We Can Run But We Can't Hide!
By:Takuna M. EL Shabazz
The teachings of the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad as taught to us by the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan, the leader of the Nation of Islam, points out clearly the essentials for proper community development. One being you don't initiate community development by simply erecting a new building here and there. Rather, you aggressively build the people of that community into the proper knowledge of themselves. By doing so, you can cultivate a heightened level of interest among the people desirous enough for them to take the initiative for their own destiny. At that juncture, the people will contemplate for themselves the scope of their needs and go to work to bring solutions into reality.
The people of that particular community will decide what institutions are relevant to address their needs and concerns. Most likely, they will demonstrate the intelligence to utilize existing institutions that have been sensitive to their collective interest as a community and equally as wise to reject those which have not.
When a people are properly guided spiritually, to know and accept the truth of themselves historically and culturally, you don't have to tell them to do this or that! Some things are expected to become an automatic response. For example, you don't need to set up special programs to instruct Japanese people to eat, shop and live with other Japanese people. You don't see Chinese people marching and fighting with legislators for permission to set up a China town in a given city in America. They just come together out of a common need to survive and create a market place to sell their goods and services to themselves and others. By responding appropriately to their basic needs, a small gathering soon swells into a thriving market place, enabling them to sustain a community called China Town.
An owner of a Mexican grocery store doesn't pass out flyers to convince Mexican people to buy and act like Mexicans on a given day. All he has to do is send information out, indicating his location and the time he is open. Mexicans, will seek out the location of the store and drive across town if need be to buy groceries there. I think you get the point! That kind of cohesive group response is only possible when a group's historical, cultural and spiritual relationships are intact.
In general, after nearly 150 years up from physical slavery, Black people have not yet become a viable, trustworthy, self-sustaining, reliable, internal self-determining force. That is, a self-determining force great enough to effectuate their own political, economic, educational, religious and socially desired outcome to build communities consistently. The list of symptoms as to "why" is long, but the casual determinacy is one illness, lack of Knowledge of Self.
Black people don't respond automatically to each other, for the collective good of the whole, like other groups because slavery has severed or distorted beyond recognition, our cultural, spiritual and historical ties to each other. The only real chance Black people have to recapture their sense of oneness, as a group identity, is to undergo a massive Corrective- Education Process to re-connect with the true self. Although sometimes it is painful to do so, the truth requires us to face head on, the Good, the Bad and the Ugly about ourselves. Still, out of all the profound ancient teachings of wisdom, which emanates from our ancestors, the most prolific is Know Thy- Self! That's because the ancestors knew the root of all knowledge and wisdom begin with the self!
The Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad teaches us and The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan reminds us constantly, that we are a good people at the core of our nature. However, we want to solve the multitude of problems, in which White folks created in us on the plantation, without the benefit of proper study. It's just not going to happen!
Those brothers and sisters who are serious about resolving issues in Black communities, must put away their pride, hide their degrees, set time aside, prepare for resistance, exercise self discipline, humble themselves and create "Think Tanks" to un-ruffle the root causes of our destructive slave behavior with each other. This process should be a pre-requisite for all proclaimed community activists before assessing, planning and initiating any community action.
Brothers and Sisters, we just can't effectively address a true agenda for liberation for Black people, with popular manufactured Negro concepts and behavior. Self-determination is paramount for any people who seek true liberation. Black people cannot maintain the status of beggars and demand justice and equality from the unjust!
A thought-provoking question must be asked at this point! Do Black people have a working model that can be studied to bring forth such ideals? The answer is unquestionably, Yes! Examine, the self-help programs and its concepts by The Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad of the Nation of Islam, now under the stewardship of the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan. As living witnesses before the entire world, within the Nation of Islam, there are thousands of intelligent Black men, women and children who are reflective of some of the best human beings on the face of the earth. Many of them would honestly attest to the fact that they were not always like that. Some of us according to our present standards would have considered them drags of society with no hope and useful purpose. Others, who are ordinary people, came to the Nation Of Islam with various skill sets, ranging from average to highly technical and professional. Apparently, all of them were void of the truthful knowledge of self and in need of guidance.
Thus, the inclusive humble spirit of Brotherhood and Sisterhood in The Nation Of Islam and its effectiveness in reaching our people are evident. The successful spiritual conversion of doctors, lawyers, teachers, business men & women, public servants etc., as well as, transformational converts of x-drug addicts, x-thieves, x-gang bangers, x-liars, x-pimps, x-hustlers and the like, speaks for itself. It is expected of all believers who represent The Nation of Islam, to exemplify self-confidence, discipline, inner peace, and a growing spiritual insight with a clear focus for Nation Building.
The Nation Of Islam's conceptual foundation for "Black Nation Building" which includes but are not limited to; Independent Schools, "Eat to live" Nutritional programs, F.O.I and M.G.T programs which cultivates principles of Self-Defense - Youth Leadership Development for males and females respectfully, Economic Self-Help, an Independent Agriculture Enterprise, its National and International Independent Media outlets (News Paper, CDs & DVDs), and Prison Ministry...etc., are simply phenomenal.
Under the divine teachings of "The Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad" __ The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan has taken a hodgepodge of human imperfection and with Allah's permission and guidance, he has molded out of what appears to some as irretrievable damaged goods and has fashioned those human goods into a responsible self-determined family of Black human beings; loving self and kind once again with a single mindedness to do for self and kind.
