By: Mark Glennon*
“Chairman Fred Hampton, one of the great educators and organizers” is part of the “rich history” of Chicago’s West side. That’s what Chicago Mayor-Elect Brandon Johnson said in an interview with WTTW posted Friday.
Hampton advocated for violent, communist revolution in America. He invoked the worst of history’s communists in the name of that cause, including Mao, Lennin, Marx, Che Guevara and Kim Il Sung.
He was chairman of the Black Panthers’ Illinois chapter, which is why his admirers today like Johnson call him “Chairman.” Among the things Hampton said:
We look at Comrade the Marshall, Marshall Kim Il Sung of Korea as towering far and high above in his social practice as Mao Tse-Tung. If you can relate to that, cool. If you can’t relate to that, walk out with your ass picked clean like the chickens do, you dig?
We gonna criticize you out open because we believe in mass revolutionary criticism. We’re gonna tell you that you’re wrong, because we done had a lot of criticism leveled at us for fucking around with you. You will either be part of the problem or you’re gonna be part of the solution. And if we find out you motherfuckers is part of the problem, we’re gonna start turning the guns on you crazy motherfuckers.
When people ask us about our culture, we say our culture’s guns, baby. Our culture’s revolutionary art, like that… Because you don’t have to call, if your shotgun’s a Browning, you don’t have to give it no African name, because believe me, it shoots the same. You understand? It shoots the same….
We Marxist-Leninist niggers, and we some Marxist-Leninist cussin’ niggers, and we gonna continue to cuss, godamnit. Cause that’s what we relate to, that’s what’s happening in Babylon.
We say that we need some guns. There’s nothing wrong with guns in our community, there’s just been a misdistribution of guns in our community. For one reason or another, the pigs have all the guns, so all we have to do is equally distribute them.
First of all, we say primarily that the priority of this struggle is class. That Marx, and Lenin, and Che Guevara end Mao Tse-Tung and anybody else that has ever said or knew or practiced anything about revolution, always said that revolution is a class struggle.
You don’t know anything about the good that a gun does you, because you never tried one. And we say that if you was born and if you said you didn’t like pears and you never tasted pears, you’d have to be a liar.
For those people who have their feelings hurt by niggers talking about guns, we’ll have a cry-in after the question and answer period. And for those white people that are here to show some type of overwhelming manifestation of guilt syndromes, and want people to cry out that they love them, after the cry-in, if we have time, we’ll allow you all to have a love-in.
We do not want war, but we understand that war can only be abolished through war. That in order to put down the gun, make a man get rid of the gun, it’s necessary to pick up a gun.
The Black Panthers are often credited for philanthropic work like a free breakfast program. But Hampton was clear that the program was just an element of communist insurrection strategy:
Some people talk a lot about communism, but the people can’t understand and progress to the stage of communism right away or because of abstract arguments. They say you got to crawl before you can walk. And the Black Panther Party, as the vanguard party, thought that the Breakfast for Children Program was the best technique of crawling that any vanguard party could follow. The Breakfast for Children program. We are running it in a socialistic manner. People came and took our program, saw it in a socialistic fashion not even knowing it was socialism. People are gonna take our program and tell us to go on to a higher level. They gonna take that program and work it in a socialistic manner. What’d the pig say? He say, “Nigger—you like communism?” “No sir, I’m scared of it.” “You like socialism?” “No Sir, I’m scared of it.” “You like the breakfast for children program?” “Yes sir, I’d die for it”. Pig said, “Nigger, that program is a socialistic program.” “I don’t give a fuck if it’s Communism. You put your hands on that program motherfucker and I’ll blow your motherfucking brains out.“
Most of the above comes from a 1969 speech Hampton gave at Northern Illinois University, It’s an exceptional speech in the sense that it reflects an impressive understanding of Marxism for a person only 21 years old, translated into the words of Hampton’s place and time.
It stands in stark contrast to speeches of Martin Luther King, who was murdered the year before Hampton was killed. King taught nonviolence as the road to color blindness. Color blindness is expressly rejected as a goal of today’s “anti-racists.” You will find much more in Hampton’s speech that is often echoed by today’s left.
