We are created of the material of goodness.

FASTING takes away evil desires. Fasting takes from us filthy desires. Fasting takes from us the desire to do evil against self and our brothers and sisters. .We are created of the material of goodness Therefore, good belongs to us ... and it should not be hard for us to turn to our own selves in which we were created ... good.” —The Honorable Elijah Muhammad

Silent Night (Do Rappers Watch the News?)

Episode 25 asks the burning question-With so much going on all over the world, how come nobody's rappin about it? Silent Night (Do Rappers Watch the News?) was produced by Religion and Directed by Paradise the Arkitech of X-Clan.

LYRICS
I ain't talkin bout Beans I ain't talkin bout Jay
I'm talikn bout vaccines we being forced to take
I'm talkin bout bad seeds with no remorse who spray
I'm takin for the victims we call on the Lord and pray
I'm talkin bout health care we need reform today
I'm talkin for poor people who can't afford to pay
I'm talkin bout the War and I got more to say
I'm talkin about the Time and I don't mean Morris Day
While They talkin bout they old beefs and gold teeth
I'm talkin bout freeing minds and they putting souls to sleep

I ain't talkin bout Lil Wayne doing a year in prison
Ani't talking bout Charlemagne being fired from his position
I'm talkin how they wanna defame a whole religion
like violence ain't been committed by some insane Christians
I'm talkin bout the horrific murders of the innocent
women and enlisted men and it's senselessness
I'm talkin bout that Imam they killed in Michigan
I'm talkin how feds shot 18 times to finish him
Not talkin bout King James but we are all witnesses
but what they talkin bout got you so drowsy ya missin it

I ain't talkin bout the Yankees I'm talkin about how Bernanke
gave billions to Wall St and we still payin bank fees
now they talkin bout more taxes to meet quotas
so every week my check get lighter than Sammy Sosa
And what I'm talkin bout is not a diss to Hova
But secret societies are real and Satan is Taken over
They talkin Afghanistan sending thousands more soldiers
to prop up a puppet government judgment is getting closer
and they talkin bout makin it rain and range rovers
with chains around they necks but no brains on top they shoulders

I ain't talkin bout Chris Brown and how he put his fist down
I'm talkin bout tea parties that lie about big crowds
talk about racists with faces full of hatred
so I talk about truth to disconnect you from the matrix
I ain't talkin TI's wife or Keisha Cole's Mama
I'm talkin none of us voting one year after Obama
And we talked about Rhianna and her drama to death
talkin bout her young fans but singing Russian roulette
All these media distractions have a crushing effect
A burning house always takes out the ones who slept
Good night

Nation of Islam Leader Minister Louis Farrakhan Visits Memphis

MEMPHIS, TN – Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan visited Memphis on Sunday to commemorate the 14th anniversary of the Million Man March in Washington, D.C. He spoke to a packed house inside the Cook Convention Center, telling the crowd that the message of responsibility that he preached then is just as necessary now. “We must accept responsibility to build our own communities,” said Farrakhan, whose speech was the keynote address for the Nation of Islam's "Holy Day of Atonement" to honor the Million Man March. "How do you expect others to care more for you than you are willing to care for yourself?”

He said 14 years after the Million Man March, America faces the same crossroads, even with Barack Obama in the White House.

"We have to be careful the masses of the people are not being pacified by the fact that the first black president sits in the White House,” he said. "This can pacify you, and lull you to sleep in a dangerous time, making you think we live in a post-racial America when the opposite is true."

Farrakhan told the crowd that Obama “is the American president, not the black president.”

“So don’t expect for him to do for us what we’ve got to marshal our energy and our talents to do for ourselves,” he said, adding that he sympathized with Obama.
“If he decides to stay in Iraq, I don’t think it will come out right for him or our children that will be sent to be slaughtered in that land,” Farrakhan said. “And that land is Afghanistan.

“What our brother is attempting to do is to bring America back from the brink of destruction, but the reality is it may be too little too late,” he added.

Farrakhan's message of self-reliance resonated with the crowd.

“Now he's trying to re-spark that same enthusiasm and perpetuate the same movement and the same truth and energy that spawned the million man march,” said Charles Dallas, who called Farrakhan’s visit to Memphis an inspiration. “For the minister to even consider stopping by Memphis is prestigious because he could have said ‘Memphis is not a big enough crowd for my celebrity.’ But he didn’t. So it’s a big honor.”

His friend James Pampley agreed.

“He was saying us as a people, we have to pick up the responsibility and rebuild our community,” Pampley said. “And that really hit me.”
Farrakhan said that message is universal.

"It's not about the color of your skin, it's about the way you think, and the way you act, and the ruling idea that's in your heart and your mind,” he said.

Commemorating the Million Man March 14th Anniversary

(FinalCall.com) - Those living in Memphis, host city for this year's Oct. 16-18 annual Holy Day of Atonement commemoration, have been working around the clock for several months as many travel to the capitol of the mid-south to mark the 14th Anniversary of the Million Man March.

The Honorable Minster Louis Farrakhan, scheduled to deliver the keynote address marking this year's Day of Atonement commemoration, told The Final Call the focus will be on pooling resources, to do what needs to be done to produce that which is needed for the Black community to survive these tough economic times.

“We hope to gather many, many people from Mississippi, Arkansas, Alabama, Georgia, and the Deep South to come up to Memphis. We need land. Since America is being bought up by forces outside, we need to pool our dollars to buy huge tracks of land that we can begin to build an economy for ourselves. We need to think about how to fulfill the prophecy (Isaiah 61:4) where it says, ‘And they will rebuild the wasted cities.' We need to be prepared to build our communities,” said Min. Farrakhan.

