A Perspective On Farrakhon

On 11/1/97, Meldola wrote a letter to Davey D:

"Davey D, I remember reading your column in BAM (if memory serves correctly). I would like to ask you if you are a seperatist. I believe race mixing is the salvation of our society. Since I know little of NOI other than what I get in the jaded media, I would like to understand the attraction of Minister Farrakahn."

Dear Medola

Farrakhon is about the business of looking out and protecting the interest of Black people... Race mixing and intergration although an ideal goal does not make sense in so many circumstances because such actions come without the transfer of power and the sharing of resources...

It's kinda like working at a radio station that plays Black music.. The station may stand for no colorlines and racial unity... But if there are no Blacks in programming or management.. and yet 90% of the music being played is created and performed by Blacks...Then you have a serious imbalance.. There is no true intergration..

Using this as an example to illustrate a larger point.. You can see how things are unbalanced... At the end of the day its a white face, and a 'white mindset presenting Black music... What may be important to me may not get highlighted by that white presenter....

With regards to Farrakhon.. I've had opportunity to meet and speak with him and see him action on a number of occassions... The things I saw.. I like and agree with... Is he perfect? No.. Do I agree with everything he stands for..? Not always.. But if given the opportunity I chose to present and highlight those facets and principles he stands for which I think will benefit me and my community... I've also come to see that he is quite willing to substantiate, debate and discuss his positions on various issues...

The NOI takes a number of positions which support their religious and social perspectives... Their call for Black unity, economic independence and moral accountability I agree with.. and support.. But I may differ in the fact that they don't see Jesus as the sun of God while I do.. They may see on religious grounds homosexuality as an abomination.. I don't... But that's their perspective...

The media is very quick to highlight and sensationalize things about the NOI which will agiatate and stir up emotions.. A lot of times things are taken completely out of context... I've seen it happen.. FYI the whole thing about racial separtion has a lot to do with reinforcing values and perspectives that are benficial to our community.. It's not about hating white folks... It boils down to our 'family' is dysfunctional and we need to come together and operate from a position of collective strength.. There are values and traditional perspectives that need to be adhered to by the Black community that may not necessary coincide with those values supported by mainstream culture... For example, the mainstream says crime is out of hand.. lock up the criminals and throw away the key... The NOI may take a different approach to resolving crime.. They may not want to have 'us' be hearded into the judicial system... They have a another way of dealing...

With respect to NOI.. I give them credit for encouraging discpline...and really going out and reaching out to young folks when soo many of us won't...If there's a better organization or choice.. then those entities should be out on those street corners letting themselves be known to these wayward kids..

Medola wrote:

"Is it OK for NOI to be down with Hussein who used chemical warfare on the Kurdish people?"

As you said the media is biased.. I have not really studied the whole situation with Hussein to comment.. I only know what I've read in the paper... Nor have I sopoken to anyone from the NOI about this.. so I can't comment...

Medola wrote:

"Let me say that I was out in the streets with people of all races after the King verdict came down. It was a riot in SF and like Ice T, it was one of the happiest days of my life; this country needs a good kick in the ass."

I was very sad by the riots.. while it was good the world got a chance to see the discontent.. Nothing changed in the long run.. A whole lot of folks went to jail or got charged and LA and other police munipalities had a chance to practice and test out new people control techniques and methods.. There were no long term highly anti-police brutality centers set up.. in our communities.. There were no new laws passed and basically a whole lot of folks are worse off then before.. What the media falsely reported was the whole gang truce... But that was on the way to happening way before the Rodney King situation...

Medola wrote:

"But I get a little discouraged with the type of unity encouraged by NOI. Should white people join the KKK out of a sense of white unity? - no fucking way. People of all races need to clean house - hold the leaders accountable."
That's true... Comparing the NOI to the KKK is ridiculous.. The KKK goes out and kills people.. They have 100 + year history of lyching Blacks and they were a main force in that dreadful period called Reconstruction... The NOI has not gone around encouraging Blacks to kill whites...etc etc..

As for white unity I can't really say what that is.. I see within white society.. Irish unity, Italian unity, Jewish unity etc... Unfortunately Blacks don't have any history of their ethnic backgrounds we only know our shared history of enslavemnt and beyond...We're not an homogenous group.. But we're forced to be because the mainstream responds to our racial features and not our values and perspectives.. The white cop with the bully club does not see a Jamaican, Hatian, Brazilian or American born Black.. He sees us all the same...

Medola wrote:

 
"I will continue to date, and party with African-American women or Hispanic women. If NOI or the rappers allied with him don't believe in it, too bad. I will continue to rebel with people of all races against the power (yes, mostly white) structure."

You should do and fight for what you think is best... Why you chose to date and party with AA or Latino women is really only something you can answer and be comfortable with.. Hopefully its because of common interest...and shared values... The separation you speak of goes alot deeper then Black folks hating white folks... It has more to do with building up a community and ultimately providing that community some equal footing in an unbalanced world... Its easy for all of us to say we want these ideal goals.. racial unity, peace, food and clothing for everyone and an end to economic oppression.. Its easy to say until we have to give up our own comforts.. Its like if we're really true to all this.. lets give the land back to the Native Americans.. Lets turn over the Western states to those who were originally native to Mexico.... Lets give away our food and clothing to those really in need etc.. Most of us won't go there... We want the goals and priviledges but not the sacrifices....

Sincerly
Davey D
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