Louis Farrakhan's Cry to Rebuild Families, Cities at Million Family March

Scores Hear Farrakhan's Cry to
Rebuild Families, Cities
at Million Family March

16-10-2000

Before throngs, Louis Farrakhan castigated do-nothing politicians and policies that hurt families, in announcing his plans to help get youths out to the polls....

Updated at 7:30 p.m., Oct. 16, 2000 - Washington, D.C. - Tens of thousands rallied in Washington today for the Million Family March, hearing a call from Nation of Islam leader Min. Louis Farrakhan to strengthen America's families and the institution of marriage. Also, he called for contributions to a fund designed to help rebuild America's "wasted" cities.

At the rally, timed to coincide with the fifth anniversary of his Million Man March, Farrakhan decried the "poison" infecting U.S. families in a two-hour speech and oversaw a mass wedding ceremony.

Farrakhan asked for those at the rally and families across the nation to contributed at least $100 each to establish a fund of between $500 million and $1 billion.

Then, after a year, with the permission of the contributors, he would ask private corporations for donations of one-tenth of their profits, and later ask for government contributions.

"I promise you on my life that no foolishness will go on with that fund," Farrakhan said.

"We'll be able to rebuild the wasted cities, not just depending on government, but getting government to respond to our needs."

The establishment of the fund appears to counter criticism heard after the tremendously successful Million Man March that the rally had not offered a specific national agenda.

Many details related to the fund were not explained, including who would be its trustees. However, Farrakhan did give a mailing address for the fund:

Seaway National Bank
Million Family March Economic Development Fund
P.O. Box 19522
Chicago, IL 60619

An informal poll after the march found varying views on Farrakhan's initiative. "When you look right to the roots of it ... I don't think this is really about unifying mankind. I'd be a little suspicious about it because for Farrakhan, it's all about getting money to keep his organization growing," said Luqman Abdullah, a 52-year-old Sunni Muslim who lives in Washington, D.C.

On a more optimistic note, DeMarlo Muhammad, 27, of East St. Louis, IL and a member of the Nation of Islam, said "I think everyone should take the message and implement it in their daily lives. I think whatever the honorable Min. Louis Farrakhan says he will do with the money, I know that he will.

"I loved the message and I think if we are all of the same accord and looking to unify, that we should contribute and good things can happen."

But most of those in the crowd praised the day's overall emphasis on family values. Bladensburg, Md., residents Adina Gittens-Smith and her husband, Njonjo Smith, the parents of two young children, were buoyed by the rally: "It reminded us to recommit to our families and being here made us really understand the reasons why we came together to begin with and we plan to really rebuild on that," Adina said.

Early in the speech, Farrakhan touched on a variety of subjects, from mutual respect and love as a key tool to save humanity, to his opposition to abortion to U.S. foreign policy in Africa and Cuba.

On racial purity: "If you want to keep your race White, that's a decision you make ... but you don't have to destroy others ... to the Ku Klux Klan, the Aryan Nation, if you want your race to be pure, good. But then don't try to break into my family because some of us feel the same way."

On hip-hop: "Don't call any woman a ho'... I want to see our lyrics come out of gangsterism. But I want to clean up the gangsters in this house. Help me clean out the gangsters in government," referring to government leaders who seek to have leaders of other governments killed.

He said he would join with hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons in efforts to get more youths to vote in the Nov. 7 presidential election.

Farrakhan repeatedly talked of cooperation among peoples of various races and religion. Though recovering from prostate cancer, he appeared remarkably fit, staying at the podium for his two-hour speech, which was carried live on the BET cable network, and for more than an hour of other remarks, including presiding over a mass wedding ceremony designed to underscore the importance of marriage.

Farrakhan began his speech shortly after 2 p.m. (ET), or about five hours after the official program began, with a variety of speeches and entertainment acts.

It's unclear how many people attended because the National Park Service police discontinued issuing a count of crowds at such Washington demonstrations after its undercount of the Million Man March was the subject of much controversy.

The Washington subway system reported at 1 p.m. that 286,000 riders had taken its trains, an increase of about 10 percent over a normal Monday, but less than the 300,000 that had been clocked at the same time five years ago.

