by Willie Muhammad
Part 3 of 9
The big picture is defined as a broad, overall view or perspective of an issue or problem. The definition does not fully convey the idea I am trying to express, but I will use it as a spring to talk about the Hon. Min. Louis Farrakhan’s ability to make decisions based upon that view.Â
A scriptural example of what I am trying to point out can be found in the action of the Wise man in a story mentioned in the Holy Quran chapter 18 titled, “Moses Search for Knowledge.†Moses asks to be a student of a Wise man. During the journey the Wise man makes decisions based upon his broad perspective (the bigger picture) that was unknown to Moses. Due to Moses not being aware of the “bigger picture†that influenced the decisions of the Wise man Moses became judgmental.Â
My purpose is not to talk about the misjudgments of others as it relates to the Hon. Min. Louis Farrakhan, but instead his keen insight that allows him to make decisions or rulings that are right and exact. Those who follow these decisions benefit greatly, just like those who followed Moses and Aaron through the Red Sea (which symbolizes mayhem and chaos), not being affected at all. This is an ability needed by anyone in leadership. Limited understanding and knowledge of a situation impacts the quality of the decision one takes as a course of action, which can negatively impact those he or she has been sent to lead.
Many of us sat in front of movie screens watching Colors, Boyz N the Hood, Menace II Society and New Jack City. After watching them we held endless discussions, debates at school, barbershops, salons, street corners. Very few of us saw what the Hon. Min. Louis Farrakhan was guided to see. The Minister saw the hand of Satan at work (Rev. 13:18). He saw that these movies were being used as an effort to further perpetuate an image of Black males and the Black community that would justify our mass slaughter and water the seed of self hatred.
After seeing this wicked plot the Minister went to work touring this country spreading the message of, “Stop the Killing.†This effort eventually culminated into the Historic Million Man March which gave the WORLD a different image of Black men. The Minister’s ability to see the bigger picture did not stop there. Being aware of what the scriptures foretold concerning the Historic Million Man March (John 11), the Minister then embarked on a World Friendship Tour, despite the criticism of those who did not have the ability to see the bigger picture. He traveled to numerous countries establishing friendships that would greatly benefit Blacks and the Nation at that time and at a time to come. There are so many examples that can be highlighted in this blog, but space is limited. This next example is not widely known, hopefully after this it will be.
Prior to Katrina, Bro. Capt. Dennis Muhammad offered his services to the New Orleans Police as an effort to help reduce tension between them and the community. The chief at that time contracted Bro. Dennis to do so. Well due to the influence of a rabbi, the contract was rescinded. Bro. Dennis Muhammad considered taking legal action on the basis of religious discrimination. Before doing so he sought the counsel of the Hon. Min. Louis Farrakhan. The Minister told him that there were those, “…who would love to see us at odds with a black administration,†stated Bro. Dennis. “He suggested to me to call a press conference and take the high road. He said there would be a feeding frenzy amongst the media because they love anything that puts us at odds with our own. The Minister went on to say that if I sued them, I would never be able to train any other police and would not get other contracts. He said that I would be respected if I took the high road. The Minister asked me to consider his followers in the city who would be left there to deal with the police. He said that if I took the high road that not only would the NOPD one day call me back but that I would get other contracts as well. I received another contract while in Detroit and had discussions about returning to New Orleans to do the training. He went on to say that if the cries of the people were not addressed the city of New Orleans would one day be in a state of anarchy. He quoted Matt. 10:1-15. This was July of 2005. A month or so later the world watched the city of New Orleans fall into a state of anarchy after the greatest natural disaster to ever hit America,†concluded Bro. Dennis.
“Your companion errs not, nor does he deviate. Nor does he speak out of desire. It is naught but revelation that is revealed — One Mighty in Power has taught him. The Lord of Strength.†Sura 53: 2-6
(Willie Muhammad serves as the Student Minister at Muhammad Mosque No. 46 in New Orleans. Visit their website @Â www.noineworleans.org)
Spirituality
(Originally Posted on August 4, 2010)
Usually I would look past ignorance such as this but I believe this was worth posting here in the “Upper Situation Room†because while America touts freedom of religion and tolerance, Muslims continue to face daily attacks. You can’t argue with that.
Well, here is the latest anti-Islamic foolishness.
I was skimming through CNN.com and came across a very interesting headline: “Church plans Quran-burning eventâ€.
The CNN article reads:
In protest of what it calls a religion “of the devil,†a nondenominational church in Gainesville, Florida, plans to host an “International Burn a Quran Day†on the ninth anniversary of the September 11, 2001, attacks.
The Dove World Outreach Center says it is hosting the event to remember 9/11 victims and take a stand against Islam. With promotions on its website and Facebook page, it invites Christians to burn the Muslim holy book at the church from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
“We believe that Islam is of the devil, that it’s causing billions of people to go to hell, it is a deceptive religion, it is a violent religion and that is proven many, many times,†Pastor Terry Jones told CNN’s Rick Sanchez earlier this week.
