“African Americans: And America’s Hypocrisy”

By Fahim A. Knight-EL

The United States Government has spent close to three (3) trillion dollars in Iraq in an unjust war, in order to be in the best position to steal Oil and we know who is behind this. Yet, poor and oppressed people in the 1990s were charged with wrecking the United States economy—does anyone else see what’s going on? Over eighty (80) million people in America do not have health insurance and this writer wants to go on record to say, he supports socialize medicine and universal health care plans where as all Americans can have adequate health care at no cost. This writer does not mean those watered-down health care plans that have been written, sanctioned, and agreed upon by the medical conglomerates and inspired by powerful corporate lobbies of the medical associations, which Senator Barack Obama, Senator John McCain and Senator Hillary Clinton have been advocating. Why not?

The United States Government continues to spend the U.S. citizen’s tax money unlawfully and against the will of the American people by financing the Iraq War. Thus, instead of former President Bill Clinton and United States Congress in the 1990s attacking America's powerless—“have nots', the defenseless poor. But strategically did not acknowledge or take on the GREATEST WELFARE ISSUE, WHICH WAS NOT AID FOR DEPENDING CHILDREN, BUT AID TO DEPENDENT FOREIGN NATIONS. The United States tax dollars are used indiscriminately to support the nations of Israel and Egypt. These are two Welfare States that have been on the U.S. Taxpayers roll for many years. (Reference: Earl Ofari Hutchinson; "The Crisis In Black and Black").

This writer heard on NPR’s program Democracy Now on July 21, 2008 in which former Georgia Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney and her Vice Presidential running mate Rosa Clemente were nominated by the Green Party as their presidential and vice presidential nominee for the 2008 election. They both spoke passionately about the political, social and economic issues facing America and presented an outside the box perspective that was quite refreshing from Senator Obama and Senator John McCain political views. Presidential hopeful McKinney also talked about the struggles to overcome the restrictive laws that governs the rights of a Third Party to appear on the ballot in all fifty (50) States. This writer in the 1980s backed and supported the New Alliance Party Presidential Candidate, Dr. Lenora Fulani and understands firsthand, the difficulties and struggles associated with trying to get placed on the ballot in all fifty (50) States.

This writer canvas many neighborhoods on behalf of Dr. Lenora Fulani taking signatures of registered voters who agreed that we needed a Third Party that differed from the two corporate parties—Republican and Democrat. This writer does encourage the Keeping It Real Think Tank audience to take a look at the Green Party’s planks; if nothing else American Democracy needs a Third Party.

This is not the topic that the Keeping It Real Think Tank asked me to address and write on; they wanted me focus on some aspect of Black America. This writer has not heard or read Senator Barack Obama's speech on race giving some months ago in Philadelphia or his recent Father's Day speech to black men. Sorry, Senator Obama is not qualified to address either topic; this writer does not recall him backing and supporting the historic Million Man March back on October 16, 1995, which over two (2) million black men came to Washington D.C. seeking Atonement, Reconciliation, and Responsibility. Black men do not see Obama in the sense of traditional black leadership; although, many support his candidacy, but he has not done anything to be considered a black leader (people are trying to equate him to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and Minister Malcolm X, he doesn't come near these two great icons these two black leaders paid a price) and most of all he doesn't speak for me and contrary to opinion, the black community is not a monolithic community, perhaps you can tell that relative to many of my commentaries. He is more of a Zionist Jewish leader than a black leader; they control his tongue, politics and have put huge amounts of money behind his candidacy, there lies his true allegiance. Many blacks do not see this deception; it would not surprise me, if they have not granted him dual citizenship status (Israeli and American).

This is the Pledge that black men took at the Million Man March; this was sufficient enough for me, but this writer is quite sure that Senator Obama wasn't allowed to incorporate this in his Father's Day Speech because these principles were given and spoken by Minister Louis Farrakhan and it would not be political expedient for Senator Obama to embrace this so-called controversial black leader. So, this writer decided to remind the two (2) million black men that attended the Million Man March and the millions that watched this historical event on CNN news of the Pledge they took. This writer unlike Senator Obama can quote Minister Farrakhan and do not give damn who like or not; thus, I would find more integrity and credibility in Minister Farrakhan or Reverend Jeremiah Wright delivering a Father's Day Message to black men more so than, Senator Obama because Minister Farrakhan is black and he truly understands the black experience. Minister Farrakhan at the March asked all the black men in attendance to commit to these Nine Principles.

I pledge that from this day forward, I will strive to love my Brother as I love myself.

I pledge from this day forward, I will strive to improve myself spiritually, morally, socially, politically and economically for the benefit myself, my family and my people.

I pledge, that I will strive to build businesses, build houses, build hospitals, build factories, and enter into international trade, for the good of myself, and my people.

I pledge, that from this forward, I will never raise my hand with a knife or a gun to beat, hurt, or shoot any member of my family, or any human being, except in self-defense.

I pledge, that from this forward, I will never abuse my wife by striking her or disrespecting her, for she is the mother of my children and the producer of my future.

I pledge, that from this forward, I will never engage in the abuse of children--little boys or little girls--for sexual gratification. But I will let them grow in peace to be strong men and women for the future of our people.

I will never again use the 'B' word to describe any female, but particular my own black sister.

I pledge, that from this forward, I will not poison my body with drugs or that which is destructive to my health and well being.

I pledge, that from this forward, I will support Black newspapers, Black radio, and black television. I will support Black artists who clean up their acts to show respect for themselves and respect for their people, and respect for the ears of the human family. (Reference: Kim Martin Sadler; “Atonement, The Million Man March”).

Black Americans have a Gross National Product (GNP) of approximately 800 billion dollars which is equal to and surpassed many European Nations (but the black dollar does not circulate not even one time around their community) and if they were a sovereignty nation, they would rank as having the tenth (10) largest economy in the world. Thus, that sounds very impressive and definitely stands as one of the great accomplishments, in particular for a people who has risen just in one hundred fifty (150) years from perhaps one of the worst inhumane conditions ever recorded in human history—Chattel Slavery (1555-1865) to perhaps electing a black man to the office of President of the United States of America, the highest office in the world. Some would argue that to-be very impressive; what else possible they could desire? (Reference: George C. Fraser; "Race For Success").