“If there are ten million or more people out of jobs or six million or five million, President Obama is trying to create jobs, but for whom? Will we be able to fit into the green economy?” the Minister asked.

“So if we don't get busy producing jobs for ourselves, we will be lost as a people. My focus on the Day of Atonement has to be on building the ministries and why the building of these ministries is the proper answer to the problems that we face now and will face in the immediate future.”

Memphis prepares

Memphis, located in the southwest corner of Tennessee, has an estimated population of a little under 670,000. It is the largest city in Tennessee, and the 19th largest in the U.S.

Student minister Anthony Muhammad of Muhammad Mosque No. 55, the hosts of the commemoration, told The Final Call they are looking forward to seeing everyone's safe journey by bus, car or airplane for a weekend of problem solving, fellowship and culture.

“We are very excited, honored and looking forward to seeing all of the Believers coming here from all over the country,” said Anthony Muhammad, adding that with the help of a committed cadre of Muslims, they have worked with city officials for the last eight months to plan the weekend of events.

On October 16 a leadership forum and roundtable discussion is scheduled with prominent business, political, civic and spiritual leaders from within the community hosted by former mayor Dr. Willie W. Herenton, Vice President of Operation PUSH Dr. L. Lasimba Gray, SCLC Memphis Chapter President Dwight Montgomery, Shelby County Commissioners Sidney Chism and Henri Brooks. The leadership forum will be held at the Civil Rights Museum, located at the Divine Lorraine hotel where Dr. Martin Luther Jr. was felled by an assassin's bullet in 1968. The hotel has now been converted into an historical landmark and tours will be available to the public throughout the entire weekend.

On October 17 at 2 p.m. there will be a health fair and town hall meeting discussing health in the Black community at the Memphis Cook Convention Center, and later in the evening, a free talent showcase and concert is scheduled, drawing gifted performers from all different cultural genres with entertainment appropriate for all ages.

The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan's keynote address will be delivered from the Memphis Cook Convention Center on October 18th at 2 p.m. and will be carried live via internet webcast at www.noi.org.

Reflections on the Million Man March

The overwhelming event which took place October 16, 1995 drew over two-million Black men to the steps of the U.S. Capitol. The men who made the journey indicated that the themes of atonement, reconciliation and responsibility resonated with them, and the gathering symbolized the willingness of Black men to atone to God for shortcomings as men, husbands and fathers, and demonstrated their willingness to reconcile differences at home, school, church, organizations and in the society.

Over the years, many who attended the Million Man March have reflected on the symbolic importance of that particular day, as well as the tangible results that were manifested resulting from the massive display of Black male unity that was witnessed worldwide on that peaceful day that many referred to as “a glimpse of heaven.”

The 14th anniversary of the Million Man March comes at a time of great change in America and across the world. Leading up to the march, back in 1995, Minister Farrakhan traveled across the United States challenging Black men to stand up and strive to reclaim their families and communities. Many who participated in the Million Man March said the day, and the events leading up to it, are still etched in their memories.

“I think it is important not to view the Million Man March in a vacuum; we should put it in historical context and see it as part of a historical continuum that began long before 1995 and has continued to this day,” said Zaheer Ali, who was the assistant to the National Executive Director of the Million Man March, Dr. Benjamin Chavis.

“The Million Man March was a powerful re-articulation of the nationalist tradition in the Black freedom struggle, emphasizing self-help, individual responsibility, and community development. Those ideas, along with other strains of thought within the Black freedom struggle, will continue to be relevant as long as racial disparities exist in our country,” said Mr. Ali.

It was the state of the Black man that gave relevance to the gathering and spawned subsequent offshoots such as the Million Woman March, the Million Youth March and Movement, the Million Family March, and even the Million Worker's March and Million Mom's March.

It was the spirit of the Million Man March that resonated with the spirit of the men who responded to the call, said community leader, veteran radio broadcaster and businessman Bob Law, who served as the New York State Chairperson of the Million Man March. “The Million Man March resonates in the hearts of more than a million Black men, and it is still the rallying cry that would gather black men coming together,” said Mr. Law in a telephone interview with The Final Call.

“I saw a brother who is a derelict walking down the street near my restaurant looking for a hand-out and I gave some money and I said to him, ‘Brother, this is from the spirit of the Million Man March,' and he stood straight up, and he said, ‘The Million Man March, Yes Sir!' and there are other experiences like this one,” said Mr. Law.

Mr. Ali agreed and said the success of the march can be measured quantifiably and qualitatively in the affect on the men who attended and on the local communities.

“The number of children who were adopted, the increase in Black male voter participation in the ‘96 election, family reunions with previously absentee fathers, and the increase in Black civil participation in churches, mosques, and organizations. But just as important was the ways the Million Man March affected people qualitatively: the Million Man March represented a tonal shift, a counter-narrative to the prevailing images of the Black ‘menace to society' that were being piped through media at the time,” Mr. Ali said.

“That was one of the best days of my life,” said Student Minister Anthony Muhammad, adding that looking back fourteen years later, he is wiser and many of the men who attended were wiser.

“That march changed the lives of many men and the difference is the wisdom that comes with that—fourteen years later—I am wiser than I was then, and the one thing we failed to learn how to do is to work with one another. We wanted to but I think we have now learned that it is imperative that we learn to get along. It is time for us to work together,” he said.

For more information regarding the Holy Day of Atonement in Memphis and the weekend of events, visit http://www.holydayofatonement2009.com or call 901-523-2560.

(Brian E. Muhammad contributed to this report.)

