BLACK SEVEN Independent.Informative.Inspiring
FEBRUARY 2015
CONTENTS
Mission Statement: To provide an investigative, informative and inspiring cultural magazine. History: Black 7 was established by Sincere Wise in November 2000. It was initially published as an A4 newsletter featuring a compilation of articles. In 2001 an Internet edition was published alongside the monthly newsletter. Following the publication of a letter in the Five Percenter Newspaper Sincere was flooded with requests for Black 7 by incarcerated individuals in the United States of America. Understanding the value of the magazine and the limited resources of those incarcerated he decided to send the issues free of charge. In 2002 Sincere established Truborn Publishing and started to publish Black 7 under this imprint. Thanks to all the contributors who helped who helped in this edition. Views that are expressed by columnists do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editor in Chief or Publisher.
4
EDITORIAL Sincere Wise
24
6
DON’T DO IT FOR THE VINE Laila Muhammad
26 FIVE POWER PLANES
SOY DANGEROUS Nature Medicine Cabinet
Aikuan Allah
10 PORTRAIT
28
UNIVERSAL FLAG OF ISLAM Universal Shaamgaud Allah
15
32
THE GENTRIFICATION OF BLACK FILMS Tanya Steele
19 INTERVIEW: RAHIEM SHABAZZ
36
SELMA AND THE REAL DR KING Askia Muhammad
23 RECIPE : FALAFEL
46 LAST WORDS
Jamel Shabazz BRAND AMBASSADORS: IN SEARCH OF CORETTA SCOTT Saladin Allah Rich Unique
Ama Opare
Sincere Wise
Editor: Sincere Wise (sincere@truborn.com) Graphic Director: Mokuo Sparks (c.eyoum@gmail.com) Managing Director: Freedom Born (freedom@truborn.com)
-3-
EDITORIAL by Sincere Wise Peace, this magazine was launched in 2000 and it brings me great pleasure to welcome you back to Black Seven. My intention for founding this magazine was to present an independent publication based on three principles. Those principles are (1) informative, (2) investigative and (3) inspiring. We provide you with independent news and analysis relating to your life. We research and share with you our findings and present evidence. We bring you good news and success stories that show you that with focus your targets can be met and goals achieved. Knowledge (1) is the foundation for thoughts and actions. It is the process of stopping, looking, listening and observing. Wisdom (2) is the accumulation, evaluation and manifestation of the foundation. It is good judgement and to consider information to apply what we know to bring about beneficial outcomes. Understanding (3) is to appreciate things for what they are not for what they appear to be. It is to comprehend the factors that make something what it is. When knowledge, wisdom and understanding are applied they bring about equality (6). Equality is to strive to bring about balance between people and things. In 2014 we saw an awakening of consciousness in the Black and wider community. This was a consequence of the death of Black Men at the hands of Police Officers in America. This consciousness manifested itself as street protests and posts on social media. The topics ranged from frustration, empowerment to community development and history. There has also been a feeling of insecurity and helplessness which has caused people to gravitate to groups and organisations. Across the board there is growing dissatisfaction with lack of employment,
insecurity of jobs, changes in employment contracts and increases in the cost of living. Dissatisfaction in the minds of the people brings about a desire for change. It seems that the people want a change that governments are either unwilling or unable to deliver. Generally speaking people fall into one of three categories, 10%, 85% or 5%. The 10% are wealthy, tell lies to the poor and exploit them and get richer from the labour of people. The 85% are people unaware of the methods of the 10% and are easily led in the wrong direction and hard to lead in the right direction. The 5% are aware of the methods of the 10%, they teach the truth to the 85%. The feeling of inequality that people have and the emotions or manner that they express them is either harnessed, diverted or neutralised. It is harnessed by being adopted by the media and the visibility of t shirts and slogans. It is diverted by introducing negative information to counter factual events or distract people. it is neutralised by either a community leader or entertainer speaking the issue and calming them down or officials addressing the issue. My advice for the upcoming year is to remain informed, save your money and utilise your resources because as the price of oil falls to a historic low it could trigger another market crash. Keep your eyes on the prize, be wise and analyse. I would like to thank the readers for taking the time to read this, the contributors to this issue and special shout out to Freedom for being the driving force behind bringing this magazine back. Peace and enjoy the issue. Sincere Wise
DON’T DO IT FOR THE VINE
faces with images and messages so degrading that no one will take them seriously. But since rappers are doing it, it’s what’s hot right now, so we simply follow suit, without caring about the future. Imagine you at 60-yearsold with a tattoo of “boss” or the “B”-word on your face, how will you explain that to your grandchildren?
Written by Laila Muhammad
“ “
fame, give n a th y, e n o m n a th , e er than lov
Rath
me truth.
Henry David Thoreau
”
ctors and a g n u o y ss o cr a e m co en you I think it’s a shame wh ir craft. e th rn a le to e m ti e ’t had th musicians who haven ally have to re u o y c; si u m r o g in ct ’s a It doesn’t matter if it se unless you u ca e b p u m o tt o b e m th learn how to do it fro g to have. in th le ib rr te a is e m ic … fa have a great work eth Denis Leary
The “Vine” is a six-second video app that’s owned by Twitter and was designed to create quick, easy and interesting short films to share with friends and the world. As Black people we seem to have an obsession with fame. We will do whatever it takes to get noticed. We will demand our 15 minutes before the world by acting crazy, posting sex tapes, uploading brawls to YouTube, or doing life threatening stunts. But our biggest claim to fame is how we rip the runway or the red carpet in clothing only suitable for the bedroom. We go out clubbing looking like -6-
”
prostitutes, and we order expensive drinks but we are months behind on bills. Our priorities are in the wrong places. And now our children are going down the same path. No one can forget the “Sharkeisha fight” that went viral on YouTube. This young girl pummeled another young girl all for what, a misunderstanding, and though the victim didn’t want to fight back, she was still being pounced on, while onlookers recorded it. Young men and women are tatting their
Recently singer Rihanna showed up to CFDA’s Fashion awards in a see-through dress, yes you have probably seen the pictures, she practically showed up in her birthday suit, and was presented with the Fashion Icon award. Stop the presses, seriously. Did you hear what I just said? Maybe I should repeat it so we can fully understand what’s happening. Rihanna, showed up to the Council of Fashion Designers of America awards night on June 2, in a nude gown—now just think on that for a minute. Are you as surprised as me? I mean she does have a perfume called “Nude.” It was a shocker to us when Lil’ Kim used to come to award shows back in the ’90s wearing bikinis, but now we are showing up naked. So many little children look up to celebrities, their minds are flooded with thousands of images every day from television, the internet, smartphones that you let them play with, and images on streets and billboards.
My 6-year-old has a tablet, can download games, go on YouTube to watch cartoons and knows how to use the device better than me. So our children are highly intelligent, we just have to monitor what they are searching for and watching. If you mention the name Beyoncé little girls, grown men, and everyone in between go crazy. Don’t get me wrong, she’s a beautiful woman, great voice, beautiful physique, but who remembers or has ever been to one of her concerts and saw her scantily clad? Consider the messages we’re sending to our children, are they acceptable? Before social networks were popular, my friends and I would go through old photos that weren’t very flattering and toss them, or put them in a box and put them away. We would never dream of posting them online. Even if you delete things online, they are never truly gone, and that image is in people’s minds forever. Fame is fleeting, it’s an illusion. People will be praising you one day, singing Hosanna Hosanna, and the next day saying crucify him. We are a people that have never been appreciated, honored, respected, or given a fair chance in this country, so it’s no wonder we will try to get recognition from anywhere— -7-
even if it means uploading demeaning, derogatory, humiliating, and disgraceful footage of our personal lives.
those who came before you. You owe your children, and more importantly the Creator for allowing you to be here.