The former President of Morehouse College Benjamin E. Mays (this was Dr. Martin Luther King's mentor) who authored the book titled, "Born to Rebel" stated," Even white contemporaries of mine can never know the humiliating conditions under which Negroes had to live because of enforced segregation in my day. The segregated system was so cruel, so inhumane, and so destructive to the development of manhood and character that white America can never really know the damage it did to the mind and spirit of millions of Negroes who lived and died under that system. It may be that this book will fill the vacuum in the thinking of young Negroes and whites as well. If certain conditions are unbearable now, they were a hundred times worse at the turn of the century and during the first fifty years of the twentieth century. This is not to say that we can afford to be complacent and satisfied with the progress recently made in Negro-white relations. No such inference must be drawn from this book. The United States is a rich country, the most prosperous nation in history. Despite this fact, there are millions who live in despair and poverty or on the brink of poverty. Millions live in slums and hundreds of thousands unemployed. Many young people drop out of school and become delinquents; they see no hope, and some take to rioting. All of these things take place in one of the most literate and enlightened countries in the world." (Reference: Benjamin Mays; “Born to Rebel”).

It is faulty thinking and reasoning to measure the success of an entire race on the token success of lets say Oprah Winfrey, Tiger Woods (I guess he is black based on American standards of race) Bill Cosby, Russell Simmons, Bob Johnson, Michael Jordan, Jay-Z, Irvin "Magic Johnson" and yes, even on Barack Obama’s success or any other black token and paint a broad stroke of group prosperity and success of our race based on the net worth of a few petite-bourgeoisie blacks, is not only ludicrous, but insane. African-Americans still ranks high in infant mortality, homicide, Aids, prison incarceration, poverty, high school dropout, drug and alcohol addiction, and in a lot of other negative social categories. American prisons have swelled to anywhere from two million to four million prisoners incarcerated throughout local, state, federal prisons and jails. Thus, over sixty (60) percent of the U.S. prison population consists of young black men between the ages of 16-35. We are not innately criminals nor are we a lawless people. (Reference: Harriet A. Washington; “Medical Apartheid).

Judge Bruce Wright in his monumental book titled, "Black Robes, White Justice" stated, "My persistent concern has long been the white judges who, in their large numbers, are called upon daily to preside over the trials of black defendants accused of crime. Are they really qualified for such sociological tasks, only incidentally mixed with law? If so, what are the peculiar circumstances that define their competence? Is it the survival in them of some plantation concept of social divisions in life? What do they study in college or law school that might tend to qualify them to preside over the doom or liberty of strangers to their kinds of neighborhoods, of aliens to the way of life, of foreigners and outsiders to their clubs, their churches, their folkway? What magic abolishes color in their eyes and gives them instant objectivity and a license to analyze human foibles entirely divorced from the historical truth of racism? How, indeed, does one annul one's heritage and that of one's forefathers in this land from which the family came? (Reference: Bruce Wright; "Black Robes, White Justice")

Judge Wright goes on to explain, "For those of the inner city, as our dark enclaves are so euphemistically called, the judges are the assembly-line feeders of the prison system. Those in the system--whether prisoners, jailers or judges--who dare to speak of rehabilitation are regarded as wild-eyed speculators about the human spirit. They are accused of having more concern for the criminal than for the victims of crime. This abandonment of concepts of rehabilitation leads to society's preoccupation only with custody. This results in warehousing of offenders. The mean neighborhoods from which they come are neighborhoods transferred to the prisons. Little wonder that one black survivor of the inmate rebellion at Attica could weep an unanswered, perhaps unanswerable question to world. 'How in the hell we gonna be rehabilitated,' he asked, 'when we ain't never been habilitated in the first place?' " (Reference: Bruce Wright; "Black Robes, White Justice").

This writer spent over fifteen years working with inmates on the rehabilitation side and he has read and reviewed many Pre-Sentence Investigation (PSI) reports, as well as spent many years talking with black inmates, lawyers, judges, probation and parole officials, case managers, unit managers, wardens, etc. The majority of the PSI reports of these inmates had similar social and psychological markers. For example, many of the black inmates came from broken homes—single parent where they were raised by mothers, absentee fathers, drug and alcohol abuse, poverty stricken, physical abuse, etc. The majority of their criminal convictions were property crimes and drug trafficking convictions or other drug related charges. Some of these black inmates had entered into a life of crime at a very early age out of economic survival in order meet the basic needs of food, clothing and shelter. (Reference: William P. Benjamin; ”African Americans in the Criminal Justice System”).

Remember it was the liberal President Bill Clinton in the 1990s that advocated and eventually became legislation—the three strikes and your out (Habitual Felony Law), which sent more black men to prison than the Republican Reagan-Bush administration. Those with felony convictions are stripped of their right to vote and can not bear firearms, even after paying their debt to society. But guess what, they are still required to pay taxes and are stripped of some basic constitutional rights. Since Senator Obama is a member of the U.S. Senate and the U.S. Congress, this writer wonders, why Obama hasn’t put forth a bill in Congress to restore the rights of these disenfranchised black fathers in America? This is a level of hypocrisy from which he and other politicians alludes when addressing issues of crime. Also, many of the black fathers that Senator Obama was speaking of can not become gainfully employment because of having a felony conviction on their record. But Scooter Libby and Karl Rove and the boys can commit all types of crimes and this system allows a preferential treatment to justice, which is often based on race and class. (Reference: Tim Wise; White Like Me: Reflections on Race from a Privileged Son").

Our "economic disadvantage status" renders us victims in a very profitable system called the prison industrial complex. In approximately, 1981 the United States Congress and the United States Courts passed the Sentence Reform Acts (there has been some amended versions in particular in 2000 to this act), where the U.S. Courts and the United States Department of Justice (Federal Bureau of Prisons) passed a law requiring all federal convicted defendants in violation of a federal stature would be mandated to serve an 85% active prison sentence of incarceration in federal custody. This legislation and law is interpreted to meaning, a convicted federal defendant (often black and Hispanics) will be committed to doing longer prison terms without the benefit of parole (the Department of Justice has actual phased out the U.S. Parole Commission).

In addition, Congress passed the mandatory sentencing guidelines, moreover, stripping U.S. Judges of judicial flexibility in the areas of imposing sentencing length and terms. It has been a criminal justice travesty for first time offenders who entered US Courts having committed misdemeanors and perhaps did not belong in prison were actually receiving active prison sentencing based on United States law and policy.

