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Minister Farrakhan's appeal to street organizations to make peace

By Brian E. Muhammad -Contributing Writer- | Last updated: Sep 22, 2015 - 11:06:47 AM

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COLUMBIA, S.C. (FinalCall.com) - Leaders and youth from street organizations, also known as gangs, were given a special message of guidance, wisdom and instruction from the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan of the Nation of Islam. The virtual meeting was part of a nationwide tour galvanizing support for the upcoming “Justice Or Else!” gathering planned for the National Mall in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 10—marking the 20th anniversary of the Million Man March.

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The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan delivers a special message to Charleston, South Carolina street organizations, Sept. 14.
The Muslim leader spoke via webcast Sept. 14 after a visit scheduled for Sept 14-15 in Charleston, S.C. was cancelled. During the planned visit the 82-year-old “voice of truth” was to address over 300 street organization members from around the state. His message was also uploaded to YouTube.

“I’m so grateful that 300 young men and women wanted to come to Charleston to meet with me and I was really anxious to meet with you,” Minister Farrakhan said.

The Minister said he wished he could have been present in South Carolina to see and embrace each person viewing the webcast at venues in Columbia, Charleston and Greenville. “But thanks to technology I am … embracing you with the love that God has put in my heart for each and every one of you,” said Min. Farrakhan.

The session was successful, said Craig Khanwell, who worked with others to organize the meeting. “The countenance of the brothers and sisters in attendance completely changed,” said Mr. Khanwell. “Now the work begins, because the Minister has already raised the dead to life; so now we have to keep them alive.”

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A man who calls himself Goldie Loc, center left, walks with a man who calls himself Wolfe, center, right, celebrating on May 1, after State’s Attorney Marilyn J. Mosby announced criminal charges against all six officers suspended after Freddie Gray suffered a fatal spinal injury while in police custody in Baltimore. Loc said he is a member of the Crips gang and Wolfe said he was with the Bloods gang. Photo: AP/Wide World photos

For Mario X Hardwick, another meeting organizer and one who came out of gang life, the high respect given to Minister Farrakhan was also clear.

The youth felt comfortable being themselves because of the confidence, inspiration and love for the spirit of God, “knowing the Minister was going to address them,” said Mario X. “They came with a sincere spirit—it was like children seeing their dad for the first time.”

In the near one-hour talk Minister Farrakhan answered several questions provided to him, gave guidance and instructions on how to solve friction between street organizations and talked about the highly racist atmosphere against Black people in South Carolina. He spoke at length about the June 17 killing in Charleston, S.C., of nine people—including pastor and State Senator Clementa Pinckney at Mother Emanuel African Methodist Episcopalian Church.

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Youth and activists in South Carolina after hearing a message from Min Farrakhan via webcast. Photo: Brian Muhammad

“In South Carolina there was no real genuine sympathy for the 9 that were slaughtered because they seemed to want to get the young man (Dylann Roof) free by raising over $4 million for his defense,” the Minister said. “What kind of defense could he mount?”

According to reports Mr. Roof deliberately left one victim alive as a witness and admitted to authorities he did the crime. The sentiment of the people who donated a huge amount of money in a short amount of time was they didn’t care that Mr. Roof killed a pastor and state legislator along with eight others. For them Mr. Roof made a statement, the Minister explained.

He reminded the young people that in the immediate aftermath of the church tragedy, the Confederate battle flag was removed from the State Capitol grounds and many Blacks accepted that act as a victory.

The Minister called it removing a “symbol” without addressing the “substance” of racism in South Carolina. “The symbol was removed, but the substance of racial hatred and murder for Black people yet remains in the hearts of too many citizens of South Carolina.

“I wanted to come and pay my respect and lay a wreath there, in honor of those beautiful human beings, but I also wanted to say to us that we should never be so quick to forgive when a murderer is not even seeking it,” said Min. Farrakhan, referring to the immediate reaction of some clergy and family members to forgive the killer, linking it to their Christian faith.

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“We want to show we are true followers of Jesus Christ who said, ‘Father forgive them, for they know not what they do,’ but in reality these are people that know what they’re doing,” Minister Farrakhan said. “Because we have been here 460 years and they’re still doing the same thing that they did 460 years ago.”

This is why the gathering for Justice Or Else! was called, he explained. “Because at some point this behavior of the dominant society against us must end.”

We’re going to Washington, D.C. to say “enough is enough,” he said.

He also stressed the senselessness of gang warfare and fratricide is senseless often times over nothing. One of the questions the Minister answered was about a “declaration of war on gangs” by Columbia, S.C. Sherriff Leon Lott. “War on the gangs is a slogan to kill Black youth,” he said, adding “you must understand how powerful you really are.”

“That’s why we are asking for 10,000 fearless men that are willing to stand in the gap between the guns, so that we can set up conflict resolution centers to help you with your beefs so that the beef doesn’t get to be deaths on either side,” he said. “Once we can stop the killing and start seeing how valuable our lives are … the war on gangs is over.”

It’s the lack of the knowledge of self that perpetuates gang conflict and gaining self-knowledge is key to ending the violence, said Min. Farrakhan. “We are flesh of each other’s flesh … blood of each other’s blood … bone of each other’s bone and all of us have the same history of suffering,” the Minister said. To inflict suffering on one another makes Blacks more vulnerable as Caucasians come into our communities to kill us, he said.

Reactions to Minister Farrakhan’s words reflected a stated readiness for change and willingness to work with the Nation of Islam. Some called his words, the “the medicine we needed.” “Farrakhan said what needed to be heard,” added one participant.

“It’s definitely motivating (and) definitely inspired me … to go even harder for our people,” said Chris Sullivan, spokesman for B.C.F.—the Bloods, Crips and Folk Nation.

For Jawaun Jefferson, 21, the Minister’s call for boycotting the Christmas season, uniting and controlling Black economics was compelling. “It don’t matter where you from, who you with … if we all get together we can change things,” he said.

“Every time I hear the Minister it’s something good … and I think it’s a good thing and we need to support him as much as we can and make sure 10/10 is as successful as the Million Man March,” said longtime community organizer James Sanders, who works with the youth in several Columbia, S.C. housing projects.

“His words is something very uplifting … sending everybody in the right direction. He’s speaking on the same things everybody is pretty much speaking on but he’s just doing it raw and real,” said Steven Jones of Columbia, S.C.

“I admire the fact he has not forgotten about this generation and specifically aims to improve this generation just because he knows the scrutiny we are under,” added J. Myers, 26.