True Colors I: Louis Farrakahn
Louis Farrakahn.
Just to hear the name just automatically temps your head in to exploding into opinion. Being the product of an age where both the Civil Rights Movement and the ensuing Black Power Movement have expired and without the legendarily notorious opinion shakers of the time around currently present, Louis Farrakahn is simply one of the most controversial figures in social society. You rather love him or hate him. You rather respect him or despise him. You rather listen to him or ignore him. There is no inbetween with Louis Farrakahn. At least if there is, there won't be once he starts to speak.
Born in New York and raised in Boston, Farrakahn was known in a fomer life as a musician as "The Charmer". Notwithstanding the elegance he is still able to produce from a violin, Farrakahn's voice isn't one of a firey preacher or a passionate leader, but it is curiously calm and patient. He talks softly with hard words that leaves listeners vulnerable to his message. It disarms an objective listener to the extent objectivity is no longer able to suffice.
Louis Farrakahn was a product of the Civil Rigths Movement's Nation of Islam and followed faitfully to Elijah Muhammad's teachings. Once the movement ended as did the life of Muhammad, the Nation of Islam lightened many of its traditions and practices and was underway to a complete transformation. By the late 1970s, Farrakahn had enough and staying true to his original beliefs, he reformed the Nation of Islam as seen by the vision of Elijah Muhammad. Not to deviate and to give a full biography of Louis Farrakahn, it's important to know where the man comes from. But knowing that much, many still do not know where he has come from.
Being an inherent controversial figure, in the last several weeks, Farrakahn has stirred the pot even more, suggesting the lack of evidence to the condition of the broken levees long after the powerful force of a hurricane has dissipated, Farrakahn has hypothesize on what actually happened. This did not sit well with many. Some, inclined to agree with the minister agreed that there was a lack of evidence and Farrakahn's charges may have merit, while the majority have utterly dismissed Farrakahn and his ravings all due to a simple coponent: Race.
The racial issue has been the fuel to the fire of most of Farrakahn's career. Drawing out the stark differences and drawing a conclusion between the advantages and disadvantages grounded in race is what gives him his controversy. But this raises a question. If this nation did not have a problem with race, why would Farrakahn's fuel still be able to ignite his fire and intensify his flames? If the people of this nation in this day and age did not have a problem with race, as many claim, how can a man whose career has been grounded in the demographic still be as popular and controversial? The more you examine this question the more you will be inclined to agree that despite the claims of many, the United States of America has not purged itself of the racial dilemma and the fact that we haven't cannot simply be blamed on Farrakahn for pointing to it.
So who does have a problem with race? Is it those who agree with Farrakahn? That this nation has not gotten over it's past issues of race. Is it those who respect Farrakahn and tries to take the time and listen to him, for better or worse? Is it those who follow him and give credit to his beliefs? Maybe. But if you are going to look that, you had better look at the polar side as well. Those who hate Farrakahn, who tear at his character, who call him "Calypso Lewy" other ways of belitting him. I accuse conservatives for using what they fear, what they despise Farrakahn of using and what they never came to terms with since it was part and parcel of their ideology. I accuse them of using race.
No, I am not saying every single conservative is a racist. You will learn that that's a hard badge to earn and not liking a few black people won't cut it. I accuse them of not being able to look beyond it, because the more they hate on Farrakahn, the more I'm convinced they never actually listened to his message. Not once in the last several weeks have I heard any of his detractors actually refute or argue any of his valid and credible arguements. They insist on taking one issue an hollow issue and blowing it up and stake his identity on it. It is this ideology that has not come to terms with their past relationship with race in this nation. And don't think for a second that conservatism and the bigoted, discriminatory racism that thrived in this nation aren't linked. The modern Republican party was formed from the once conservative Democrats who could not follow the liberalization of not only their party but the whole nation. With the likes of Jesse Helms, Strom Thrumond and Trent Lott, these conservative Democrats switched parties and rejuvinated the defunked Repulblican party. With the culture of life and politics during that time, these individuals did adhere to a ideology that embraced racism. And no, I am not saying they still adhere to that same ideology. As I said the nation and politics all shifted left, and it still is to an extent. The times have changed, but nevertheless, those vestiges of racism still linger. For you to not recognize that is like them not recognizing that radical islamism isn't a pool where the ideology of terrorism exist.