This writer can recall at the Million Man March on October 16, 1995 the Reverend Jesse Jackson was one of the presenters and he brought to national and international attention a young African American female named Kimba Smith who was an aspiring academic and scholastic student at Hampton University in Virginia. Ms. Smith had met a Nigerian student and became romantically involved, but little did she know that her Nigerian boy friend was a drug trafficker that was distribution large volumes of cocaine and after becoming indicted; he committed suicide while on the run from law enforcement. Ms. Smith became the target of United States Prosecutors because after the Nigerian boy friend committed suicide; it was evident that someone had to be punished. Thus, she was eventually charged and convicted on Federal Drug Conspiracy charges and this young college student with a clean criminal record was sentence to over twenty (20) years in Federal Prison. (Reference: Essence Magazine article on Kimba Smith).

Kimba Smith by 1995 had already served over six (6) years in Federal Correctional Institute (FCI) Danbury, Connecticut and it was Reverend Jackson who called for Congress and the U.S. Courts to review the mandatory sentencing guidelines, but more specifically this public policy was adversely affecting defendants like Kimba Smith who did not belong in prison. Jackson speech on that day perhaps had more substance than the keynote addressed delivered by Minister Louis Farrakhan, the convener of the Million Man March and the leader of the Nation of Islam.

Reverend Jackson was also critical of laws that gave stiffer penalties for one having crack cocaine possession versus powder cocaine, the former viewed as the black man's drug of choice and latter viewed as the white man's drug of choice, which blacks were criminally penalized more harsher than those white defendants who were perhaps caught with possessing powder cocaine. The U.S. Courts recently had a reversal in the crack cocaine laws. Reverend Jackson's advocacy led to President Clinton prior to leaving office in 2000 pardoning Kimba Smith. But there a was real criminal that Clinton pardon in Marc Rich who had defrauded huge sums of money from U.S. Banking and lending institutions and had been on the U.S. Justice Department Most Wanted List for years. He was living in some European country where the U.S. did not share extradition laws.

These type white collar and Elitist criminals have been getting this type preferential treatment for years. This writer believes President Clinton after leaving office in 2000 knew as a Council on Foreign Relations, Trilateral Commission and Bilderberger agent that the world was preparing to change; 9/11 would alter national and international jurisprudence systems and under the now present 2001 U.S. Patriot Act, it would have made it difficult for criminals like Rich to hide and evade U.S. style justice because of the long arm afforded to the U.S Patriot Act.

Dr. W.E.B Dubois who authored the book "The Souls of Black Folk" describes our American predicament in a most eloquent and definitive way, he stated, "After the Egyptian and Indian, the Greek and Roman, the Teuton and Mongolian, the Negro is a sort of seventh son, born with a veil, and gifted with second-sight in this American world,--a world which yields him no true self-consciousness, but only lets him see himself through the revelation of the other world. It is a peculiar sensation, this double-consciousness, this sense of always looking at one's self through the eyes of others, of measuring one's soul by the tape of a world that looks on in amused contempt and pity. One ever feels his twoness,--an American, a Negro; two souls, two thoughts, two un-reconciled strivings; two warring ideals in one dark body, whose dogged strength alone keeps it from being torn asunder." (Reference: W.E.B Dubois; "The Souls of Black Folk")

However, one should not make any mistake about the predicament of black men in America; it is not coincidental that crime and drugs are so pervasive in large cities such as Baltimore, Philadelphia, Camden, Boston, New York, Atlanta, Los Angles, Newark, Richmond, Chicago, Gary, East Saint Louis, Milwaukee, Memphis, Oakland, Cleveland, Cincinnati , Washington, DC, Detroit, Houston, New Orleans, Miami, Los Vegas, Little Rock, Portland, Seattle, etc., as well as many small towns throughout America. The drug trade is a lucrative national and international business blacks do not control the manufacturing or the high level of distribution where drugs are transported from Columbia, South America and from Central Asia—Afghanistan and from South East Asia.

The smuggling of dope (heroin) and cocaine into the United States requires having aircrafts and ships, as well as being able to maneuver across international waters and airspace going undetected; this alone would take huge amounts of resources, powerful connections and, a level of sophistication that most black drug kingpins do not have these untouchable acquaintances, in particular since 9/11.

You remember Colonel Oliver T. North, President Ronald Reagan, Vice President George W.H. Bush, Ayatollah Khomeini, and Nicaragua Contras had circumvented the United States Constitution, in which U.S. Congress were unaware that the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Agent North was fighting a private covert war (using taxpayers money) in Nicaragua against Daniel Ortega and Sandinistas .Although, the United States Treasury Department and U.S. Government had imposed economic sanctions against Iran, but this deal involved oil, arms, money and dope, an international triangle of corruption on the highest level. These chains of events took place in the early 1980s. (Reference: by Executive Intelligence Review; Dope, Inc)

This writer while in college had the pleasure to sit under a very liberal Jewish professor named Dr. Jeffrey Elliot who taught political science and who was a great interviewer that had authored over 60 books and published over 500 scholarly articles. He introduced me to the mind of President Fidel Castro and this writer must say this man could run intellectual circles around the majority of American presidents both past and present. Elliot authored a book titled, "Fidel Castro: Nothing Can Stop the Course of History" which President Castro stated, "Cuba has been offered fabulous amounts of money if we would cooperate in drug deals. Although, we are blockaded by the United States, we have never accepted a single drug deal. Therefore, I say it is infamous to attempt to link Cuba to drug deals. I say categorically that we have never received a single cent from drug trafficking. We have the cleanest record and most outstanding results of any nation in this hemisphere in the struggle against the production of, trafficking in, and use of drugs. It is truly shameful that the United States--the largest drug market in the world--is making such an accusation against Cuba. We know that the United States is growing more and more marijuana, and that is already being produced in most states in that country. IT WOULDN'T BE SURPRISING IF THE UNITED STATES WOUND UP PRODUCING SYNTHETIC COCAINE." (emphasis is mine). (Reference: Jeffrey Elliot; "Fidel Castro: Nothing Can Stop the Course of History").

President Castro spoke these prophetic words in 1985 and we witness crack cocaine (synthetic cocaine) in the mid-1980s being introduced in the black community. The drug lords in this case the U.S. Government and the Italian Mafia dumped millions of tons of crack cocaine in the poorest, oppressed and depressed communities (black and Hispanics) for test marketing, which became their drug of choice. This highly addictive and dependent drug devastated the black community and destroyed the moral and social fiber of the black community. There is no doubt in this writer's mind that genocide and a larger conspiracy were at work. The United States Government worked overtime to extinguish the revolutionary fervor that encompassed the 1960s and the 1970s, a glorious time in the history of black America where black freedom fighters took on repression and injustice. (Reference: Mumia Abu-Jamal; Live From Death Row”).

