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Millions More Movement offers vital mechanism for survival

By Brian E. Muhammad -Contributing Writer- | Last updated: Jun 1, 2011 - 4:46:48 PM

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(FinalCall.com) - With wars raging around the earth, world food prices steadily climbing, amplified weather disasters striking America along with clear and present threats to human life from environmental neglect and abuse by big industry and governments; guidance, instruction and adequate training for surviving such calamities are an absolute necessity.

“We're standing in the cross roads,” said Arealia Muhammad, an International Disaster Management Instructor with over 19 years of experience in the field.

For Ms. Muhammad, guidance was given by the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan, leader of the Nation of Islam with the vision of the Millions More Movement that was an outgrowth of the historic Million Man March. There is a Disaster Preparedness Program within the framework of the Movement built on nine ministries designed to service disenfranchised Black and poor communities.

“As a nation, studies have been given that show less than 15 percent of the population is trained in any area of disaster management,” said Ms. Muhammad. “The problem is that these programs have not been traditionally offered in our communities and in our inner cities.”

She pointed out that Blacks, Latinos, poor Whites, seniors, immigrants, the disabled and youth are “at risk” groups most vulnerable during catastrophes.

Maurice Muhammad, an Alabama Magistrate, added that the Millions More Movement can provide support for disaster relief agencies like FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, as it deals with impending and active danger.

The need for cooperation exists, he said, citing a disaster relief workshop he organized in Tuscaloosa where a FEMA representative revealed there were no liaison persons for the Black community there, no one the federal agency could coordinate with on disasters.

Tuscaloosa suffered some of the severest desolation from April tornadoes that pounded the state. The storm resulted in thousands of displaced persons, hundreds of deaths and millions of dollars in property damage.

“It's really a thing where we just have to ban together,” said Mr. Muhammad. “Our people definitely look to us … when crises hit they are looking for the Nation (of Islam) to have a voice, but moreover they are looking for us to have a solution,” Maurice Muhammad told the Final Call.

Nationally the Millions More Movement Disaster Management Program conducts workshops in conjunction with churches, mosques, national organizations and disaster relief groups.

The program is a highly demanded resource among experts because of its people to people emphasis and ability to instruct at a fraction of the normal financial cost for such training.

The program offers 56 different classes in national and international disaster management and qualifies individuals and organizations to train others.

“It's about each one train one; we're focused on training trainers so you don't have to constantly call me back—each one, teach one,” Aurelia Muhammad remarked.

“All you need is a few highly trained individuals and they can handle millions,” she continued, explaining that Minister Farrakhan placed importance on personal and collective responsibility in responding to disasters, “block by block and house by house.”

Millions More Movement fills void

The Millions More Movement gives structure to organizing and mobilizing the people in a time of trouble and filling the gap between the prepared and unprepared. It facilitates the plans of action in response to the effect of God's judgment that has entered America for her violation of the Black once slave and the poor as cautioned by Minister Farrakhan and his teacher, the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad.

“Most all of the judgments and troubles which are pointed out in the Bible are pointed at America. Study them for yourself,” advised Mr. Muhammad in his book, “The Fall of America.”

“America, right up to today—with all of her battles with her outside enemies, never loses sight of the inside—her poor old Black Slave—she does not want him to do anything. She wants him to be deceived,” he explained, giving clarity on the reasons for America's current trouble and decline.

The destructive consequences of the weather in America and parts of the world are directly tied to this dilemma, according to the Honorable Elijah Muhammad.

“Death and destruction is at the door of all of us and we are worse prepared than the Japanese,” admonished Minister Farrakhan, in a March 31 press conference referencing the 9.0 earthquake and tsunami that jolted Japan on March 11. He also warned of a major quake to hit America.

Minister Farrakhan has been in the forefront of preparedness training and advocated effective practices to survive disaster events. The ineptness and government mismanagement of Hurricane Katrina that wreaked havoc on Louisiana was a wake-up call for many who watched in horrified disbelief the destruction rendered by the floods.

Katrina exposed contradictions of government executing wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and now Libya, but unable allay natural catastrophe where thousands perished. Big weather events are happening more frequently and powerful like the E5 tornado that devastated Joplin, Missouri, killing over 130 people and erasing dozens of homes and businesses.

These recent disasters in the South and Midwest, yet pale to Katrina, however, Red Cross officials acknowledged the last several months are different because of the number of major natural disasters in a short time span. The Red Cross has launched 29 separate relief operations in 22 states, responding to wildfires in Texas, flooding along swollen rivers, and the rash of tornadoes that have killed more than 500 people. More than 9,200 Red Cross disaster-responders have been deployed; they`ve served more than 2.1 million meals and snacks, and opened more than 200 shelters. But financially the relief organization is strained and is uncertain of its effectiveness at the current rate of unprecedented need.

The Cuban paradigm

In the aftermath of Katrina, Minister Farrakhan prioritized the plight of victims as a centerpiece issue within the agenda of the Millions More Movement. He led a MMM delegation on a research visit to Cuba to gain firsthand knowledge of how the Cubans mitigate disasters on the level of Katrina, absent the loss of life.

“Those who are scripturally prepared know that it is prophesied that we would be living at a time of wars and rumors of wars, pestilence, famine and earthquakes in diverse places. We are witnessing terrifying disasters afflicting the people of the world and these disasters are now afflicting the United States of America,” said Min. Farrakhan, in Cuba. “Believing that these prophesies will be fulfilled, we felt that it is our duty to learn as much as we can, so that we can return to the United States and prepare documents on disaster preparedness, and in conjunction with local, state and federal government, do all we can to prepare the American people, and our people in particular, for coming disasters.”

For more information please visit http://www.millionsmoremovement.com.