Community mourns death of Derrion Albert

By Ashahed M. Muhammad -Assistant Editor of Final Call News
(l)Many of Derrion's friends and classmates wore clothing to mark his memory. (r) The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan speaking at the location where Derrion Albert was entombed on Oct. 3. Seated is Derrion's mother An-Janette Albert.
CHICAGO (FinalCall.com) - The body of 16-year-old high school honor student Derrion Albert was laid to rest on October 3 following a somber funeral at Greater Mt. Hebron Baptist church on Chicago's Southside.
Many of Derrion's friends and classmates joined the procession past his casket with tears in their eyes as they looked into his face one last time.

The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan, speaking at the funeral, told the mourners that “God is the giver of life and He is the ultimate cause of death.” While it is natural to question why God would take this young man, his death allows us to see the “horror of the senseless violence” in the streets of Chicago, he said.
Derrion's grandfather Joseph Walker, overcome by grief, crying over his grandson's casket at the entombment.

‘I ask, in the name of Derrion, who among us will go after that which is lost and bring it back to us? I believe all of our people can be saved.’
—Minister Louis Farrakhan

“His death is a call to action!” said Min. Farrakhan. “This was a special young man of righteous bearing, whom God took from us so young, but may I remind you dear beloved followers of Jesus the Christ; he too was a young man. He too was a victim of mob violence, he too was special and because he was not a wicked person, his righteous life became the redemptive power for all of humanity,” said Min. Farrakhan.

Min. Farrakhan said while some may consider Black youth “unsalvageable” and though they may appear to be lost in the eyes of some, all are redeemable, no matter how horrible they are acting at the present time.

“Whenever you get to thinking that our children are unsalvageable then death and destruction is called down upon that which you believe can never be redeemed,” said Min. Farrakhan. “How can you say that Jesus saves? Is he powerless to save our children? How can you say that he is a redeemer and then look at the condition of our people and then think that it is hopeless?”

Min. Farrakhan encouraged the clergy, school administrators and others to go after the “lost sheep” that appear to be irretrievable.

“I ask, in the name of Derrion, who among us will go after that which is lost and bring it back to us? I believe all of our people can be saved,” said Min. Farrakhan.

Questions still unanswered

Many questions remain unanswered as more details emerge providing insight into the circumstances that led to the melee Sept. 24 which resulted in Derrion's death and serious injuries to four others.

One question asked by students and parents: Could it have been prevented?

Several students who asked not to be identified told The Final Call that the day Derrion was beaten to death, word circulated around the high school's hallways that a huge fight was going to take place after school. In fact, earlier that morning, there had been gun shots fired outside the high school. Then, around lunchtime, students said another fight broke out between two boys from rival neighborhoods that was related to the earlier shooting.

Students say the shooting and the mid-day skirmish led to the subsequent brawl that claimed Derrion's life, and police and school officials should have done more to prevent it.

Friends reflect on fond memories of Derrion. Photos: Timothy 6x
“Everyone knew something was about to go down,” said a 16-year-old girl who was one of Derrion's classmates. “No disrespect to the police, but they were not on the job, and the security guards saw what was about to go down and turned the other way and went back to the school.”

Parents and students in the area surrounding Fenger High School said there exists a long-standing feud—almost two decades old—between those who live directly in the high school's neighborhood, called “The Ville” in Roseland, and students who attend the school from the Altgeld Gardens housing projects.

Andreia Dominick, 16, said violence is nothing new at Fenger.

“This has been going on over a long period of time at Fenger, two different neighborhoods getting into it. But I guess they thought it would never get to the point where someone got killed. Everybody knows there is a lot of violence at Fenger, and they fight all of the time,” said Ms. Dominick who lived a few doors down from Derrion, went to grade school with him and would often see him on the way home. Ms. Dominick said Derrion was always a smart boy. The type of person who always smiled, and was always there for her when she needed someone to talk to.

Chief Tina M. Skahill of the Chicago Alternative Policing Strategies (CAPS) office said police are working to partner with different neighborhood anti-violence organizations as well as school administrators to minimize the existing conflicts in these neighborhoods and high schools.

At Final Call press time, four teenagers, 19-year-old Silvonus Shannon, 18-year-old Eugene Riley, 17-year-old Eugene Bailey and 16-year-old Eric Carson have all been charged with first-degree murder and are in jail. Police are still asking for anyone with additional information regarding those involved in the beating death to come forward.

Responding to accusations that the police were slow to the scene of the melee and reports that the initial responders did not immediately intervene, embattled Chicago Police Supt. Jody P. Weis, said the first 911 call arrived at 2:53 p.m., a car was dispatched at 2:55 p.m. and arrived at the scene one minute later at 2:56 p.m.

At Derrion Albert's funeral, Supt. Weis told The Final Call that they are doing everything they can, working diligently redeploying officers and reorganizing patrols when needed in the area around Fenger high school and in many other areas of the city.

Eyewitnesses and law enforcement officials said up to 50 people could have been involved in the clash. Speaking to the press on Sept. 28, Chicago police spokesman Dana Starks said many high schools around the city of Chicago, including Fenger, have neighborhood rivalries that lead to these types of conflicts. Since the fight was spread over a four or five block radius, there were several different violent flashpoints, and details are still being sorted out and tensions remain high, he said.

A vigil that was to be held on Sept. 26, just two days after Derrion's death was cancelled because of fear of retaliation, and a makeshift memorial placed at the location of his death consisting of cards, posters, stuffed animals and flowers was set on fire the night after it was erected.