Mumia Abu-Jamal in his book titled. “Live From Death Row,” stated, “Their quest for relief is spelled C-R-A-C-K. Crack. Rock. Call it what you will, it is, in truth, another word for ‘death’ in the African-American communities. Harvested in Latin America’s Peruvian highlands, treated in jungle labs, ‘cured’ in a chemical bath of ether and kerosene, carried into the U.S.A by government –hired pilots as a way to pay the fledgling contras’ bills, cocaine comes to Chocolate City, U.S.A., and transformed into crystalline crack, wreaks havoc on poor black life. . .Just as the ‘Just Say No’ generation got down from the political stage, tons of a new potent poison were being peddled in poor sections of town, brought to these shores courtesy of the Iran-Contra funds diversion scheme, as masterminded by that great American hero Honest Ollie North (known as Operation Black Eagle—CIA). Why would the government (the same government that says ‘Just Say No’) dare bring cocaine into the States, if not to sell it, to turn it into lucre, into cold cash?” (Reference: Mumia Abu-Jamal; Live From Death Row”).

The Civil Rights Movement had two distinct voices those led by the Dr. Martin Luther Kings, Jr. Non-Violent Movement--Ralph Bunch, A. Phillip Randolph, Roy Wilkins, Whitney Young, and Bayard Rustin; and the Militant radical voices led by Minister Malcolm X, George Jackson, Huey P. Newton, Kwame Ture (Stokley Carmichael), Jamil Abdullah Al-Amin (H. Rap Brown) and Elijah Muhammad. These African American personality produced movements, which challenged the political, economic and social systems of America; this fervor was replaced and harness by the introduction of crack cocaine in the black community. President George W.H Bush and his former Drug Czar William Bennett declared a “War on Drugs” and at the same time; they had sided with the Taliban in Afghanistan against the former Soviet Union where Bush and CIA were protecting their heroin interest; this to made its way to the black community for distribution.

Young black men has found more of a socialization in street gangs such as the Bloods, Crips, Gansta Disciples, etc., because there has been a breakdown in the black family, the church, the mosque, the educational institutions, etc., have lost contact with our youth. Most of all black youth do not have respect for black leaders because they feel alienated and detached from their sphere of influence. This writer has a nephew who is a member of Bloods Street Gang and is of the Hip-Hop generation, but conversing with him he expressed that most so-called black leaders are sellouts and who agenda is only to the highest bidder. The National Urban League has a huge convention every year to address the problems of black life; but its President and CEO Marc H. Morial does not have the street credentials to come in the black community and meet with street gang members like my nephew. They just do not respect these tailored made suit wearing, reptile shoes wearing, Mercedes Benz driving, etc., pimps called black leaders. This writer must say he agrees with the Bloods. (Reference: Russell Simmons; "Do You: 12 Laws to Access the Power in You to Achieve Happiness and Success").

They stole it and we must return it. Moreover, this writer has always been partial towards black leaders that advocated the principle of self-help such as Marcus Garvey, Booker T. Washington, Elijah Muhammad, Louis Farrakhan, etc. that preached self-reliance and a do-for-self philosophy that was steeped in the White Anglo Saxon Protestant (WASP) beliefs of pulling one’s self up by their bootstraps. African Americans can not any longer depend upon the United States Government or some hot air Father’s Day speech delivered by Senator Barack Obama to define black life. We must break the cycle of dependency and stop being willing participants in our own genocide—the Prison Industrial Complex must be exposed on all levels. What is the solution? There must-be a redistribution of the world’s wealth, not just with an elect minority, but with the masses of humanity.

Fahim A. Knight-EL Chief Researcher for KEEPING IT REAL THINK TANK located in Durham, NC; our mission is to inform African Americans and all people of good will of the pending dangers that lie ahead; as well as decode the symbolisms and reinterpret the hidden meanings behind those who operate as invisible forces, but covertly rules the world. We are of the belief that an enlighten world will be better prepared to throw off the shackles of ignorance and not be willing participants for the slaughter. Our MOTTO is speaking truth to power. Fahim A. Knight-EL can be reached at fahimknight@yahoo.com.

STAY AWAKE UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN,
Fahim A. Knight-EL

PATRIOTISM: WAIT ONE DAMN MINUTE

By Fahim A. Knight-EL

This writer grew up in an era and attended public schools where between 8:15am and 8:30am every morning the principal of the various schools I attended would come on the public address (PA) system and recite “The Pledge of Allegiance” over the intercom and it was mandated that each student had to stand and place their right hand on their heart and turn towards the U.S. Flag which hung in every classroom and recite The Pledge of Allegiance. “I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands: one Nation under God, indivisible, With Liberty and Justice for all.” and verbally recite this along with the principal. We also had to sing "My Country, ‘Tis’ of Thee.” This writer can not say that over the many years of going through this morning classroom ritual that it made me any more or less patriotic. I would later come to understand that this was an early form of conditioning our young impressionable minds, but even back then in elementary school I was questioning why we had to stand each morning to recite these words over and over again. My teacher would only say that we were Americans and it was important that we demonstrate patriotism and loyalty to our nation at all times.

“Patriotism: Wait one Damn Minute;” there is a lot of debate evolving around the question of Patriotism because initially Senator Barack Obama refused to wear the American flag on his coat lapel. Some have come to criticize Senator Barack Obama for initially not wearing the American flag on his lapel as though this outward symbol is the definitive determination in assessing one’s patriotism. This writer does not think one’s patriotism can be measured or properly assessed by an outwardly symbolic association. Obama as of late and from time-to-time has been wearing two flags, the United States and Israel. But wearing the Israeli flag on his lapel, is not viewed as anti-American. However, suppose Senator Barack Obama pinned a Palestinian flag on lapel; he would be deemed as being to cozy to a foreign enemy and would be rebuked for demonstrating poor judgment and he would be labeled unpatriotic.

Senator Obama has repeatedly said over and over that he is not a Muslim or follower of the religion of Islam. This writer takes him at his word and sees no reason to doubt his faith tradition. However, what bothers me is this unspoken notion of knowing that he is Christian creates this false sense of comfort—that it makes him more humane, just, trustworthy, loyal to America’s ideology and many thinks being a Christian would make him more patriotic and suitable to be the United States Commander-in-Chief, than if he was a Muslim. The New Yorker Magazine July 21, 2008 issue has a cartoon caricature of Senator Obama dressed in traditional Islamic garb and his wife Michelle Obama dressed like the former Black Panther Party members Assata Shakur, Angela Davis or Elaine Brown in the 1960s revolutionary Black Power struggles in America. These are clear examples of the arcade prejudices that permeate America’s history of bigotry and discrimination. The underline assumption is that Muslims are less patriotic than Christians, but why hasn’t the Southern Poverty Law Center and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) entered and injected some type of litigation on behalf of American Muslims. This writer knows why, they are legal arms of the Cabal and they to view Islam as the enemy.