Jones wrote a book titled “Islam is of the Devil,†and the church sells coffee mugs and shirts featuring the phrase.
Muslims and many other Christians — including some evangelicals — are fighting the initiative.
The church launched a YouTube channel to disseminate its messages.
“I mean ask yourself, have you ever really seen a really happy Muslim? As they’re on the way to Mecca? As they gather together in the mosque on the floor? Does it look like a real religion of joy?†Jones asks in one of his YouTube posts.
“No, to me it looks like a religion of the devil.â€
Wow. This is the best way to remember 9/11 victims? Correct me if I’m wrong, but didn’t people of all faiths die in 9/11?
Also, I don’t know what mosques he is talking about because I know thousands of happy Muslims. Matter of fact, I am one! Islam is a beautiful way of life and I am a witness that it is a religion rooted in peace not violence. And it is definitely not of the devil. Mr. Jones you’re only fooling yourself to think that by burning the Holy Quran you’re minimizing its value. That’s impossible to do! All opposition to truth will fail. There’s over 1.5 billion Muslims around the world and is growing. You will not be able to stop people from accepting this beautiful religion.
I have many Christian friends who have taken the time to read the Holy Quran for themselves and they even bear witness that it is a beautiful book filled with some of the most beautiful prayers and divine guidance. My friends have also extracted principles from this book and they believe all of humanity can benefit from it. One of them was even surprised to see that Surah (Chapter) 19 is actually named after the mother of Jesus. But you want to burn it? What would Jesus do? Would Jesus burn the Quran?
Another part of this same CNN article reads:
The Islamic advocacy group Council on American-Islamic Relations called on Muslims and others to host “Share the Quran†dinners to educate the public during the monthlong fast of Ramadan beginning in August. In a news release, the group announced a campaign to give out 100,000 copies of the Quran to local, state and national leaders.
“American Muslims and other people of conscience should support positive educational efforts to prevent the spread of Islamophobia,†said CAIR spokesman Ibrahim Hooper in the release.
The National Association of Evangelicals, the nation’s largest umbrella evangelical group, issued a statement urging the church to cancel the event, warning it could cause worldwide tension between the two religions.
“The NAE calls on its members to cultivate relationships of trust and respect with our neighbors of other faiths. God created human beings in his image, and therefore all should be treated with dignity and respect,†it said in the statement.
I would never burn the Bible and mine is actually on the same bookshelf as my Holy Quran. I study both daily. Mr. Jones said in the video below that he would not like it if Muslims burned the Bible yet he feels its okay to light a match to our sacred book. America the beautiful, huh?
I am eager to know your thoughts: Do you support the “International Burn a Quran Day� Or do you oppose it?
(Originally Posted on August 15, 2010)
Every time Ramadan comes around a few Believers and I discuss ways to “bottle up†this spirit we feel over these 30 days and carry it over into the other 11 months on the calendar.
To someone who is observing Ramadan for the first time, it’s easy to get caught up on not eating and drinking. Your stomach seems to be growling every second and your mouth is as dry as the Arabian Desert.
Believe me, I know the feeling.
My first Ramadan was in ’97 when I was a freshman at Prairie View A&M University. I was so focused on not being able to eat or drink that I would sleep in between classes to “pass the time†and got behind on my Qur’anic readings on the second day because Surah 2 seemed so long. I told myself I would catch up. I did not.
I even started nibbling on peppermints because I figured that wasn’t actually food. As you can see, I was all messed up. I was thankful to my older brother, who is a Muslim also, for guiding me and encouraging me to finish it stronger than when I started.
By the Grace of Allah (God) I did.
Since then I have come to realize that Ramadan is so much bigger than the absence of food and drink throughout the day. It’s about deep reflection and channeling that same sense of joy, unity, love, high spirituality, compassion and self-discipline towards the rest of the year.
During Ramadan we put a halt to many things such as cursing, arguing, lying, gossiping, complaining and even step away from personal addictions such as TV, the Internet, sugar or video games. Even the grumpiest of us become all of a sudden pleasant. Many clear the dust off of their Qur’ans that was placed at the highest point in their homes to start reading it. We take the time to pray more than ever. The list goes on.
What’s halting us from doing this every day? Is it possible to experience Ramadan every month?
Absolutely!
When I converted to Islam, I was taught that it is not a religion but it is actually a way of life. Therefore, like all religions, we have rituals but those rituals are seeded with meanings that guide us towards a higher reflection of that which we say we believe in.
Thus the same laser focus we put into these 30 days can be done year round. I love taking this time to reflect on how I need to be more dutiful to Allah (God) and His Cause. I love reading the beautiful words of the Qur’an and hearing the recitation. I love waking up to join Muslims every morning on the Tsunami Prayer Line. I love breaking fast with family, fellow Believers and friends at my home and theirs. I smile brightly every time I get a text message from my Christian friends and family who had just completed one of the days of fasting with us. We’re all in a spirit of love!