But the smaller crowd didn't seem to discourage organizers pleased that 75-degree weather and sunny skies greeted the crowd. Looking around at the slowly building crowd about 9 a.m., Min. Benjamin Muhammad, march organizer with the Nation of Islam, said, "The spirit of the Million Man March is still alive. Three weeks from now we have got to march on the polls."

Muhammad was followed by a number of prominent speakers, including the Rev. Al Sharpton; Martin Luther King III; rap music foe C. Delores Tucker; activist and health guru Dick Gregory; the past president of the National Council of Negro Women Dorothy I. Height; radio and TV talk show host Bev Smith and the Martin Luther King Jr. biographer, the Rev. Michael Eric Dyson.

Dyson remarks on the Black family were particularly poignant: "The temptation on the one hand is to blame so-called single motherhood or absent fatherhood - both of those are destructive and problematic. The reality is that we have to face the other problems that are confronting Black fathers," such as war against welfare and the rise in conservatism, and "narrow" family values.

But he held individuals responsible, too: As fathers, "we ought to plant seeds, not just biological seeds," Dyson said. "We must plant spiritual seeds of spiritual maturity - beyond the materialism, the bling-bling culture, the back-it-up culture."

Among those gathered on the Mall listening to the speakers were Corey Pettigrew of Indianapolis who attended the Million Man March and made the 11-hour drive again for this rally. The 26-year-old mentor with the Big Brothers of Greater Indianapolis, came with his girlfriend, Kelli Rogers, 26, and 11-year-old mentee James Merrill. For Rogers and James, the trip to Washington was a first.

"I want James to understand the importance of family," said Pettigrew. "...There are Christians, Muslims, and even Native American families here. We have come here together as one family that represents the future."

Hampton University senior William Garvin didn't make it to the 1995 march but felt he had to come this year to be a part of history. "I am not a particular supporter of Min. Farrakhan," said Garvin, 23, "but anyone promoting positivity is worth listening to." The march's racial diversity was evident, as Whites, Latinos, Asians, Native Americans and others made the trip to Washington.

George Howe, a 45-year-old White Bostonian, arrived with three bus loads of fellow members of the Unification Church - one of the march's major underwriters. Howe also brought his wife, Sumie, who is Korean, and the couple's children, Joshua, 7, and Katie, 9.

"This is just a start," Howe said of the march. "We have to develop the idea of one world family. It's more than just a concept to pray about."

Bro. Sam Franklin, 32, and Lashanda Johnson, 26, who recently moved from Chicago to Fort Wayne, Ind., seeking to get away from crime and violence.

"The kids would be more free in Indiana, away from the gunshots and violence," said Johnson. They came to the march "to teach our kids about togetherness, to build a better bond."

Added Franklin, "I missed the Million Man March. I had to sacrifice to come to this one."

Washington, D.C., resident Erica Hunter, 28, who recently separated from her husband, felt compelled to attend the rally with her 9-year-old son, Keyon.

"This march means peace, unity, love, love for one another," said Hunter, "a base for my family, a chance to learn and to grow, and an experience I can give back to others."

Regarding her personal circumstances, she said: "There are so many people who run out and get divorces. Marriage is full of trials and tribulations that you have to work through together. Me and my husband are pulling together to work out our differences because we want to keep our family together."

At 5 a.m., long before daylight broke, believers were bowed in prayer along the national Mall. Their prayers had to compete with the rumbling of buses along nearby streets that were bringing thousands more African American families to the Million Family March on the Mall.

By the time the sun's pink rays tickled the perfect autumn sky and the somber drums sounded beneath a Native American chanter's call, Marvin Muhammad could see what the day had brought.

"We've come together as a family here today," said Muhammad, 30, a businessman from Norfolk, Va., who made the trip as part of a caravan of 10 tightly packed bus loads, along with his wife, five children and a nephew. "This is a positive step of what we need to do to come together as a whole."

Today, many will reflect on the ideals of the Million Family March, which are as old as our history. Family first. Responsibility. Peace.

"We want our children to see that they have a larger family and a responsibility to their other family members, fellow brothers and sisters," Marvin Muhammad said.

Cynthia Brevil, a 23-year-old recent graduate of Florida International University, made the trip to Washington for one reason: "I want to be part of history."