As you would expect, the interviewer at WTTW, a Chicago PBS affiliate, didn’t follow up with any further question on Johnson’s comment about Hampton. In fact, the comment is edited out of the video version of the interview that is linked with its article.
Progressives in Chicago and nationally have embraced Johnson and celebrated his election win. In fact, I am aware of no notable Democrat who has rejected Johnson or his militant radicalism.
Johnson isn’t the only one still admiring Hampton. The Chicago Black Lives Matter chapter, today, often refers to Hampton as Chairman.
And here’s a Twitter post from December by Illinois Senate Democrats:
*Mark Glennon is founder of Wirepoints.
UPDATE: Brandon Johnson on Sunday issued a statement about riots Saturday night in Chicago. He says he doesn’t condone it, then condones it. Full statement here:
“In no way do I condone the destructive activity we saw in the Loop and lakefront this weekend. It is unacceptable and has no place in our city. However, it is not constructive to demonize youth who have otherwise been starved of opportunities in their own communities.
Our city must work together to create spaces for youth to gather safely and responsibly, under adult guidance and supervision, to ensure that every part of our city remains welcome for both residents and visitors. This is one aspect of my comprehensive approach to improve public safety and make Chicago livable for everyone.”
Ted was on The Chicago Way with John Kass and Jeff Carlin to discuss the proposed $5 billion lakefront stadium project proposed by the Chicago Bears & Mayor Brandon Johnson, why Chicago is struggling compared to other metro areas across the country, why the city might or might not go the way of Detroit, and more.
Some Illinois lawmakers continue to deny that covid aid and other federal stimulus bailed the state out of its fiscal mess. But a look at past and projected revenues from COGFA shows just how much the bailouts blew out the state’s revenues. And now that they’re over, how much harder it will be for Illinois revenues to grow.
Election integrity – both real and perceived – is essential to government’s legitimacy and stability. Illinois, like the rest of the nation, better fix its problems now.
Ted joined Dan and Amy to talk about Chicago’s latest bond offering, why Chicago’s dismal home value growth is due to poor policies, the next $70 million to be spent on migrants, the 9% salary hikes demanded by the CTU, and why Illinois lawmakers voting to stop Chicago’s selective enrollment schools from being closed is hypocritical.
Weekly crime statistics from the Chicago Police Department: Report through 4/21/2024.
All of MLK’s inner circle went on to be Communists.
Once again, just like 2020 riots, Kwame Raul is nowhere to be found. The top law enforcement officer in the state is repeatedly AWOL.
Why do we keep electing public officials who don’t care if they kill one another? There is no remorse, no jail time, usually no consequences at all, and no problem killing anyone who identifies the same as they do. Why do we want anyone with these mind sets running our cities, our states and our country? What the hell are we doing? Why can’t we find someone with enough guts to stand up against all this treachery, oh, I don’t know, maybe a Republican???
That’s not what the voters in Chicago want. It’s not about somebody having “enough guts” as those types are not electable in the city. It’s pretty simple really.
I really don’t care if they’re not electable all I care about is do they have enough guts to stand up, speak out and fix it. Remember Democrats, with no authority, worked together, didn’t care about protocol, and ripped this whole country a new one when Republicans and Trump were in office? They made no excuses and took plenty of prisoners. Yes, as you say, it is pretty simple.
You’re delusional Marie. What is it that you think Republicans in this state can do when not ONE is holding a statewide office? How are they supposed to fix it if they have zero power? If it’s so easy why don’t you run and show us how it’s done.
This is the problem with the electorate in Illinois. The majority votes for unrealistic spending and stances on crime and so many in the opposition get mad at the minority for not doing “something”. Utter ignorance.
Do you think everything you mentioned if the situation was reversed would stop Nancy Pelosi? I don’t.
Nancy Pelosi can’t do anything if she is not in power.
Please provide specifically what IL GOP should do that would improve Chicago or Illinois? Right now your shaking your fist at clouds with no idea or way to improve anything. That’s about the power of the IL GOP.
I’m not a politician. Too old to be one now. Never accepted voters money and made promises to make things better. But I do guarantee you, if I didn’t win I wouldn’t just pack up my tent and go home. Too many people already do that. So are you saying the guys who didn’t win are silent because they don’t want to shake their fists at the clouds? No, they are silent because there is no money falling from the clouds or in bucking the system! Well if that’s all they got, I’m glad they didn’t win.