Now, back to Farrakahn. Conservatives have not come to terms with this facet of their past and continue to ignore it as if it doesn't exist. Just becasue you ignore something does not mean it will go away. I should know. When you ignore something, you pretend it doesn't exist. And if it doesn't exist, whenever it does return you continue to stay away from it but this repulsion does not come from ignorance, but fear. It is this fear of race relations that drives their passsion and distain for Farrakahn and his vessel of race relations. And now, they refuse to see beyond that. And it is truly unfortunate because much of what Farrakahn says has merit and has grounding, but to his detriment, he does uses a racial coponent to push his message. Although it doesn't give the core of his message any less validity, it turns away those who never see the core of his message.
That core includes a strong message of personal responsiblity. That was what the Million Man March was all about. It was about a charge to unfortunately regimented black men who lack responsiblity to their lives and families. It was a charge to end the rabid black-on-black crime and ravage drug use and enormous prison incarceration and to live lives of production and to promote personal responsiblity and self-reliance. Now, who in their right mind would have the never to disagree with that? That is Farrakahn's message. His message also relied heavily on self-responsibility aspect that is the backbone of the conservative ideology. Farrakhan has opposed other black leaders and intellectuals like Jesse Jackson and Cornel West, who see coalition building as the answer to woes in Black America. Farrakahn sees the answer as building from within. Using our resources, our culture our history to repair the wretched situation we might find our race in. This was exactly what every other cultural and ethnic group has done in this nation and this is the hallmark of Farrakahn's teaching. Because he promotes building withing the Black community and to not rely on mainstream America, he's seen as a racial instigator, a baitor or at worse a racist.
It just really bewilders me how conservatives will snear and tear at Farrakahn and make him out to be a racist and a divider and they completely ignore the core of his message, which has a link to their ideology. But they simply refuse to see it all because of the coponent that drives it. That is completely comparable to not looking at a person's character, but rather the color of their skin. But the more they hate on him. The more they ignore his overall reformation, the more they combat the facade of his message and ignore the engine, all they do is make him more controversial. People do not turn away from controversy, they embrace it and that is why Farrakahn retains power.
Just to hear the name just automatically temps your head in to exploding into opinion. Being the product of an age where both the Civil Rights Movement and the ensuing Black Power Movement have expired and without the legendarily notorious opinion shakers of the time around currently present, Louis Farrakahn is simply one of the most controversial figures in social society. You rather love him or hate him. You rather respect him or despise him. You rather listen to him or ignore him. There is no inbetween with Louis Farrakahn. At least if there is, there won't be once he starts to speak.
Born in New York and raised in Boston, Farrakahn was known in a fomer life as a musician as "The Charmer". Notwithstanding the elegance he is still able to produce from a violin, Farrakahn's voice isn't one of a firey preacher or a passionate leader, but it is curiously calm and patient. He talks softly with hard words that leaves listeners vulnerable to his message. It disarms an objective listener to the extent objectivity is no longer able to suffice.
Louis Farrakahn was a product of the Civil Rigths Movement's Nation of Islam and followed faitfully to Elijah Muhammad's teachings. Once the movement ended as did the life of Muhammad, the Nation of Islam lightened many of its traditions and practices and was underway to a complete transformation. By the late 1970s, Farrakahn had enough and staying true to his original beliefs, he reformed the Nation of Islam as seen by the vision of Elijah Muhammad. Not to deviate and to give a full biography of Louis Farrakahn, it's important to know where the man comes from. But knowing that much, many still do not know where he has come from.
Being an inherent controversial figure, in the last several weeks, Farrakahn has stirred the pot even more, suggesting the lack of evidence to the condition of the broken levees long after the powerful force of a hurricane has dissipated, Farrakahn has hypothesize on what actually happened. This did not sit well with many. Some, inclined to agree with the minister agreed that there was a lack of evidence and Farrakahn's charges may have merit, while the majority have utterly dismissed Farrakahn and his ravings all due to a simple coponent: Race.