Nationwide attention

Hip hop artist Nas wrote “An Open Letter to the Young Warriors in Chicago” decrying the death of Derrion. Bow Wow posted a two-minute YouTube video titled “Stop the Violence and Increase the Peace.”

After watching the video of Derrion Albert being killed, in a heartfelt blog entry, actress Reagan Gomez-Preston wrote:

“Our kids are pi--ed off and frustrated. Momma is working two and three jobs, struggling to keep it together, and kids are left on their own. This isn't a new problem. We know this.” She goes on to ask, “Do we know who started the fight? Does it matter? I know what I saw on the tape. When you're in that rage, it's all, emotional. You just wanna fight the closest thing to you. And most of the time, it's someone who looks just like you. And guess what? They're going through the same thing you're going through.”

Since Derrion's death, there has been an increased police presence in the area of the high school, however, students said even with stepped up police patrols, they don't feel safe. Many believe it is only a matter of time before another chaotic and perhaps deadly brawl takes place.

“They (police) sit in their car with their sirens going off telling everybody to get away from the school but it seems like once it gets off of school grounds, they don't really care about what else happens,” said 17-year-old Fenger high school student Bonnie Fitts.

On Sept. 30, approximately 200 concerned parents met at Sheldon Heights Church of Christ which is located less than a mile away from Fenger. Parents heard from principal Elizabeth Dozier, 34th Ward Alderman Carrie Austin, Chicago Public Schools CEO Ron Huberman, Mike Shields, director of safety and security for Chicago Public Schools and Chief Skahill. Derrion's aunt, Rose Braxton, spoke briefly to the media along with Ameena Matthews of CeaseFire, a conflict mediation and prevention group. Rev. Jesse Jackson of Rainbow/PUSH was also present to lend support to the family.

Ms. Dozier, who has been the principal at Fenger for just one month, said, “There are many kinds of facets to the solution, and we all play a really integral part.” Ms. Dozier said she will be working very closely with the parents and staff of Fenger, along with officials from the Chicago Police Department and Chicago Public Schools to maintain a safe environment for the students.

Cook County Circuit Court Clerk Dorothy Brown said stopping the crime and violence in Chicago should be the “main focus” of the police department and proactive ways to maintain a safe learning environment for youth must be “stepped up” by the Chicago Public Schools.

“It is my hope that the same fervor that we sought to get the 2016 Olympics be put towards saving our youth because our youth are our future and we must do everything we can to stop this violence,” said Ms. Brown. “We are losing valuable young men and women like Derrion Albert, an honor roll student, a very sensitive young man—it is a travesty that he had to lose his life in this way.”

According to Mr. Huberman, who presides over the third largest school system in the country, more can be done in all areas to prevent these types of tragedies and officials are working hard to find the right answer. One such program is the “Safe Passage” program, launched at 38 of Chicago's high schools that represent approximately 80 percent of all incidents of violence involving students. In this plan, the Chicago Police Department, the CTA and principals of the high schools will analyze gang territories, school boundaries and police district boundaries to determine routes that students will be able to use that would be adequately resourced in order to be considered safe for passage.

Additionally, Mr. Huberman said, using portions of $30 million in stimulus money, CPS will be providing nine school buses to transport students to Fenger high school safely.

“This funeral becomes another symbol of the breakdown of society. We have failed, we all share in this failure and in this death. This is blood crying out from the ground like Abel. If we do not respond to this, then the blood of every child (lost) is going to be on our hands,” said Father Michael Pfleger of the Faith Community of St. Sabina.

Derrion's mother An-Janette Albert, speaking through tears, thanked everyone for their outpouring of love for her fallen son.

“It was beautiful; it was wonderful,” said Ms. Albert. “You just don't know how many people care about you.”

Ms. Albert says now, almost two weeks later, she still can't find adequate words to describe how she felt when she heard that her son was dead.

“I still don't know how I feel. It still hasn't really sunk in yet that he is gone,” Ms. Albert told The Final Call.

Minister Farrakhan,Jesse Jackson attend Chicago teen's funeral

CHICAGO - The funeral of a Chicago teen who was beaten to death on his way home from school drew civil rights leader the Rev. Jesse Jackson and Nation of Islam Minister Louis Farrakhan on Saturday, both calling for an end to youth violence.

Farrakhan said he came to the funeral because he was "deeply pained" by the death of 16-year-old honor roll student Derrion Albert. The boy was walking to a bus stop after school when a group of teens attacked him during a street fight late last month.

"Naturally, we wonder why such a beautiful life? Such a future we thought was waiting for this young man," Farrakhan said. "This was a special young man of righteous bearing who God took from us so young."

Cell phone video footage shows Albert being kicked and hit with splintered railroad ties. Four teens are charged in his death.

President Barack Obama is sending U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder and Education Secretary Arne Duncan, who once led Chicago Public Schools, to Chicago on Wednesday to meet with school officials, students and residents and talk about school violence.

"The eyes of the world are watching," Pastor E.F. Ledbetter Jr. told mourners at the Greater Mount Hebron Baptist Church on the city's South Side. "This has affected people all over the globe."

Mayor Richard Daley, just off a plane Saturday from an International Olympic Committee meeting in Copenhagen where Chicago lost the 2016 Summer Games, said he would work with police, the community and school officials to break the "code of silence" that happens after street violence.

Police, ministers and community leaders have been asking people to come forward with information about Albert's killing.

"The code of silence is unacceptable in this day and age where we have young children being killed," Daley said at a news conference at O'Hare International Airport.

Chicago Police Superintendent Jody Weis and Chicago Public Schools chief Ron Huberman also both attended the funeral along with other city and public officials. Huberman called the Christian Fenger Academy High School sophomore a "bright light."