Yes. Much better for a bunch of people with all the ideas on how to fix things just complain on a website and make excuses to never run for office. Do you actually have one idea of what they should do that would make a difference? Just more complaining? That should fix everything.
Everyone has their reasons. Yours are noble and they are a bunch of charlatans who won’t yell at clouds to appease you. The nerve of some people.
Politicians might listen if we showed up with pitchforks and torches. But the electorate is too lazy and apathetic to do something like that unless we’re preventing them from killing fetuses or cops are shooting gangstas.
No they wouldn’t. It would just be people whining and complaining that the majority voted differently than them. They would probably label you the same as the J6 rioters and the media would back them. Get real.
If you want change the people will need to vote for change. Until then quit complaining about what the party out of power won’t accomplish.
One could suggest that people are voting for change, but just not the kind of change that is generally considered compatible with first world civilizations. It won’t be too long before the voters make Chicago into Cape Town or Caracas.
Nancy was unable to do anything between 2011 and 2021, other than twice impeach Trump, because her party did not have the senate and the presidency at the same time.
California and Illinois have zero elected GOP statewide office holders. San Francisco, Los Angles, and Chicago were once beautiful, vibrant cities. Look at them now – as PPF often says, “The voters have spoken.”
Are conditions 100 hopeless? No, but it would take a Giuliani to turn things around and the aforementioned cities’ Dem supermajorities would never allow that to happen until things hit rock bottom.
What did the voters want when they elected Rauner? What did the voters want when they added the BBA to the Illinois constitution? What did they want?
Buckle up. It’s going to get a lot worse before it even has a chance of getting better. Chicago voters are a combination of lazy, apathetic, ignorant/uninformed and insanely stupid, woke fools. Saturday night was a just the beginning.
When dumb sh!t people don’t get off their ass to vote this is what happens. Now the people of Chicago, all the people, those who voted, those who did not, are going to go to their grave suffering. Like Socialist Democrats say, “Elections have consequences.” Get ready for yours. You have to fix it, you’ll get no sympathy from the rest of us outside the city. What fools you are.
If only the voters you’re referencing even glanced at Wirepoints, they might be enlightened. But no, wasting brain cells on social media or terrorizing neighborhoods is more important.
The grim reality is that about 2/3rds of the city’s voters live in rat hole third world neighborhoods, and they voted enthusiastically to turn your remaining 1/3rd of the city into a rat hole too. Because the communist has only one mandate upon taking power: hurt the people whom his supporters believe is the source of their malcontent. Brandon said he’s going to tax high income earners, corporations, house sales, suburbanites, tourists. So basically everyone who spends money in the city is going to pay a bribe to his low income, illiterate supporters.
Excellent.
Finally the SunTimes has acknowledged the weekend shenanigans. No mention from the Trib. Even Yahoo is providing coverage. The Trib gets scooped by Yahoo; THE SHAME!
I mourn the loss of The Trib – grew up with it, it informed me as an adult and now it’s no more than bird cage lining.
What a sad ending to a long and illustrious history for a major newspaper founded in 1847.
The Tribune’s position must be that it isn’t news since it happens all the time.
Don’t assume that they have a “position.” We are not dealing with people who just see the ward differently, for the Tribune and most of MSM. They know they lie.
That, Mark, is a very sad thought. But, then again, how can they be that clueless?
I wonder if we’ll ever see unbiased reporting in MSM again.
The contradiction on cause and effect in Lightfoot’s and Johnson’s statements have only raised more questions for this reader. Lightfoot points to millions of taxpayer funds invested in youth programs: “We have invested millions of dollars to support community-based organizations to partner with youth to co-activate fun, safe spaces all over the City throughout the year. We ask parents to partner with us by making sure that your children’s plans are safe and that they know when to exit a situation before it becomes unsafe.” Johnson claims no such investment or programs exist: “…However, it is not constructive to demonize… Read more »
At least BJ’s consistent. Supporting Black Panthers certainly served Bobby Rush well. SMH
Time to …
The Mau Mau uprising will start soon.