I reflect on how much better I can serve my family and community. My fervent prayer is that I can “bottle up†this Ramadan and develop into a better Muslim.
If I can’t be this same “Brother Jesse†beyond this holy month and become a stronger Muslim because of it, then what is my motive?
Self-improvement is the key, so as the late musical legend Michael Jackson said, “I’m looking at the man in mirror.†I am in love with the possibilities of being a better me.
I know you are too.
PS: I haven’t had a “peppermint fast†since ’97.(smile)
(You’re welcome to follow Brother Jesse Muhammad further on Twitter, become a friend on Facebook)
(Originally Posted on July 12, 2010)
I went to the door and I honestly didn’t know what to expect.
All I knew was that this could have been a moment that would change my life forever or send me back to the drawing board.
When I last blogged about this, I told you I had obtained an address that had the names of my two uncles, Larry and Curly, listed as the owners.
On the afternoon of July 4, my family and I drove out to that address. It ended up being located in a nice neighborhood in Katy, Texas.
We pulled into the driveway. They stayed in the car with the engine running just in case it was the wrong house and we had to make a run for it. Just kidding. (smile)
I said a prayer and armed myself with my manila folder that obtained my father’s death certificate, photos of him and my mother, a picture of my grandmother, and all of the research I had done up to that point. I came prepared.
I rang the doorbell with nervousness.
A tall dark Black man came to the door wearing a red shirt and eye glasses.
He said “How may I help you?â€
I said “Yes, I am looking for Larry or Curly McCray.â€
He said “I’m Larry.â€
Reaching to shake his hand I said “How are you doing?â€
He hesitated to shake my hand but did while asking again “How may I help you?â€
I then uttered the words…..sigh….wow I am getting teary-eyed just remembering this moment.
I said “My name is Jesse and I am Joe McCray’s son.â€
Then…..a big smile came across his face…..he said real loud “You sho’ is! You look just like your daddy! C’mon in man!â€
My smile stretched beyond ear to ear. I couldn’t believe it. It was the correct address! I found my father’s family! I said to myself “Allah u Akbar!†I went to the car to get my family and my wife knew by my smile that it must have been good news.
We went inside and he gave me a big hug and he said “Man, we was wondering what happened to you. I haven’t seen you since you were 8 or 9 years old. How did you find us?â€
I started from the beginning of this entire search going back to September. He was in awe of it all. Then he went and pulled out old pictures of my father from his younger days including a high school graduation picture. (shown below). Uncle Larry gave them to me as a gift.
He told me about my Uncle Curly, who has been stationed in Iraq for the last five years working for a corporation that handles the laundry for the U.S. military. Uncle Larry is a veteran truck driver. For the first time I found out I had two aunts as well. One is deceased and the other one, Aunt Marilyn, is retired in Galveston….I talked to her on the phone. She was so happy to hear from me and is looking forward to seeing me in person soon.
Between all of them I have about eleven first cousins living in parts of Texas and Louisiana. I will get to meet them all too.
Uncle Larry then started sharing with us how exactly my father ended up being shot and killed. This was the tough part to digest. He said my father and another guy was fighting in a club in 3rd Ward in Houston. My dad was getting the best of the guy in the brawl. They ended up taking it outside and the guy went to his car, got a gun and shot my father. My father reportedly staggered back into the club just before the killer came back and shot him again point blank.
Sigh….I was visually imagining the entire thing. I thought to myself “Somebody shot my daddy.â€
Uncle Larry went further into how my father got wrapped up in the street life of hustling. He described how they were saddened and shock that my father even went that route, especially since he wasn’t the type. My father’s funeral, held at McCoy & Harrison Funeral Home, was packed with “pimps, prostitutes and hustlers†according to Uncle Larry.
“Your father was deep in the streets and had major influence,†said Uncle Larry.
He even said it was at the funeral that all of these street hustlers found out for the first time that my father even had family because he kept his family separate from the life he lived in the streets. There is more but I will save that for future blogs. He pulled out a picture book and showed me a photo of my deceased grandfather, Joe McCray Sr. I have his features as well. That nose. I came to the house thinking my grandfather might still be alive, but he’s not. I look forward to learning more about him and my grandmother.
In between telling us these stories, my uncle kept saying “Boy, looking at you is like seeing Joe again. You look so much like him….I just can’t believe you found us.â€
I could only grin like a five year old who just received a Nintendo 64 for Christmas. Throughout all of this I wanted to just shed tears because I have heard stories from people during my search who have been trying to find their parents for years without success. And here I was sitting in the living room with one of my father’s brothers face to face after ten months of searching. God is great.
Uncle Larry and I exchanged contact numbers and we’re planning to get together again real soon so I can roll around to meet my other relatives. We hugged several times, took some pictures together and then he dropped some other information on me before we left.
“You got a little sister around here somewhere also,†he said.