Jackson demanded children and teens to be given safe passage to and from school.

"Derrion didn't have to die," Jackson said. "He was murdered. His pain, his suffering, his death have shook the world."

As mourners filed into the church, video screens scrolled through pictures of Derrion as a baby and with his family, as well as photos of his academic awards. Some mourners wore T-shirts with Derrion's picture that read "We will always remember you."

The program included a poem Derrion's mother, Janette Albert, wrote to her son titled "May I Go Now?"

"I know you're sad and afraid because I see your tears," she wrote. "I'll not be far. I promise that."

Farrakhan also called for communities to support their youth.

"Let's go get our young people," Farrakhan said. "His righteousness was to serve as a redemptive force to command us to get up and get busy and save our children."

Russell Simmons writes about Minister Farrakhan's recent visit to New York: "My Second Father"

Minister Louis Farrakhan: My Second Father by Russell Simmons...

When we think of Minister Louis Farrakhan, we often think about the man who helped guide Muhammad Ali or the man who came up together in the Nation of Islam with Malcolm X. Do we ever think he's the man who helped hundreds of thousands (or even millions) of black people to love themselves? Well, we should.

When I grew up in Hollis, Queens there was a rehab, a mosque and a “Steak n' Take” on my corner, all of which where run by the Nation of Islam. There was also a heroin epidemic on that corner that was killing off our teenagers and young adults. Our parents would tell us that when we grow up we should make a choice to either join the army or "be a Muslim or something.” The Nation of Islam secured our housing projects, promoted dignity and transformed men with criminal pasts. Those men would then, in turn, raise refined, educated black children. Hard to dispute this. It took guys off the street and created a powerful, non-violent movement. The Nation of Islam has never been associated with any form of violence and always been about uplifting our communities and making a better future for black people. If you ask anyone from my generation, from any ghetto in this country, I promise you they have roughly the same experiences regarding the Nation's presence in their communities.

Certainly some of their preachers were fiery, especially in their pointing out the evils of white supremacy. They said some things in a way that was hard for most whites and some blacks to digest. For example, “THE WHITE MAN IS THE DEVIL.” We have to remember the climate of the country during this time. It was an all out war and the Nation was not about to back-down. The Nation of Islam, which was started by Elijah Muhammad and a white man named, Master Fard Muhammad, always pointed out that one day we would all live in harmony. Although this still isn't quite true, their message under the leadership of Minister Louis Farrakhan has evolved to fit the time.

It is true that some blacks are still not “free” and stuck in a slave mentality, due to the lingering affects of 400+ years of slavery. It is the recognition of this condition that the Nation continues its important work in ghettos across America, giving steady doses of spirituality or sense of higher self to many men and women who need it.

This past week, it was my honor to host the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan at my apartment in NYC. He was joined by his sons Louis Jr., Mustapha and Joshua Farrakhan, along with their personal chef and at least 75 security personnel. It was quite a scene to see how they set up shop at my apartment. This was a week where I didn't miss my 6am prayer because I could hear them already awake and ready to start the day off right. This was a week where the word "Allah" was on the tip of everyone's tongue. And was a very special time when I got to hang with my “second dad” and my other brothers. We reminisced about the three marches where more than three million people marched on Washington. We talked about how we brought Snoop, Ice Cube and other LA rappers together with members of the east coast rap community and how he helped mediate the beef between 50 Cent and Ja Rule and countless other instances where he was there to help hip hop. And of course we talked about his keynote address at the hip hop summit that created the Hip Hop Summit Action network. We even mentioned a subject that the Minister doesn't care to discuss, his legacy. He has talked about the oneness of god for years, about the sameness of all religion and all people. He has given his followers spiritual roadmaps to happiness on Earth his whole life. I want future generations to know him as I do, so I am working to have his thoughts on this subject made into a book. I believe that his memoirs are going to be one of the most interesting and inspiring autobiographies ever written.

So that is my goal.

If America can know his heart, it will inspire millions of Americans for generations to come. It will happen with or without me, but I just thought writing this would be a good karmic expression for me, and a chance to reflect on a very special few days in my life.

courtesy of Russell Simmons
http://globalgrind.com/content/1015963/Minister-Louis-Farrakhan-My-Second-Father/

Gadhafi supporters dwarf opposition

by Richard Muhammad (Chicago, IL)
While opponents of Libyan leader Muammar Gadhafi showed up at Dag Hammarskjold Plaza, across the street from the United Nations headquarters, their numbers and their energy were no match for those who turned out to show support for the revolutionary leader.

A mix of Libyans, many of whom were students at American colleges and universities, was joined by Native Americans, Africans and American-born Blacks.
Nation of Islam members oversaw the huge rally that stretched for blocks down the plaza.

The Sept. 23 program, which started before UN General Assembly speeches by U.S. President Barack Obama, included young Black dancers, Chuck D and Professor Griff of the rap group Public Enemy, Native American leader Ernie Longwalker, representatives of Libyan students, and student Minister Ishmael Muhammad, national assistant to the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan, and others
The speakers praised Gadhafi for his progressive leadership, which includes free education and health care in his country, support for the African Union and sub-Saharan Africa and oppressed people around the globe.

The crowd listened as a satellite feed brought
President Obama’s image and words live to the audience and projected the General Assembly proceedings on a huge screen. The crowd cheered wildly, waved pictures and waved signs when Mr. Gadhafi took the microphone. The Final Call newspaper, eadlined “Welcome to America,” featured a photo of the Libyan leader, who is also head of the African Union and was distributed to the audience. Gadhafi supporters were bussed into the event from several east coast cities.