I came across an image on social media of two young Black girls; one was holding a baby, and the other was blowing what looked like marijuana smoke into the baby’s face. I was livid, not only is it a largely illegal substance being consumed, but look how you are killing your children; they don’t have a fighting chance. A third person obviously took the picture of the scene, so here you have 3 people participating in destroying a baby’s life, all for what, a few Facebook likes, or posts on Twitter?
Nikki Minaj, who receives so much adoration, is proof that you don’t have to buy into what society, or the puppeteers behind the music, media and fashion industry push on Black Folks to make us seem like clowns and brainless tools. She has recently embraced a more toned down look. “I just wanted to tone down, and I met the man who changed my life—[hairstylist] Oscar James,” she told Glamour in October. “He was recommended to me by the beautiful Tyra Banks. He really understands hair. Hair doesn’t have to be over processed and fried, even when you
I know most of us have never been given a
represents you to the world. People don’t know the you on the inside, only the you they see. So when someone asks you to “do it for the vine,” just say, “I ain’t gone do it”—and then JUST DON’T DO IT! May Allah (God) bless us all to fall in love with ourselves, learn our worth and value, and not become a pawn in the game to destroy the Black community.
Laila Muhammad is a Final Call production assistant, writer, and videographer based in Chicago. To purchase her eBook “Coffee makes you Black … so pour me some more,” go to http:// www.lailamuhammad1.wordpress.com..
platform to express ourselves. We want to be heard, we want to tell our stories, and we want to let the world know that we are here. So we engage in things that will garner attention, we dress provocatively, and if someone pulls our coattail to remind us of our moral and ethical duty to society, we snap at them and use phrases like “I’m grown,” “I do what I want to do.” That’s true. But on a deeper and higher level Black people, you owe a debt to -8-
apply color. I’ve never been happier. With makeup, I started using more natural tones. I never thought I’d love nude lipstick, but I really do. I just feel sexier. Less is definitely more.” Whether it be Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Tumblr, Instagram or any other social media site, think twice when you’re posting comments, videos, or photos, and know that this -9-
PORTRAIT Jamel
Shabazz -10-
I came into the knowledge of photography at the ripe age of 15 and instantly became intrigued with the power of the camera and the ability to document history. During the early stages of my development my first subjects were many of my school mates who I attended junior high school with in Brooklyn. It was during this moment in time that I started to understand my power and ability to effect positive change, within my community and the camera became the compass that would guide me on my journey.
documentarian, I have traveled to many cities around the globe. These excursions have allowed me to obtain a wealth of knowledge, but just as important, inspiring the minds of the next generation of artist and teachers. Today my work is focused primarily on mentorship here in the New York and New Jersey areas. I am presently planning to release a series of self published photography books within the next couple of months; the first one will be entitled “The Book of Life” and the following will be called “Black in White in America: The Struggle Continues”.
As time would pass I would travel to various communities both in New York and on Peace, the east coast seeking out young broth- Jamel Shabazz ers and sisters to not only document, but more importantly to build with them about the importance of knowing self and planning for the future.
-14-
Written by Saladin Allah
Her statement made me reflect upon my past relationships in comparison to where I’m at today. In my teenage years the major qualities I looked for in a girl were how attractive, nice and smart she was. Of course this was before I had my first sexual encounters, and when I did.., this also became important to me. Two decades later, I never thought I’d be considering other qualities that are important to me when it comes to compatibility. Qualities that some of my contemporaries often don’t understand because there are things I deal with that others don’t have to consider. For example, this niche website now receives over 120,000 visitors a month. Although some of these visitors purchase
Books by Jamel Shabazz (available on Amazon):
A Time Before Crack
In Search of Coretta Scott Towards the end of the Summer I was having a very in depth conversation with a close female friend of mine. After explaining to her some of the things I deal with as a public figure, and the considerations/ challenges that come along with finding a mate, she said something to me that was both hilarious and insightful in terms of compatibility. She said, “Dang, you sound like you’re looking for Coretta Scott King.”
During my thirty nine years as a photo
Back In The Days
BRAND AMBASSADORS
Seconds Of My Life -15-
my books/music via the links I provide, this traffic is primarily for the purpose of reading my articles. This translates into emails, messages and inboxes I receive every day from people throughout the world for various reasons; which means a certain portion of my day, every day, is dedicated to following up with people who are reaching out to me. Mind you, this has nothing to do with correspondences I receive in the postage mail or my other social networks Youtube, Twitter, Facebook and even LinkedIn. Add the various initiatives/ events I organize or participate in, my STYA youth program I facilitate in my local community, other projects I work on as a creative artist/book publisher and it gives you a partial glimpse of what my world entails. It’s a lot, and sometimes feels overwhelming, yet I love what I do! All of this got me to thinking about how my perspective of relationships has evolved to the point of seeing each other as Brand Ambassadors; someone who is capable of effectively representing your relationship [the brand] at home and abroad [nationally
-16-
and internationally], in person or via their social media networks. Your brand is your mark, label, identity and what you represent. Therefore, when we’re considering potential mates, dating/courting is really a rebranding process and how we’re living is a graphic representation of that brand. Fresh off of the campaign trail running for public office in my City, I came upon an online discussion where women were talking about attire to wear at formal events. Some of them, although sweet, were totally inexperienced and didn’t understand that flats/sandals or other accessories were inappropriate for such a venue; especially when your companion is the guest of honor where you may be called upon to say a few words. Although this may appear to some as a small thing, in terms of cultural competence, etiquette, social graces and the level of sophistication required to recognize certain social cues and navigate various environments, a woman like this would not be readily compatible for me, brand-wise. Consider if President Barack Obama had Joseline Hernandez (from Love and Hip Hop Atlanta) as his first lady instead of Michelle Obama as his Brand Ambassador... Sure she may be perfectly compatible with someone else, yet she is not presently compatible with The President of the United States [POTUS] for various reasons. Can she become compatible? Possibly, in time. Yet a POTUS doesn’t have time, they have at
least four years and that’s a lot of public image/relations work and public scrutiny to deal with while striving to fulfill the duties of that Office. Ironically, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. chose a woman, who by her own account, was incompatible with him at the time of their marriage. As a young Coretta Scott, she aspired to be in the music industry and had no real interest in MLK or his future as a Minister when they met in College. Coretta wasn’t smitten, she looked at Martin as short, literally, and in time he grew on her. Even months before their wedding day Coretta was still uncommitted to marrying him and confided these reservations in a letter to her elder sister Edythe. This wasn’t a case of cold feet, she understandably didn’t want to give up her promising career and become a Preacher’s wife. So on their June 18th, 1953 wedding day, in which she had the vow “obey your husband” removed from the ceremony and retained her name “Scott”, Coretta Scott-King reluctantly sacrificed her dream of becoming a classical singer and became MLK’s Brand Ambassador. It was actually in the years following the death of her husband that she was brought to the forefront and became the face, political impetus and momentum to carry on the legacy of the Civil Rights Movement. She wasn’t down from day one, she learned to love Martin and his mission. I mention this to illustrate that even Coretta Scott King, as notable and
world renown as she is, was unresolved about her commitment to the brand. Today, with the proliferation of professional women asserting their autonomy and pursuing their careers, men are more likely to find women who will face this same dilemma when it comes to compatibility. And many of these women are remaining career women because they’re not enountering men with an actual mission. Keep in mind that everything I’m saying goes both ways! A woman should also consider if a man is capable of representing
their brand at home and abroad [nationally and internationally], in person or via their social media networks. Sometimes I see brother’s women leisurely post statuses/ comments via social media that a woman by my side would get publicly burned at the stake for, but I have to remember, “That’s their brand.” Some people exist in a world where they only need to consider how their words/actions affect their family members, friends or co-workers because that’s the extent of who they deal with and their sphere of influence. In my world I may get an email from France or South Africa about something I say/do or meet some -17-
random person who recognizes me in a different State/City who’ll ask me about it. Its happened and happens so I have to consider differently what I say and do. I also have to consider differently how I respond to what people say and do against or in alliance with what I do.
