By Lucius Gantt
A good friend of mine who is a long-time supporter of The Gantt Report contacted me and suggested that I refrain, so to speak, from commenting about the Russian military invasion of Ukraine.
I know my friend and I understood his feelings on the matter when he described the conflict as “white folk’s business”. I didn’t take his advice personally and I surely didn’t view his concerns to me as a fleer.
Obviously, tribal warfare has been experienced by Africans, Native Americans and all other races, creeds, ethnic groups and people of all colors. White people in Europe seeking to invade, colonize and control their neighbors doesn’t surprise me one bit.
Nations worldwide will continue to build and buy weapons of destruction and they will continue to use them for both personal and governmental benefit.
People of African descent can learn from the response Russia received from Ukrainian soldiers and citizens.
I have no doubt that Ukraine will ultimately prevail in the war they are fighting with Russia.
Why? Ukraine will embrace the idea of “freedom or death”!
A more historical reason that Ukraine is being so successful on the battlefield is the fact that the Russian invaders cannot fight a guerilla war.
Ukrainians will smile at them and speak to the invaders in the Russian language during the day and kill thousands of Russian soldiers at night.
Russian soldiers appear to be untrained, unorganized and unconcerned while the Ukrainian resisters are following the tried and true tactics and methods of the MPLA, the ANC, SWAPO and other African freedom fighting warriors.
The Ukrainians will hit and run, the Ukrainians will fire sniper shots from both roof tops and basements and the Ukrainians will blow up their own bridges to prevent Russian tanks and vehicles from crossing important thoroughfares.
The Ukrainians have said that they “will never give up”!
Black people and other people of color should also never give up in their fights against oppression, exploitation, injustice and global white privilege.
Now, it’s true, I don’t want to be an involved voice in a foreign military conflict.
All I want my friend and other Gantt Report readers to know is that a threat to peace and freedom anywhere is a threat to peace and freedom everywhere!
When armed soldiers begin to launch bombs indiscriminately in attempts to kill women, children and babies that are sheltering in school, hospital and church basements, I have a problem with that and I don’t care what color the women, children and babies are.
I’m smart enough to know that Cubans and other non-Africans helped fight apartheid in South Africa, I know John Brown helped rebellious slaves fight wicked slave masters and I know white Freedom Riders got beaten just like the Blacks that risked their lives to register voters in the southern states of America.
So, I appreciate messages from TGR readers and I encourage those readers to contact me or write Letters to the Editor at their favorite newspapers to comment about my opinions or my beliefs.
Your sincere views about The Gantt Report makes Lucius Gantt better.
