Bobby Seale / The Real Criminals

Annotation — Civil Rights Songs

The second track "Bobby Seale / The Real Criminals" of course focused on the co-founder of the Black Panthers, Bobby Seale, noted to have been "shackled to a chair, hands cuffed, mouth taped" because he wanted to defend himself in the courtroom. Gregory made the point that if the same thing had happened Russia, Americans would be pointing fingers at the communist. He noted that serial killer Charles Manson was permitted to defend himself, as well as Jack Ruby, who assassinated Lee Harvey Oswald. He concluded that to be convicted in an American court room does not make you a criminal, and that Bobby Seale faced discrimination from a racist judge and court. Bobby Seale walked to into the court room in Chicago...my lawyer is out in San Francisco is being operated on, would you postpone my trial...judge so no boy, go to trial today, your honor would it be okay if I act as my own lawyer, judge said no, you use them lawyers...Bobby Seale was indicted with seven other folks...a man tried to defend himself in a court room where the world wide press is watching ends up shackled to a chair, hands cuffed, mouth taped, what do you think happening in these court rooms in America where ain't nobody looking?...Had that trial being going on in Moscow, Russia...we would shrug out shoulders and say, that's communism for you...all a convict means is you've been convicted in an America court".

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Lyrics

English: Bobby Seale shackled to a chair, hands cuffed, mouth taped, because he was trying to defend himself, regardless of what you think of the Black Panthers and Bobby Seale, that's not the issues, in an America court room, it is a defendants duty to defend himself, Jack Ruby killed Lee Harvey Oswald, with nationwide television...when it came to trial, he defended himself...that white boy from California, that Mason boy, that's accused of killing the Tate's...walked into that white racist court room...the issue was did he have the right to defend himself in an American court room, yes he did... Bobby Seale walked to into the court room in Chicago...my lawyer is out in San Francisco is being operated on, would you postpone my trial...judge so no boy, go to trial today, your honor would it be okay if I act as my own lawyer, judge said no, you use them lawyers...Bobby Seale was indicted with seven other folks...a man tried to defend himself in a court room where the world wide press is watching ends up shackled to a chair, hands cuffed, mouth taped, what do you think happening in these court rooms in America where ain't nobody looking?...Had that trial being going on in Moscow, Russia...we would shrug out shoulders and say, that's communism for you...all a convict means is you've been convicted in an America court". Also featured in: • Vietnam War: Civil Rights Songs • Vietnam War: Spoken Word & Field Records • Vietnam War: 1968 Chicago Seven / Eight Songs

Notes

2LP gatefold recorded at Bronx Community College; producer Kevin Eggers.

About the artist

Dick Gregory (born 12 October 1932, St. Louis, Missouri; died 19 August 2017, Washington, D.C.) was a comedian and civil rights activist who ran for president in 1968 for the Freedom and Peace Party. [Wikipedia]

Themes

Bobby Seale · Chicago Seven · Civil Rights

In collections

1968 Chicago Seven / Eight Songs · Civil Rights Songs