with everything I do. The more I shared, the more they learned they would have to share me with the world, and would ultimately be expected to speak for me in my temporary [schedule conflict/sickness] or definite [death] absence. Some women are simply not prepared to be an active part of a legacy and I’ve learned to accept that, sometimes reluctantly. The opposite is also true; Some men are simply not prepared to be an active part of a legacy and women must learn to accept that. So No, respectfully, I am not looking for a Coretta Scott King. Although she grew to embrace his mission, Coretta was a career woman who wasn’t looking for MLK and didn’t recognize him, or his purpose, when she saw him. I am looking for someone different.
You know, I’ve been intimate with women over the years, more often than I’d like to admit, yet as I’ve grown in my purpose I understand the level of responsibility, accountability and scrutiny that has come along with being a public figure. Even if we aren’t, I think being responsible and accountable is important. I also understand that the women by my side will immediately inherit that responsibility, accountability, scrutiny and probably more so because 1.) How society defines females and 2.) The lens females assess each other through. It’s a lot to deal with and in some cases I’ve only shared a part of my world Peace, with women in order to not burden them Saladin
Saladin Allah is a Therapeutic/Recreation major who attended Central State University in Wilberforce Ohio, a Region 6 Representative of The Nation of Gods and Earths [Five Percenters] in WNY/Southern Ontario and founder of A.S.I.A. [www.atlantisschool.blogspot.com]. Allah is a published author, youth advocate, creative artist, public speaker and community activist who presently facilitates STYA; a youth mentor program in the city of Niagara Falls, NY. You can also check out his social commentary, activities and events by subscribing to his Youtube Channel A.S.I.A. TV [www.youtube. com/quanaah].
RAHIEM SHABAZZ Written by Rich Unique
Education: From A Hip-Hop Journalist Point Of View From writing, editing, interviewing & promoting Hip Hop to eventually moving behind the camera to direct, Rahiem Shabazz comes with a blend of education & entertainment. He is currently traveling around the United States nationwide to promote his hard hitting, informative documentary “Elementary Genocide”. It highlights the issues facing Black males & the educational/ school & legal systems. Rahiem has kindly taken time out from his very hectic schedule to build with me about his work. Rich Unique: Peace to the God, I will that all is well with you. Many thanks for giving me the the opportunity to build. Rahiem Shabazz: Peace. I’d like to begin by saying that the pathway to education should not be impeded by those who live
-18-
-19-
Rich Unique: You have been on a promotional tour with the documentary, holding screenings. How well do you feel it’s been received? Also has there been much if any difference regionally in reaction to it? Rahiem Shabazz: I’m currently on the “Shackles 2 Solution Tour” with Freedom Fighter/Author/Activist Kalonji Jama Changa of the FTP Movement. Thus far the screening are well attended and some are standing room only. Surprisingly enough, a lot of white folks come out and speak about the injustice happening to black and brown youth. See, the emotional power of truth will make all bear witness. We just need more folks to take a stand and defend these rouge policies that target the children of the inner city, because if we don’t then we are co-conspirators in our own oppression. outside the community. The children are not the perpetrators of the education system, they are the victims and we are all have a duty to protect them. Thus, is the reason I spearheaded the movement to film and release “Elementary Genocide”. The great literary genius James Baldwin states, “For these are all our children, we will all profit with or pay for what they believe”. Rich Unique: Now before we find out more about the man behind the camera & the pen, along with your involvement with Hip Hop, please tell us more about your latest documentary “Elementary Genocide”. Rahiem Shabazz: Elementary Genocide is more than a documentary, its a call to action to overhaul the public school system and to stop the school to prison pipeline. We have several feature contributors -20-
such as Dr. Umar Johnson, Dr. Boyce Watkins, Rapper Killer Mike, Tracey D. Syphax and many other notable activists, teachers and academia scholars. Rich Unique: Was their anything in particular that prompted you to put “Elementary Genocide” together, or is the documentary’s content something you felt that needed to be addressed? Perhaps it was a combination of reasons. Rahiem Shabazz: The main impetus was my desire to highlight the school to prison pipeline and to show the correlation, between school and prison, because until this documentary many did not know it existed. The term school to prison pipeline has been thrown around loosely, but this is the first comprehensive documentary that magnifies the problems and puts the spotlight on the solution.
Rich Unique: What do you feel is your best interview to date? Rahiem Shabazz: Personally, I do not have a favorite interview. I think everyone did an exceptional job in articulating the dire need to eradicate the school to prison pipeline and showing the prison industrial complex is modern day slavery that serves the interest of the rich. I think people were surprised by Killer Mike’s analysis of the tragedy that is happening. The reason being is because rappers are not look to as intellectuals and are regarded as just entertainers. But, the brother dropped it heavy on us. Rich Unique: You have indicated that a part two to “Elementary Genocide” will be produced. Are you looking at a continuing series of documentaries & possibly highlighting other subject matter?
Rahiem Shabazz: Indeed. There is a part 2 to the documentary called, “The Board of Education vs The Board of Incarceration”. I have several ideas for future documentaries on different subject matters. I also plan on continuing my web-series, “The 30 Day Rule”. After the success of the 1st episode there is a lot of response from the fans to continue the series. We were able to get over 100,000 views on Youtube. Rich Unique: The inability for Black People to receive justice continues to be highlighted. How far in your opinion is the racial divide in America? Rahiem Shabazz: The racial divide in America widens everyday and justice is not rendered to black and brown people. Today, I read about the tragic death of 16-year old Kimani Gray that was brutally murdered in New York City by an undercover officer. He was unarmed and the officer is not being charged with murder. Then we have Trayvon Martin, Kendrick Johnson, Renisha McBride and many others who met their untimely death and justice was never served. Most recently, the world got to see the murder of Eric Garner in Staten Island at the hands of the racist police. We still waiting on the verdict on that one. There is a need to ensure that justice is served by any means necessary, if not we need to take it to the streets and I’m not talking no peaceful march, where we sing we shall over come. Our grandmothers and grandfather did that and we are thankful for their sacrifice, but this is a new generation answering the call for freedom, justice and equality and its only a matter of time before we get it.
-21-
Recipe: Falafel Ingredients • ½ cup soaked sesame seeds • 1 cup soaked pecans or walnuts • 1 cup soaked almonds • ¼ cup olive oil • 2 tablespoons lemon juice • ¼ jalapeno pepper • ¼ cup loosely packed parsley leaves • ¼ cup loosely packed cilantro leaves • 3 cloves garlic • 2 teaspoons oregano flakes • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper • 1½ teaspoons freshly ground cumin • 1½ teaspoons salt • ¼-½ cup fresh water
Directions You will need to soak your nuts before hand and then dehydrate the falafel for a few hours depending on your desired crispness. If you soak your nuts overnight and get them in the dehydrator in the morning you can be eating them that night. Be sure to make enough to enjoy for several meals.
Rich Unique, is an avid HIP-HOP fan, blogger and owner of Unique Heat (www. uniqueheat.wordpress.com).
