PHILADELPHIA (FinalCall.com) -The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan delivered a timely message at Tindley Temple United Methodist Church to a packed house in early September. The theme was based on the planned gathering in Washington, D.C. for Oct. 10 with the theme “Justice Or Else!”.

 “Any time we come together it’s important. It seems as though we are more of a family when we come together under the Minister,” said Tyrone Reed of Philadelphia.

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Lorraine Muhammad from Wilmington, Delaware (second from left) with some of her family members came to hear Min. Farrakhan in Philadelphia. Photos: Richard B. Muhammad

“I am never going to disagree with the Minister. Everything the Minister said he said it from truth,” he declared emphatically. Mr. Reed said he was still trying to do the things the Minister called for Black men to do 20 years ago at the Million Man March–be better husbands, fathers, and brothers, build communities, respect women and children and support progressive Black organizations.

“We still have a lot of work to do and we need to do more,” he said.

The most important thing he came away with from the Sept. 8 message was the need to spend Black dollars more wisely.  

Tindley Temple United Methodist Church was packed to capacity for the Minister’s message.

Brother Chris, also from Philadelphia, felt a highlight of the evening message was when Minister Farrakhan described Black people as “Made in America,” and mimicking the actions of White people–even to the point of killing one another.

“For me that was very profound. There is no protest or uproar when we kill each other but there is protest and uproar when cops kill Black people that’s what we got to get with,” he said.

Shadeed Ali was moved by everything the Minister shared. “What the Minister taught tonight he poured it right out there, the right knowledge, the right wisdom and right understanding. We need brothers like Minister Farrakhan to keep us grounded,” he said.

Lisa Ali told The Final Call an important aspect of what Minister Farrakhan taught was to hold our money and reject holiday spending based on pagan rituals. “The big question the Minister answered tonight for me was the Or Else! in the Justice Or Else! Tonight the Minister put it in the right perspective. Taking our money, holding our money in a peaceful manner and staying under the will of God and depending on him totally,” she said.

“The atmosphere in the audience was extraordinary. I felt like I was with family. The most important part was to be shoulder to shoulder with my brothers and sisters,” Ms. Ali added.

People began lining up to see and hear Min. Farrakhan so early that doors of the church had to open an hour early to accommodate the crowd.

Lisa Buchannan’s evening highlight was the Minister’s emphasis on unity. “Whether Muslim or Christian he talked about the importance of our coming together as one. We all believe in one God, we also believe that justice is now needed. I totally agreed with everything he had to say.”

Describing herself as a deep believer in Christ, she continued, “I do like to hear his words of knowledge and wisdom as well. His lecture was very informative. His presence moves me.”

Oliver Womack had no preconceived notions about the night’s theme, Justice Or Else!, when he came to the meeting. What moved him the most was the Minister’s recitation on the relationship of the Black male and female. “The Minister offered me a great refresher course tonight,” he said.

An F.O.I. distributes The Final Call.

Lionel Wardlaw from Garnet Valley, Penn., was struck by the Minister’s observation that the Ku Klux Klan exchanged its white robes for police uniforms and black judges’ robes. “They are no longer Jim Crow but James Crow, Esq.,” he said. “The one thing I would have liked is for the Minister to have elaborated more on the mobilization of our agenda and how we are to move out after the gathering with the election so close.”

Another young Black man said the media has completely twisted the Justice Or Else! movement trying to make it violent. “The reality is this movement is God’s thing. God is going to take care of this,” he said.

Giving his name as “Bernard,” he said after hearing the Minister he is inspired to go out and get others to come to Washington, D.C. on Oct. 10. “This movement is a long time coming and it is here now,” he said.

Fatimah Muhammad added, “What the Minister said tonight was very intriguing and inspiring. I want to give him more help to get more people involved, the youth of other religious denominations, with all of us under one unity.”

Lymaira Muhammad of nearby Chester, Penn., said, “Tonight the Minister spoke nothing but the truth. For me highlights included comments he made about the youth and women. His words moved me, how he stands up for Black people, how he is fearless. He knows what to say and has the back of the people. Tonight I learned that in the world that we live in we have suffered a beat down. It’s time to stand up.”

Lavinia Davis was another listener who heard the call to unity. Putting away differences and looking at the bigger picture is required, she said. “I had an opinion regarding the Justice Or Else! movement but after listening to the Minister I am more inspired, he puts you in a better place. It allows you to feel what he is feeling. What stood out most for me was the love present in the room, the appreciation of our people,” she said.

Youth and elders line up to enter Tindley Temple United Methodist Church.

Angela Russo of Trenton stated, “I came here thinking one thing about Justice Or Else! and left thinking the same thing. I believe in the Minister. Like I said I came thinking one thing and left on the same accord. The Minister said nothing that I disagreed with. I was moved by everything he said. I will be on the Mall come 10-10-15.”

Tevin Alieu came from Staten Island, N.Y., for the speech and knew nothing of the Justice Or Else Movement! prior to hearing from Min. Farrakhan.

‘I feel we have to be the ones to make that change, we have to bring about the justice starting in our own neighborhoods. For me the highlight was seeing such a diverse crowd of Black people coming together to hear a word from a brother who has done so much for our people. Being here was an honor for me. I appreciated the words from Minister Louis Farrakhan.   As a man tonight I learned a better way to represent myself,” he said.

“As we fight White supremacy, we also fight the White man who lives inside of us because unless you kill both cancers, the internal and the external, you can’t win against the evil. What impacted me the most tonight was the Minister’s call for an economic boycott,” commented psychologist and popular speaker Dr. Umar Abdullah Johnson.