“Huh? For real?†I said.
I remember my father’s death certificate stating that he had a surviving spouse. Well according to Uncle Larry the two of them had a baby girl. I got excited even more. I have a sister to find. I left Uncle Larry’s home in amazement.
I received my first two calls from Uncle Curly (pictured below) last week and we talked for several hours. He told me even more stories about my father and even revealed to me the major drug dealer whom my father worked for back then. Interestingly I know that person because he’s now a Muslim. Small world, huh?Uncle Curly explained his job to me, asked me several questions about my life and just kept saying “Man, I wish I was at home right now to see you nephew.â€
I felt the same way. He had a chance to see my blog and told me “Boy, you on the move doing good stuff. I’m proud of you nephew. You look just like Joe. It’s like Joe has come back to life.â€
Has all of this sunk in for you yet? It hasn’t for me. I feel like I am on the set of a Tyler Perry movie.
Uncle Curly will be home for Thanksgiving. They had planned to go on a vacation trip to Belize when he got here but they cancelled that trip because he said “I want to spend every moment with you nephew.â€
By the Grace of Allah (God), a new chapter is beginning. My father is not physically in my life but I now have a chance to embrace his essence in my uncles, aunt and cousins. Soon I will get working on finding my little sister because I would like to embrace her. She might not know about me either.
There is not a word in the English dictionary to describe how my entire family and I feel right now.
More next time.
P.S. Also, I found out how my dad and uncles got named Larry, Curly and Joe. My grandmother took care of the children of a White woman back in those days. The White lady named them that. Go figure.
(You’re welcome to follow Brother Jesse Muhammad further on Twitter or become a fan on Facebook)
(Originally Posted on July 5, 2010)
After receiving such an overwhelming response to my last blog “A Fatherless Father’s Day cardâ€, I was compelled to give you all an update on the progress I have made by Allah’s Permission.
I have been told that this is playing out like the perfect movie.
I have also been told that some people might not believe all of this is happening the way that it is.
I even find myself in shock as I write this blog because Allah (God) is blessing me every week to get one step closer to finding a living relative connected to my deceased biological father.
One step closer to finding out what is on the other side.
Check this out….and you might not believe it!
On June 28, I returned to the offices of the Houston Health & Human Resources Department to obtain a copy of my father’s death certificate. This was my third time attempting to get it.
During my first two attempts I was told I did not have enough information because all I knew at the time was the month and year of his death. I came armed with ample information this time due to the research I did at the library, which you can read about in my previous post: “Meet my grandmother Queen Ester Carterâ€.
With my manila folder full of documents, names and dates, I filled out the death certificate request form. This time I knew the date of his birth, the exact date of his death, the names of my grandmother and grandfather plus their birthdays as well.
I knew I could not be denied this time but I was honestly still nervous!
My ticket number was called. “Number 880, please go to Window 3 to be served.â€
I went to the window with the form, paid the required $21 and stared through the glass at the Black male clerk. After about two minutes of processing he stamped my form, gave me a receipt and instructed me to take my information to “Window Ten†to pick up my personal copy of the death certificate for Mr. Joe McCray, Jr…..my pops.
“Yes!†I said to myself.
Uh oh. Here comes the “strange†turn of events.
I went to the window and it was being run by a Black woman wearing glasses. She took a form off of the printer and as she glanced over it I saw my father’s name at the top. I was getting real excited.
Then she says “It will be a few more minutes Mr. Muhammad.â€
With a blank stare, I said “Yes maam.â€
I sat on the waiting bench positioned directly in front of the window and I noticed she was staring at me through the glass before she started helping the other people in line behind me. Their transactions took almost less than a minute so I was wondering why I had to wait.
Was there something wrong with the death certificate? Did I have to verify more information? All of this and more was running through my mind.
Once she cleared the line, she picked up my father’s death certificate and again started staring at me.
Out of my obvious impatience I said “Maam is there a problem with the certificate?â€
She said “Please come to the window sir.â€
Then she asked “Hey, where’s your grandmother’s people from?â€
Thinking this was another test, I pulled out my manila folder and said “Well, according to the research I have here, her family is originally from Montgomery, Texas. However, my mother told me that my dad, his brothers and others were raised in the Studewood area here in Houston.â€
She said “Well that means you and I might be cousins. My last name is McCray and there’s a lot of us McCrays still staying in Studewood. I stay over there now.â€
You could imagine the look on my face. The initial thought was not to believe it but the second thought was “Out of all of the windows, I would be sent to the one that a potential cousin is working at?â€
She goes on to explain how the names on the death certificate sounded familiar to her because she said she remembers hearing about a ‘Joseph McCray†in her family being killed but she never knew that side of the family.
“I think my grandfather and your grandfather are cousins,†she said.
I can’t front, I got teary-eyed as I gave her a brief summary of the search I have been on since September of last year and what led me to this particular point. She was amazed herself by us meeting like this. She told me that she would ask her relatives and gave me her cell phone number.