Members of the Fruit of Islam, the men in the Nation of Islam, came in from around the country, attired on traditional suits and bowties or neck ties.

With remarks translated by an interpreter, the Libyan leader called for greater equality for the United Nations and expanded decision-making through the work of the General Assembly. The veto-wielding Security Council is a throwback to the war against the Nazis in the 1940, he noted.

The veto violates other principles contained in the UN Charter, he said. Mr. Gadhafi said the UN should respect and help meet the needs of all nations, whether big or small or rich or poor. It was his first visit to the United States.


Location: Dag Hammarskjold Plaza in New York

OUTSIDE THE U.N., MANY WELCOME GADHAFI

NEW YORK – Yussif Ali did not mind waking up at 2 a.m. this morning to come from his native Boston to Dag Hammarskold Plaza, next to the United Nations, to support a world leader he respects.

"I set aside two doctor appointments today to come see [Moammar] Gadhafi’s first time visiting the United States. To me, he’s a hero," the union carpenter said.

While many Americans associate Gadhafi with the terrorist bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland in 1988, (Libya formally admitted responsibility for the attack in 2003), Ali and hundreds of others who gathered across the street from the U.N. on Wednesday have a very different view of the Libyan leader.

Supporters of Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi watch a broadcast of his address to the United Nations General Assembly at Dag Hammarskold Plaza in New York on Wednesday.


"I’m a black American and taking lives of innocent people is wrong and unforgiveable and I see no excuses," said Ali, who has been a member of The Nation of Islam for more than 25 years. "But I don’t believe Col. Gadhafi gave anyone a direct order. You have a lot of radical people you can’t control."

An imposing phalanx of hundreds of Nation of Islam supporters dressed in dark suits flanked the walkway that led to a podium at the end of the plaza. A large JumboTron television had been set up to allow those assembled to watch Gadhafi’s speech to the U.N. General Assembly.

After the speech, many left inspired, including Abdush Shahid, a police officer from Newark, N.J. "This is the beginning of the history of Africa. Under the leadership of Gadhafi we begin to unify under one banner." Shahid was clear that he was not a member of The Nation of Islam. "I am a Sunni Muslim, and there is no separation – we are all brothers." Shahid believes Gadhafi as a leader who is unifying millions of Africans and their descendants into one community.

On the other hand Earl Dickinson, a 75-year-old retired tractor trailer driver who also traveled from Newark, had a much more practical reason for supporting Gadhafi. "He gave $2 million to [Louis] Farrakhan and the Nation of Islam." Dickinson said it was Gadhafi’s support and connections which helped Farrakhan, the leader of the Nation of Islam since 1978, expand his organization and disseminate his message.

In fact, Farrakhan met Gadhafi at Libya’s mission in New York on Tuesday to welcome him ahead of his first ever appearance at the U.N. after 40 years as the ruler of the oil-rich North African nation.

And Alonzo X, a serious and mature-looking high school senior, traveled from Connecticut to witness the Libyan leader’s U.N. speech. When asked whether they received any payment or remuneration for coming, Alonzo and others said they volunteered to come to New York as soon as they heard the news of Gadhafi’s visit. "I wasn’t paid to be here," said the young man in the somber suit. "God is paying us."
courtesy of msnbc.com

Gadhafi tells U.N.Security Council it doesn't work,

UNITED NATIONS (CNN) -- Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi on Wednesday denounced the structure of the U.N. Security Council, criticizing the permanent seats and veto power granted to a limited number of nations.

Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi addresses the U.N. General Assembly on Wednesday.
Speaking at the U.N. General Assembly's annual debate session, Gadhafi called for world unity in confronting global crises such as climate change and food shortages.

But he elaborated on what he believes is the unfairness of the structure of the Security Council, which has five permanent members -- the United States, Russia, China, France and Britain. Each of those nations has veto power.

"No one is objecting to the preamble [of the U.N. charter], but everything that came after that is contradiction of the preamble," he said through an interpreter. "The preamble says the nations are equal whether they are small or big. Are we equal in permanent seats? No, we're not equals."

Citing the history of colonization and persecution of Africans, he said there needs to be a permanent African presence on the body, calling that a "priority" for the United Nations.


*abridged list He also said that despite the fact that the United Nations says there should be no resorting to military force unless it is a collective decision, 65 wars broke out after the establishment of the United Nations, and the Security Council didn't do anything to stop the conflicts.

Gadhafi said the Security Council hasn't provided security, but "terror and sanctions."

He slammed U.S. military actions in places like Korea, Vietnam, and Grenada. He called the invasion of Iraq "the mother of all evils," criticizing the hanging of deposed leader Saddam Hussein and the abuses at the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq.

He also said there should be investigations into many incidents, such as the Afghan war, the massacre at the Sabra and Shatila refugee camp during the Lebanese civil war, Israel's Gaza offensive, and the killings in the 1960s of former President John F. Kennedy and civil rights leader Martin Luther King.

Gadhafi also broached the idea of taking the U.N. headquarters out of the United States and putting it in another location.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and President Obama made speeches before Gadhafi. Watch President Obama speak to the United Nations »

Ban, giving the annual session's opening address, urged global leaders to unite and work together to face many of the world's challenges: "Now is our time. A time to put the 'united' back into the United Nations. United in purpose. United in action."

He focused on the importance of tackling "the threat of catastrophic climate change" and expressed hope that if nations work together to deal with the problem, they will succeed.

