Newspaper Page Text
Page 4
The Wolverine Observer
January 31, 1985
Muslim
Leaders
Visit Atlanta
by Sabir Kasib Muhammad
World Muslim leader, Imam
W. D. Muhammad, leader of the
largest Muslim movement in the
Western Hemisphere, is
scheduled to speak on February
9,1985 in the Martin Luther King,
Jr. International Chapel on the
Morehouse College Campus.
Dr. Na’im Akbar, noted psy
chologist, author, lecturer, and a
member of the American
Muslim Mission, during an inter
view following a recent speech at
the King Chapel said that
historically the most valuable
knowledge was that which was
hard to find. This had to be
sought after and he said that the
serious student seeking for
knowledge would have to un
derstand that this country would
not give us the knowledge that
would really help us and that
they should earnestly seek the
solutions of Imam W. D.
Muhammad.
Imam Muhammad assumed
the leadership of the Nation of
Islam in 1975 and since that time
he has steered the community
away from the racist, separatist
views of its beginnings to the
mainstream of Islamic workship
practiced by billions of Muslims
the world over. He is a much
sought after speaker for com
munity groups, schools and
others. He has gained respect
throughout the Muslim world
where he is regarded as one of
the most knowledgeable men in
the world.
Imam Muhammad is
scheduled to speak at 8 p.m. and
the public is invited free of
charge. His visit is sponsored by
Atlanta's Masjid Al-Muhminun
of the American Muslim Mis
sion.
STUDENT
LOANS
&H.E.L.PJ
Higher
Education
Life
Planning
(404) 980-2831
by Michael Phillips
On January 26, a capacity
crowd at the Atlanta CivicCenter
heard Minister Louis Farrakhan
preach the gospel of the power.
Economic power, that is. The
Muslim minister is on his first
tour after a brief period of rest
lasting two months.
Farrakhan, 52, is now touring
nationally and trying to develop
an economic movement for
power. "Power” in this case
stands for People Organized
Working for Economic Rebirth.
The spiritual leader of the Final
Call movement (under the name
of the Nation of Islam) injected
himself in the national spotlight
by supporting the Reverend
Jesse Jackson's attempt to
become the Democratic party’s
presidential nominee last year.
The group also gave Jackson
security during the primaries
where he received 104 death
threats. The Nation of Islam is
presently busy preparing for
.their annual Savior's Day Con
vention to be held in Chicago,
III., on February 23-24 1985.
Farrakhan has now set his
sights on building an economic
movement among blacks that
will create industry, commerce,
and jobs. He told the audience
that blacks and the great society
programs initiated by the civil
rights movement were now
"expendable baggage" in presi
dent Reagan’s economic
program.
Farrakhan then compared
blacks to the Biblical character
Lazarus who laid at the rich
man's gate begging. “Black peo
ple in America like Lazarus sit at
the foot of white America begg
ing for the crumbs that fall from
her table, he said.
The minister went on to tell
the crowd that blacks should not
despair because Reagan has won
a second term in office because
the president is going to force
blacks to produce goods and
trade for themselves. To this end
as part of his power movement
Farrakhan told the audience that
he plans to develop both
toothpaste and mouthwash to
market. Adding that Blacks
spend $30-35 million a year on
toothpaste alone.
The address that Farrakhan
made is available on cassette
tape and is entitled, "Power, At
Last... Forever.” The tapes sell for
$10 and the proceeds will be
used as seed money for the
power movement according to
the minister.
All interested persons wanting
a tape or more information
about P-O-W-E-R should write
to: POWER c/o Independence
Bank 7936 S. Cottage Grove,
Chicago, III., 60619. Or call 1-800-
43-POWER
POLITICAL
PERSPECTIVE
by Noran L. Moffett
The way we were and the way
we are. What way is it going to be
for African-Americans?
Whatever the situation may be
nothing will change without a
struggle.
There must be a consciousness
about a problem or event before
an intelligent effort to eradicate
the existence pf the problem. As
mentioned in the previous issue
1984 was the year of the "White
Manifesto." Let’s analyze some
of the supportive evidence,
which were both obvious and
covert.
There is of course a term
given to us by the Honorable
Elijah Muhammed that describes
these actions "TRICKNOLOGY."
In 1984, on the sports scene,
both professional and college we
had the "Great White Hopes."
