The argument that African American 'Leaders' are racist or that African Americans themselves are particularly suseptible to racist appeals often comes in the pretense of a discussion about Louis Farrakhan and the Nation of Islam. That argument is a joke, so here is my joke in return.
| limit 1 per customer | The Nation of Islam protects black prisoners from getting raped and otherwise abused. As far as I’m concerned, that is their number one utility. They are far and away the most outspoken and influential advocates of black prisoners' rights. I don't believe anybody else comes close. If I knew for certain that I was going to a maximum-security prison, I’d convert in a minute - because in a prisoner's world, the Nation makes perfect sense. | at participating locations only |
| must be 18 or over | Ed Brown has qualified the influence of the nation better than I have. I'd defer to him. If I remember correctly, only about 10% of black Muslims are members of the nation of Islam which numbers about 30 thousand, the majority are African American Muslims are Sunni. That is true of the Muslims in the rap industry too. | void where prohibited |
| your mileage may vary | Most people I have talked to at any length about the Nation are convinced that Farrakhan is a miserable leader and probably a crook. I had the opportunity to meet the man personally - I forget under what circumstances - but I declined because I learned that to contact Farrakhan is to get an FBI dossier. I try not to think of the Nation in terms of screwy Louis, but most people do. | for external use only |
| plus tax & license | I don't think it's fair to characterize members of the Nation as mindless drones, nor do I think it fair to judge Farrakhan or his ideas in political terms. He is, first and foremost, a spiritual leader. So when conservatives say - 'hey he's not so bad after all', I think that is just typical right-wing preference for fundamentalist macho. | illegal in some states |
| contents may have settled | The Nation of Islam's fundamental appeal to African Americans is sound. Blackfolks should think twice about membership in a racially divided American Christianity. | limited to quantities on hand |
| names changed to protect the innocent | I think the media focuses on Farrakhan to the detriment of the members of the Nation of Islam, and they do so only to make an overstated and overextended egregious point about anti-Semitism. As to degrees of anti-Semitism of Farrakhan, I leave that to the Weisenthal Center to determine. Whatever you can say about Farrakhan as an anti-Semite, nobody can point to any instances in which the Nation of Islam, under his leadership was ever connected to any incitement of anti-Semitic violence. The media grossly overstates the political influence of Farrakhan even over his own church. The enemies of Farrakhan, and the enemies of Islam, grossly exaggerate his capacity to lead people to violence. And many folks mischaracterize Farrakhan as a supremacist - he is a racial separatist but not a racial supremacist. | don't try this at home |
| professional driver on closed track | Bottom line, FBI has Farrakhan in a corner. It's probably the most completely infiltrated organization in America. Louis can't fart without the Feds knowing how the bean pies are doing. He and his church are about as discredited as any organization can be. The only way to go is up. | consult your physician |
| prior performance is no guarantee of future performance. | As for me personally. I don't know much more about Farrakhan, don't want to know more about Farrakhan and don't care about Farrakhan. I don't doubt or deny that he is racist, and I don't think he's an extraordinary one at that. But I am sick of answering for him as a black man, as if I gave a good goddamn. I'd go out and shoot the man myself if it would stop all the whining. But of course it wouldn't. | use only as directed |
and finally, try to remember what they said about the rap group Public Enemy's influence on black America when they discovered that its leaders were members of the Nation of Islam... ohh, you don't remember? My point exactly.