Read also:

An organized snubbing
of the Million Family March

Get More on the March

Scenes from the March

Special report on the March

Farrakhan spoke about his call for a million families to march

Factual Analysis:
Remembering Dewayne Wickham -
The Million Family March and The Media

With less than a week before the Million Family March, scheduled for October 16th, 2000 in Washington DC, undoubtedly skeptics and critics will emerge to offer their "expert" insights, judgment and analysis regarding the legitimacy of the march agenda and its leaders.

As in 1995, it would be expected to hear many white critics challenge him as well as Jewish critics based on their academic arrogance, unintentional ignorance, and intentional deception and since Jewish antipathy toward Minister Farrakhan while well known and documented is entirely without merit.

No one who holds a highly visible position within a political organization, religious organization or other structural framework will escape criticism. In fact, the only way to escape criticism is to say nothing, do nothing and have no impact.

When looking at leaders, there are those who are often quoted by the media, but have no real influence or constituency. Then there are those who may not be quoted as often, however wield tremendous influence and have a constituency larger than many analysts know or care to acknowledge. And then there are the wannabe leaders who actually make things worse by confusing people who don't know any better.

LEADERS ARE PEOPLE TOO

It is normally not the policy of the TEI to challenge individuals, only ideas and principles, but we digress for a moment in order to address an issue prevalent within the journalistic community.

If you recall, last year, August 9th, 1999 the USA Today published "If Farrakhan Dies, So Does His Group." written by Dewayne Wickham, a syndicated columnist.

Many were stunned and felt that Wickham's column was one of the most insensitive and tactless opinion columns ever written. Though there was some public speculation and discussion regarding what would take place and the condition and effect of his health on the health of the Nation of Islam, no one brazenly and openly gloated in the possibility of such an evil accident of time as did Mr. Wickham.

It is exactly these types of writings that give journalism a bad image, and those journalists who adhere to common principles of decency a bad name.

Let's examine some of Wickham's words:

"Depending upon whom you believe, Louis Farrakhan is either on his deathbed or has undergone a near-miraculous recovery from a life-threatening recurrence of prostate cancer. Regardless of the truth, the conflicting reports about his condition that emerged over the weekend drive home the point that the ailing 65-year-old Nation of Islam leader has more yesterdays than tomorrows."

Amazingly, not even the ADL who are acknowledged sworn enemies of Minister Farrakhan and the Nation of Islam wrote anything as unfeeling and uncaring as what Mr. Wickham wrote for the world to read on the pages of the USA Today newspaper. He goes on to write:

"... with the recurrence of Farrakhan's cancer and talk of him taking a four-month sabbatical, it remains to be seen whether he will have much of a hand in the planning [of the Million Family March] or whether the event will still happen."

Throughout his writing, Wickham continued in speculative terms about the world without Farrakhan, and of all the articles that were published regarding Minister Farrakhan's illness, and near death experience of which there were hundreds this one stood out because of its callousness and insensitivity.

Did Mr. Wickham consider that Minister Farrakhan is a husband?

Did Mr. Wickham consider that Minister Farrakhan is a father and a grandfather?

Did Mr. Wickham consider that Minister Farrakhan is loved and honored by millions around the world?

How would Mr. Wickham feel if the same things had been written about him during a personal struggle between life and death?

It is easy to see why some white commentators and media would arrive at a faulty analysis of Minister Farrakhan's impact. It is more difficult determining why a host of Black critics arose in 1995 during the Million Man March, last year, during his near death experience, and probably will raise their voices at this time, to condemn him based on conclusions that are without merit.

This years event, has everything going for it, time, circumstances and place. The almost 1.7 million Black men who participated in the Million Man March in 1995 will certainly be in attendance to recreate the spiritual aura that surrounded them on October 16th, 1995.

The Black men who for whatever reason did not participate in the Million Man March in 1995, but wish they had done so, will be in attendance. And of course, the women who in deference to the collective need for Black men to unify first, stayed home in 1995 will be in attendance this year, along with the children that many of those men represent.

The media, and the angles taken during their coverage of the Million Family March actually helped to create awareness of the event, even though it appeared to be biased against the march and its leader, Minister Farrakhan.

Though the Million Man March drew men of all religious denominations, political ideologies and ethnicities, it was directed at Black men. A new component of this years march is the invitation being made to the entire human family, all colors, races, ethnicities, religious beliefs and political ideologies and economic levels.

