Oct. 18, 2015

By James Wright

Minister Louis Farrakhan meets with members of the 100 Black Men on Sunday, Oct. 11, the day after thousands convened on the Washington Mall to commemorate the 20th Anniversary of the Million Man March.Farrakhan and Thomas Dortch, chairman emeritus of the 100 Black Men, say they will recruit 10,000 men and 10,000 women to work to  improve the Black community. PHOTO: Roy Lewis/Trice Edney News Wire

Special to the Trice Edney News Wire from the Afro American Newspaper

(TriceEdneyWire.com) - Minister Louis Farrakhan told a crowd of 200 people that the Nation of Islam will team up with 100 Black Men, an influential national Black male organization, and reinvigorate local organizing committees (LOC) nationwide to move their agenda forward. The minister revealed his detailed plans on Oct. 11 at the Marriott Marquis in Northwest D.C., one day after the 20th Anniversary of the Million Man March on Oct. 10. “I didn’t create the march that happened yesterday, it was God,” Farrakhan said. “It was a peaceful event and there was no drinking, no smoking. It was a glimpse of heaven.”

Farrakhan brushed aside comments that the success of the 1995 Million Man March and the Oct. 10 march designates him as the No. 1 Black leader in America. “I am not the great leader,” he said, referring to God. “I am the servant of the great leader.” Farrakhan said that his organization, along with 100 Black Men and the other committees will work to develop nine ministries in the Black community to help improve people’s lives. Those major ministries are in the fields of education, justice, health and human services, agriculture, science and technology, trade and commerce, and arts and culture. Another ministry will focus on the spiritual development of people of color that will be led by ministers called by their deities. Farrakhan talked specifics in his plan, such as the need for Blacks to buy more real estate and take control of the education system in their communities.

“You cannot have economic development without ownership of land,” he said. “We should develop a curriculum that we control. Black people are the only race on the face of the earth that is educated by others.” Regarding politics, Farrakhan said that Blacks should be very selective whom they vote for in next year’s presidential election. “If they aren’t talking about justice, you should hold your vote,” he said. “You should not register as a Democrat. You should not register as a Republican, but as an independent.” Farrakhan said that Blacks should leverage their votes for concrete resources and policies that will benefit the race. “As we get stronger, we should form our own political party,” he said. Farrakhan said that in the past, membership in local organizing committees were mainly members of the Nation of Islam but that won’t be the case going forward. “We need to grow beyond our group,” he said.

“The LOCs should be strengthened with people who have skills in organizing. Those of you skilled in organizing need to teach it and show us how to do it.” Thomas Dortch, chairman emeritus of 100 Black Men, said the organization is happy to work with the Nation of Islam and the committees. “Name me one other person who can send out a call and have 100,000 or one million respond,” Dortch said.

Dortch said his organization will recruit 10,000 men and 10,000 women to work on improving the Black community, just what Farrakhan called for in his speech on Oct. 10. One of the criticisms leveled by some Black leaders against the 1995 Million Man March was that there was no legislative program to present to the federal government or the individual states. Both Farrakhan and Dortch said that the 1995 march was about Black men atoning for their sins and talking responsibility for their families and communities.

Following the 1995 march, Farrakhan called for an independent black political movement and a separate, self-sustaining black economy as well as demanded the U.S. government pay reparations to descendants of slaves. In moving forward with action this go around, Farrakhan gave a free copy of the The National Agenda: Public Policy Issues, Analyses, and Programming Plan of Action for 2000- 2008 to attendees at the post-March meeting at the Marriott Marquis in Northwest D.C. on Oct. 11. “You have the power to bring about the change you desire,” he told the audience members.

Oct. 18, 2015

(TriceEdneyWire.com) - Every year, more than 30,000 Americans die by gun violence or commit suicide using a firearm. America has nearly six times the number of gun homicides as Canada, more than seven times as Sweden, and nearly 16 times as much as Germany. And although Americans make up about 4.43 percent of the world's population, they own about 42 percent of all the world's privately held firearms. 

Across the United States, families, cities and communities are grappling with a culture of violence which is manifested by the tens of thousands killed annually by guns, including thousands in the streets, mass murders on campuses, in workplaces, homes and domestic violence perpetuated primarily against women.  

