Thousands Hear Farrakhan in Atlanta
ATLANTA - In a rare public appearance, Nation of Islam Minister Louis Farrakhan urged black Americans to separate from mainstream culture to establish and support their own community.
Nearly eight months after delivering what was thought to be his farewell speech, a smiling Farrakhan strode onstage Tuesday night at the Atlanta Civic Center to an applauding and cheering audience of nearly 5,000. He warned the crowd not to be distracted by the successes of recent decades.
“We have to come out of the thinking of a slave and come into the thinking and acting of free men and women,” Farrakhan said. “We cannot depend on others for what the horrible condition of our people demands now that we do for ourselves.”
Farrakhan, 74, ceded leadership duties last year because of illness after nearly three decades. He had surgery for prostate cancer in January.
Tuesday night’s address was the keynote speech for Farrakhan’s Holy Day of Atonement, which also commemorated the 12th anniversary of the Million Man March, held Oct. 16, 1995 in Washington.
The fiery orator spoke for nearly 2 1/2 hours, touching on issues including the disparities blacks face in areas such as education, health care, voting and incarceration, the Jena Six case in Louisiana, last weekend’s arrest of Atlanta rapper T.I. on federal weapons charges, the war in Iraq and the Michael Vick federal dogfighting case.
He criticized both the black middle and upper classes and white America, and said that separation from a world of materialism and individualism was the only way the entire black community could progress.
In addition to racial disparities, violence committed against blacks at the hands of other blacks is also a threat — and one that did not exist during the struggle for civil rights, Farrakhan said.
“I want to talk to my gang-banging family,” he said. “You make it very difficult for me. In the ’60s we knew who the enemy was. But in 2007 you are the enemy. How can I do what is right by you while I watch you do wrong by one another?”
High-profile examples of success like Oprah Winfrey, Sen. Barack Obama, Colin Powell and Condoleezza Rice give blacks a false impression of success, Farrakhan said.
As a result, middle class black America has gotten too comfortable with the trappings of the American dream, he told the approving audience.
“A life of ease sometimes makes you forget the struggle,” he warned. “It’s becoming a plantation again, but you can’t fight that because you want to keep your little job.”
The success of a few is negated by the continued poverty of millions of blacks in America, Farrakhan said, adding that now is the time to stop the cycle of poverty and violence.
“It’s time for you scared-to-death Negroes to bite the dust,” he said. “Our people must be free. This peaceful coexistence with the murder of our people has to stop.”
The rally of thousands of black Americans in Jena, La., last month was a wake-up call, Farrakhan said.
“We should let the world know that we’re tired,” he said.
Yahoo
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Yeah louis I’m tired too, Tired of the fact that your still alive and still spreading hate and venom, tired of the fact that YOU killed Malcolm-X and took his place.
October 17th, 2007 at 8:05 amGod see’s you man, and has the justice you have earned.
What a blow hard.
October 17th, 2007 at 8:09 amWait, I thought the “Wicked Jews” & their Hollywood Homo Army were the ones controlling black culture, making them feel inferior with their racist Talmud & their icky jewness? I could’ve sworn that was jist of his last 50 speeches.
May this societal parasite’s “rare public appearances” become increasingly more rare and eventually non-existent.
October 17th, 2007 at 8:20 amWow Louie, you just can not stand it that “your people” are succeeding all on their own, without YOUR help!
October 17th, 2007 at 8:39 amFuck Islam. Fuck this pathetic waste of life’s version of success, fuck his separatist hate speech (no better than the fucking KKK), and fuck his criminal ass. Yeah, I see he singles out people in the “black community” who are successful just because they happen to be successful. Can’t just be happy they got somewhere, can you? There ain’t no damn struggle unless he’s counting the struggle where we who have sense have to keep from silencing him and his entire cult permanently.
Last I checked, none of the white folks that are alive today were slavemasters. Why he still continues to hold them to that crime is beyond me.
I can’t stand this shitbag, nor his followers. Some of the most hateful and deceived people I’ve EVER seen. I’ve never seen such fools.
October 17th, 2007 at 9:09 am“It’s time for you scared-to-death Negroes to bite the dust,” he said. “Our people must be free. This peaceful coexistence with the murder of our people has to stop.”
What world is this kook living in?
October 17th, 2007 at 10:55 amAs a result, middle class black America has gotten too comfortable with the trappings of the American dream, he told the approving audience.
Trappings of the American dream? As he gets in his chauffeur driven limo with his body guards.
October 17th, 2007 at 6:40 pmInstead of living in the pass with slavery why doesn’t Farrakhan return to the present and really fight slavery. Like in Sudan. Of course that means he would have to do something instead of bitch about it.
October 17th, 2007 at 9:43 pmAlso it means he would have to go up against his Islam brothers. Since they are the ones that take the members of the Dinkka tribe and turn around and try to sell them back to the families. If the family doesn’t have the money they keep them. Of course you don’t hear Farrakhan raising hell about that.
…and what would be the difference between the Radical religious drama and the WWF
October 17th, 2007 at 9:45 pmExpensive suit.
October 18th, 2007 at 12:07 pmAs one reads these comments , it serves as evidence , that we must have gone to sleep for such fetal intellect to abound. Thank God for Resurrection. It also makes it understandable why this beastly period of history was necessary to purify oneself of something which we did not see , which inhibited perfection. This brings into fruition a future in which there is competition in perfection.I can anticipate some really stupid responses to this comment which will be very emotional and hardly mathematical.
October 19th, 2007 at 7:50 pm