Circumstances have developed, as in 1995 ensuring that the Million Family March, in the political context will be critical. This is the closest election in almost 50 years.

It is also one of the most intriguing -- with the naming of an orthodox Jew, as the Democratic Vice-Presidential candidate, Patrick Buchanan picking a Black woman member of the John Birch Society, Ezola Foster, as a running mate for the Reform Party, George Bush seemingly representing a return to the strong conservative right and the Ralph Nader-Winona LaDuke ticket verbalizing the thoughts and views of the liberal left.

What makes it more interesting is that Senator Lieberman has made overtures, stating that he wanted to meet with Minister Farrakhan, and that he admired him and his efforts. Much to the chagrin of the American Jewish Congress and the Anti-Defamation League who quickly released statements attempting to dissuade Lieberman from involving himself in a meeting with Minister Farrakhan, especially right before the Million Family March.

Wickham continues to display his flawed logic by concluding his column in the following manner:

"The loss of Farrakhan also will bring an end to the black nationalism era that began with Marcus Garvey and fed the belief that this country's race problem could be solved by creating a black nation within the United States. Now that we are confronted with the mortality of the leading proponent of this bankrupt idea, maybe the rest of us will get about the difficult business of bridging the yawning racial divide that gave rise to Farrakhan and his Nation of Islam."

How does he feel now that Minister Farrakhan is on the verge of leading one of the largest displays of unity ever seen in the history of this nation?

An endorsement from Minister Farrakhan, representing at least 3 to 5 million votes or more is very significant and could prove to be pivotal in the 2000 presidential election. It is obvious that Wickham's analysis is completely at variance with the facts.

Does anyone even care who DeWayne Wickham endorses?

Letter to Radio Islam
17 - 10 - 2000
Mr. Rami,
Assalamualikum.

Thank to Allah that i have got a chance to listen Mr. Farrakhan's speech on the TV (C-Span) which he delivered in the Million-Family-March.

I believe that Mr. Khan is not only an American black leader but also a leader of American Muslim community.

I'm an immigrant in this country from Bangladesh.

Alhamdulillah, as i have seen on the TV that a big amount of people gathered in Washington DC to join that March.

But i didn't see any Muslim face from the Indian region or from the Arabian region, which really hurt me.

I felt like i have been left out from the American Muslim community even though the famous American-Muslim leader has delivered his speech in that huge crowd.

It seems to me that We are the Indians' (the Indian sub-continent) and Arabians' were left out just because we are not black enough to join FarraKhan's Million-Family-March.

Now you might ask that how FarraKhan could reach every single Muslims in this country?

The answer is: There are various kind of Press, NewsPapers and Electronic Medias out there.

I personally watch ' NY1, ABC, CNN' and i have to use various Web sits and servers ( Netscape, NetZero, Yahoo, Aol, etc) at least 4 times a day, but i haven't seen any advertisements on any of them.

If we still don't know how to use the Medias to reach, and to gather our people, then i guarantee that we will be deprived, will be tortured, and will be called terrorist by the jews who controlled the Media, who always update them selves.

I hope our leaders will realize soon that we need to get control on Medias, and how to use them to our favor.

Thank you. And Assalamualikum.

Mazharul Islam Ripon

Farrakhan´s Speech on

Jewish Racism

listen to
Farrakhan´s Speech
in Madison Square Garden, New York

USA´s Rulers:

All Are Jews!

Farrakhan:
"Choose Life Over Death"
------------------------------------------------------------------------

7-09-2000

By Nayaba Arinde

On run up to Million Family March, Min. Louis Farrakhan, Nation of Islam leader, urges Blacks to take cancer exams

On the fifth anniversary of the Million Man March, a cancer free Nation of Islam leader Min. Louis Farrakhan wants the two million Black men who went to Washington by plane, train and automobile to this time take their families to the same venue this October 16.

The Million Family March will aim to inspire the same Black pride and commitment to rebuilding the family - in the same positive way that the original march had Black men returning to their communities and nationally fighting the relevant elements to reduce crime across the country.

The family, said an invigorated, although not fully recovered Farrakhan is the singularly most important unit in building a nation's foundation.