This writer can recall under President Clinton’s Administration, Imam Warith Deen Mohammed (the son of Elijah Muhammad) on January 20, 1997, he read from the Muslim holy book, the Qur'an, at the Presidential Inauguration Day National Prayer Service. But recently Freshman Congressman (D-MN) Keith Ellison who is a Muslim and was elected to the House of Representatives from Minnesota in 2007 caught pure hell because of his religion. The discriminatory charge was led by a racist Congressman from Virginia named Virgil Goode who took issue with Congressman Ellison desiring to use the Holy Qur’an in a private swearing-in ceremony. This is why I have a problem with this patriotism talk, America is not in a moral position to judge or entertain the question of patriotism.

This writer considers himself to be a Conscientious Objector to war; in particular unjust wars such as the invasion of Panama, Grenada, Somali, Vietnam, Haiti, Falklands, Iraq, etc., People always ask me, do I support the United States troops in Iraqi? My answer, is always an emphatic no, because those who control the media and the thinking of the people desire for us to separate the U.S. Troops from those decision makers. The arm forces are the most vital arm in carrying out U.S. Foreign policy and securing its imperialistic positions around the world. This writer, in good conscious can not separate the tool from the brain-trust; although the tool (rank and file soldier) has no idea that they are fostering the political, economic and social objectives of individuals such as the Committee of 300 that do not share in their sentiments of patriotism.

Patriotism is defined as “a proud supporter or defender of his or her country and its way of life.” Patriotism is imbued in the poor and the ignorant while the rich and super Elitist is the beneficiaries of war that is fought by the proletariat in order that Elitist may continue reap the spoils of war from every corner of the earth. The DeBeers, Henry Kissinger, Rothschilds, and Rockefellers they do not believe in American patriotism or any other nation’s patriotic viewpoint. Their definition of patriotism do not allow room for critical evaluation and assessment of America’s social order and there has always been an internal movements to stifle debate; because true debate would prove to be counter productive to their goals and objectives. American patriotism is structured upon lies, half-truths and deceptions in order to inculcate the deepest sense of loyalty, fidelity, devotion, etc., to their schemes and condition the masses to never question their motives, which are based on the accumulation of wealth and power by any means necessary.

The Elitist of the United States has sold America to foreign interest—Asian Nations such as China and Japan virtually owns our country because our nation is for sell. Where is the patriotism in preserving the United States future for future generations? What is so patriotic about declaring war on the innocent and tiny nation of Iraq? In order to flex our military might while we steal Oil from the defensively people of Iraq and claim we are making the world more safer for democracy. How is murdering innocent people in Iraq considered to be patriotic? The war activist Cindy Sheehan is more of a patriot than most Americans because she openly opposed Bush and his unjust war; she stood as a voice of dissention. The American definition of patriotism is both hypocritical and double standard. President George Bush has repeatedly lied to the American public and he has U.S. Flags and other governmental symbols all around him and in my opinion, he is displaying patriotism without morality which is just like symbol without substance. President Bush has not lived up to the solemn Oath that he swore to on the Holy Bible, to up hold in 2000 and 2004.

The entire United States Congress and the President should be charged with treason and sedition for violating various aspects of the United States Constitution; for example, taxation without representation is tyranny; these governmental rogues and political gangsters don’t give damn about welfare of its citizens. They do not represent the interest of the American people, but champion the interest of a small and powerful Elitist Circle. I guess it is patriotic for the United States Government in 1913 to have surrendered our monetary system over to private bankers (Central Banks) in essence; the Federal Reserve Act is unconstitutional along with Internal Revenue Service. How many of these good American patriots have the audacity and political courage to propose a bill in Congress to repeal and rescind this demandable act? Those that control the printing of our currency and determine the national and international interest rates and the valuation or devaluation of our monetary system have a stranglehold on all of humanity including over those who are top level elected officials.

Patrick Henry said "give me liberty or give me death" surely taxation without representation is tyranny. Their patriotism is to the twelve Central Banks—that rules the entire planet: 1. Rothschild Bank of London, Rothschild Bank of Berlin, 2. Chase Manhattan Bank of New York (Rockefeller) Chase National bank of New York (Rockefeller). 3. First National Bank of New York. 5. Hanover National Bank of New York. 6. Goldman Sachs of New York. 7. Kuhn Loeb Bank of New York. 8. Lehman Brothers of New York. 9. Warburg Bank of Hamburg Warburg Bank of Amsterdam. 10. Lazard Brothers of Paris. 11. Israel Moses Seif Banks of Italy. 12. JP Morgan.

It was President Bush just a couple of years ago who was looking to sell the rights to the United States Ports over to the United Arab Emirates (UAE). How does this motive line-up with patriotism? After 9/11 the so-called terrorist were supposed to have been Middle Eastern Arabs; yet Bush was looking to turn over one of America’s most vital and strategic geographical regions of costal sovereignty to the Arabs, although some thought this move could have posed a serious security breech and compromise of America’s national security. This move sounded like a political contradiction—after-all he and the media had characterized the Arabs and Islam as being synonymous with terrorism.

President Bush since 9/11 had initiated all types of repressive legislation and actions under the banner of Homeland Security. He beefed up United States Boarder Patrol operations and United States Customs. The eastern seaboard is one of the regions of the country where imports and exports are received and moved across international waters. President Bush in desiring to sell U.S. Ports to this Oil wealthy Islamic State because he is bosom buddies with these reactionary monarch Arab governments and more importantly he felt comfortable with this proposition because he knew the real culprits behind the 9/11 hoax and understood best that they were not Arabs. This writer learned in middle school social studies classes that dissent was constitutional, but this writer can recall right after September 11, 2001 all debate was stifled in which academicians, activists, intellectuals, etc., were not allowed to critique or criticize the United States Government and the events evolving around 9/11.

This writer understood that the nation was mourning and trying to come to grips with the so-called 9/11 tragedy, which represented a lost of life and property, but the media had worked the ignorant masses into a frenzy and they became the first line of defense in this recent era of patriotism. The United States Flags were selling like hot cakes; I am quite sure the U.S. Flag makers and manufactures—probably were not American companies (many of the flags did not have the trademark made in the USA), but somebody made huge sums of money off the United States citizens emotionalism, which was disguise in patriotism.

