rev. lennox yearwood at Brave New Films

War on Greed: Rev. Yearwood on MLK's dream

2008-10-14T15:29:54Z

Rev. Lennox Yearwood from the Hip Hop Caucus:

40 years ago, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. died so all of us could have human dignity and equality here in America. He died to bridge the divide between the rich and the poor. He died so white and black could all come together, so we could all have human dignity. He understood that economic rights were at the core of the fabric of human dignity.

As we fast forward to the 21st century, multi-billionaire wall street tycoons like Henry Kravis and companies like KKR are causing that dream to become a nightmare.

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Rev. Lennox Yearwood Jr. at sf Impeachment Town Hall

2008-11-22T12:52:34Z

Rev. Lennox Yearwood Jr. the president of the Hip Hop Caucus delivering a inspirational speech at the World Can't Wait's Impeachment Town Hall in San Francisco.

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Rev. Lennox Yearwood: "Arrest Bush, Not Rev!"

2008-10-24T21:29:24Z

I don't disagree.

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Rev. Yearwood Discusses Capitol Arrest

2008-10-24T21:29:35Z

Rev. Yearwood of the Hip Hop Caucus and Institute for Policy Studies discusses his arrest outside of a House of Representatives hearing room before the testimony of Gen. Petraeus.

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Democracy while Black

2008-03-22T21:54:33Z

Rev. Lennox Yearwood released a statement today in response to his 10 Sep 2007 arrest.

My role is to make government more transparent to the people, especially people of color. How am I supposed to convince other African-Americans to come to Capitol Hill to participate in democracy, when Capitol Police will go so far as to jump me when I question my exclusion from a hearing that is open to the public? We all know what 'driving while Black' is, well I'd call this 'democracy while Black.'"

What is so sinister about the demonizing of dissenting voices is precisely what the Yearwood calls out here: if they make examples of a couple of "unfriendly" visitors, others who share their views will be less likely to speak up or act. Sadly, this draconian, Machiavellian sort of opinion squashing is precisely the goal of today's neo-Conservative.

Minority and marginalized people's fragile will to speak up is too often crushed by these sorts of scare tactics. It is therefore imperative that we use this as yet another reason to drive out these leaders who are neither able nor mature enough to answer questions posed by those who do not share their beliefs.

Clarification: Rev. Yearwood's leg is not broken. The police said that yesterday, but after people were actually able to speak to the Reverend, it was made clear that he instead has severe damage to ligaments in his ankles and is on crutches.

The entire press release is below.

You bump heads, Bush breaks legs

2008-01-12T20:19:34Z

An update on the arrest and hospitalization of Rev. Lennox Yearwood of the Hip Hop Caucus.

The good Reverend got a not-so-good mollywopping from the bad policemen. They actually broke the man's leg. Damn.

For my fellow engineers, here's the Bush math on political disagreement:

"I will not be arrested today" = Resisting arrest => We break your legs

That doesn't sound like what American politics and democracy should be. That sounds like something out of Goodfellas. No wonder Mike Malloy calls these people "The Bush Crime Family Thugs."

Why are people so afraid of Black men who think?

2008-10-24T21:29:33Z

It's hard being a Black man in Washington that disagrees with the Bush administration. Reverend Lennox Yearwood, Leader of the Hip Hop Caucus was ~~arrested~~ gang-tackled and hospitalized today while trying to be a witness to the Congressional testimony on the status of the Iraq occupation by General David Petraeus yesterday.

For such a tough guy, this president sure doesn't like to face peaceful people that disagree with him and his policies.

Why are people so afraid of Black men who think? I guess thinking Black men are not patriotic.

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Leader of the Hip Hop Caucus attacked, arrested, and hospitalized trying to attend Petraeus hearing

2008-03-22T21:54:33Z

This is just obscene. They wouldn't let him enter the hearing and threatened to arrest him. Rev. Yearwood, the President of the Hip Hop Caucus responded, "I will not be arrested today."

Then police tackled him, arrested him, and now he's being detained at the hospital.