She jokingly told me, “Don’t be bugging me, now.â€
I said “Of course I am.â€
I left the office building. Before I could get to my car I was glancing over my father’s death certificate. For some reason I first wanted to know what caused his death. I had been told stories about it but I wanted to see if it was true.
It was. He died from a gunshot wound in the chest on March 13, 1988 at 1:45pm on Cullen Blvd in Houston and he was pronounced dead at 2:15pm. He was only 39. I was going on ten at the time.
“Someone shot my daddy,â€Â I said to myself.
His listed occupation is a mechanic for Exxon which I knew about from my mother. However what we didn’t know was that he had a surviving spouse and her name is listed on the certificate. May be I can find her! It also listed the place of his funeral and the site of his burial.
This was a lot to take in.
I found myself sitting in the parking garage for a while with my eyes closed imaging him being shot in broad daylight. I was told stories of how he had got involved in hustling at one time in his life and how his death was drug-related. Someone suggested I find out if the homicide was solved……I think I will.
I called and shared the news about obtaining the certificate with my family and close friends. Everyone was as shocked as I was about the woman at the window potentially being my cousin.
What are the odds?
I waited a day before calling the woman I met at “Window 10″. She told me she had yet to ask around to her relatives but she still planned to. Then she suggested that I look up the names of my grandfather and uncles in an online real estate site to see if their names come up so we could obtain a physical address or phone number.
I told her I would and she said she would be sure to call me back.
I did the search but was unsuccessful in finding anything registered in their names. She called me back on June 30 to see if I had found anything and I told her I did not.
“You must not have looked good enough because I did,†she said.
“Really?†I replied.
“Yes. I found a home that has the names of your uncles listed as the owners. It could be them,â€Â she said.
I wrote down the address and thanked her. Again she promised to ask her older relatives if they are familiar with that side of the family to verify our kinship.
I did a MapQuest search of the address. You already know I wanted to go that same evening but I didn’t want to be popping up to someone’s home late at night and it not be them. Lol!
My family and I decided to wait until the next day. One problem! Over the last three days it has been storming and flooding throughout the greater Houston area so I have practiced a little patience.
However, as I write this the sky is clear. There is a chance for more rain but not like the last few days so this may be the day.
I may have a chance to go to that address, knock on the door, and embrace my two living uncles. I would be a step closer to living a life independent of the thoughts of the pain of not knowing the other side of the family tree.
What are the odds? My story is a testament that anything is possible.
I will let you know what happens.
(You’re welcome to follow Brother Jesse Muhammad further on Twitter or become a fan on Facebook)
(Originally Posted on July 18, 2010)
I still remember the day in 1993 when I told my mother I wasn’t going to eat pork any more. She had just baked a fresh pan of pork chops to go along with some fresh baked beans and ‘taytaw salad. (Translation: potato salad)
I honestly was a bit nervous telling her that for three reasons. One, my brother Deric Muhammad had just came home from the Marines and was gradually introducing my little brother and me to the Nation of Islam lifestyle by taking us to the local Mosque in Houston. He was coming across very aggressive at times about his beliefs till the point it was a turn off for my family. So I already knew my mother would say “So, you trying to be a Muslim, huh? You’ve been eating this all this time. What’s the problem now?â€
Secondly, it was her house and I had to abide by her rules. So if she told me I had to eat it, I don’t know if I would have had the guts to tell her otherwise at the time.
Thirdly, just like yours, my mother didn’t believe in wasting food so I might have been forced to sit at the table anyway. You know parents will be quick to say “Boy, do you know there are children in Africa who would be happy to eat this and you being ungrateful?â€
Lucky for me my mother just said “Okayâ€. I was shocked and felt relieved! No more pork for me. Once I told my classmates at Forest Brook they immediately started calling me a Muslim although I had not joined the NOI at that time.
What caused me to change my diet like this at the age of 15 was reading “How To Eat To Liveâ€Â Books I & II by the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad. For years I watched on HBO’s Def Comedy Jam as various comedians joked about Mooozlims (as they say it) not eating “the swine†or the “other white meatâ€. However I didn’t know why.
Once I picked up these two books, I learned why Muslim refrained from eating pork. For instance in Book II in the chapter titled “The Truth About Pork (The Pig)â€Â the Hon. Elijah Muhammad writes:
The pig is a mass of worms. Each mouthful you eat is not a nutritious food but a mass of small worms the naked eye cannot detect. Worms thrive in the hog. When these worms are digested into your system, they cause a high birth rate to hundreds of new worms called larvae which travels the blood stream of your system and lodge in your muscles. These worms even enter your brain, lungs or your spinal fluid. They cause muscular aches, fever and many other symptoms of sickness. The worm has an amazing ability to go undetected in your system for many years.
The scientific name for the ill-causing worm found in all pork is Trichinella spiralis which causes trichinosis.