1. Puree the jalapeno, parsley, cilantro, and garlic with the olive oil and lemon juice in your food processor. Stop and scrape down the bowl a few times. 2. Rinse and drain the nuts and seeds. 3. Add them along with all of the dry spices. 4. Puree until all the nuts are ground to about the size of a sesame seed or smaller. 5. Add fresh water if necessary to
mixture so that it will hold together in the next step. 6. Moisten hands with fresh water and form falafel into 1 ½ inch balls or patties ¾ of an inch thick and 1 ½ inches across. 7. Place them on the mesh screen of your dehydrator tray. 8. Dehydrate at 145 degrees for 1 hr 9. Then turn temperature down to 115 degrees for 4 hours or until they reach your desired crispiness. You may want them to stay moist in the middle or be crispy all the way through. 10. Will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about a week. Serves 10-12 falafel
SOY dangerous Written by Elijah Muhammad
“
our on fl w e n a is h ic h w , n a rich soy be Do not eat the highly an beings. m u h t o n , le tt a c r fo ns are the market. These bea
Considering the fact that this advice given by the Honorable Elijah Muhammad was in 1967, scientists are in agreement today that soy should not be eaten by anyone who wants to have good health. As popular as soy consumption has become in many circles, its health risks far outweigh its benefits. Some of these risks include: the majority of soybeans are GMO (genetically modified organisms), they rob our bodies of essential nutrients, destroy thyroid function, contribute to breast cancer proliferation and cause developmental problems in infants and children. Soybeans are infamous because they contain a substance in them that acts like a natural hormone the body produces called estrogen. Phytoestrogens (plant estrogens) produced by soybeans are commonly used in hormone replacement therapy for women in menopause. -24-
”
Because many cancers thrive on estrogen for their nourishment, many breast cancer patients may be put on medications such as Tamoxifen to help block estrogen from encouraging cancer growth. So while one may be trying to reduce excess estrogen production in the body, consuming soy is hindering that process. The fact that soy “feeds” breast cancer is not the only reason to avoid its consumption. Over 90% of soy produced and consumed in America is genetically modified or a GMO product. That alone is a red flag because that means it now affects you on the genetic level. Soy contains large amounts of toxins that even after cooking remain intact. Some of these toxins interfere with nutrient absorption during digestion. For example, phytate is one such substance and it blocks absorption of calcium, magnesium, copper, iron and zinc; all of which are necessary minerals in cancer treatment. Though many legumes can be soaked to rid them of phytates, soy is so rich
in this substance that you cannot get rid all of it by soaking. It is one of the most highly pesticide contaminated foods on the market and contains high levels of aluminum, a toxic metal to the body. And if you didn’t think that was enough, it also has substances such as nitrites, a common ingredient in processed meats, which is also a carcinogen (cancer causing agent). Soy protein isolate, commonly found in baby formula, has a tendency to enlarge the pancreas and thyroid gland and increases fatty deposits in the liver. And lastly it has goitrogens, a substance that blocks hormone production, thus disrupting body chemistry and hormone production. This leads to a condition called hypothyroidism in which the thyroid is not able to produce the necessary hormones that help provide us with energy and an adequate metabolism.
for more nutritional informations, visit Naturesmedicinecabiet (www. naturesmedicinecabinet.
So, how can one identify soy to avoid it? Truth be told, unless you are making your own foods from scratch and making all of your own condiments and spices, it is almost impossible to avoid. The best one can do if you buy packaged foods is to read the label. Any oil labeled vegetable oil is guaranteed to be composed of mostly soybean oil. Soy lecithin, an emulsifier, is found in most baked goods, breads, chocolates and salad dressings. If you do most of your grocery shopping on the outside perimeter of a grocery store, you are on the course to reducing your overall soy intake. “The oil from soy beans is not good for our stomachs. Soy bean flour is being mixed with wheat flour by the flour mills. In fact, the Christians are experimenting with al foods. They do not care what they eat as long as it does not kill them instantly. Beware! “~ How to Eat to Live
-25-
5 POWER PLANES OF A BALANCED LIFE
Written by Aikuan Allah
In today’s times there are a lot of obstacles as well as opportunities that are within our ciphers. Building with the Gods and Earths I find that achieving balance in our ciphers is a constant challenge. One minute we’re up, and the next we’re down. There are times that we’re at peace and other times it seems like someone threw a monkey wrench in our program. How can we ride the Zig, Zag, Zig, and maintain our focus in achieving our desired undertakings? Well, I won’t say that I have the magic cure for life’s daily woes. However, by understanding 120 lessons we know that every situation we encounter is caused by the Son of Man. Therefore when it’s all said and done the only enemy is the “inner-me” I can’t blame the devil for anything. If I put blame on anyone other than self for my failure to obtain a goal it would mean that someone else is in control. By having this understanding I must ask myself; what is the best way to write my own History? What are the things that affect my cipher in regards to enjoying and teaching the science of everything -26-
in Life, Love, Peace, and Happiness? By doing the knowledge on those who seem to have a well balanced life and those who don’t, I realized that there are 5 primary planes that affect the quality of life of each individual. Also by taking these planes through the mathematics they gave me a better understanding of how they may benefit the God’s and Earths. These planes are; the Spirit, Mental, Physical, Cash, and Social planes. Spirit Borns 1, Mental = 2, Physical = 3, Cash = 4, and Social = 5. These planes added together Born Equality. This shows and proves how important it is for us to achieve equality in each of these said planes. Nevertheless there will always be room to grow in each plane. The goal however is to achieve balance. Example: If a person is wealthy financially (Cash) and their health (physical) is not good or they don’t have anyone to share their success with (Social), they wouldn’t be able to experience true balance. As a matter of fact, if any of the above planes aren’t developed to a certain degree, our ability to live out the 12 Jewels of Islam will be difficult.
The sword is an emblem of justice and as we use our sword to cut through all the situations we encounter, it is possible that our blade will become dull. If the steal we use to create our sword is composed of the 5 (Power) planes, would it be beneficial to invest the proper time to sharpen our sword? Emphatically yes! Do the knowledge to each of the said planes and add on. There are a multitude of things we can do to develop these planes. Below is a brief manifestation of them. Peace! Spirit: Spirit comes from the words spiritis and spiro meaning to breathe. One who is familiar with meditation knows that their breathing pattern effects how they tune in to their higher mind. Therefore when I speak of spirit it is in no way referring to a mystery spook that no one will be able to see until he or she dies. I am speaking of the omnipresent, omnipotent, omniscient life force energy that the naked eye can hardly detect. It is important that the Gods and Earths progress in this area by meditating, learning and practicing the development of Chi, intuition, and the other faculties of the Subconscious mind. Your spirit puts you in harmony with nature and connects you to the Universe.
that your body is the temple. Cash: The cash plane affects our ability to have food, clothing, and shelter. Learn how to become financially independent by saving money, and leveraging your talents and trade. Understand how credit can work for and against you. Invest in things that will hold or increase their value. The less you have to worry about where your next meal is going to come from the more freedom you have to create the life you desire. Social: We must take into consideration that the things we do effects society. Will you be a product of your environment or will your environment become a product of you? Find out who your A Alikes are. Build with positive people and create bonds with those who will help you become a better individual. Be active in your community. Create an environment that reflects who you are.