He touched on nuclear disarmament, saying, "Let us make this the year we agreed to banish the bomb." Watch how the General Assembly works »

Ban also talked of the need to fight world poverty, citing what he said is an urgent development: that "near-poor" people are becoming "the new poor." He cited the possibility that 100 million people "could fall below the poverty line this year."

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Noting the economic crisis around the world, the secretary-general said markets may be bouncing back, but incomes and jobs are not.

"People are angry. They believe the global economy is stacked against them," he said, mentioning U.N. initiatives to address such economic problems.

Other urgent issues he noted include sexual violence, child mortality, and empowerment of women.

He underscored the importance of the International Criminal Court and named trouble spots around the globe that continue to require urgent attention, including Sudan's Darfur region, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Gaza, and Afghanistan.

He also cited "significant progress" in unstable environments such as Timor-Leste, Haiti, Sierra Leone and Nepal. "We see quiet progress in Iraq ... and fresh opportunities in Cyprus," Ban said.

Obama touted strides he has made since entering office, such as prohibiting torture, and listed four challenges the world should tackle: nuclear non-proliferation, the pursuit of peace, the preservation of the planet, and the global economic crisis. He, too, encouraged world unity.

"In this hall, we come from many places, but we share a common future," he said.

As for the vision of nuclear disarmament, Obama made reference to Iran and North Korea and their nuclear aspirations.

"If they are oblivious to the dangers of escalating nuclear arms races in both East Asia and the Middle East, then they must be held accountable."

In another address Wednesday morning, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva elaborated on the ongoing economic crisis, lack of democratic world governance and the threat of climate change.

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Iran's controversial president, was scheduled to speak early Wednesday evening. An Israeli official has called on leaders to leave the General Assembly hall when he delivers his address.


"We call on world leaders to leave plenum when Ahmadinejad begins to rant and not give legitimacy to the most dangerous anti-Semite since Hitler," Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon posted on Twitter.

Others on the agenda Wednesday were French President Nicolas Sarkozy and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown
courtesy of cnn.com

Libya's Qadhafi and Farrakhan in NYC next week

Libya's Qadhafi and Farrakhan in NYC next week



By NAYABA ARINDE
Amsterdam News Editor
Published: Thursday, September 17, 2009 2:22 PM EDT
Libyan leader Col. Muammar Qadhafi is coming to New York next week. It is an historic first visit for the man who has governed his country for 40 years. Nation of Islam leader Min. Louis Farrakhan, who will also be in town, is hailing the visit as a new dawn for American and Libyan politics, and a wonderful opportunity for the world to see and hear a man he said is a vital participant in the African Renaissance.

“We will just be on hand to welcome our brother, the leader of the African Union, on his first visit to the United States and to the United Nations, where I am sure he will make a major speech, ” said Farrakhan. While he told the AmNews that he had “no idea what [Qadhafi] will bring to the world” in terms of his speech, he knew it would be significant and relevant and on point, and be able to “dispel many of the ugly rumors. ” He roclaimed that despite propaganda to the contrary, Qadhafi has standing all over the world. “Under Bush, he was referred to in a very ugly way, and all the propaganda had Muammar Qadhafi looking like a person the American people would not want to know, ”said Farrakhan in an exclusive interview with the Amsterdam News. “He has been a leader of liberation movements throughout the world, but our government has supported many puppet regimes in Africa and Central and South America. Muammar Qadhafi is in his 40th year, the longest leader on the continent. ”

Supporting various liberation movements throughout the world did nothing to endear him to the West, the leader of the Nation of Islam determined, but he has established his reputation “and grown as a world leader in Africa and Central and South America. The last place for him to be received is the United States of America. ” What did he anticipate the reception to be? “I am sure that when people hear him on U. S. soil, most will admire him and will learn more about him and respect him. ”

Farrakhan is set to meet with Qadhafi, who will address the 192-nation U. N. General Assembly next week. In a grand spectacle in Tripoli last month, Libyan leader Col. Muammar Qadhafi observed the 40th anniversary of the bloodless coup that brought him to power. It was not diminished in the slightest by the Western nation brouhaha that accompanied the release of Abdel Baset al-Megrahi, the convicted Lockerbie bomber just released from prison because of his advanced prostate cancer. Following an opening speech from President Barack Obama, Muammar Qadhafi, leader of the Socialist People’s Libyan Arab Great Jamahiriya, will address the United Nations’ 64th General Session in New York next week. Libya’s reputation is undergoing a Western-okayed makeover. Hundreds of millions of dollars of natural resources struggling to let go of the Big Bogeyman portrayal of Qadhafi, which the oft-berated leader has been subjected to, the media here is having to report to factual changes.

To the chagrin of the West, for decades, Qadhafi has been front and center on numerous liberation movements, such as ones focused on freeing Nelson Mandela, the anti-Apartheid movement in South Africa and the continued Palestinian struggle. Relations with the West con- tinued to go south with sanctions that wracked the North African nation of Libya. And in 1986, President Ronald Reagan ordered a U. S. military offensive that killed Qadhafi’s young daughter. But politics and capitalism being what they are means the West has swallowed hard and gone-a-calling to Libya to exploit economic possibilities. Reportedly, lucrative contracts lost during the Reagan administration were picked up again under the administration of oilman President George W. Bush. Qadhafi’s handing over of Abdel Baset al-Megrahi after the 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland and eventually agreeing to pay $2 billion in compensation to the 270 victims’ families began the slow process. Qadhafi agreeing to get rid of Libya’s weapons of mass destruction programs led to America deciding to make nice in 2006.