The NCAA Champions were
Georgetown with a majority
Black team and coach,
HOORAYI Remember, it is a
predominantly white university.
When people look back in
history they will read
Georgetown 1984 National
Champions. Now most assuredly
John Thompson will be known as
the first black coach to win this
prestigious title yet, he himself
says that many black coaches
could have done the same.
As a fan watching and listening
to sports, haven't you noticed
how the announcers
overemphasize everything white
players do? That brings us to the
greatest example of this analysis
on sports, Larry Bird, believe me
politics is everything including in
sports. It would be unjust to say
he is not a very good basketball
player. However, media has
billed him as the best basketball
player ever; not to mention,
awarding him the NBA's MVP.
His peers awarded the MVP to
Bernard King. Think about it.
In college football a white
quarterback received the
Heisman Trophy for the first time
since 1972. The media again
sensationalized it by creating
another "Great White Hope?"
Believe me these things are very
political. Let us not forget their
messiah Dan Marino of the N.F.L.
Yet they talk about Hitler’s aryan
supremacy theory. Wake up
people, history is not far remov
ed.
That reminds me, when I
mention Hitler, the Olympics
can't be omitted. The Americans
and press (to be more specific
white Americans) scorned Carl
Lewis, our eyes should have
been forever open. This really
wasn't any different from the
way Jesse Owens was treated,
remember he won FOUR gold
Medals at the 1936 Olympic
games. Most of the coverage and
attention during the games went
to who? That is exactly right the
"Prototypical Great White
Hopes" were given the glory.
There is a lack of or different type
consciousness today. Remember
in 1968, two brothers raise there
first during the playing of the
National Anthem in a Black
Power salute. This year they were
crying and waving flags. Please
brothers and sisters wake-up
from this illusion. Valerie
Briscoe-Hooks should be a
household name, yet we con
tinually hear about Mary Lou
Retton.
This is very political, Valerie
Briscoe-Hooks not only won 3
Godl Medals, she is also a wife
and mother. If a white woman
with a family had accomplished
this unprecedented feat in track
and field, she would be on every
box of cereal in America. It must
be remembered that both
political parties pushed this
family concept, so what greater
example of family and
womanhood does this beautiful
African-American queen repre
sent. There of course were many
more, but very few are receiving
endorsements as appreciation
for aiding to promote the 'Star
Spangled Hustle.'
This year, 1984, also had race
riots, one in Waynesboro, Ga.
Black people are being forced
out of neighborhoods. Yet we
still love everybody, but not
enough to speak to each other
on campus, around the AU
Center, and within our com
munities. There are many
problems we must concern
ourselves with and begin to
organize around motion and
structure. Please, no matter what
your major, reflect upon a single
problem in your society or
institution that affects you and
strategically pursue a course of
action. The slavemasters
children have shown us in court
decisions, the political arena,
socially and most certainly
economically that they do not
want us anymore. So we must do
for self. In every part of the
world, people are demonstrating
there contempt for the
diabolical arrogance of America.
In conclusion, there were
many things omitted about 1984,
both of positive content and
negative as well. Ronald Reagan
said on election night after his
electoral 'White American
Manifesto', "You haven't seen
nothing yet" and don’t you
forget the potential and coming
implications of that statement.
The phrase "Come Alive in
*85" isn’t to be taken loosely.
When the Rev. Jackson said Our
time has come, we should not
have taken that phrase
emotionally, but as a premoni
tion. Minister Louis Farrakhan
has taken on the task in this year.
He spoke before a capacity
crowd at the Civic Center on
Saturday, January 26.
This my brothers and sisters
was his topic, “Power, At Last...
Foreverl This simply means Peo
ple Organized Working for
Economic Rebirth that’s the
power we need. So when 1985 is
reviewed there truly will have
begun a Black renaissance in
America and the world. Peace
and prosperity to all of the
oppressed people of the world.
Power to the people!
Coiege Press Service
“My folks are so upset about the failure of the
school prayer amendment we might even start
going to church!”
RESEARCH
Send $2 for catalog
of over 16,000 topics to
assist your research ef
forts. For info., call toll-
free 1-800-621-5745 (In Il
linois call 312-922-0300).
Authors 1 Research, Rm. 600-N,
407 S. Dearborn, Chicago, IL 80605