LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA
The Millions More Movement 10 Issues platform is escalating throughout the Nation of Islam’s (NOI) Western Region, specifically highlighting unity between street organizations (“gangs”), an end to police brutality, and the injustices surrounding the Prison Industrial Complex.
In their quest for peace, The Inglewood Neighborhood Piru street organization called on NOI Western Region Representative Minister Tony Muhammad in early April to meet with its members to help re-open lines of communication between them and rival neighborhoods.
›Min. Muhammad and the Millions More Movement Ministry of Defense (MMM-MOD) answered by launching the “180 ’Hood Tour” for peace in the streets. Long-time Neighborhood Piru member and spokesperson, who requested to be identified as “P.T.,” said they needed outside help.
“We were going through Black-on-Black crime with other neighborhoods, the Hispanics and then the police. We were just outweighed mentally,” he said.
The Tour’s goal is to establish trust between the over 180-plus gang hoods and the Nation of Islam.
“Our purpose is to establish a United ‘Hood’ Nation for our communities, similar to how the United Nations based in New York serves the world in regards to their peacekeeping forces. We want to reflect that in a spiritual, mental and social way, applying the Teachings of the Most Hon. Elijah Muhammad and using the Holy Qur’an as a means to settle conflict,” Min. Tony stated.
Thanks to the meetings with Min. Tony, Jamal Muhammad and help from the Fruit of Islam (F.O.I.), P.T. said they experienced a period of nine “cool” months–meaning no murders, no fights and no trouble.
However, he said that peace was broken when an officer from the Inglewood Police Department (IPD) Anti-Crime Team shot and killed 20-year-old Richard Ray Tyson on May 9, allegedly for a bicycle municipal code violation.
According to police, Mr. Taylor ran into an apartment complex, hid in the bushes and advanced toward an officer, while reaching for his waistband when he was ordered to surrender. The officer shot him twice in the head and once in the back.
During a meeting with IPD Chief of Police Julius Davis, Min. Tony found out that Mr. Taylor had no gun or any other weapon. Min. Muhammad also questioned how Mr. Tyson could be shot in the back while hiding or lunging toward police.
Min. Tony and the MMM-MOD, along with gang intervention efforts, including 2nd Call, the Cease Fire Committee, Gangsters for Christ and Project Cry No More, held a press conference May 16 in front a make-shift memorial for the Mr. Taylor.
He began his address by applauding the Pirus’ work toward peace, and thanked Chief Davis for giving his word that no stone would be left unturned in getting to the truth.
“We certainly have some fundamental problems with how the police departments in Inglewood, Los Angeles–wherever Black and Brown people are–policing us differently than they do any other community. It is unheard of that any White child would be murdered for breaking a municipal bicycle code,” Min. Tony asserted.
Among the things the coalition is calling for are the immediate firing of the police officers who killed Mr. Tyson; a community policing that works with activists and does not misconstrue them as gang members; an independent federal investigation into the IPD; and for the police harassment to stop.
“We want to put pressure on ourselves. We’re asking gang members, everybody, let’s cease fire. And we, Black men and women, stop the killing of us by us. If we stop, you will stop,” Min. Muhammad said.
Min. Muhammad plans to culminate the 180 Hood Tour with a mass meeting and grand re-opening of Muhammad’s Mosque No. 27 this year.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA
In Phoenix, more than 50 political and spiritual leaders, entrepreneurs, journalists, educators, and youth filled The Community Room at Cesar Chavez Library on the city’s southwest side Apr. 28 to hear Dr. Abdul Alim Muhammad, a National Spokesperson for the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan, outline the Millions More Movement (MMM) structure.
Dr. Alim’s topic was “The Urgency of National Development For Our People,” where he passionately defined “movement” and elaborated on the importance of Atonement, the Universal Law of Cause and Effect, and consequences of failure to act.
“Movement is when everyday people are energized around collective goals,” Dr. Alim said. “A Movement is multi-faceted, dimensional and operates on all levels where everyone’s interests of good are served in and by that Movement.”
Continuing, Dr. Alim noted that the concepts of the MMM are atonement, reconciliation and responsibility.
“Atonement is a work not just words!” he insisted. “We really don’t need speeches about atonement; we’ve got the best words, the best preachers–we now need the work that corresponds to the preaching. That is what our people are looking for.”
The Nine Ministries of the MMM–Health and Human Services; Agriculture; Education; Defense; Art and Culture; Trade and Commerce; Justice; Information; and Science and Technology–are all designed to solve human need issues, Dr. Alim explained.
“The Millions More Movement is a Movement through steps of atonement toward perfect unity of humanity, starting with self, family, and community.
Dr. Alim also outlined a parallel development structure linking the Nation of Islam and Black community through the Millions More Movement.
“Our goal is to galvanize parallel motion between us,” he proclaimed. “We must be clear that there is no central leadership in a Movement, because the people determine what is right for their local needs and function accordingly.”
DENVER, COLORADO
Meanwhile, Bro. Afsar Muhammad, chair of the Colorado Millions More Movement, along with Bro. Gerald Muhammad, recently participated in the NAACP Youth Council’s “Jail is No Place to Be Somebody” Conference held at historical Denver East High School. Reverend Leon Kelly of the Open Door Youth Gang Alternatives served as a guest speaker.
According to Dr. Carolyn Phillips, Youth Advisor for the Denver NAACP Youth Council, the conference was recently changed from a crime prevention effort to an education and empowerment one, which empowers youth to take control in their neighborhoods and teaches them about the gateway crimes, she informed.
According to Dr. Phillips, over 300 youth and their parents attended the event, which included Millions More Movement members as hosts and conference planners.
“Our boys on the youth conference overwhelmingly wanted Bro. Gerald and Bro. Afsar to return to the conference and speak to them about responsibility. One of the children said, ‘That man told us all about ourselves, and we want him to come back. He didn’t sugar coat the message,”’ she said.
Minister Tony Muhammad, NOI Western Regional Representative, provided the closing remarks in an address titled, “Where Do We Go From Here?” which encouraged attendees to talk “up” to youth, and not down to them.
The Movement Continues!
(Fabraye Muhammad and Afsar Muhammad contributed to this article. Those serious about participating in the MMM may visit www.atonementcommission.com, where they can download The Ministry Work Parts I-V.)