Mental: The mental plane involves getting your mind right. We should always find time to read, study our lessons, and obtain information that will help us become wiser. The mental plane involves analyzing and putting what we learn in perspective. To utilize the conscious mind and make Note: These are only brief manifestations of the 5 Power Planes. The complete manconstructive decisions. ifstations are within self. Utilize your powPhysical: The physical plane involves our er and know that whatevever the mind can physical condition and overall health. Eat- conceive it can achieve. ing the right foods, exercising, etc. This Peace! area is often overlooked. Keep in mind Aikuan Allah
-27-
THE UNIVERSAL FLAG Written by Universal Shaamgaud Allah
In the name of the True and Living God, The Supreme Being, The Host of Creation, Master of the Day of Retribution and the King of Kings, Almighty God Allah, one to whom all praises are due to forever and hereafter, and in the name of his son, the Universal Savior God and Divine Deliverer do I greet you my beloved brothers and sisters in the universal greetings of Peace!
grams. We received $38.63 a week, the Leadership Program paid slightly more. Believe it or not, back then this was enough for us to rent a furnished room, buy food, a few pieces of clothing and still take a sister to “the show” if we wanted to. Anyway, I managed to enroll in both programs (don’t ask how). The Leadership Program for the money, however I have always had a genuine love for art, even while in the grave but First as always I hope this brief commu- I was too foolish and too busy seeking a nication will find you in the best of health degree in “Streetology” to pursue it while mentally as well as physically. I’d like to in public school. take this opportunity to discuss a subject which is very close and dear to me. One The Art Program gave us all the materiwhich has been clouded by misunder- al that we needed. Before long, my little standings and misconceptions since its furnished room seemed to have more art very inception. It is an object of which I am material than the art department itself. the creator and could easily write a book This allowed me to work on subjects that on; however I will try to give you brief his- related to our teachings such as portraits tory and understanding of: of W.D. Fard Muhammad, The Honorable Elijah Muhammad and The Father. What The Universal Flag amazed me most was the universe and its In 1965, Allah instructed all the First relations to us here on the planet. So the Borns to either go back to school or get majority of my oils and drawings were of a job. This the First Borns of Medina did the Sun, Moon and Stars. One which I conwithout hesitation, while the majority of us sidered my masterpiece was of our solar enrolled in Youth Leadership and Training system, with a mathematical breakdown Programs (at the time sponsored by The of all the planets. I was so proud of this Office of Economic Opportunity). Some of drawing that I painted it on the ceiling of us enrolled in Vocational and Cultural pro- my furnished room. When the old Jew-28-
ish landlord saw it he nearly had a heart attack. I never found out whether it was because of what I painted, or because of what I did to his ceiling!
seen and learned from the experience, as well as its relationship to us as a Nation. Now you must remember that at this time we used the Crescent Star as our Flag, so when some of my brothers saw me adding One day I decided to take this picture to the 7 and points, they thought I was “flakthe Father. He had always showed an in- ing out” (“buggin’ out” nowadays). terest in our works and achievements, and I knew I would receive some constructive The Flag was completed in May of 1966. criticism. This day I meet the Father and It was one of three (considered the best Justice on 126th Street. The Father com- of 3). Black seed Gykee Allah and myself plimented the picture and then asked me went to visit him and we took the Flag. to walk with them. As we walked, he began However, the Authorities would not alto explain the errors that I made and what low us to take it in, so the Father did not was the proper order of the Universe. receive the Flag until April of 1967 when Brothers and Sisters, do not ask where we he came home. I took it to him in Mecca. walked because I do not know. I do know He took one look at it and said “That’s it! that as I walked, he taught; I recall feel- That’s our Universal Flag!” ing as though we were walking through the universe itself. All I recall seeing was Knowing Our Flag the things he spoke about; the Sun, the The Five Pointed Star symbolizes: KnowlPlanets, the Stars, Haley’s Comet, other edge, The Seed, The Child with the power, comets, shooting stars, falling stars, space the Supreme Knowledge that was manivoids (now called Black Holes). After what fested by W.F. Muhammad and revealed to seemed like a personal tour of the uni- us by Almighty God Allah; it is solid black! verse, I recall him saying, “And remember Equality can never get above ALLAH. Six The Crescent Moon symbolizes: Wisdom, when drawn up to its fullest Equality, shall the Women (without child) it shows redistill back to whence she came – to her 7 flected light (Truth or Knowledge) and is is an impossibility!!!” With this I realized not yet at its fullest equality. It also symthat we were at the train station. While bolizes the Divine Wisdom that was manthe conversation seemed to have lasted ifested by the Honorable Elijah Muhamonly a short period of time when we be- mad, and revealed to us by Almighty God gan, it had been broad daylight and now Allah; it is solid yellow! Together the Star it was pitch dark. The Father told me that and Crescent stand for Knowledge and I wouldn’t understand everything that he Wisdom which is the unity of knowing it told me, only that I would see it in what --- and speaking it! (Teaching) Time! With that we said “Peace” and I got It also symbolizes the Earth (woman with on the train to Medina. child), a Planet that has Life, and the dominance the Woman has over the Seed (the Now if you thing I was in love with the uni- child or the Knowledge) while it is young, verse before, you can imagine what my and has been symbol of Freedom, Justice experience with the Father did to encour- and Equality since the awakening of Islam age that love. I decided then that I would in the West of North America. make a picture for the Father’s birthday (February 22nd) to show him what I had The 7 has seven sides. It symbolizes: the Original Man, the True and Living God, the Supreme Being, almighty God Allah. -29-
Since the very creation of mathematics, 7 has been the mathematical terminology for the creator of the Universe. It is solid black. Together this stands for the Supreme Understanding that was revealed to us by Almighty God Allah himself. It shows a unification of Knowledge, Wisdom and Understanding, Man, Woman, Child and shows the authority of ALLAH over the planets and stars, and the proper order of the universe. The seven symbolizes the male seed in full bloom; it shows that God must be the most high, the Master of Wisdom, Culture and Equality at all times, because they are six, and can never dominate ALLAH, so they must remain in six or distill back to whence it came! Thus no part of the crescent moon should ever show over the top of the seven!
that the Truth is capable of traveling. There are two sides to each point. The left side is Black – this represents the Original Black Man. The right side is Gold. The Gold represents the Brown and Yellow Seeds (from the first of the Brown to the last of the Yellow). Just as Yacob separated the seeds, 200 years from Black to Brown, 200 years from Brown to Yellow, and 200 years from Yellow to Caucasian, Allah taught us that each brother should have a seed thus he reunited the seeds, united they are one! The eight points are a sign of he who is the master builder of rain, snow, hail and earthquakes! The sixteen sections of the points, one for each year and degree that our seeds (child) must master before he is at the age of self-responsibility and required to teach civilization.
I have given you a basic knowledge of the flag and its history, my complete understanding would have to cover every minute math term and angle from Solomon’s Child to the Compass Square to the Galaxy M83; however, I hope this will answer most of the questions that the Gods have been requesting by mail. There The Cipher (circle) around the 7, Crescent, will be more on the Flag in coming issues. and Star is Black – the original color of the Sun (anything that burns that hot and that A Word To The Wise! long can’t be yellow!). This symbolizes the Beware of False Knowledge; it is more Sun; the universal symbol of Truth and dangerous than ignorance! Light, and whose power can evaporate all clouds of deception (lies). Peace, Love and Happiness, Universal Shaamgaud Allah The Eight Points are the symbol of the ever expanding universe, and symbolizes the rays of the Sun, the speed and distance The White background symbolizes the white clouds of deception that have drowned our people in a sea of ignorance, and the feeble attempts of the wicked to conceal the true and living God which is the Son of Man!