[edited]
We tolerate no calls for violence here unless they are clearly about legal self-defense.
Astoundingly, in Chicago zooming around as a fake socialist/communist radical while collecting 2 taxpayer gov paychecks for $188,000yr & guaranteed $multi-million$ pension for teaching for 4 years wins you the mayors office?? The lib-tard/voter public gobbles it up
The one big thing these socialists fail to understand is that businesses large and small are the engine that typically drives the city’s economy. Once a city becomes hostile enough towards business they will simply move and they will do it with very little fanfare. Crime, high taxes, toxic rhetoric, I am sure many CEOs are making new plans to exit with Johnson winning. I am trying to stay hopeful but the signs sure are pointing in the wrong direction.
Spot on and the next “desert” will be the “jobs desert” in Chicago. Yep, it happened in Detroit where city residents had to commute to the burbs if they wanted to work.
Detroits brand of socialism added at least an hour to the typical Detroiters work day just for the increase in commuting travel time.
What do you want to bet that McDonald’s is at the top of the list? Talk about a Big Mac Attack! Chicago will NEVER be able to replace their revenue.
I just read the speech. I don’t believe that Breakfast for Children wasn’t socialism. It was charity, no different than what virtually all religions have done for millennia. The churches had done this for immigrants for a full century before he showed up. This guy is no different than the zoomers on Tik-Tok zoomer-splaining the supposed virtues of communism and the vices of capitalism. The reality is that Fred Hampton was a toxic cancer in his community. Sure he hated police. But crime in his community was also high. The black migration during the 40’s and 50’s brought major changes,… Read more »
“It was charity, no different than what virtually all religions have done for millennia,” you say? Hampton expressly said it was a tool he used for spreading communism.
It was a recruiting effort – and, yes, religions have and continue to use charity as a recruitment tool. Hampton used it to spread communism, religions use it to spread their brand of faith.
We recognize Hampton’s goals, rhetoric and methods were malicious, most faith-based efforts are not. Example of one that was malicious: Jim Jones Peoples Temple.
But did he spread communism? Did he even understand what communism was? When I was that young, I had a vague idea of communism was and I attended university. This guy reads marx, understood very little of it, and calls himself a communist.
The young adult foul mouthed woman in a previous video posting on Wirepoints supporting BJ justification for the mostly peaceful riots, clearly stated that she learned her lessons well as a child in Head Start. I too use to believe what a marvelous program to give socioeconomically challenged pre and earlier schoolers an education head start (and breakfast) ramping up to grammar school. It apparently was (and is) a sham as to chiefly indoctrinate the young with a chip on their shoulder against the oppressor (whitey). Fred Hampton may have not started the race wars, but he certainly laid a… Read more »
Fair enough.
Debtsor, I don’t get it. His own words that I quoted in the column could not be more clear. He wanted a violent, communist revolution in America. He clearly showed enough understanding of Marxism to know the basics.
Does it even matter if he understood communism or not? He advocated for it, that’s enough to condemn him.
You’re not wrong at all, I’m not critizing you for calling him a commie. He is a commie and he called himself a commie, and you pointed out that he called himself a commie, and you take him for his word. But, what I’m trying to say is that he doesn’t seem too terribly bright, and he reminds me of AOC telling me that a world with defunded police is like the suburbs, because more policing in and of itself causes higher crime rates. That’s kind of how I interpreted Fred Hampton’s free breakfast to spread communism. But someone else… Read more »
But at the end of the day, he was giving away free breakfast just like the Catholic Church did to new immigrants off the boat in their own communities in Chicago. I know he called himself a commie, and he believed he was a commie, but in his 20’s in 1969, he’s the 1960’s version of today’s Zoomers on Tik-Tok preaching communism too. None of what he said made much sense, to me at least, because I don’t think he understood what communism really was. He was just an angry malcontent that unleashed an orgy of violence on his communities… Read more »
Jessica, how many “tools” do Dems have? More important, where are Republican tools?
Gotta love auto correct! Can’t wait for AI!
While we worry about the future of our society, we should be very clear about the source of this poison. Brandon Johnson is 100% brought to you by the teachers and their unions. He and his philosophy are the culmination of what they have been pushing for decades.
Killed by the police while he slept.