The racial issue has been the fuel to the fire of most of Farrakahn's career. Drawing out the stark differences and drawing a conclusion between the advantages and disadvantages grounded in race is what gives him his controversy. But this raises a question. If this nation did not have a problem with race, why would Farrakahn's fuel still be able to ignite his fire and intensify his flames? If the people of this nation in this day and age did not have a problem with race, as many claim, how can a man whose career has been grounded in the demographic still be as popular and controversial? The more you examine this question the more you will be inclined to agree that despite the claims of many, the United States of America has not purged itself of the racial dilemma and the fact that we haven't cannot simply be blamed on Farrakahn for pointing to it.
So who does have a problem with race? Is it those who agree with Farrakahn? That this nation has not gotten over it's past issues of race. Is it those who respect Farrakahn and tries to take the time and listen to him, for better or worse? Is it those who follow him and give credit to his beliefs? Maybe. But if you are going to look that, you had better look at the polar side as well. Those who hate Farrakahn, who tear at his character, who call him "Calypso Lewy" other ways of belitting him. I accuse conservatives for using what they fear, what they despise Farrakahn of using and what they never came to terms with since it was part and parcel of their ideology. I accuse them of using race.
No, I am not saying every single conservative is a racist. You will learn that that's a hard badge to earn and not liking a few black people won't cut it. I accuse them of not being able to look beyond it, because the more they hate on Farrakahn, the more I'm convinced they never actually listened to his message. Not once in the last several weeks have I heard any of his detractors actually refute or argue any of his valid and credible arguements. They insist on taking one issue an hollow issue and blowing it up and stake his identity on it. It is this ideology that has not come to terms with their past relationship with race in this nation. And don't think for a second that conservatism and the bigoted, discriminatory racism that thrived in this nation aren't linked. The modern Republican party was formed from the once conservative Democrats who could not follow the liberalization of not only their party but the whole nation. With the likes of Jesse Helms, Strom Thrumond and Trent Lott, these conservative Democrats switched parties and rejuvinated the defunked Repulblican party. With the culture of life and politics during that time, these individuals did adhere to a ideology that embraced racism. And no, I am not saying they still adhere to that same ideology. As I said the nation and politics all shifted left, and it still is to an extent. The times have changed, but nevertheless, those vestiges of racism still linger. For you to not recognize that is like them not recognizing that radical islamism isn't a pool where the ideology of terrorism exist.
Now, back to Farrakahn. Conservatives have not come to terms with this facet of their past and continue to ignore it as if it doesn't exist. Just becasue you ignore something does not mean it will go away. I should know. When you ignore something, you pretend it doesn't exist. And if it doesn't exist, whenever it does return you continue to stay away from it but this repulsion does not come from ignorance, but fear. It is this fear of race relations that drives their passsion and distain for Farrakahn and his vessel of race relations. And now, they refuse to see beyond that. And it is truly unfortunate because much of what Farrakahn says has merit and has grounding, but to his detriment, he does uses a racial coponent to push his message. Although it doesn't give the core of his message any less validity, it turns away those who never see the core of his message.
That core includes a strong message of personal responsiblity. That was what the Million Man March was all about. It was about a charge to unfortunately regimented black men who lack responsiblity to their lives and families. It was a charge to end the rabid black-on-black crime and ravage drug use and enormous prison incarceration and to live lives of production and to promote personal responsiblity and self-reliance. Now, who in their right mind would have the never to disagree with that? That is Farrakahn's message. His message also relied heavily on self-responsibility aspect that is the backbone of the conservative ideology. Farrakhan has opposed other black leaders and intellectuals like Jesse Jackson and Cornel West, who see coalition building as the answer to woes in Black America. Farrakahn sees the answer as building from within. Using our resources, our culture our history to repair the wretched situation we might find our race in. This was exactly what every other cultural and ethnic group has done in this nation and this is the hallmark of Farrakahn's teaching. Because he promotes building withing the Black community and to not rely on mainstream America, he's seen as a racial instigator, a baitor or at worse a racist.
It just really bewilders me how conservatives will snear and tear at Farrakahn and make him out to be a racist and a divider and they completely ignore the core of his message, which has a link to their ideology. But they simply refuse to see it all because of the coponent that drives it. That is completely comparable to not looking at a person's character, but rather the color of their skin. But the more they hate on him. The more they ignore his overall reformation, the more they combat the facade of his message and ignore the engine, all they do is make him more controversial. People do not turn away from controversy, they embrace it and that is why Farrakahn retains power.
posted by Shogunn at 1:34 AM
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