For the past two years, Dr. Stephanie E. Myers, national co-chair of Black Women for Positive Change, has spearheaded what is a burgeoning national effort to combat this pervasive violence. Myers and a number of supporters kicked off the 2015 Week of Non-Violence on the steps of the Washington, D.C. City Hall. 

“This is a very serious issue facing America,” said Myers. “We want to go on record that like Fannie Lou Hamer, we’re sick and tired of young people killed on the street, sick and tired of little girls murdered in their front yard, sick and tired of people attacking our schools and sick and tired of law enforcement taking advantage because they have weapons and overstep their authority.” 

She added, “I believe that it’s time for families, youth, actors, professionals, athletes to come together and that we can change the culture.”

Myers said events and activities during the week of Oct 17-25 will take place in cities as varied as Pittsburgh, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Chicago, Alexandria and Hampton Roads, VA, and St. Louis, Mo. These include a summit on Saturday, Oct 17, workshops and seminars and related activities all week.

Benjamin L. Crump, who gained national and international prominence as the attorney for the families of Trayvon Martin and Michael Brown – unarmed teens shot and killed by a vigilante in 2012 and a Missouri police officer last year – said Americans cannot expect to apply the same solutions and ever hope to secure a different result.

“We want to bring attention to dialogue to address violence that happens way too often,” said Crump, president of the National Bar Association (NBA) and honorary national co-chair of the week’s activities. “Dr. Myers took leadership and action to stand up for the community, stand up for our children. I’d rather see a sermon rather than hear a sermon every day of the week. What she’s doing is not for the media or the government. It’s for the children.”

Crump said pursuing peace is an issue larger than one’s self.

“We have to be united for a greater purpose or cause than violence,” he said. “We don’t want to ‘Stand Your Ground’ for violence. We want to ‘Stand Your Ground’ for peace.”

Crump said the NBA and its 60,000 members stand committed to changing the culture of violence that disproportionately affects African-Americans. During the week, the association will hold mentoring sessions, conduct workshops and hold town halls.

The group stood on the steps of the D. C. City Hall, emphasizing the fact that the nation’s capital is among the cities grappling heavily with its homicide rate. With two months left in 2015, D.C. has so far seen 120 homicides. That figure is 45 percent higher than 2014.

“(Alexandria) Mayor (Bill) Euille and folks from the DMV are working hard to stop violence,” said McDuffie, chair of the Council’s Committee on the Judiciary. “According the CDC, the leading cause of death (for young black men 15-34) is homicide. I don’t know about you, but that’s a crisis. We need, as governments, to use every resource to stem the tide of violence … We cannot arrest ourselves out of this, which is why I advocate a health approach using workforce development, educational agencies and law enforcement.”

The Week of Non-violence regional steering committee is comprised of Christian ministers and priests, Rabbis, Imams and members of other faiths. Alongside them are businesspeople, government officials, residents and representatives of civil society.

Among elected officials who have endorsed the National Week of Non-violence 2015 are Gov. Steve Bullock, Montana; Gov. Bill Haslam, Tennessee; Mayor Todd Strange, Montgomery, Ala.; Mayor W.J. "Jim" Lane, Scottsdale, Ariz.; Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Chicago; Mayor Muriel Bowser, D.C.; Mayor Buddy Dyer, Orlando, Fla.; Mayor William Pedudo, Pittsburgh; Mayor Michael S. Rawlings, Dallas; Mayor William Euille, Alexandria, Va.; and Mayor Paul D. Fraim, Norfolk, Va.;

Concludes Crump, “Trayvon’s mother said it best: ‘I want to thank you for standing up for my child. But it’s not just my child. Tomorrow, it could be yours. We have got to stand up for Trayvon, stand up for justice.’ Don’t wait until it comes to your doorstep before you stand up for violence…If you don’t do anything for your brother or sister, don’t expect Dr. Myers to come and stand up for you. God wants our children to live out the fullness of their destiny.”