Scholars were afraid to assess and evaluate lest they be called unpatriotic; thus, there were CNN, CBS, FOX News, ABC, NBC, BBC, etc., that were interviewing well known talking heads who perhaps had a differ of opinion but could not offer a dissenting opinion after 9/11 because of fear of being labeled unpatriotic. President Bush and the United States Government for close to two years functioned with minimum criticism and opposition which allowed him to circumvent the United States Constitution, reconstruct foreign and domestic policy—imposed many reactionary Executive Orders—Bush in fact rearranged the entire world while the American people were wrapped up in the sentimental values—passionately called patriotism. This writer equates patriotism with a sedative drug, it put the American people to sleep and they wouldn’t feel the pain after awakening to find out that their nation had been hijacked and truly American democracy had become something of the past. If the Truth be told Paul Warburg and the boys in the early 1900s started this erosion of democracy over one hundred (100) years ago.

President Bush literally transformed the United States into a TOTALITARIAN GOVERNMENT (this concept is far removed from patriotism—Bush should have been crowned with a new title DICTATOR BUSH) and post 9/11 the United States Constitution became a second tier document which was replaced by the United States Patriot Act (interpret to mean you have no rights). This is what happens when an inordinate amount of propaganda is allowed to make inroads and impact a society without critical opposition and Bush did not allow himself to have an alter-ego and he hid behind patriotism. The U.S. Congress was also duped, they rubber stamped during this time of so-called crisis the majority of Bush’s foreign and domestic policy initiatives. Many of them believed after 9/11 that the United States was in crisis and they had to show forth their patriotism by agreeing and passing legislation in support of the Bush Administration.

The United States Government since 9/11 has equipped itself with some powerful arsenal—the United States Justice Department just have to label you an Enemy Combatant and from that moment you have no legal rights; moreover Bush’s repressive acts and legislation were more aimed at the American people more so than the so-called foreign terrorist and as we were applauding the rounding up of so-called Arab radical militants; it never occurred to us that the intended victims would eventually be the American people. You all remember Timothy McVeigh, the good American boy that spearheaded the bombing of the Okalahoma City Federal building in 1995 killing over one hundred eighty people and destroying property; he had been trained in the U.S. Arm Forces. McVeigh declared himself a soldier and a patriot. How does McVeigh’s theory of patriotism equate with the U.S. Government slant of patriotism?

McVeigh had reasoned that what was lacking in America was “patriotism” and he blamed the U.S. Government for eroding the rights giving to all Americans in the “Bill of Rights” and he believed the U.S. Constitution should be interpreted from the basis of original intent. This writer can recall the media initially blaming the Nation of Islam which is headed by Minister Louis Farrakhan as possibly having involvement in the Okalahoma City Federal building bombing. Although the Black Muslims had no relationships with so-called foreign Islamic extremist or homegrown extremist; it did not matter because in the government’s mind, the Nation of Islam’s controversial teachings since 1930 made them a prime suspect, as a possible dissident group potentially capable of either directly or in directly desiring to see America brought to her knees. However, the Black Muslim had no history of using violence against the United States Government.

The media then began to focus on so-called allege Middle Eastern Arabs as their suspects because surely the Arab Muslims had an ax to grind; after-all the U.S. Government had armed and financed the Zionist State Israel to the detriment of the Palestinians in particular and the entire Islamic world in general. When the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), Alcohol Tobacco and Firearm (ATF), U.S. Marshal’s Service, etc., they were shocked to find out that their suspects were white and American. They could not imagine that this level of anti-American dissention existed internally in our nation and worst yet McVeigh had no relations with any of America’s foreign enemies. The Okalahoma City Federal building bombing sought of speaking caught America with her pants down and without the proper legal and military structure to deal with these high levels of anti-American sentiments.

The staging of 9/11 was strategically and tactfully crafted by some sophisticated minds that desired to ensure that the U.S. Government would have all the legal and military tools at her disposals to deal with all foreign and domestic enemies and there would not be any legal or political obstacles in their way in defining their enemies and bring them to American style justice. Perhaps McVeigh was a U.S. Government agent and all the said events were orchestrated by Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) these type tricks are not above or beneath them. There is book authored by Ralph W. McGhee titled, “Deadly Deceits: My Twenty-Five Years in the CIA.” and McGhee wrote about the dirty tricks of the CIA. All of this could have brought us to 9/11 and the U.S. Patriot Act and the question of Civil Liberties, which we gave the U.S. Government a blank check to do what ever she pleases in the guise of National Security.

Many do not understand that these are dangerous times that we are living and this writer does not mean because the Western Governments have spooked us into believing that Arabs and Islam are our enemies. But I am here to tell you that our own government is our enemy and the one you should fear. This writer knows that some of this may come across as being unpatriotic WHAT EVER THAT MEANS, but someone must be willing to SPEAK TRUTH TO POWER. Bush has galvanized various agencies from law enforcement, academicians, legal professionals, etc., in order to study the concept of homegrown terrorism—from the social science perspective, as well as, to better understanding U.S. Jurisprudence and law relative to United States citizens committing acts of terrorism against the United States Government.

The homegrown so-called terrorist concern is centered on the U.S. Government failure to admit that Islam has developed and evolved as a major ideological religious school of thought in Christian America and has taking root throughout the United States, which is being disseminated pursuant to an enculturation process taking place amongst native born African American Muslims and their relationship with Middle Eastern Muslims. The religious bond they share transcends race and class (Islam as a religion seems to be the glue that holds these two distinct cultures together). Black Americans represent one of the largest non-Middle Eastern Islamic blocs in the United States and many of them each year are making Hajj to Mecca, Saudi Arabia and starting to visit other Islamic nations and societies. In some instance, there has been a forged alliance between Middle Eastern Muslims and African American Muslims. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Central Intelligence Agency after 9/11 started all types of covert and overt surveillance aimed at monitoring Islam and Masjids across America, in particular in cities like Newark, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Detroit, Michigan, New York City, San Francisco, California, Washington, D.C., etc., where there were large Middle Eastern and African American Muslims attending the same Masjids.

