Commemorating the 12th anniversary of the Million Man March, Minister Louis Farrakhan told black Americans to look to themselves for support. The former Nation of Islam leader was in Atlanta just a few months after he gave what was billed as his farewell speech after being diagnosed and treated for prostate cancer. He spoke to an audience of nearly 5,000, warning them against materialism and seeing current successes for a few African-Americans as evidence of opportunity for everyone."We have to come out of the thinking of a slave and come into the thinking and acting of free men and women," Farrakhan said. "We cannot depend on others for what the horrible condition of our people demands now that we do for ourselves."
According to the Associated Press, Tuesday night's address was the keynote speech for Farrakhan's Holy Day of Atonement, which also commemorated the anniversary of the Million Man March, held
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By: blaqgod on 10/17/2007 10:21PM
Your in my prayers, honorable Farrakhan. Get well soon. We as a people will miss your strong, influential leadership in making us a free and independent people.
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By: Cecil Jones on 10/18/2007 8:39AM
As I listen to the voices of our ancestors in my head, I hear them screaming at the words of Bill Cosby and the Honorable Minister Farrahkan. They are upset at the current leadership representing the Black community for playing politics with the reality of Black plight. We did not impose slavery on our people. We did not deny equal opportunity. We were never in a position of power. We have been shut out of the American Dream and this is why our Civil Rights leaders have fought and died. The blood of our ancestors calls for a "Reality Check." Blacks did not put us in chains and the current crop of leader cannot free us from these bonds. Bill Cosby is telling us to embrace our chains and blame our sick and wounded. The Minister is encouraging us to fight back from a powerless position of inequity. What do our ancestors suggest? Instead of allowing the pent up rage and anger from the past to keep us divided, we must build a bridge to the future desired by all. Yes, Blacks must demand power and we must support our own agenda like the Jews. We must also work with Whites, Hispanics, and Muslims to build a future based on equality and respect. Our ancestors are angry at us for allowing a few fools to play the game of divide and conquer internally. Airing our "Dirty Laundry" lowers us by telegraphing what we do behind closed doors. What we see are the stains and that's just nasty. Obama is only one side of the bridge. Where is the White person on the other side with respect for Blacks? It's not Bill or Hillary Clinton. We've been there and done that. What did we get for supporting him? That's what I hear them screaming at me.
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By: Earth on 10/18/2007 5:31PM
Minister Louis Farrakhan is the most fearless, baddest, intelligent,fine looking, well dressed,can bring a million plus black men together, educated teacher,well respected, well loved, well spoken, great family man, no negativity around him, keep the muslims so repectful,well dressed,discipline, the list goes on, BLACK MAN on the planet earth. I love you Minister Louis Farrakhan.
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By: JERRY on 10/19/2007 5:55AM
THIS SO CALLED MINISTER IS A RACIST SCUMBAG. BILL COSBY SAYS WHAT SOME BLKS CANT TAKE,THE TRUTH.
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By: Brenda on 10/19/2007 5:50PM
I love Louis Farrakhan. He loves his people and preaches in a way that is not insulting or degrading. Bill Cosby could take a few pointers from him.
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By: DR on 10/21/2007 10:14AM
"We have to come out of the thinking of a slave and come into the thinking and acting of free men and women," Farrakhan said. "We cannot depend on others for what the horrible condition of our people demands now that we do for ourselves."
Smart man. Think like a slave, be a slave. Think like a free person, be a free person. Your life will go will you see it going. Where you focus, is where you go.
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By: Robin on 10/21/2007 11:54AM
It makes me angry that everyone is so disrespectful to each other. We cry about our past, but we continue to make a mess of our future. We say "Nig_er" is a forbidden word, but "Nig_a" is a term of endearment. We say we want equality, but we shout injustice when a brother is busted for his crime because we don't want our own to take responsibility for the choices they make. We holla that we want success, but we bad mouth those who obtain success (i.e. Oprah and Bill Cosby). We testest anyone who makes a better life unless they hand part of it to us. We protect the "thugs" and lynch the successful through our words. We put down all other races because they think different than we do. We still live in the days of slavery, and should remember, but should not keep ourselves there mentally as we are holding OURSELVES back. I'm a black woman who has seen my share of troubles, but each person has a choice whether to live in the past and keep themselves down, or live in the present and work towards a good future of success. We can't move forward if we don't stop living in the past. Yes, we were slave, yes we were treated like animals, but we have many doors opened up to us that are not being used because we sit behind closed doors feeling sorry for ourselves.
The "Nigg_" word keeps us in the past and reminds the rest of the world to think of us as nothing more than what we were. If you don't treat yourself and others with respect, then no one gonna treat you with respect!
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By: Natashya on 10/21/2007 1:49PM
The former Nation of Islam leader...
I think that says it all. Beware your children are being recruited by the very people we are fighting for our freedom.
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By: A. Singleton on 10/25/2007 8:49PM
Thank you Minister Farrakhan for continuing the Message of bringing knowledge of our true history, for instilling the wayward and the poor with pride, for teaching us not to be mental slaves, for showing us the power of economic ownership, for reminding us that we are a Proud People whose ancestors were Forced to make the world rich, while themselves were robbed of everything---pride, dignity, humanity, and worst of all knowledge of themselves as great human beings and their great contributions to civilization. All done to further dehumanize and cripple our ancestors to ensure their role as lowly beasts-of-burden, with nothing to hold on to, so that nothing prideful could be handed down to us. I stand in awe of what our Black ancestors had to overcome, and what they went through in the hands of monsters given legal rights to do anything imaginable to a slave---and they did. How can we not look at some of the ugliness handed down in our communities and not see where this filth came from?
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By: BLACKAMERICANTRIBE STAFF on 10/26/2007 7:04AM
visit.
www.BLACKAMERICANTRIBE.com
The only leaders that should be followed are those who are elected. The US has a number of well-educated Black Americans who are mayors of cities... councilmembers--etc. We should elect our leaders from those who have held elected positions of leadership--and done a good job. Never mind that the many fly-by-night self appointed faux leaders are as interested in promoting themselves, lining their pockets, and playing bigshot as they are helping folks. I will accept that, even. The problem is--they are just not smart enough or organized enough or wise enough or good enough to be in charge. We need leaders who have provent themselves to be exceptional--and who truly are dedicated to serving their people--first.
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