(ThyBlackMan.com) I have learned that in this life, one never knows what the next moment will bring. I am sure that by the time we finish this race called life that we will be able to look back and attest to triumphs, challenges, successes, and failures. I pray that your recollections include a few people that impacted your viewpoints in a significant manner; the type of influence that makes you smile when you reflect on the wisdom that they graciously poured into you.
If nothing else, I hope that this post proves the importance of being open to the process of life because you just never know who you may meet.
Please bear with me as I attempt to smooth out a rather difficult story that revolves around two chance encounters that occurred nearly two decades apart, yet impacted my life in unimaginable ways. Although unconventional in nature, for any of this to make sense, I must speak about the most recent meeting before the latter meeting.
ENCOUNTERING TIMOTHY HAYES
It was a rather mundane day of social media engagement that exposed my “writings”, a derisive term that a brother named Timothy Hayes spewed my way. I remember the unexpected conflict as if it occurred yesterday.
Mr. Timothy Hayes issued a rather blunt rebuttal to a posting I made about Minister Louis Farrakhan. It may be the best-kept secret in the world that many writers, myself included, abhor criticism of our writings from what we view as a harsh, sometimes hostile, world. Any good writer will tell you that the writing process is akin to the birthing of a child and therefore our words are a never-ending representation of our being. So, I am certain that you will understand that “I felt some kind of way” when Mr. Hayes issued the following comment regarding the aforementioned posting.
Never has a man been so correct and so wrong at the exact same time.
Ouch!!!!!!!!!
As I am certain that you can imagine, this initial encounter turned into a drawn-out emotion-filled debate filled with many people who rushed to defend my post. In the throes of that impassioned discussion, I never imagined that I would later give thanks that my path crossed with Mr. Timothy Hayes.
Somewhere during the back-and-forth banter between several strong personalities, Mr. Hayes took center-stage in his signature prophetic style and offered an insightful political commentary that both illuminated his comment and amazingly won me over to his side.
My admiration and respect for Mr. Timothy Hayes skyrocketed to the point that I can unabashedly state that he is someone that I have come to admire. His expressions of wisdom are highly influential in the way that I view the world.
Over the course of several months, I learned that Mr. Hayes was a prominent member of the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense, a group that served as the topic of my Doctoral Dissertation and initial book. I privately mused that I have found my way to a person who possesses the ability to fill in so many of the gaps in knowledge about the Black Panther Party. Timothy Hayes actually stood with Huey, Bobby, Eldridge, Geronimo, Fred, Assata, and a litany of other Black Power Era heroes. And if that were not enough, this brilliant brother knew Brother Malcolm in a substantive manner; this was the catalyst behind his initial comment regarding Minister Farrakhan. In many ways, Mr. Hayes is a much-needed signpost that I needed to regularly consult.
So, I was not surprised when I read a recent posting by Timothy Hayes regarding why he does not celebrate Kwanzaa. What follows is an excerpt of the alluded to posting.
WHY I WOULD NEVER CELEBRATE KWANZA AND WHY YOU SHOULD THINK ABOUT IT …Today begins the so-called holiday known as Kwanza, a celebration that has no real roots in any African traditions, but many African Americans choose to observe it as an alternative to Xmas. That’s fine if it works for you. I however use this time every year to remember the lives of my two friends and fellow Black Panther Party members. John Huggins and “Bunchy” Carter. Who were killed on January 17th 1969 on the orders of a sadistic cult leader who also was a paid agent of the FBI.
This person Ron Karenga…known mostly today for inventing “Kwanza”…also was convicted of torturing two black women, Gail Davis and Deborah Jones, holding them for days beating them and at times using electrical cords and hot soldering irons burning them in private parts of their bodies. After serving only a short prison sentence, Karenga surfaced in Southern Calif. again with various Academic degrees he still can’t prove he earned.
Two members of the rival black nationalist group US (United Slaves founded by and controlled by Karenga ), brothers George and Larry Stiner were arrested for the shooting death of my friends…and convicted of conspiracy to commit murder and second-degree murder. Both were sentenced to life. The Stiners escaped from San Quentin prison in 1974. Larry Stiner lived as a fugitive in South America for 20 years and then surrendered. George Stiner is still on the run.
