of myself'. Little did I
know that he would involved
in an act of violen .
. My nephew witnes ed
neighborhood resid n atin
on a 14-y ar-old girl in fron of
his hom. He int TV ned in th
It rcation and assisted the
young lady by having her come
into his house to malt a phon
call home. He drove th .young
lady to her neighborhood nd
dropped her off at th corn r.
Th neighbor made thr ts
against my neph w on ev ral
occasions following this inci­
dent. An act of viol n ev ntu­
ally occurred, Th neighbor, a
parol who al dy IV tim
for armed robb ry nd my
nephew, with provocation from
this neighbor, exchanged gun­
sho at ch oth r.
AS RICAN American
male, he a th criminal jus-
m for the fi ti in
OU TU E
and ensl v ment Africans in
America ha n re ct.i r and
acting to and overturn a
ystem of hite po r and bite
upremacy.
Let be crystal cl r, ho -
ever, that actions or reactions
against racism are not racism!
Do some Black people hate bite
people? Do some Black people
occasional make derogatory re­
marks about white people? Are
there times when Black anger
pills over into random acts of
violence against white people?
The answer is ye.,
But th e instances are the
exception not the rule. While
any reasonable person could un­
derstand why some Black people
might dislike/hate white people,
there is absolutely no history of
Black people systematicallyen­
slaving, raping, pillaging, lunch­
ing or di criminating against
white people.
In the first instance hatred,
bigotry and oppression are con­
tracy to the core values of Afri­
can traditions and the African
personality. Setting aside the
matter of val u , however, the
plain fact is that Africans in
America have not had and do not
have the power to systematically
opp white peopl .
BLACK PEOPLE MU T
not fall into the trap oflegitimiz­
ing something called Black ra­
cism. White people must not be
allowed to equate the occasional
negative remark or occasional
random act of violence against a
white person with the long­
standing and systematic/institu­
tionalized, violence, oppression,
degradation and exclusion that
African people in this country
pave experience and continue to
experience.
While we cannot condone ha­
tred, 1"1' random violence against
white people, we must not per­
mit 'White America to escape re­
sponsibility for the past and
present oppression of African
people.
The massive poverty, unem­
ployment, underemployment,
inadequate education, home-
1 e.ss ness , disease, crime, drugs,
and incarceration which dispro­
portionately' afflict the African
American community i a direct
result of in titutionalized ra-
'cism. And, th re is no su tan­
tial outra in white America
about his State of Emergency
which exist for the m of
Black peopl .
HARRIS
PA5SED LAWS TO KEEP THIS
FROM HAPPENING ......
Readers Write
Violence continu s to plague
our community, To reiterate
what Mayor Denni Archer
stated in his inaugural sp ch,
"We must get grip on our li
and take back our children. "
Indeed, his statemen was
compelling. Our African Ameri­
can males encount r extr m
challenges in the city of Detroit.
They are bomb d with vio­
lence in the schools, on the
streets, and rhap in h ir
homes.
On any given day on can visit
Recorder Court and ob rve
young African American males
between the a of 17 and 21
sitting in the hall way w i ing for
their day in court.
The act of viole nce th t
plagues our eomm unity can per­
meate every hou ehold in this
city if we do no "get a grip on our
Ii ". I did not know viol n e
would engulf our family bu it
did.
OUR 0, I r -
member very cl rly having a
discussion with my 17 -y r-old
nephew abou his go Is after
graduation. I k� i� he was
going to eolle ,h indicated h
did not want to attend college
y
his life. His m th r r tained an
African American f male attor­
ney to repre ent him in court.
My nephew ppeared to have
act in s If def nse and that
w his major def ns claim in
ourt.
Unfortunately, the attorney
mi informed nd misrepre­
. nted him t h rial H w
denied fair re'pres nation of
counsel and was found guilty on
wo count , a felony firearm
charge and ult with intent
o commit murd r.
Thi particular attorn y
poorly rep nted my nephew
in veral areas. Sh ill advised
him to take a bench trial instead
of a jury trial. The attorney pre­
pared and investigated wit­
ne es two days before the trial.
Sh n r raised an obj ion in
court when he pro cuting at­
torney placed undu mphasis
on th f: ct that my neph w'
mother a poli offi r.
S e also failed to put charac-
er witn on the stand to
speak on half of my nephew;
her ultimate mistake was advis­
ing my neph w not to take the
stand which denied him of his
constitution I fundamental
right to on hi own behalf
in court.
ATT PRE- E TEN E
h aring in 1990, my nephew was
allowed to sp k for th first
im . His ta ment was con­
vin ing, along with other sup­
porting docum nt uch a ,
1 tt rs from his mploy r, and
community agencies which he
w involved in. .
Thi inform tion allow th
Ju ge to per ive him diff r-
ntly. The Judge dmitted in his
own court room that perh !1 he
ma a mis ke in this e and
that he was human and can
mak mistakes. He adjourned
th s nten and allowed my
nephew an appeal bond.
Consequently, he scolded the
attorney to go back to her office
do h r reh and file an inter­
locutory ppeal. The family
sought new counsel.
In 1991 when my nephew had
to appear before th court again,
. it was a new Judge. Th previous
Judge at his initial tri I died.
This Judge ntenced him to 36
months but allowed him an ap­
peal bond after he officially sen­
tenced him. She agonized over
h r decision.
W COUNSEL requ
a motion for a new trial but it
was denied. All of my rieph w's
appeals at the local and Su­
preme Court level were denied.
The appeals court stated errors
made in this case were harml
and not enough to reverse a con­
viction.
On January 6, 1994 my
nephew, at the age of 22 h d
36 month sentence imposed on
him. H is currently incareer­
ated.
I now wonder how many Afri­
can Am riean mal who a
th criminal justice system a
receiving fair rep ntation of
counsel? One can only inf r
b ed on this particular
that their may be oth r cas
which are similar.
Thi editorial is for practicin
public and private attorn y .
When a client retains your serv­
ice, h or she is d erving of th
best moral and professional con­
duct possible. The client regard­
less of the economic st tus
hould b ntitled to th v ry
t representation of counsel,
Not to provide a client with this
service is indeed a tra ty of
justice.
. U a Fuller, 0 troit
Ron Daniel roe u Pr uient cf tne .
J n: tuuuoa {or Community Orgaruzatuvi
and Dev opmeru In Young. town, hio
If maybe ntacied at (216) 746-5747
W ' (1/)1''' iciat our
, 1)1l' rs (Ill d l' omme Ills.
.
PI '(1.\ ' w nd litem 10:
iic higan Citizen
J 2.-·n ,)' ). lid
l lighlan d Park, /\.1 J
..f( OJ
I
II