Does this means that the Nation Of Islam is perfect? No, certainly not! It would be unintelligent to advocate so. Just like the majority of most organizations, in which there are two or more imperfect humans members, there are bound to be some strife. The internal enemies of arrogance, fear, greed, selfishness, vanity, pride, and jealousy are a daily battle for all of us. Although, I have come to truly believe, the Nation of Islam is under the divine guidance of Allah (God) and is presently a work in progress. Thus, Allah is not through with the Nation yet! However, under the influence of the divine teachings of the Honorable Minister Farrakhan, a greater propensity for right conduct is evident due to self-disciplined and a spiritually righteous atmosphere he cultivates. Although not perfect, the Nation Of Islam and its array of people oriented transformational programs, that are rooted in self- determination and Nation Building, is the most comprehensive working model for Black organizations to study and emulate to restore our people to their original greatest.
IF more Black leaders and community organizers who profess they are advocates for improved community development for impoverish Black communities, would at least study and consider adopting in part if not in whole, the proven aspects of the Nation of Islam's approach for repairing our communities and its suffering Black people; I am certain that Black communities would fare much better in their developments than the present results reveal.
History has shown that Black organizations that have embraced the principle of self-determination have always done some degree of measurable good in uplifting our people. For example, the Marcus Garvey Pan Afrikan Movement, Black United Front Movement, The Underground Railroad, Imani Temples with the A.A.C.C., The New Black Panther Party, The Republic of New Afrikan & N'COBRA (The National Coalition of Black for Reparation in America) just to cite a few. In spite of ideological differences in some cases, all these organizations were and are rooted in the concept of self-determination.
Again, does this imply that these organizations are the only ones and without faults. Once more, the answer is No! Not by any stretch of the imagination I wish to imply that! However, I wish to state explicitly, "It's far better for Black people to chance the risk of suffering the pains associated with errors made in attempting to govern ourselves, than it is to become satisfied and pacified with enduring the pains of daily humiliation of being governed by our 400 year old oppressors."
"Here in Southwest Louisiana where the white Jesus is still believed to be flying high in the sky. Where the Negro integrationist is there to confirm that lie! By stating every so firmly, "There he goes Massa! I see Jesus in the sky, headed for the sweet by and by!"
The above poetic expression, I believe accurately depicts the delusional thinking of most Negro integrationist, who reacts to the concept of self determination as though they are being offered a full blown case of aids! We can run but we can't hide very much longer from the responsibility to do for ourselves as a people. Allah (God) is not playing with Black people today. He is destroying the world of the people we have been forced to depend on. As the earth resources continue to decrease, you will see an increase in the fears of White folks to protect what they have. For Black people that means an increase in blatant racism, as well as various expressions of institutional racism fueled by White rage! White folks are upset! But, what defense do they have against constant rain, sleet, snow, earthquakes, floods, fires, mosquitoes and other pestilence?
For Black people to know where they fit in the scheme of God's plan, they must come into the full knowledge of self. One must Know Thyself as a prerequisite to know time and how to protect self or suffer the consequences of the time. This is why the truth of the Black man's history and culture are essential today. The knowledge of yourself Black Man and Woman is the key to acquiring real freedom. Therefore, any obstacles that prevents or mis-lead Black people from acquiring such truth, is an attempt to keep them deaf, dumb and blind. You can't be ignorant of yourself and claim to know God. To know your creator is to know you! You can't be ignorant of yourself and claim to be free at the same time either! If no one else know this, Black people should! Black people have been freed from physical slavery since 1865. Nonetheless, due to the robbing of our names, history, culture, the devil and God, we are still to this very day, psychosomatic slaves to the children of the robbers.
Under the light of truth, how can miss educated Negros in Southwest Louisiana, justified advocating that Black people should blend in and integrate into the robber's history and cultural as Creoles, to prove their kinship to Cajun people. This is a slick trick to have Black people pre-occupied studying a limited history of their enemy that leads to Black enslavement under White French colonialism. The real danger, however, that comes from the Romanticizing of Creoleism in Black communities, in lieu of teaching serious and comprehensive Black and Afrikan values relating to history and cultural is obvious to the enlightened. This could only add to the depreciation of Black history studies and exacerbate cultural confusion for our children.
When any given group of people makes their culture and history negotiable or debatable that group loses!
Throughout history, Caucasians, always made use of well trained domesticated Negroes that they produced. Mainly, as an alternative to truth and to shield them from serious Black Brothers and Sisters who know the real essence of liberation and are willing to pay the price for freedom. Domesticated Negros doesn’t know the meaning of self-determination. Their view of the world is centered around being forever mindful of what they say and do, never risking falling out of Massa's grace. Its no accident that much of the so called leadership in this area as well as across America, consist disproportionately of domesticated Negros, advocating the hypocritical failed tenants of integration rather than self-determination.
The time is soon to come when Black people will be grasping in the dark for the ideas of The Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad, which the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan has laid out for us to go for self. Don't let your fear of Caucasians keep you blind, deaf and dumb, to the value of Minister Farrakhan to Black people, in particular, and all of humanity in general. Especially, don't shun the good work of the Muslims Brothers and Sisters in your communities because they represent the Nation Of Islam. Avoid being like those in the days of the prophets of old, who never believed or recognized a man of God in their mist. The silent rebellious ones suffered the same fate as the open enemies of truth. We Can Run From Self- Determination- But We Can't Hide!
Black I Am! Cajun-Creole- Acadian I AM Not!
"It is time to Rise Again Black Man, Woman, and Child and reclaim our original Greatness!
Cajun, It Just Ain't Us!