-30-
FULL-TIME PRIMARY SCHOOL FULL-TIME AND PART-TIME PRE SCHOOL FOR BOYS AND GIRLS AGED 3 TO 11 YEARS
COMMITTED TO PROVIDING AN OUTSTANDING START TO CHILDREN’S EDUCATION Contact us on 07960691401 or email info@newmindschool.com
New Mind School 1-5 Hinton Road Loughborough Junction Brixton London SE24 0HJ Tel: 07960691401 Email: info@newmindschool.org Web: www.newmindschool.org DSCF Registration No: 208/6396 Charity Registration No: 1063532
THE GENTRIFICATION OF BLACK FILMS Written by Tanya Steele
There is a lot to be said about James Brown. As with many a genius, particularly male, there is the upside to the breadth and depth in his musicianship.
I refuse to see a film on the life of James Brown that is directed by the man who directed ‘The Help’. Yes, it is my loss. I accept that loss. I am sure Chadwick Boseman and the rest of the cast did an outstanding job. But, at some point, I have to register my disgust with the need for “Hollywood” to situate itself in the lives of Black Americans without giving a Black Director the opportunity to tell the story. There is a lot to be said about James Brown. As with many a genius, particularly male, there is the upside to the breadth and depth in his musicianship. And, there is also a downside to his treatment of women. The many iterations of James Brown have graced all of our lives. If you are a human being on the planet and you have not heard James Brown, you are not listening to music. Granted, you could be listening to something but, it isn’t music. Regular readers know, I am not known to sing the praises of any one unless they move me. I am critical to a fault. Like Kanye West’s brilliant song ‘Runaway’, “I’m so gifted at finding what I don’t like the most”, that’s me. But, I will say, I know Black filmmakers, some not-so talented, some talented and some talented as f**k who could smash a James Brown biopic.
From left, Chadwick Boseman as James Brown and director Tate Taylor on the set of ‘Get on Up.’ Universal Pictures
Black Genius is real. Did you see the lines at Kara Walker’s ‘The Subtlety’? Where the Mammy Sphinx had her ass and p***y perched so that you could lick, smell or, as many did, deride it. The Mammy Sphinx was erected, in Brooklyn, during a hotbed of visual transition in the borough.
Neighborhoods, formerly populated by Brown skin are now being overrun with White skin. Similar to one of the points Ms. Walker wanted to illustrate with her Mammy Sphinx, American sugar went through a refining process to turn sugar from its natural state of brown to white. Seemingly, a very complicated process. Imagine the conversations that arose around turning the sugar from brown to white. As Kara Walker states in her New York Times interview: “...it takes a lot of energy to turn brown things into white things. A lot of pressure…” Now, I am not claiming that “Hollywood” is interested in turning brown things to white. However, I do believe that “Hollywood” would like to make images that are digestible for a larger audience. The Director who can deliver the broadest brush strokes gets the gig. The Director who is able to distill images to their least effective state- takes the reigns. One can know a Director based on their aesthetic, how they deliver a movie to you. Similar to painters, if placed in a room with a painting by Picasso or Basquiat, one could tell the difference. Similarly, with Spielberg or Scorsese or Lee or Malick, we can know the filmmaker by the atmosphere, the visual, the music, these Directors have a very specific thumbprint. This is why we love them. Unfortunately, as “Hollywood” drifts more toward a business model and less toward an artistic model, the thumbprint, the special vision offered by Directors that we love, and that we love -33-
to discover, are falling by the wayside. Watching trailer previews is like watching a string of films by one bland Director. The stories are trite, deliver tropes, laugh cues, explosions, a common and unsophisticated language to satisfy an audience member, whether they live in Idaho or Baltimore. Movies are becoming two hours of redundant, uncomplicated, poorly-scripted, box office whores. What my nieces understand cinema to be, is way different than what I understand cinema to be. Cinema was an experience. It was an experience that welcomed you into the lives of others. It was an experience that introduced you to foreign lands or to your neighbors or to ideas and themes that encouraged you to challenge who you are and what your place is in the culture. Today, movies are marketed and sold to you before you purchase a ticket. The specific vision of the Director, the unique way that the Director sees the world, is no longer important. And, “Independent”cinema is not off of the hook. Sundance mastered the “dysfunctional family” aesthetic. White film after White film fought to deliver the most dysfunctional and least ideas laden film possible. Films used to transport us with visuals, with words, with ideas. “Rachel Getting Married”, for me, was one film, in a number of films, that paraded White dysfunction with some Blackness thrown in for spice. I soon lost interest in American independent cinema. There was a lack of diversity in vision, in aes-34-
thetic, in themes. I turn to cinema from Africa, or Europe or Asia to sate my film cravings. Which brings me to James Brown. The trailer for James Brown delivered a series of tropes. Tropes that are supposed to relay that this is Blackness, that this is going to give you what you expect- a soulful, tearful, good time. I got it. I don’t need to see more. I have a collection of James Brown’s music. There are few things that will deliver the genius, funk menagerie that was James Brown. Trust me, someone who could construct ‘The Help’ does not have the gravitas to handle the life of James Brown. Certainly, he may deliver the trappings but the spirit of James Brown... nope. When asked to Direct ‘Beloved’, Jane Campion said that she didn’t know enough about Black culture, about the life of “Beloved” to take the reigns. I respect that. And, I’m hoping, in these years, Jane Campion has caught up on Black culture as I would love to see her direct a diverse cast. But, I respect her reluctance. She articulated something very important. She let us know that there is more to filmmaking than one’s ability to toss images on a screen. A life has to inform the work. One has to be connected to the experience of the subject. Directing is about distilling the content and delivering the heart of the subject to an audience. Unfortunately, the desire to do that is fading.
making everything look, taste, sound and feel the same. My Brooklyn neighborhood, once lovely and unique because of all of the differing personalities and cultures, is soon becoming something that I’ve seen before. It has less funk. There are bicycle racks, and couples with strollers, hipsters jogging in beards and sunglasses. It’s going from Brown to White right before my eyes. There is always some good in that. More resources pour in, better products but, the soul, the spirit of the neighborhood is gone. My neighborhood has been refined. I refuse to buy a ticket to the refining of James Brown.
Follow Tanya Steele on Twitter at @digtanya. Or on facebook (www.facebook.com/SteeleInk). Or visit digtanya.com.
This is not about turning Black people White. Hollywood gentrification is about -35-
Written aby Askia Muhammad
WASHINGTON (FinalCall.com) - The movie Selma is, and will likely remain, one of the most talked about films of 2015. It earned four Golden Globe nominations, for: Best Picture; Best Actor, David Oyelowo as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.; Best Director, Ava DuVernay; and won Best Original Song, “Glory” by John Legend and Common. And it is certain to be a contender for multiple Academy Awards as well. Selma is an exceptionally well crafted depiction of the last successful campaign in the career of the most charismatic and possibly most misunderstood leader of the 20th Century Civil Rights Movement. It takes its greatness from portraying the tension caused by blood in the streets of Alabama in the mid-1960s brought on by violent, White-racist, legal and extra-legal resistance to the le-36-
gitimate demands for the right to vote by Blacks in the South, and from the political push and pull generated from the teeming grassroots represented by Dr. King, all the way to the desk of President Lyndon B. Johnson. The movie tells the story of three months in Selma, Ala., in early 1965 when Dr. King was mobilizing for the fight for voting rights. The bloody, one-sided “beat-downs” of peaceful, unarmed, non-violent protestors by vicious police, some on horseback, some with dogs, with tear gas, with billy clubs and other weapons, provokes a painful reaction to the scenes of the injustice and reminds moviegoers of the public moral outrage in 1965 which became massive public support for the passage of the Voting Rights Act by Congress later that year. And while a great deal of “artistic license” is taken with the presentation of, or the exclusion of important Black figures in the
voting rights struggle—Fannie Lou Hamer, Stokely Carmichael, Ella Baker, Floyd McKissick, among others—it is President Johnson’s screen role in the infamous Selma marches which has garnered the loudest rebuke. Historians and former Johnson administration officials have insisted that the film is flat-out wrong in the way Mr. Johnson is shown, as an opponent of the Selma voting rights marches, when in fact the march was his idea, his former aides insist. In the film, one dramatic climax occurs when Dr. King scolds the reluctant and toughtalking president, about the immediate need for federal voting rights legislation, all the while with a portrait of George Washington looking on in the background. “Mr. President, in the South, there have been thousands of racially motivated murders,” Dr. King says, imploring President Johnson to put his weight behind a voting rights law. “We need your help!” But the President replies: “Dr. King, this thing’s just going to have to wait.”