Despite what veterinarians, public health officials, the Agricultural Department or your doctor say, the best defense against the pig is DO NOT EAT IT! When you do eat it, you do not hurt God, His Messenger, the Muslim or anyone else. You hurt yourself. Thorough and slow cooking of pork does not remove the danger of the worms found in all pork. Additional cooking of pork purchased in the summer or processed pork products does not make the worm-infested pork safe for eating.
Inspection and governmental seals on pork do not remove the danger of the worms yet in the pork to make it safe for you to eat.
Worms?! Just the thought of having a worm potentially crawling around in my brain was enough to convince me that eating chittlins (chitterlings) on New Year’s Day was more of a tradition than a wise healthy choice. That also included getting bacon on a burger or with our scrambled eggs in the morning.
Of course there are some people who will argue with Hon. Elijah Muhammad and say “Man, my God don’t care about what I eat!â€
Well in the same chapter, he writes:
In the Bible and the Holy Qur’an, it is the Divine will of God that the pig should not be eaten and God has never changed this instruction, despite the White man’s setting up governmental bureaus to grade and approve the selling of pork.
It was in the NOI that I first learned that God actually instructed us in the Bible not to even touch the carcass of the swine, let alone eat it. I’m not passing judgment but I wondered why this was never mentioned in the churches I attended? Even some of those same churches served pork on the Sunday dinners next to the lemon pound cake in the sandwich bag.
I turned to Leviticus and Deuteronomy and found multiple references where God instructs against the consumption of pork. God does care about what we eat. No offense, but praying over it does not heal it of its detrimental impact. If Jesus said He came that we might have life and life more abundantly, then what role does our diets play in having that abundance of life? What is our responsibility to our bodies, which are the true houses of God?
Need more convincing? I came across this footage of nationally renowned Christian pastor Joel Osteen teaching his congregation about why Christians should not eat pork and scavengers. Maybe you will readily accept it from him. (smile) It sounds like he read “How To Eat To Live†as well. [Watch Below]
This is something to ponder.
A few months ago, Tim Wise wrote a widely circulated article called, “Imagine if the Tea Party Was Black “which challenged America to take a close look at the hypocrisy of the Right Wing.
Now, a Pittsburgh rapper is accepting his challenge in true Hip-Hop form.
Jasiri X has released a video called “What if the Tea Party was Black?â€
The Hip Hop artist says that he got the idea when Paradise,a member of the pro-black rap group X-Clan, forwarded him a copy of Wise’s article. “I saw the article and I liked the concept,†says the rapper. So Jasiri hit the studio with producer Cynik Lethal while Paradise grabbed his video camera and they went on their mission to defeat the Right Wing propaganda machine.
In the part of this song Jasiri says:
What if the tea party was black
Holding guns like the Black Panther Party was back
If Al was Rush Limbaugh and Jesse was Sean Hannity
And Tavis was Glenn Beck would they harm they families
If Sarah Palin was suddenly Sistah Soaljah
Would they leave it with the votes or go and get the soldiers
Yall know if the tea party was black
The government would have been had the army attack
Click above to watch and visit the Official website of Jasiri X @ www.jasirix.com.
Let me know your thoughts!
(You’re welcome to follow Brother Jesse Muhammad further on Twitter or become a fan on Facebook)
(Originally Posted on July 30, 2010)
In a recent edition of The Final Call, I wrote this article regarding the impact of AIDS on the Black community. Insha’Allah (God-willing) this is just the beginning of a series of articles I am going to do about this because it seems like it is no longer even being discussed.
Please let me know your thoughts.
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Poverty, AIDS and Blacks
New CDC analysis reveals strong link between race, being poor and HIV infection rates
Every nine-and-a-half minutes, a person in the United States becomes infected with HIV. There are more than one million people living with HIV and Black people account for nearly half of those infected.
A recently released study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has added further data supporting warnings by Black HIV/AIDS awareness advocates that this is a “Black disease,†tied in part to economic disparity. High-poverty urban conditions increase one’s chances of contracting HIV, according to the study.
“The study tells us that when other racial ethnic groups face the same social determinants of health as Blacks–the social and economic conditions within which they live and that impact their well being–their HIV rates rise to similar levels as those of Blacks, even for Whites,†says Phill Wilson, president and CEO of the Black AIDS Institute.
“Our community is still in denial about the impact of AIDS on us. We have a whole new generation that needs to be educated on AIDS so we have to stop avoiding the dialogue,†HIV positive activist Rae Lewis-Thornton of Chicago told The Final Call.
In low income urban areas included in the study, those living below the poverty line were at greater risk for HIV than those living higher incomes. But the statistical landscape of Blacks contracting AIDS is only getting worse, according to national data posted on the CDC’s Web site.
While Blacks represent approximately 12 percent of the U.S. population, they account for 46 percent (506,000) of the 1.1 million people living with HIV in the United States, as well as 45 percent (25,335) of the 56,300 new infections every year.
