Billy X,

Much respect to you and everyone involved in the Panthers film on VH1.  Although the commercials were distracting to say the least, the treatment was thorough and well conceived.  I don't recall any other film that incorporates so many voices, locations and issues into one accessible format.  Hard to imagine something like this airing 20 or even 10 years ago -- or ever -- on commercial television.

I agree with Bro. Shep that this is an excellent vehicle for explaining the Party to young people that only have vague and fragmentary notions of what really went down with the Party.  I also agree that this should help spark a new push to document and explain the Party's history, legacy and purpose for a new generation.

I find it very interesting how and where the film is presented: in a mix with teenage trash television.  It revealed both what the Party is continously up against, (the power of corporate controlled media distortions) and just how resilient the Party's message is to confront that power.  


Rickey Vincent
author of "Party Music"
www.rickeyvincent.com


On Thu Aug 13 17:37 , Panthershepcat@aol.com sent:

Comrade Billy X:

I totally agree with your assessment and found the film to be well done.  You, Big Man, Talibah, Erika, Kathleen, Jamal and even Bobby; definitely represented in what will hopefully be an informative message to the young people.

However, what is now needed is for us to really make an effort to continuethis historical story by producing our own films and better promoting the excellent work that you and other comrades have done with the Its About Time BPP website.   It would have been great if VH1 had found a way to include both the website and the 40th Anniversary in the sum up.

Too, we can give more balance to the lesser known aspects to Panther PP/POW/Exiles & ALL Of Our Fallen BPP-BLA Comrades.

There are many of young Black film makers out there willing to do the work, if we can ever find common ground to put the mistrust & paranoia aside and work with them.

Every single year that we continue to delay; other BPP comrades pass on and yet another integral part of our BPP history is thus lost forever.

All Power To The People!

Bro. Shep

N.Y. State Panther

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