International sanctions were eased and diplomatic relations between Libya and the West were restored. Saeed Shabazz wrote in the September 10 edition of the Amsterdam News:“The Libyans have started a multi-billion dollar building program constructing 27 new universities, airports and seaports, holiday resorts and a massive nano-filtration Wall Street for investors. ”Plus, British Petroleum, for example has over $900 million invested in drilling for oil. Libya now has a seat on the 15-nation Security Council until year-end. And the next president of the General Assembly is Ali Abdessalam Treki, a former Libyan ambassador to the United Nations.

“The Libyan government has been voted onto the Security Council this year, and I’m sure the leader will be well received by most of the members of the General Assembly, ” said Farrakhan. This year, Qadhafi was elected chairman of the African Union. Farrakhan noted that, as such, “Not only does Muammar represent the Libyan government and nation, he also represents the other 52 nations [in Africa].”

With rallies planned for next Tuesday, September 22 (48th Street at Third Avenue, 11:30 a.m.) and Wednesday 23 September 23 (United Nations, 47th Street at Second Avenue, 8:30 a. m. ), supporters, and perhaps some not so friendly faces, are expected to gather in Mid-town next week. Minister Farrakhan stated, “[The] American people have a right to protest his presence, but we know that hundreds, maybe thousands, will welcome him. He has been a friend to the Black community in general, and the Muslim community and the Nation of Islam in particular. Our friendship goes back almost as long as he has been a leader. ”

Farrakhan told the Amsterdam News that Qadhafi knew the late Elijah Muhammad, leader of the Nation of Islam, and that for years throughout his extended relationship with the NOI, he had “helped me, ” including appointing him the deputy commander of the World(WIPL). Farrakhan praised Qadhafi’s persistence in helping to bring into existence the African Union and working diligently towards creating the United States of Africa, first inspired by Osagyefo Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana’s first president, who himself was influenced by Marcus Mosiah Garvey and his Back-to-Africa Movement.

The African Union replaced the 38-year-old Organization of African Unity. “Muammar took the idea of forming the African Union a little over 10 years ago and urged African leaders to consider marching towards a United States of Africa. [In July 2002] the African Union was formed, and many of us are moving steadily but slowly towards the United States of Africa. We have to give Muammar Qadhafi credit for that movement because not only did he spearhead it, but he put much of Libya’s oil wealth behind it. ” Qadhafi follows other African leaders in the belief that the development of an United States of Africa is possible and necessary for the survival and progress of the continent and the Diaspora, and for Africans at home and abroad to reach their fullest potential.

The Chicago-based leader stressed, “Muammar Qaddafi is a leading partner in the rest of the world. It has been to the advantage of some in America to keep from the American people the understanding of Muammar Qadhafi [and his significance] in the African Renaissance. ” Farrakhan said that the hear from the man himself might lend some clarity to what has been reported over the years.

There were the sanctions, he said, the bombing that killed Qadhafi’s daughter and the bringing down of flight Pan Am 103, “which they first said was Iran, then Syria, and then they settled on Libya. The sanctions which lasted 10 years or more caused great suffering for the Libyan people. Under the Bush administration, an agreement was worked out and Libya paid the Lockerbie families huge sums of money. Sanctions were lifted and relations between Tripoli and Washington [are improving]. ”

Libya desires American investment and America is eager to give it. Farrakhan predicted that Qadhafi’s visit next week should go some way to “dispel many of the ugly rumors. ” He concluded that the new Democratic government brings optimism to the probability of the dawn of productive relations that had previously been strained, saying, “President Obama is not only the hope of the 53 nations in Africa, but I read that 70 percent of the Europeans that disliked the policy of G. W. Bush are in favor of the positions [he has taken] as the president of the United States. ” As he himself prepares to meet with President Qadhafi in New York City, Min. Louis Farrakhan said, “We are hoping that under President Barack Obama, Libya can come more into the sunlight. The Obama administration can be a great help in this. ”
Posted by JUST-US at 3:51 PM

The Crucifixion of Van Jones

The Cruxifiction of Van Jones
by Jasiri X




Yall know I’m a Media Literist. (Yeah I went Keith Murray on that one.) So when Glenn “Looney Tunes” Beck started to take shots at Van Jones I watched the situation very closely. Of course Van’s old group which he co-founded but is no longer associated, Color of Change set it off on Beck costing him almost 60 advertisers and almost his job, but these Right Wing dudes do not lay down.

Beck came out swinging with the heavy lumber, and because he’s at Fox News the story just doesn’t end with him no matter how ridiculous. Once it gained traction Sean Hannity jumped in and then Bill O’ Riley now you got a digital rumble. But instead of coming to his aid the White House let him fight it out himself. (I guess that’s what you call tough love.) When I woke up Sunday Morning and found out Van had resigned I was VERY upset.

What made me so mad was Van was the closes thing to having ya partna in the White House. Now I don’t know him personally but I do know he’s a activist straight from the Hood, and everything Fox hatin on him for made him that much more real in my eyes. Plus even with his activist street cred brother has a law degree from Yale and some of the most innovative ideas to help heal our community. That being said I’ve had about enough of Fox News lynching black men (primarily) and all people who speak truth to power. I mean Michael Jacksoncouldn’t even catch a break! So since Fox is breakin out the big guns so am I, and yes I tried my best to wait to September 29 which is the This Week With Jasiri X Season 3 Premiere but I couldn’t let another brother get crucified and remain silent.

Strong Shout Out to Paradise Gray who was behind the camera and Track Fiends Production for the hot beat!

Jasiri X

In closing folks may wanna peep this speech that Van gave at the Powershift Summit in front of ten thousand people. He recieved a thunderous standing ovation. This was right before he was appointed to the White House

President Obama tries to end race uproar