Oct. 18, 2015

Blackonomics

Political Exclusion
By James Clingman   

(TriceEdneyWire.com) - The Democrat debate was nothing short of embarrassing, insulting, and dismissive of Black people.  While the men did not wear the traditional red and blue ties, thank God, the two and a half hour rhetorical exercise was an in-your-face thumbing of the nose at Black voters.  How much more proof do we need to make us understand that we are totally excluded from the political process?  Are we ignored and dismissed because we don’t vote in primaries, or do we not vote in primaries because we are ignored?

The Republican debate was an inside game of name-calling, accusations, and innuendo with no mention of Black folks.  The Dems stage show deferred to Black people only once, and that was in an obligatory and patronizing way.

Why are we so accepting of such displays of indifference and condescension from politicians?  Other groups were mentioned and supported in their causes, but Black folks were reduced to one issue—a negative one at that—and given such short shrift that if you turned away for a second or two you would have missed it.

The Black-guy-in-residence at CNN, Don Lemon, was in charge of Facebook questions, only two of the hundreds posed were even included in the debate, and his first choice was the ridiculous question:  “Do Black lives matter ‘or’ do all lives matter?”   I guess that was Lemon’s way of getting our issue on the table, huh?  Aside from the question lacking any substance or even making any sense, the candidates did not even answer it.

Our inclusion in the Democrat debate was reduced to a one minute discussion on whether our lives matter.  What were they supposed to say, “No, they don’t matter?”  And because the question was framed as a choice between Black lives and all lives, it devalued Black people even more. Do candidates really need to answer that question, Mr. Lemon?  Will the question of whether our lives matter or not be reflective of the role Black folks will play in the upcoming election?  If so, the candidates on both sides will love that.

It is so frustrating to see Black people continue to be treated like a bunch of children who only get a pat on their heads, a pacifier in their mouths, and then be relegated to the back of the room by disingenuous politicians.  Black commentators on “Views Shows” hardly ever discuss Black-specific issues, unless they are crime-related.  Candidates have debates and never mention Black people, except to cite a few statistics on poverty and crime, the only things it seems we are noted for in their minds.  They never offer their support of our specific issues, the way they do when it comes to women, Jewish, and LGBT issues.  We get what we accept though, right?

The impact of millions of union members and their lobbyists, along with other groups like the NRA, causes candidates to genuflect and kowtow to their desires.  Of course their campaign contributions are a great incentive.   Black folks have opted for 501(c)3 organizations that cannot give money or endorse candidates the way unions can.  Our largest organization, the NAACP, cannot lobby or endorse particular candidates.  Although we know the NAACP is an adjunct surreptitious component of the Democrat party and gets significant funding from unions, which are also overwhelmingly Democrat, that organization has little or no influence in the Democrat party.  Isn’t that obvious?  Just look at the lack of deference given by the Dems toward Black people?

CNN’s Wolf Blitzer asked NAACP President, Cornell Brooks, about the Democrat debate.  Brooks’ assessment of the debate, vis-à-vis Black issues, was similar to mine; but when asked what he would have liked the candidates to discuss he said, “Voting Rights.”  I rest my case.

During the debate, unions and the NRA were mentioned, but the NAACP was not.  Candidates seek the endorsements from associations because of the number of members they have and the contributions they make.  What would make us think that our millions of votes alone, especially since we give virtually all of them to the  Dems, will bring about any acknowledgement or reciprocity, much less any power in the public policy inner circle?  Where are our lobbyists and our Super Pac?  Although we now vote as a bloc in favor of the Dems, our voting bloc must be independent, leveraged, and never taken for granted.

As I said before, Black voters give all of our quid but get no quo in return.  We have allowed our political interests to be reduced to a protracted fight for voting rights and one silly question: “Do Black lives matter?”  Politicians merely need to say “I support your right to vote” and “Yes, Black lives do matter,” and they are off the hook for any other deliverable.  We give so much but settle for so little.

NOTE TO PUBLISHERS: THIS STORY IS MEANT TO BE A STAND ALONE OR SIDEBAR TO THE MAIN STORY 'JUSTICE OR ELSE' STORY BY BARRINGTON SALMON. THANKS.

Oct. 13, 2015

Some Disappointed, Some Enlightened by Farrakhan Speech
By Hazel Trice Edney

Individuals, organizations as well as families with children came to participate in the "Justice or Else" gathering. But, the messages they took away varied. PHOTO: Travis Riddick/Trice Edney News Wire.