“In real life, that December 1964 meeting happened—but not that way, according to one who was there,” Richard Prince reports in his online column “Journal-Isms.” “‘It was not very tense at all. We were very much welcomed by President Johnson,’ recalled former Atlanta mayor and U.N. ambassador Andrew Young, who attended the session as a young lieutenant to King. ‘He and Martin never had that kind of confrontation.’” Others, including Clifford Alexander, a Black man and former deputy special counsel to the President, and later Secretary of the Army in the Jimmy Carter administration, as well as Joseph Califano, Mr. Johnson’s top assistant for domestic affairs from 1965-1969, and scholars at the Johnson Presidential Library cite transcripts and audio recordings in which Mr. Johnson appears to be the author of the idea of the Selma marches, encouraging them as a way to generate pressure on Congress to enact voting rights for disenfranchised Blacks.
-37-
While this film concentrates on early 1965 and Selma, one of the shocking early scenes shows the 1963 bombing of Birmingham’s 16th Street Baptist Church—less than three weeks after Dr. King’s triumphal March on Washington for Jobs and Justice—in which teenagers Addie Mae Collins, Denise McNair, Carole Robertson, and Cynthia Wesley were blown to bits by a Ku Klux Klan bomb. The film also shows Dr. King receiving the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964, but it omits much about the Black community which was the backdrop for Dr. King’s success, and more importantly the bolder, more militant Martin Luther King Jr.—The Real King, so to speak—who emerged during the three years after the Selma victory. “There is no movement without the Black church. There is no movement without historically Black institutions. Not just colleges, high schools,” Dr. Greg Carr, chair of the African American Studies Department, at Howard University told The Final Call. “(The Revs. James) Bevel and (Fred) Shuttlesworth came back from Birmingham and said, ‘I’ve been going to the high schools talking to these kids. They’re ready to move.’ That’s when the Children’s March emerged.” Organizers were meeting at 16th Street Baptist Church, he pointed out, which is “Why they bomb(ed) 16th Street…because it was an institution.” Those details and others depicting important local leaders were conveniently scrubbed from the film. “The politics of the film, the intent of the politics of the film were clear in the erasure of Stokely -38-
Carmichael, total erasure. The diminished capacity that is the role of Diane Nash and other women, the anti-SNCC perspective was just so clear,” Dr. Jared Ball, Associate Professor of Communications at Morgan State University told The Final Call. “John Lewis is a hero (in the movie), not just because of what he did but because he walked away from SNCC.” The film, very skillfully diminishes the role of young Black militants who increasingly began to influence Dr. King in and after the events at Selma, in favor of the need for the movement to capitalize on a sense of White conscience and guilt. But the reality is that conditions on the ground were changing fast in 1965. The Voting Rights Act was signed into law by LBJ in Washington—with Dr. King at his side—on Aug. 6, 1965. One week later, a continent away, the Watts Riot (rebellion) broke out on Aug. 13, protesting police murders and brutality toward Black people, like the 2014 demonstrations in Ferguson, Mo., and Staten Island, N.Y.
ti-police brutality rallies, the critique is still there. ‘Why are you in these rallies White folks? And what is your intent in marching with us? And how is your presence becoming theater for you, as opposed to a movement for us?’ “All of those questions—like there is a response in Selma (the movie) to all of that— by saying ‘They’re (Whites are) supposed to be here. There’s a benefit to their inclusion,’ and all of the arguments or debates against that have to be diminished, ridiculed, omitted entirely.’” “The problem is, that I did like it,” Dr. Ball said. “I was moved by some of it. I did think it was well made, and some of the acting performances are good, which makes, the negatives have much more of an impact.
That’s the problem that we deal with. If it was all whack, it would be easy to critique and dismiss.” The “real” Dr. King emerges In the months after the Voting Rights Act, Dr. King underwent a radical transformation. The influence of the Nation of Islam was clear. “At one time the Whites in the United States called him a racialist, an extremist, and a Communist,” Nation of Islam National Spokesman Minister Malcolm X said of the mainstream Civil Rights leaders he nicknamed “The Big Six.” “Then the Black Muslims came along and the Whites thanked the Lord for Martin Luther King.” The strategy, of which Dr. King and the
“That LBJ, is made to look almost heroic (in the movie) in juxtaposition to George Wallace, and could get—in the theater where I saw it—a round of applause, tells you where the film was asking us to go. The emphasis on the inter-racial aspect of the movement was a clear message of, ‘let’s walk away from Black collective national activity, let’s make a point about today,’” said Dr. Ball. “If you look at the critique that is all over the place of Whites in these anti-Ferguson, an-
State troopers swing billy clubs to break up a civil rights voting march in Selma, Ala., March 7, 1965.
-39-
Civil Rights leadership was so proud, had produced a “victory with no victory,” Minister Malcolm X declared of the successful tactic which produced no tangible results. In the film “Selma,” Dr. King even laments in a jailhouse scene that he may have been fighting to integrate lunch counters at which most Blacks could not even afford to eat. The Whites, Minister Malcolm X continued, did not integrate the Civil Rights Movement, they infiltrated it. On Feb. 23, 1966 Dr. King visited the Honorable Elijah Muhammad, at his home in Chicago, and may have been further radicalized, but he quickly explained to his anxious White benefactors and to the public, that he was not forging an “alliance” with the Nation of Islam. In 1966 Dr. King’s Chicago organizing campaign was violently rebuffed by racist, White citizen attacks. He left Chicago, unable to claim a victory. April 4, 1967 the day when Dr. King explained why he was opposed to the war in Vietnam arrived. “He comes out in this speech and he calls America, his country, ‘the greatest purveyor of violence in the world today.’ That’s a strong indictment. The greatest purveyor of violence in the world today,” radio and television interviewer Tavis Smiley told Pacifica Radio’s Mitch Jesserich in an interview before the release of Selma. “He goes on in that speech to talk about what he calls the ‘Triple threat of racism, -40-
poverty, and militarism. Racism, poverty, and militarism.’ If you think you know Dr. King and you don’t know of the story of the darkest and most difficult part of his journey—which for him just happened to be the last year, April 4, ‘67 to April 4, ‘68—if you don’t know that story, then you don’t know Dr. King yet.” Mr. Smiley is the author, along with David Ritz, of “Death of a King: the Real Story of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Final Year”. During that troubled time, up until his assassination, Dr. King had become so unpopular that another author, Clayborne Carson said many of the people who went to his funeral, would not have been seen with him on the day before he died. “Clayborne Carson is absolutely right,” Mr. Smiley said. “In the last year of his life, everybody and everything turned against Dr. King.
