September Membership Meeting Hears History of Black Panthers

On Sept. 26, at the Open Door Community, MADSA held its general membership meeting. Over 40 people attended, including many first-timers who met us at Georgia for Bernie events.

The program featured Gary Washington, originator of WRFG’s Labor Forum program and former member of the Black Panthers. MADSA’s own Minnie Ruffin added her recollections of the Panthers’ community nutrition programs, in which she participated while a graduate student at UC-Berkeley.

Washington distributed copies of the Panthers’ “Ten-Point Program,” a document that seems a pertinent, socialist manifesto even today.

Many expressed great admiration for the personal risks Gary Washington had endured, asking how he mustered the courage that so many lack. He humbly replied that everyone is able to contribute to the movement for justice to some degree, observing that there is only a single degree of difference between a tub of water and a force capable of driving a steam engine. Will you be the 212th degree?