The United States Government has seen many Black Muslim sympathizers identifying with so-called Militant Radical Islam and who have become willing recruits for Militant Islam and joining their declaration of Jihad against the West. This writer in the past has heard Imam Jamil Abdullah EL-Amin (formerly H. Rap Brown of the Black Panther Party and former Chairman of the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee) deliver Jumuah services (Friday’s Congregation Prayer) in Atlanta in which he had a serious command of the Arabic language and their was a synthesizing of a bridging of cultures taking place under the banner of Islam between foreign Muslims and African American Muslims.

Imam Jamil AL-Amin (H. Rap Brown) was a target of the FBI and J. Edgar Hoover’s Cointelpro (U.S. Government Counter Intelligence Program) of the 1960s and 1970s because of his revolutionary activism during the turbulent Civil Rights era in the United States. He was charged and convicted of murdering a Cobb County Police officer in 2002 and is presently serving a life sentence at the Supermax Penitentiary in Colorado. Many believe that the FBI Cointelpro was ongoing and Imam AL-Amin was a victim of U.S. Government complicity. There are other high profile Imams like Imam Siraj Wahhaj, an African American Muslim who is well respected both in America and the Islamic world.

Look at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba and other Federal Bureau of Prisons and military holding sites where innocent Muslims who are prisoners of war, but are being denied legal counsel and is not protected by our laws, as they are written in the United States Constitution or being allowed to come under international law as it was written in the Geneva Convention. Many of them have not even been formerly charged; their situation is a travesty of justice. Some of these Muslim/Arab prisoners are being illegally tried in U.S. Military Courts and U.S. Federal Courts without the benefit of international jurisprudence relevant to their legal status—PRISONERS OF WAR. It is extremely difficult for me to accept Bush’s view of patriotism in lieu of the injustices. Why hasn’t House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers done more to demand justice for the Muslim prisoners of war that are being housed in the belly of the beast?

Fahim A. Knight-EL Chief Researcher for KEEPING IT REAL THINK TANK located in Durham, NC; our mission is to inform African Americans and all people of good will of the pending dangers that lie ahead; as well as decode the symbolisms and reinterpret the hidden meanings behind those who operate as invisible forces, but covertly rules the world. We are of the belief that an enlighten world will be better prepared to throw off the shackles of ignorance and not be willing participants for the slaughter. Our MOTTO is speaking truth to power. Fahim A. Knight-EL can be reached at fahimknight@yahoo.com.

STAY AWAKE UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN,
Fahim A. Knight-EL

“THE AGENDA: AND THE AGENDA SETTERS”

By Fahim A. Knight-EL

The writer perhaps like most Americans grew-up a bit naive about how this system functioned and believed that there was no other form of government or political system equated to the United States system of Democracy. We learned in our middle school civics course how the United States Democracy functioned, as far as the three branches of government—Executive, Legislative and Judicial branch, which we were taught gave a balance to power and a separation of powers. Thus, in theory the Executive branch (commander-in-chief), Legislative (Congress) and judicial (US Courts) all worked in concert to ensure the tenets of democracy are being fulfilled within our nation. The passing of the U.S. Patriot Act in 2001 turned the clock back relative to the balance of governmental powers—all the power has been unilateral transferred to the Executive branch.

We bought into believing in our electoral process, where as we elect four hundred and thirty-five (435) members to the House of Representatives and one hundred members to the United States Senate which makes up the US Congress. These elected officials are suppose to be the voices of the people in government and is mandated by law and Oath of Office to exercise the will of the people. We hail the right to vote as the highest and the most sacred order of a participatory government. Our democracy gives the appearance that the citizen of the United States are free and our government is structured upon certain alienable rights amongst them is “life liberty and the pursuit of happiness” according to legal and passionate language written in the U.S. Constitution.

Gary Allen and Larry Abraham in their book titled, "None Dare Call it Conspiracy" questions how free we are by listing what they called the 'The Fourteen Signposts to Slavery," which reads like this 1). Restriction on taking money out of the country and on the establishment or retention of a foreign bank account by an American citizen. 2). Abolition of private ownership of hand guns. 3). Detention of individuals without judicial process. 4). Requirements that private financial transactions be keyed to social security numbers or other government identification so that government records of these transactions can be kept and fed into a computer. 5). Use of compulsory education laws to forbid attendance at presently private schools. 6). Compulsory non-military service. 7). An official declaration that anti-Communist organizations are subversive and subsequent legal action taken to suppress them. 9). Laws limiting the number of people allowed to meet in a private home. 10). Any significant change in passport regulations to make passport more difficult to obtain or use. 11). Wage and price controls, especially in a non-wartime situation. 12). Any kind of compulsory registration with the government of where individuals work. 13). Any attempt to restrict freedom of movement within the United States. 14). Any attempt to make a new major law by executive decree (that is, actually put into effect, not merely authorized as by existing executive orders.) This book “None Dare Call it Conspiracy” was written over thirty-two (32) years ago and the words are prophetic, as far as laying out the AGENDA which is a living document, it foretold how the American people would eventually be striped of all civil liberties. 9/11 put us on that track. (Reference: Gary Allen and Larry Abraham: “None Dare Call it Conspiracy”)

This writer was viewing the news coming out Zimbabwe, Africa with its controversial President Robert Mugabe and that South East African nation's recent 2008 elections which the majority of the Western Governments called the elections a hoax and a sham. President Mugabe is being criticized and condemned for using intimidation, violence as a tactic and killing the opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai's supporters (Tsvangirai withdrew from the election which prompt more suspicion) to alter the so-called democratic process to ensure that he would remain in office for life. This writer wonders is Harry Oppenheimer after more natural resources in Zimbabwe and is he behind all the negative reporting the last ten years coming out of Zimbabwe.

This writer does not trust media reports because all media is controlled by one source. This writer would like to posed a rhetorical question, what is the worst form of social, political, and economic tyranny knowing and seeing that it exist or not seeing but is incurring the same affect? As reactionary as Mugabe's policies and tactics may-be; he is a peon and a little petty criminal in comparison to the motives of the criminals that set the AGENDA. This writer does believe that the imperialistic crimes committed historically by Cecil Rhodes and British and more recently by Ian Smith is somewhat responsible for the present day chaos that exist in Zimbabwe and throughout the whole of Africa.

Those that set AGENDA has given us the perception that democracy has led us to two political presidential candidates—Senator John McCain (R-AZ), the presumptive Republican nominee and Senator (D-ILL), the presumptive Democratic nominee, which in November the United States citizens will so-called elect a new Commander-in-Chief at least that is how it will appear on the surface. Those that set the AGENDA will win whether they seat the old War Monger Senator McCain or the youthful Harvard trained "silver tongue" lawyer in Senator Barack Obama. These two presidential hopefuls have no agenda other than an agreed consent to carry out the AGENDA of those who have the power, money and the infrastructure to shape and alter human history.

