Perspectives
A step toward justice, but much more is required
Exoneration sounds like a mighty fine word. It rings in the ear as if all wrongs have been righted. But we should not be fooled by the so-called “exoneration” of two men jailed, maligned, hated for a murder they did not commit. Cyrus Vance, Jr., and others inside of the same system that perpetuated this fraud and destruction of Black...
‘What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?’
by Frederick Douglass (Below are excerpts from a major speech delivered by abolitionist Frederick Douglass, who spoke July 5, 1852 in Rochester, New York, to commemorate the signing of the Declaration of Independence.) Fellow-citizens, pardon me, allow me to ask, why am I called upon to speak here today? What have I, or those I represent, to do with your national...
Atrocities, murder, and no end to genocide in Gaza
News of famine and loss of life in Gaza should not surprise us as Israelis continue their deadly assault on Palestinians or anyone within the Zionist state’s kill zone. The murder of World Central Kitchen humanitarian workers struck down by Israeli Defense Force missiles have again brought words of “sorrow” and calls for investigation. There was presidential outrage in the White...
No rights a White man is bound to respect or protect?
If voting is the foundation of democracy and a sacred right of the citizens of any nation, the explosion of coverage about recent changes to voting laws in Georgia and pending voting rights legislation at the federal level should be getting intense scrutiny. And for Black folks who have invested so much into elections and voting, in particular in national...
Ramadan and Our Responsibility
With the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan, nearly 1.9 billion Muslims worldwide began special fasting and prayers in another annual celebration of the Holy Qur’an being revealed to our beloved and noble Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) some 1,400 years ago. The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan spoke May 11 on the Nation of Islam’s Ramadan Prayer Line (now called the...
Remembering the Million Man March: Reflections on Memory and Mission
This is in remembrance, reflection and uncompromising reaffirmation of our people and their radically transformative struggle. There is so much damage done to memory and mission in our lives and to our sense of self by large and small concessions to the constant call to let go and move on regardless of what is lost or left behind. We sacrifice...
The scientific role of race in sports
When Black Chicago Cubs manager Dusty Baker commented that "Blacks and Latins take the heat better than most Whites, and Whites take the cold better than most Blacks and Latins," his mistake was that he overestimated the knowledge of some of the people that would hear his statement. Some arrogant White commentators simply took the opportunity to suggest...
Declaration of independence
Minister Farrakhan was the featured speaker at a rally in the "cradle of liberty," Philadelphia, on July 4th, 1996. For the past 66 years, this date has taken on a dual importance in the study of our history here in the Western Hemisphere. The American colonists declared their independence from Britain on July 4, 1776, and...
From Venezuela; A Message of Solidarity
A balanced, beneficial relationship I recently visited Venezuela to congratulate President Hugo Chavez and the victory of the Venezuelan people to keep in office a leader who has turned around the country and its economy. We learned that the leadership of Venezuela decided to do two important things. One, to take 30 percent of oil revenues and direct...
Blackening Barack Obama
By Ron Walters-Guest Columnist- What I’m wondering right now is why none of the other candidates for president have been held to account for the sermons of their pastors. It’s not like the other instances where John McCain’s surrogate pastor was speaking for the campaign when he went off the deep end pronouncing Barack Obama’s full name repeatedly, or...