Approximately one in 16 Black men will be diagnosed with HIV, as will one in 30 Black women.
The rate of new HIV infections for Black men is about six times as high as that of White men, nearly three times that of Hispanic men, and more than twice that of Black women.
The HIV incidence rate for Black women is nearly 15 times as high as that of White women, and nearly four times that of Hispanic women.
Twenty-four years ago, Ms. Lewis-Thornton received the news that she was HIV positive and today lives with full blown AIDS.
“I was dying but I had to make a fundamental decision that I could live with this disease. I searched the type technology and medication that I needed. I also developed a support network spiritually and mentally because nobody should have to live with this disease alone. But we can’t forget that this is a preventable disease so that is why I am on a crusade to educate the masses,†says Ms. Lewis-Thornton, 48.
The CDC’s study, titled “Communities in Crisis: Is There a Generalized HIV Epidemic in Impoverished Urban Areas of the United States,†was unveiled July 19 at the biennial international AIDS Conference in Vienna, Austria. The study was conducted from 2006-2007. Respondents included more than 9,000 adults (aged 18-50) in high-poverty areas of 23 cities such as New York, Houston, Chicago, Detroit and Los Angeles.
By race, 77 percent (7,014) of the participants in the study were Black, 15 percent (1,350) were Hispanic, 4 percent (402) were White and 3 percent (307) were other races. Over 4,600 of those survey earned less than $10,000 in annual household income. According to the CDC, the study shows that poverty is the single most important demographic factor associated with HIV infection among inner city residents.
“In this country, HIV clearly strikes the economically disadvantaged in a devastating way,†says Kevin Fenton of the CDC in a written statement.
“Almost25 percent of Blacks live in poverty, compared to nine percent of Whites. It (the study) also confirms what theBlack AIDS Instituteand many AIDS activists have been saying all along: that a generalized epidemic exists within many Black communities. The HIV rates in U.S. poverty areas rival the rates found in Haiti, Burundi, Ethiopia, and Angola,†says Mr. Wilson, whose Los Angeles-based group has mobilized to confront the epidemic the past 10 years.
“Bottom line is when Whites and Latinos live in poor Black communities they are negatively impacted by the same social determinants that undermine the health of their Black neighbors,†says Mr. Wilson.
“We can’t look at HIV in isolation from the environment in which people live. This analysis points to an urgent need to prioritize HIV prevention efforts in disadvantaged communities,†says Dr. Jonathan Mermin, director of CDC’s Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention.
On July 13, the Obama Administration released a National HIV/AIDS Strategy Federal Implementation Plan with three primary goals of reducing HIV infections; increasing access to care; and reducing HIV-related health disparities.
Ms. Lewis-Thornton has been consistently touring the country to share her up and down personal bout with AIDS. She recently implemented social media platforms to engage uninformed people via blogging, Twitter, and Facebook.
“I am a statistic and I want to reach people to let them know they can become one also if they do not take care of their lives,†she says.
(You’re welcome to follow Brother Jesse Muhammad further on Twitter, become a friend on Facebook
I’m for truth, no matter who tells it. I’m for justice, no matter who it’s for or against. – Malcolm X #quote
Today is the 92nd anniversary of the birth of Malcolm X, also known as El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz.
This week many around the world is honoring his legacy. He was born on May 19, 1925. Even the government that hated and plotted on his life made commemorative stamps years ago and corporate America has even commercialized his legacy.
I first read a book about Malcolm X as a freshman at Forest Brook High School here in Houston titled Malcolm X on Afro-American History. It is a collection of many of the speeches he delivered.
I learned a lot from that book and it was one of the first times in my life that I had read about the true and rich history of Black people before we were made into slaves. This was something I was not being taught in my history classes. And being that the Texas Board of Education is only a few days away from making their final vote on textbook changes, they want to make sure that our children don’t learn about him and others who impacted America and the world. But that doesn’t mean parents should not teach their children about their heritage.
I was so blown away by that little book and I shared it with many of my classmates! They read it gladly.
Then the movie Malcolm came out in theaters and soon all of my friends started wearing X shirts, hats, bracelets, handbags, etc. They felt they were down with the cause, revolutionary and conscious because they paid their money to see the movie.
Also many hip-hop artists started using his messages in their albums but my classmates were only moved by the beat and not by his words. Not like when Public Enemy or Poor Righteous Teachers used his words to move the masses to action my friends used Malcolm X as the latest fad. Some of us still do.
I then offered to them that Malcolm X is bigger than a t-shirt or any rap song that used his sound bites and challenged them to BE like him. They didn’t want to hear me.
Under the leadership of Honorable Elijah Muhammad, Malcolm X successfully cleaned up his life in prison through Islam, lived an upright lifestyle, put down drugs, put down guns, read every book in the prison library, ate one meal a day, became a prolific speaker, did not smoke, fasted, prayed, defeated scholars in all debates, was a guest speaker at Ivy league schools, challenged the powers of America, became an international figure, spoke out against injustice in the community, crisscrossed America weekly in his car to teach people about themselves and cleaned up people in the streets and he only went to the 8th grade?!
