Perspectives

Steps toward freedom

By Anisah Muhammad | Last updated: Aug 22, 2014 - 12:25:53 PM

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Separate, Unite and Do For Self

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You can’t talk your way to freedom. The way to freedom is earned through hard work and there are certain steps one must take. No people in history ever became free by sitting back and doing nothing. In order for Black people in America to be truly free, we must separate from our oppressors, unite, pool our resources and do something for ourselves.

Who are our oppressors? Genesis 15:13: Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years. This Bible verse is talking about Black people. Our forefathers and mothers were brought to the shores of North America and the Western world in 1555. We were strangers in a land ruled by White people and were forced into chattel slavery.

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We were in a position of servitude to White people for 400 years and even today we are still found bending to their every whim. The Honorable Elijah Muhammad said that separation is the best and only solution to solve the problems between White and Black.

The Honorable Elijah Muhammad told us that our unity is more powerful than a nuclear bomb. It will solve 95 percent of our problems. If Black people in America would just unite and pool our resources, we would not only be free overnight, but poverty in our communities would be completely wiped out. We are dying in the streets of America from a lack of self-love and self-respect. Our unity is key.

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Every race and nationality of people who came to America instantly or eventually found a place in America’s society. How? Because they united, pooled their resources, and did for self. They weren’t trying to integrate with White people. Now in several cities in the United States, there’s a Chinatown, a Greek Town, a Little Italy, a Poland Town and a stream of other ethnic towns. Every ethnic group in America has their own houses and businesses in their towns except the Black man and woman. We have our part of town, but we don’t own any of the houses. We don’t own the businesses. We are too scared to control what goes on in our own communities.

The White man does not have enough jobs available for his millions of unemployed, let alone 46 million Black people. Thousands of Americans get a college education and come out to find that there are no appropriate jobs available for the level of education they received. There are people with PhD degrees working in places like McDonald’s and Wendy’s. Jobs are not going to just form on their own. We have to create our own jobs and employ our own people, first.

If the Black man and woman in America truly wanted to be free, we would take the necessary steps required. Every free nation had to work for that freedom. We have been fighting for Civil Rights when we do not yet have Human Rights. In order to gain Human Rights, we have to separate from our open enemies, unite and pool our resources, and do something for ourselves. Muhammad’s Economic Blueprint is a step in the right direction. If 16 million Black wage earners donated 35 cents a week, in one year we would have earned $291 million. To donate, go to EconomicBlueprint.org.

Anisah Muhammad is a 16-year old writer based in Montgomery, Ala. To read more of her commentaries, visit [email protected]