Powell Jr., powerful Congressman, turns on Dr. King, publicly. Ralph Bunche, the only other Black Nobel Peace Prize winner, turns on Dr. King publicly. I can’t even say on the radio—it’s in the text—but I can’t even quote what Thurgood Marshall—The Thurgood Marshall—had to say about Dr. King. It was vicious and ugly. “And then the Black Press got in on it. It wasn’t just the mainstream, liberal, White press, the Black press started to turn on Dr. King. It’s a story most of us don’t know because we’d rather freeze-frame King at the Lincoln Memorial at the March on Washington. “That dream that he talked about in ’63, by the time he gets to ’67, where this book picks up, the last year of his life, he is saying publicly that that dream has become a
nightmare. He says to Harry Belafonte and a few others at a gathering one night, ‘…that for all that we have done for integration, I fear that we have integrated into a burning house.’ These are Martin’s words. “The one that shocks most people: Martin was murdered on a Thursday night in Memphis. If he had made it back to Atlanta that Sunday to Ebenezer, his church where he was preaching every Sunday, his sermon would have been a shock,” continued Mr. Smiley. On April 4, 1968, one year after his anti-Vietnam War speech, “One of the last calls he made from the Lorraine Motel was back to his church, to his secretary, to his father, to let them know what he
“After he gives his speech, the media turns against him. What The New York Times, The Washington Post, and Time magazine had to say about him, you would be embarrassed. So the media turns on him. Then the White House turns on him.” While President Johnson and Dr. King worked together for the Voting Rights Act and the Civil Rights Act—perhaps the two most seminal pieces of legislation passed in the entire 20th Century—now King is opposed to LBJ on this war in Vietnam, according to Mr. Smiley. “The NAACP and Roy Wilkins turns on Dr. King. Whitney Young and the Urban League publicly turn on Dr. King. Adam Clayton
In this Jan. 18, 1964 fi le photo, U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson, right, talks with civil rights leaders in his White House offi ce in Washington, D.C. The Black leaders, from left, are, Roy Wilkins, executive secretary of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP); James Farmer, national director of the Committee on Racial Equality; Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., head of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference; and Whitney Young, executive director of the Urban League. Photos: AP/Wide World photos
-41-
was going to preach on Sunday. Had he made it back to Atlanta, his Sunday morning sermon was going to be entitled: ‘Why America May Go to Hell.’ “He didn’t say we were going to hell, but why America may go to hell. Now you tell folks that the ‘I Have A Dream’ man was going to preach a sermon called ‘Why America May Go To Hell,’ they don’t get that. King was always a believer that America could be greater. That’s what his life’s work was all about. But by the time he gets to ’67, ’68, he’s questioning whether or not America really has the will to address these issues that are really just threatening to the lives of too many fellow citizens,” said Mr. Smiley. Ironically, the sentiment about the Vietnam War which earned Dr. King such unforgiving scorn is not unlike a prediction nearly 200 years earlier by Thomas Jefferson, one of this country’s Founding Fathers. “I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just; that his justice cannot sleep forever,” Mr. Jefferson said. In order to get an idea of whom “The Real” Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is Dr. Ball has a recommended reading list after having seen Selma. He recommends that people study the history recounted in the film, read Dr. King’s last book “Where Do We Go From Here? Chaos Or Community”, read James Forman’s book “The Making of Black Revolutionaries,” and read everything by or about Kwame Ture/Stokely Carmichael.
-42-
Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Photo: AP/Wide World photos
Police attack marchers as they crossed Selma’s Edmund Pettus Bridge on “Bloody Sunday”. Photos: MGN Online
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., right, pictured in his first meeting with Elijah Muhammad, left, head of the Nation of Islam Feb. 24, 1966, in Chicago, IL. Dr. King said Elijah Muhammad agreed a movement is needed against slum conditions.
-43-
This March 21, 1965 file photo shows civil rights marchers crossing the Alabama river on the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Ala. to the State Capitol of Montgomery. Photos: AP/Wide World photos
Still from the movie “Selma�.
-44-
this article was taken from the Final Call website, follow Askia Muhammad on Twitter at @askiaphotojourn. Or visit finalcall.com
LAST WORDS by Sincere Wise Build is to add on and destroy is to take away or neutralize. What must we do if we are to build? First we must lay a foundation (knowledge/truth) and ensure that it is strong then we must build according to an architectural plan. Every builder must have a plan to work to and use quality materials. We must strive to be master builders. All builders need raw materials which include knowledge, wisdom, skills, a will to work and resources (finance) in order to complete their plan. Some of these resources such as resources (financed) and some knowledge we need to take from this world in order to build ours. Each god must strive to be independent and not build using the devil’s models for they are not right and exact and unnatural ways for the original man. They are grafted, crafted and genetically modified therefore they are grafted, weak and have flaws. We must build according to our nature and culture, with integrity and ensure that everything we build must be beneficial to us as a people. The 8th lesson in the 1-36 = because he put fear in them when they were babies. Many of our people are scared and fall victim and manifest uncivilization and self destructive behaviour. We keep and obey everyone else’s rules and regulations but do not adhere to our own. When we are told to jump we ask how high or do so without looking to see what we are jumping into. Fear makes you your worst enemy. It stops you from attempting, from achieving from becoming. While you fear you will never be free. The 8th lesson in the 1-14 Why does the devil keep our people apart form his social equality? He keeps us apart from his social equality but advocates equality which he
know he can never honour. This tricks our people into searching for that which does not exist and will never exist therefore they get caught in 6! How can we be equal to the devil if he has all the power? True equality is balance and there is great imbalance within this world. The 8th lesson in the 1-40 deals with the causes of storms and earthquakes. The degree describes that anything at or below six miles above the Earth’s surface is subjected to currents of air. Some of these currents are cold or warm. It also describes these currents as being swift and changeable. I see these currents as being negative emotions and the confusion of this savage society that we live in. We know that six represents equality and equality is positive and required for civilization. Justice and equality go hand in hand as a person is usual given according to their need and actions. He who is a ruler controls the wealth of their nation and indirectly the wealth of those who reside in or are subject to its rules. If the ruler is a member of the wicked 10%, who are bloodsuckers of the poor, they will ensure that equality and justice are manipulated, biased and at a minimum. Therefore it is necessary for members of the original nation to be wise and not get trapped in 6 but to apply their wisdom to their power in order to reach seven which is godly mentality and actions. The degree also states that anything below six distils back to the surface. This is what the 10% want the original people who have not awakened to the true knowledge of themselves, to do. They want the 5% to fall from the heights which they have reached and become mindless slaves to the system and build heaven for others while they are living in hell. The 10% (bloodsuckers of the poor) are wealthy and live in luxury in palaces, castles and mansions while we the 5% (poor righteous teachers) and the remainder of the population the 85% (deaf, dumb and blind) live in various degrees of hell and produce wealth for the 10%. The 10% are blood suckers of the poor, teaching the poor lies to believe that the true and living God is a spook and that they will have a reward, heaven when they die if they are good while they live. Good is defined as being -47-
obedient to the law, accepting what is given to them and how they are treated. Governments’ have systematically eroded the religious foundations of the laws. The religious books say certain cultures and behaviours of prohibted but most governments promote and permit them. They make laws that are beneficial to them and laws that keep society in check. They want to control everything from what you eat to what you think and if you espouse anything which differs from the norm you are labelled a rebel. By building with positive ways, words and actions we can destroy negative thoughts. The challenge is to refine, to improve and remove the impurities that make us act other than we should. We owe it to ourselves, our parents and anyone that has made a sacrifice for us to live to be upright, civilized and productive members of society. Only then will we be respected.
www.black7mag.com