My friend John Huggins of New HavenConn. was a wonderful man who took me to Calif. With Geronimo Pratt to train in the Black Panther Party. Bunchy Carter was a reformed gang leader who brought the first peace to the street gangs of Los Angeles. Bunchy helped set up a free shoes program, a free health clinic, and one of the first shelters for battered women in the state of Calif. As well as the Free Breakfast Program and other free food programs in the Los Angeles area.. Rather than observe Kwanza the holiday invented by the sick sadistic traitor Karenga I remember the lives of my friends. I have no problem with people who chose to observe Kwanza…but I also believe that what you don’t know CAN hurt you.
MEETING RODERICK HUGHES
While traveling from Columbus, Ohio, to Houston, Texas, for a job interview at Prairie View A & M University I was forced to confront my fear of flying. As I stood along a wall awaiting what I considered the uncertainty of the pending flight, my mind busied itself with mundane tasks such as counting the squares on the carpet and how many people would board the plane. Of course, I counted how many Black people would be on this flight; there would be three of us (all males). I issued a quick petition to God to be seated next to one of the other brothers on the flight. As the familiar Gospel refrain goes, “He’s an on-time God, yes he is.” My prayer was granted, I sat next to Mr. Roderick Hughes.
Over the course of a few hours, I learned many things about Houston, Texas, and Prairie View A & M University from Mr. Hughes. Our conversation ended with a gracious “demand” that I take his number and if I did accept the job at Prairie View that I would contact him. I wrote his number inside of a favorite book and pledged to call him if I relocated to Houston.
I eventually accepted the job and contacted this brother at an opportune moment.
During an hours’ long conversation Mr. Hughes invited my family to his house to celebrate his newlywed status. On the assigned date, I found myself surrounded by a house full of people who were welcoming beyond belief. To my surprise, Roderick Hughes, a transplant from Columbus, Ohio, was surrounded by his bride’s family; none of his blood-relatives were present. As an introvert, I can tell you that a night of socializing is downright exhausting. My weariness was best displayed by my going into an empty living room and finding a comfortable position on a plush sofa.
Predictably, my respite was interrupted by a well-meaning brother, one of Roderick’s brothers-in-law, who wanted to know what I did. After sharing with him that I was an African-American Studies Professor who was attempting to convert my Doctoral Dissertation over the Black Panther Party into a publishable manuscript, this brother shared that he had some cousins who were members of the Black Panther Party. Of course this tidbit of information captured my attention. After a few pensive moments, he stated, “Wait a minute. Let me go and get my older brother, he would know better than me.” A few moments later, his brother Paul entered the living room and shared the following.
They weren’t Black Panthers. They were accused of killing two Black Panthers on the UCLA campus but they didn’t do it.
I listened intently to an all too familiar story that I’d heard innumerable times from Panther members involved with the Los Angeles Branch of the Panther Party.
Although I hated to interject, I interrupted Paul as he fleshed out the story in unbelievable detail. My question was a simple one.
“You’re talking about George and Larry Stiner.”
He responded with a nod of his head. His acknowledgment forced me to ask the simplest of questions for my personal sanity.
“What is your name!!!!!!”
His response was, “Paul Stiner.”
I listened intently to this new perspective on a story that I’d heard countless times from Panthers ranging from Elaine Brown to Bobby Seale. However, this version was a welcomed expansion that included unknown details.
According to Mr. Stiner, FBI Agents questioned his entire family regarding the incident and the shocking revelation that George and Larry Stiner, although convicted for the killing of Alprentice “Bunchy” Carter and John Huggins, never spent a night inside of a prison cell. In fact, according to the Stiner family, the parents of the convicted “killers” were allowed to stay with them inside of the correctional facility until the night that they “escaped” to South America. According to the Stiner family, the escape story was a fabrication by the U.S. Government.
Of course, my mind was blown by these new revelations that confirmed not only the underhanded tactics of the Counter Intelligence Program (COINTELPRO) but more importantly, it verified the need to listen to those living treasures who lived through history that persons such as myself will only read about.
The existence of persons such as Timothy Hayes and the entire Stiner family is a blessing that is, unfortunately, expiring as each of us are. It is important that we engage and listen to the wisdom that flows from those who came before us and are still able to share healthy slices of advice hewn from decades of participating in the struggle to uplift not only Black America but also those persons around the globe interested in the substantiation of humanity.
So, I take this brief moment to acknowledge persons such as Timothy Hayes, Roderick Hughes, and Paul Stiner for their graciousness to expand my understanding of a history that occurred prior to my arrival on this planet. I respect you and honor you with every thought that I write.
Staff Writer; Dr. James Thomas Jones III
Official website; http://www.ManhoodRaceCulture.com
One may also connect with this brother via Twitter; DrJamestJones.