Women were out in masses alongside men. The 1995 march was mainly for men. PHOTO: Travis Riddick/Trice Edney News Wire

Though they came with eyes on the future, many also remembered the euphoria of 1995. PHOTO: Travis Riddick/Trice Edney News Wire

(TriceEdneyWire.com) – Minister Louis Farrakhan’s “Justice or Else” gathering on the Washington Mall Oct. 10 was anticipated by many to be the ultimate to action for Black people and others who continue to face racial oppression in America.

But, after Saturday’s march, many who attended expressed mixed feelings about whether their expectations were met.

“I was somewhat disappointed in Minister Farrakhan’s presentation,” said Jack Gravely, interim executive director of the Virginia State Conference of the NAACP. He had driven up from Richmond, Va. with his daughter and 11-year-old grandson. Although he thought Farrakhan’s chidings, including his exhortation to African-American men and women to respect each other, were necessary, Gravely said, “I thought he would talk more about economic justice, issues going forward and issuing a stern challenge to the African-American community better than he did…I was a little disappointed in the message.”

Actually, Minister Farrakhan stopped short of giving the total strategy for the economic boycott, the “Or else” aspect of the march. Although he called for the boycott, he never fully drew from the April 3, 1968 speech by Dr. King during which King exhorted preachers in Memphis to “redistribute the pain” being felt by sanitation workers and other poor people in America.

The Minister spoke on a variety of topics from economic boycott to social responsibility to America's wrongs being judged by God, to the tenets of the Nation of Islam, drawing a variety of responses.

“I have a feeling of happiness in knowing that we’ve started some justice for ourselves,” said Khalif Muhammad, 15, wearing a backward cap labeled, “Justice or Else.”

While most teens appeared reflective, one man became agitated after walking upon three teenagers smoking marijuana behind the porta potties as the march dispersed. “They’re not even thinking about what just went on today!” the man said.

On the other hand, many basked in the peace, positivity and unity of the day.

Officers of the U. S. Capital Police were out in masses, a helicopter circulated overhead, the Fruit of Islam security detail was out in force and Minister Farrakhan complained that he had to stand behind a protective glass-incased podium. But, despite typical teen behavior, there were no notable incidents during the eight-hour gathering that started with prayer and culminated with the Farrakhan speech.

Robert Woods, of La Plata, Md., who attended the Million Man March 20 years ago was somewhat blasé as he left the march with his adult daughters. “It was good for its purpose but it was not like 20 years ago,” he said pointing to trash strewn on the ground. In 1995, he said, the men were admonished so specifically to pull up their lives that they even made sure to clean up the National Mall as they left. He also recalled how women encouraged men to go to the march in 1995. "It brought tears to my eyes when the women were hanging out of the card doors saying, 'Thank you, brother'.

Curtis Jones, 38, who traveled from Atlanta, appeared excited about Minister Farrakhan’s appeal to withhold spending at Christmas.

“This is the first time in my lifetime that someone has stood on a platform and talked about us coming together economically,” he said.

Angela Wright said she was impressed by the meticulous organization of the march itself. Even going forward, she said the instruction to text “Unity to 99000” given out to the audience by leaders of the Nation of Islam for future information, would help people remain informed. However, like Gravely, she felt somewhat let down.

“I felt powerful, I felt love, I felt unity. At the same time, I was thinking that the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan was going to direct his speech and thoughts specifically to what’s at hand right now in the present, which is the consistent murders of Black innocent life. I was a little disappointed to hear that he didn’t target those sort of ideals and ideas, what his theories were on them and how we can move forward strategically. It seemed like a more cross-cutting approach.”

Others sort of cherry picked through the message, taking hold of what they thought would be good for them and their community.

“Everybody’s been asking about the ‘Or Else’, what that is and the economic message,” said Jesse Frierson, executive director of the Virginia Alliance Against Mass Incarceration. “Obviously part of it is to give Christmas back. Let’s not shop for Christmas; let’s save our money.”

Frierson, who has four sons between the ages of 17-22, said he would adhere to the boycott. “Of course,” he said. “I’ve never been a big Christmas type fan in terms of selling kids on Christmas,” said Frierson, a former banker. “That’s a really big move.”