On Thursday morning - for the first time in two years Farrakhan addressed New York's Black press, at Harlem's Adam Clayton Powell State Office Building, he returned there in the evening to speak to the city's community, political and business leaders.

And the minister also spoke to the United Nations and Nation of Islam members On Friday evening close to a thousand people packed the Manhattan Center to listen to the words of Louis Farrakhan in his first major address in the city since his successful battle against prostate cancer. It was an illness which threatened his life and had him rushed to a Chicago ER last year and had and had some mainstream media talking about possible battles for succession in the leadership of the Nation of Islam. There were few signs of that illness and even fatigue, as an impassioned and rejuvenated Farrakhan broke down his social, economic and political blueprint for Blacks in America, in the run up to October's Million Family March.

With his 'National Agenda 2000-2008,' Farrakhan said that over the last several years there has been a steady erosion of the principles of democracy, family and social responsibility.

"We decided for the fifth anniversary of the Million Man March that we would do something to bring families together, because without a family, without the love and strength of marriage and family, no matter what we have or gain, it is of no value," he said.

However, a cause of much discourse in and without the Nation of Islam is Farrakhan's move to all inclusiveness, indeed on the stage at the Manhattan Center, Asians shared the podium and whites have been invited to participate in the October march.

"The Million Family March will be broader and more expansive in terms of scope and outreach based on the standard set by the Million Man March," the 'National Agenda 2000-2008,'states."[It] will involve mobilizing and organizing around the numerous public policyissues that impact the quality of life not only for Black Americans but also for Hispanic, Native, Asian and Pacific Islander, Arab and White Americans."

It was his brush with a near death that has informed this change, Farrakhan told his audiences, although he maintains that he is a Black Muslim, a fighter for his people, but one who now understands that since all suffer, he must speak to that suffering.

It is a conversation that Farrakhan will have to have many times evidently, as Black folk query his seemingly new position.

The mainstream media has made it appear like "'Oh, my God, Farrakhan had a bout with death and came out so changed that he's no longer able to speak to the hurt of his people,'" the minister said.

Nothing he said, could be further from the truth, "I am pro-Black, thank almighty God - I make no apology for that."

However, close to death in the emergency room, he was losing up to six units of blood as in excruciating pain, he said he spoke to Allah, thanking him for "allowing me to live and the service he's caused me to render,' Farrakhan said as he pulled back from the brink of death with Muslims, Christians, Jews and whites praying for him, he came to the understanding that he had to work for the advancement of life for all humanity.

"I was three minutes away from death. Jews prayed for me, Christians prayed for me - they had vigils in their churches, Hebrews prayed for me, Asians prayed for me, Native Americans prayed for me, the Muslim world prayed for me, white folk prayed for me. How in the world can I come through that now and not be conscious that I must speak now, not just for the hurt of my people, but the whole of humanity is suffering - and I must speak to that suffering - Jews included. I would love to see a [dialogue] between myself and the Jewish community - I want that. But, I will not compromise my principles to get that."

In explaining his new lease on life, he was open and graphic as he described to the Black press, what he went through during his battle with the cancer.

"The cancer has gone, what I am suffering from now is the after effects of extremely high dosages of radiation," said Farrakhan. As the audience shuffled uncomfortably, all, but visual in his illustration, Farrakhan went on to describe an additional probe that led to an ulcer which grew and bled from his rectum. The minister implored the Black community to "choose life over death. Cancer is effecting our community at a rate that it has never effected us before."

Women do not enjoy pap smears, he said, but in the interest of personal health and therefore that of the family and community, it has to be done.

Cancer he said is running rampant through the Black community. "Many of our great ones are dying from it," Farrakhan said. Black men have to get over the fear of an "embarrassing" rectal probe and get themselves checked out.

"Wouldn't itbe better to have a probe in that direction, than to be stretched out on the embalming table with the probe in another direction?" he asked. "If you are in your 30s as you reach your 40s, go get an examination."

Passionate and humorous - in some ways a speaker reminiscent of the Farrakhan of old, in other ways a revitalized man with a new leaning, the minister covered issues as far reaching as; the formation of the United States of Africa; to the morbid similarities between Republican and Democratic betrayals of the Black community; to the legal lynching of Shaka Sankofa; to his apology to Attallah Shabazz with regards to the climate set leading to her father Malcolm X's assassination; to encourage rappers to rhyme consciously; to the setting aside of religious and political differences among Blacks in order to defeat the one common "enemy" and destructive "unseen forces."

