From "civil rights" to "sovereign rights" [books]

{liberatormagazine.com feature}

Sovereign Evolution: Manifest Destiny from "Civil Rights" to "Sovereign Rights" by Ezrah Aharone (reviewed by Dan Tres Omi)

When the topic of legal sovereignty is brought up, it is usually masked by spookisms and gobbledygook. When one attends lectures on sovereignty one is bombarded with quotes from the Bible or the Qu'ran. Sovereignty is sold as this mysterious legal undertaking that only a few have access to. It is a tremendously complicated concept that many of us would rather avoid. When this book came across my desk, I hesitated to read it. The book's synopsis, however, offered a different view point.

Ezrah Aharone is no ghetto scholar. A scholar and a well-traveled man, Aharone's background qualifies him to be an expert on the topic. Yet, after reading Sovereign Evolution: Manifest Destiny From 'Civil Rights' to 'Sovereign Rights,' it is very clear that Aharone writes for the lay man. His argument is clear and current. Aharone does create a utopian and mythic past and makes his points relevant.

Usually, one hears how sovereignty is good for the individual. Aharone however, points out that freedom is relative and comes in states. From that viewpoint, Aharone explains how sovereign rights are good for the collective. He states that it is part of our political evolution. A good number of people feel that we have reached our political peak in the 21st century and Barack Obama's successful campaign is the best example of that. Aharone begs to differ.

Aharone's main argument is that Euro Americans never had it in their plans to accommodate people of African descent in any way, shape or form. It is obvious that this dilemma continues today since we are given a few token measures and laws to give the illusion that democracy is working. "The real mockery," Aharone says, "is that we remain in a unprincipled political relationship with a European people who hold 'parental authority' to conditionally approve what they feel is politically best for us." Again, history is the best measure we have. Aharone uses several historic examples to demonstrate how sovereignty is used to acquire political and economic power.

Aharone describes the relationship between people of African descent with Euro Americans as one of products and owners of product. It is no lie that our ancestors were bought here as laborers. Their work was a form of free capital that was used to build up the United States. Today, we are still a dependable labor force. His solution is to create a collective sovereignty not just legally, but spiritually and mentally. That is the component that we fail to realize. Sovereignty should not be seen as just a legal position, it should be seen as a mental and spiritual one. Many of us don't just want to assimiliate politically, we want it to be all-encompassing.

To quite a few of us, this information will not be new. Yet, Aharone's voice is not fiery. He uses a sound scholarly voice and leaves it up to the reader to make the final assessment. He lays out his argument, at times in a somber voice, but he does not chastise or place blame. The word is evolution. We must never assume that we have reached our peak. I look forward to reading Aharone's earlier work and for him to continue writing on this subject. For those who are opponents or skeptical about sovereignty, I suggest reading Aharone's latest offering. It will not only make one rethink his or her position on soverignty, it will also help one rethink the course of our political evolution.