Estimated reading time: 7 minute(s)
Originally published 9.21.10
I am presently one of the featured speakers on the Community & Resistance Tour. The tour is being organized by New Orleans journalist and activist Jordan Flaherty. We are going throughout the country speaking to various audiences about justice issues, independent media and more. I joined the tour on 9/11 and we’ve had an event every night in a different city. Gruesome schedule yet beneficial. Right now we’re in Ohio after speaking twice at Ohio State.
Interestingly my first day on the tour started in New York. Perfect timing, huh? Our event that evening was held in Manhattan just minutes away from the site where huge protests were being held in opposition to the building of the “Ground Zero Mosque.” But there was also a huge anti-Islamophobia march and rally held right outside city hall.
Thousands were marching and chanting “Stop the Hate!”, “Muslims Are Welcome Here!” and “No to Islamophobia!” I marched the streets as well and took a lot of photos. It was pretty intense in New York that weekend.
When I embraced Islam over 13 years ago, I did not join on to a religion of hate and violence. I joined on to that which is rooted in peace. I accepted that which means “total submission to the Will of Allah (God).” I grew up loving the Bible but it was Islam as taught by the Honorable Elijah Muhammad that unlocked the deeper understanding of that book for me. I love Jesus but I got a greater understanding of that man through Islam–and all of the other Prophets of Allah (God).
As I am speaking on this tour, I have spoken in some of the Whitest towns you can imagine. Yet I have not been called a hater, bigot, terrorist or an anti-Semite ONCE. And I am sharing The Final Call newspaper that is published by the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan and the people are reading it and applauding our presentations.
That includes places like Bluffton, Ohio and Amherst, Mass.
As a Muslims I have never been taught to hate anyone so why do you spew hate at us? Why is it so hard for you to get along with Muslims? Is the US becoming increasingly intolerant towards Islam?
I recently watched Riz Khan of Al-Jazeera address these questions and more in an interview on September 13 with Minister Farrakhan.
Relations between Muslims and people of other faiths appear to have slipped to a new low.
Islam is not the problem. Maybe it is just you. Take a look at yourself.
P.S.: Jordan Flaherty is White and we’re the best of friends in the struggle for justice and we break bread together as well. (smile)
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Credits: All photos by Jesse Muhammad