Malcolm became this type of man despite losing his father at the age of 13, having his mother committed to a mental hospital, drug dealing, gambling, racketeering, robbery, and overseeing prostitutes. He was an example of how any person can transform their lives and become a giant when given a chance. But how many organizations would have truly took in this ex-con and cleaned him up? How many today?
So if you think that you’re commemorating his life by making a rap song with excerpts of his speeches, writing a poem, wearing a medallion, rocking a t-shirt, busting shots in the air or even coordinating an intellectual panel discussion full of people who don’t do anything for the masses, you have his life confused.
If we want to celebrate the legacy of Malcolm X how about we:
Go into the streets to teach our young people to stop killing one another.
Go into the prisons with our knowledge to help reform someone and help them when they get out to stay out the system. Another Malcolm is waiting.
Help a sister stop selling her body in the streets. Show her an alternative instead of turning your nose up at her.
Launch a business to employ people and teach others how to do for self.
Speak out against injustice through consistent work and not just show up for the cameras.
Use your influence to address a cause bigger than your rims, houses, and religious buildings.
Read more and teach young people the power of being a reader like Malcolm.
Make self-improvement your daily routine and unity a necessity.
And by all means stop quoting by any means necessary if you don’t really mean it. By any means necessary didn’t mean picking up a gun. Arm your mind. An idea whose time has come is the most feared weapon, not a gun.
Lastly I pose this question:
If Malcolm X was made so powerful that he is still loved by so many, then how much more powerful is the teacher that polished him before the world?
Food for thought.
Blogger’s note: This entry has been updated; 2017.
(You’re welcome to follow Brother Jesse Muhammad further on Twitter, become a friend on Facebook)
I was inspired this past weekend to push back my next planned subject matter for a moment and address the ill treatment of women as the country prepares to observe Mother’s Day.
Let’s get into The Upper Situation Room
What inspired this blog? I was a guest speaker at a conference in Austin on the campus of Huston Tillotson University. Before my workshop, I attended the spiritual seminar in the university chapel. Each speaker represented a different religious sect. Only one of the speakers was a woman, who summed up her inspirational short talk by saying, I came to tell you that you’re not alone.
As I listened to her beautiful expression of the Word of God I got sad, because I reflected upon how we rarely get a chance to see this in our religious institutions and even our organizations. We lack the beauty of seeing women having the consistent freedom to express their God-given gifts, because so many of us as men beat down women. Women suffer so much abuse whether it is in the home, business, or religion.
I learned that in some foreign nations the birth of a female child is frowned upon. How can you frown upon a little girl, who eventually may be used as a vessel to bring forth new life in the future? I have watched some men use religion and scripture to justify personal oppression of women. However, that is not God’s Way.
As I entered into the Nation of Islam, I saw that we as Black men had our issues as well. Coming out of this society, we are bred in the slums of America to be disrespectful to our women. The Teachings of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad trains us to respect, protect and elevate the woman. It is in the N.O.I. that I first heard the words “A Nation Can Rise No Higher Than Its Woman.
That’s a powerful and truthful statement.
Under Minister Farrakhan’s leadership we witnessed something historical in 1998. In that year, Sister Ava Muhammad became the first woman in Islam’s 1400-year history to be appointed to a leadership position over a mosque. Minister Farrakhan appointed her as the Southern Regional Minister, which sent shockwaves throughout the country and the world. How dare he some people questioned and even called it un-Islamic.
Yet, Sister Ava is one of the most profound students of the Word of God that I have ever heard speak. Of course she endured a lot of opposition as all women in high positions face. Even if a woman attains a high position, she is not necessarily received with open arms by men.
Growing up in the church, the only time I saw a woman on the rostrum was singing in the choir or to do the closing announcements. Even then, they may not have been allowed in the pulpit. I never saw a woman preaching the Word of God in a church until my family started attending St. John’s UMC when I was much younger.
That church, as you know, is headed by Pastor Rudy Rasmus. It was surprising for me to see his wife Juanita Rasmus preaching the Word. She was and is amazing! I thought to myself in the church balcony, Women are actually allowed to preach?
Not everyone has this appreciation for the woman. While in high school, I heard one preacher say that even if the mother of Jesus walked inside of his church, she would not be allowed in his pulpit. I cannot understand that kind of mindset.
The woman is sacred and should be honored every day. It’s not enough to just give her flowers, candy, balloons, and cards on one commercialized holiday out of the year. Every day we must treat women with the greatest respect and honor knowing that they are jewels in the sight of God. Mother’s Day is 24/7. (smile)
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said The best of you is he who is kindest to his mother and his wife.
No matter the race, the woman must be appreciated.
(You’re welcome to follow Brother Jesse Muhammad further on Twitter, become a friend on Facebook)