With regards to his meeting with rabbis and the like, Farrakhan said that it he is doing it in the interest of progression and quoted the Palestinian-Jewish recent history as the example "Doesn't it make sense that human beings who disagree should sit down and talk about their disagreement? That's imperative."

But, Farrakhan denied that he ever apologized to Jews, "I will never apologize to the Jewish community for telling the truth, but if they show and tell me where I'm wrong, I will apologize." That can't be done, he said, when they won't dialogue with him.

Noting that when considering a meeting with certain individuals, he was informed that they had preconditions. That he said, was not going to work.

"When you're used to Black folk bowing down, when your used to wielding what you think is power and our people start shaking and quaking, when you find a Black man that ain't gonna shake and don't quake, then you got to destroy him, 'cause you can't control him. I'll never be controlled by nobody but God. I reject that thought in a white man's mind that I've got to come to you on my knees in order for us to have a dialogue. Who the hell do you think you are? I'm a man and you're a man."

Planning to "Galvanize the dissatisfied," forceful and considered, Farrakhan assured the Black community, "I am pro-Black, thank almighty God - I make no apology for that - and I am anti that which is detrimental to us as a people, whether it comes from our own people or other than our own people."

FARRAKHAN:
Why Should There Be A National Agenda?
^{(Statement from the Honorable Minister Louis
Farrakhan,

Convener of} ^{The Million Family
March}
and The National Representative of The Honorable Elijah Muhammad, January 4, 2000.)

It is clear form watching the political debate that has been going on in the country for the last several years that there is and has been a steady erosion of the principles of democracy. If this is to be a government of the people, by the people, and for the people, then the enlightenment of the people must be the cornerstone of a truly democratic society. It is only when the masses of the people are enlightened and have an enlightened self-interest that their vote in a democratic society has real meaning. With the erosion of the American educational system and the graduating of young people out of high school of whom 30 percent are considered functionally illiterate; with the dumbing down of the American people that they have become as sheep, easily led in the wrong direction, easily manipulated by powerful forces, then, democracy begins to loses its meaning in the lives of the masses of the American people; producing a tremendous degree of dissatisfaction. As a result, there has been a continuous decline in voter-turnout and participation in the last few presidential elections.

In the last presidential election, according to what we understand, nearly 50 percent of those eligible to vote actually participated in the electoral process. This means that one-half of the electorate did not bother to vote in the last presidential election. So, President Clinton won the election with nearly 30% of the 50% of the people who did vote which means that approximately 70% of the American people did not vote for President Clinton. The rise of anti-government sentiment reflected in the militia and in other organizations and groups within the country, and with mass dissatisfaction being seen among the people - Black, White, Hispanic, Asian and Pacific Islander, and Arab - are signs that the wise should and must reflect on upon.

In the last few years corporate America has spent nearly a billion dollars a year through their Washington lobbyists to enact legislation that is in the best interest of corporate America, while not necessarily in the best interest of the masses of the American people. Corporate America is now buying up newspapers, radio and television stations to control the means of dissemination of information to the American people. This is a further erosion of the principle of governance of, by and for the people.

We will find increasingly that corporations and their strong lobbies drive America's foreign policy which the American people believe is in the best interest of the American people while in many instances these policies are "anti" the best interests of the American people.

The industrial base of this nation is steadily disappearing. It appears that manufacturing, which is the bedrock of the work of the workforce is an industrial society, is being ceded to other countries in the name of free-market, economy and globalize - leaving the unlearned masses losing jobs and trying to fit in a service-oriented society. At some point, if the American people are now awakened they will wake up to find themselves under authoritarian, dictatorial rule masquerading itself as a democracy. Therefore, an agenda that comes from that is in the best interest of the people must be crafted so that the people are empowered to take the country back from the greedy merchants of death who now hold sway over the American government and its people. We have invited scholars from various communities to give their input to an agenda that we believe can become the basis of legislation that helps to redistribute the tax dollars of the citizenry in a way that is much more beneficial.

This is the way the tax dollars can be redistributed:

The greatest of the American people is educational enlightenment. This is what brings the potential human being out of the animalistic stage into the existence of a human being with respect for moral law and the principle that allows human interaction in a way that is pleasing to God and pleasing to man.

