Michael on Assata Shakur

Love is contraband in Hell,
cause love is a acid
that eats away bars.
But you, me, and tomorrow
hold hands and make vows
that struggle will multiply.
The hacksaw has two blades.
The shotgun has two barrels.
We are pregnant with freedom.
We are a conspiracy.
It is our duty to fight for our freedom
It is our duty to win
We must love each other and support each other.
We have nothing to lose but our chains. --Assata Shakur

I read Assata Shakur’s autobiography in Dr. Jim Neighbors’ African-American Literature class this semester. While the narrative of the book (and of Assata’s life) was incredibly compelling, her poetry spoke to me most. Assata may be a controversial figure, but her brilliance cannot be denied.

Assata’s service to this country has been multifaceted, and the price she paid has been great. Thought by many (including myself) to have been persecuted by the American government for her radical politics, Assata is currently an exile living in Cuba. Her life story is a beautiful documentation of the impotence oppression creates in its victims. Spurred to an underground, seditious lifestyle by her inability to enact social change she saw as essential, Assata can be read as militant or misguided. However, anyone involved in the pursuit of social justice can understand the rage that led her to her actions; sometimes, the hardest part of being a community servant is accepting that the community can be so resistant to change. She has been an inspiration to me in recent months in my own service; the social consciousness she has helped to create has reminded me that, while the fight is often hard, perseverance pays off.

Reading her autobiography so close to the election was also an experience in and of itself. Her efforts, along with the service of countless others, created the climate in which Barack Obama could be elected President. While she may be considered dangerous and treacherous, she was an important part of a dramatic shift in American politics. Many compare Barack Obama to other inspirational figures of the civil rights movement, particularly Martin Luther King. I think we owe a debt of gratitude to Assata as well, regardless of whether we agree with her methods.

This poem specifically is meaningful to me in the context of the passage of Proposition 8 in California. LGBT Americans throughout the country would do well to remember that the best way to win this battle is by continuing to love one another – making a political statement through the purest of human connections.