The next greatest need is the health of the people. Teaching the people the best way to eat to live and crafting those institutions that research and explore new ways and means of curing disease.

The most important need is that the country must be able to protect its citizenship through an enlightened, strong military force.

Each life is born into this universe with the responsibility and natural duty to do something for its self, otherwise it cannot justify its existence. All living creatures must do for self and it is this aspect of the natural law that the poorer class of American people, particularly Blacks, must accept their natural responsibility to get up, unite, and pool their resources and do everything that they can to develop themselves, create institutions that serve their needs and make government responsible to create the atmosphere that will allow all of the citizenry to enjoy the principles of freedom, justice and equality. These principles are the essential principles of life. The denial of any one of these is the denial of life itself. If the Founding Fathers saw that life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness are the inalienable rights of every citizen, then, we must maximize our ability to give life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness to ourselves and not just sit down and wait on benevolent government to do these things for us, for, the government is no longer now the true servant of the masses of the people, but has become the servant of those who are buying its votes and its allegiance in the name of democracy. This is why there must be a national agenda by the people, of the people, and for the people. This is why the national body must be enlightened so that we will make proper choices as to who will lead us and help to create a future for us and our children.

In a predominantly Judeo-Christian society, the Bible is or should be the basic book of instruction and guidance for the politicians as well as the people. The Bible begins with the Book of Genesis that tells us the story of creation. According to the Bible it was on the sixth day that God created man and woman. Before the creation of man and woman an entire earth and universe was created to serve the man and woman that God has created. So, the Bible teaches us that man, and it should be understood that this means man and woman, is The Glory of God. No matter how great all of creation is, human being is the greatest of God's creation. The second act of creation on the sixth day was a female and God put these two together and gave them instructions. So, before there were nations, governments and systems there was family. This teaches us that family is more important than the government and more important than the nation for it is out of family, and the needs of family, and the rights of family that governments are instituted among men.

The Holy Qur'an states that same principle differently. It teaches us that everything that God created was to serve the human being. The importance of family and its preservation is the duty of all legitimate governments and systems. Anything that disrupts family or is against the general welfare of the family is therefore against the aim and purpose of God and creation for He made all of creation to serve the man, the woman, the family.

Therefore, anything that we say or do is not in the best interest of family, the injures family, must be revisited and changed. Everything that we say and do must promote the good of marriage, the good of family, and the development of family, then, we know that we are in accord with the aim and purpose of God in creating family.

I have stated that every human need is a basic human right and any denial of the basic needs of the human being is a denial of their basic human rights. The need of every human being is food, clothing and shelter. God has prepared the earth to provide the needs of all its creatures. Surely the greatest of God's creation, the human being, should have access to food, clothing and shelter.

The human being has a need to be loved and that love is the nurturing force of the life in that human being. Therefore, every human being has the need for nurturing. Therefore, there is a need for a mother, a need for a father, and the need for family as the basic institution for the nurturing of the values that make us human beings.

In order that the human being be separated from the beast of the field there must be the introduction of knowledge and moral consciousness. Since the human being is created a social being, then there must be rules and regulations that govern human behavior that allow for good social relationships. This also is a human need and therefore a human right to grow up in an environment of love. Education is human need. Therefore, it is a human right. Good government has the responsibility to ensure that is citizenry is properly educated.

Moral consciousness develops out of the values taught by parents and exemplified in the actions of parents so that the home becomes the nurturing ground for moral values and moral consciousness. All of this starts in the family. Since the country today is more down with increase in violence, crime, child abuse, the abuse of women, then this is a manifestation of the imbalance of the human mind and this is a justification for a greater demand for proper education of all citizens. Where properly educated, properly nurtured, then all anti-social elements in behavior can be drastically eliminated.

January 4, 2000
The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan, Convener of The Million Family March
and The National Representative of Nation of Islam and of The Honorable Elijah Muhammad.

ISLAM AND REVOLUTION
To proclaim
"ALLAHU AKBAR"
(God is the greatest)
is to relativise all POWER, all POSSESSION and all KNOWLEDGE.
Before this cry of belief, we have seen in history
the arms of the most insolent armies lowered and blunted.