The "AGENDA' was set by Nathan Rothschild over 200 years ago who said “let me control a nations money I care not who writes its laws.”
Professor Carroll Quigley who authored the monumental work titled, "Tragedy and Hope" stated, "At the end of the war of 1914, it became clear that the organization of this system {The Round Table} had to be greatly extended. Once again the task was entrusted to Lionel Curtis who established in England and each dominion, a front organization, called the Royal Institute of International Affairs, had as its nucleus in each area the existing submerged Round Table Group. In New York it was known as the Council on Foreign Relations, and was a front for J.P. Morgan and Company in association with the very small American Round Table Group. The American organizers were dominated by the large number of Morgan 'experts,'. . .who had gone to the Paris Peace Conference and there became close friends with the similar group of English 'experts' which had been recruited by the Milner group. In fact, the original plans for the Royal Institute of International Affairs and the Council on Foreign Relations {CFR} were drawn up in Paris. . ." (Reference Carroll Quigley: "Tragedy and Hope”).

Most African Americans, in particular and all Americans in general, have no idea that these two candidates have been groomed to further the AGENDA, which is to the detriment of the national and international populace. Black Americans have this excitement about Senator Obama perhaps becoming the first African American president in the history of the United States; this writer does not share in their exuberance and excitement because little do they know that Senator Obama does not share in their sentiments of nationalism and so-called history making reality. His loyalty as all other United States presidents has very little to do with U.S. patriotism or racial-ethnic nationalism; they pledge allegiance to the AGENDA.

Senator Clinton after being defeated and Senator Obama after winning the nomination, the very next day, they both attended or perhaps were summoned to an American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) forum, which Senator Clinton assured the Zionist Jews that Senator Obama would be a committed friend to Israel. But what is it about these people who are just four (4) million in population within the United States and yet wield so much power and influence that every potential candidate for president must have their approval and consent. They (AIPAC) are like E.F. Hutton when they speak politicians must listen and do. Senator Obama did not address his largest and most loyal political support constituent base—the African American because he has no respect for a powerless and inconsequential group who do not have the political connections or the financial influence to truly determine his political destiny. This should have been an insult to African Americans, but their nine hundred billion dollar Gross National Product (GNP) and African Americans having over six thousand (6,000) elected and appointed political figures still ranks as inconsequential. Thus, in comparison to the Jewish lobbies they still remain powerless in the scheme of determining their own future and is voiceless when it comes to factoring-in which direction the world is headed. (Reference: Henry Ford: “The International Jew: The World’s Foremost Problem).

Yet, blacks represent one of the largest democratic party blocs in America and it was this political machine that initially gave Senator Obama the numbers over the better financed and well organized campaign of Senator Hillary Clinton. Lets not be mistaken here, those that set the AGENDA influence the electorate and in reality, they select the United States president and our vote don’t mean SHIT and as I have previously stated in a number of my writings before the United States Constitution is a worthless piece of paper. Welcome to American style Fascism.

The 2000 presidential election was proof positive that President George Bush stole an election or may be he was given an election by the AGENDA setters. Your vote did not factor-in, the American people elected former Vice President Al Gore as their president but the AGENDA setters had already cut a deal with former President George Herbert Walker Bush, the CIA spy and loyal servant, which to elevate his son to the position as the American leader that would alter world history. President Bush upon taking office had some dismal approval ratings according to the political pollsters. However, September 11, 2001 (staged event) would forever change his image, as well as the world and nation. His approval ratings right after the attack on the World Trade Center soared and the world stood side-by-side with America during this allege terrorist attack. (Reference: Richard A. Clarke “Against All Enemies: Inside America’s War on Terror”).

This incident devastated the morale of our nation; it left us looking for answers in one of America's darkest hours. Bush as ignorant as he was, and without the aid of his father could not have managed a crisis like 9/11, but his father, former President George H.W. Bush had surrounded his son with some of the best military minds and political advisor who were loyal constituents during his over fifty year rein in politics; they were asked to guide him through troubling waters at times like this.

The AGENDA setters led by one of their agents, Larry Silverstein who help create the 9-11 hoax and the bombing of the World Trade Center. He has reaped billions of dollars from the hoax and the Federal Bureau of Investigation nor has the New York Insurance Commission investigated Mr. Silverstein for fraud. I wonder why? The AGENDA setters knew that they could use the poor international relations between the United States and Iraq in order to dupe the American people, which to create a short and long term atmosphere of hate for Muslims and Arabs by convincing Americans via mass medium electronic and print into believing that Iraq and Al Qaeda had teamed up to attack America. This of course, was the furthest thing from the truth; it was mere propaganda and it created enough confusion and garnished enough public emotions to lead Bush into Baghdad with one objective stealing Oil. (Reference: David Icke: “The Biggest Secret”).

The public in March 2003 was mislead to believe that United States was declaring war on terror and U.S. Military in order to attain the real motive— stealing Oil, this heist would require them to become judge, jury, and executioner in Iraq. They had enough reactionary language in the U.S. Patriot Act (to justify all actions), the Geneva Convention was compromised, Bush would later impose the Military Commission Act and for all practical purposes the United Nations is a subsidiary of the United States Government with little decision making authority to enact international legislation and policies contrary to the interest of the United States. (Reference: David Horowitz, The Rockefellers and American Dynasty).

They later would admit that Iraq had no Weapons of Mass Destruction and justified the invasion by stating they received faulty intelligence from the former Central Intelligence Agency director George Tenet and from other intelligence apparatus. Also 9/11 changed how Islam would be viewed by the West because the face of Islam became associated with Osama Bin Laden, the so-called allege mastermind of 9/11. Bush squandered the opportunity to set a moral example of what a good world leader could be instead he became a vicious War-Monger attacking the innocent and defensively nation of Iraq. The entire world had sympathized with the United States during their time of crisis after 9/11 and was looking for the US to be a moral example to the rest world. (Reference: George Tenet: “At the Center of the Storm: My Years at the CIA”).

Bush will leave office in November 2008, as a disgrace and as one of the worst United States presidents of all time. He could have been considered one of the most popular presidents of all time but his poor decision making after 9/11 cost him this place in history. The AGENDA is often non-negotiable and this history was pre-ordained perhaps even prior to Bush being considered for servitude. McCain and Obama will take off from where Bush leaves off, and continue the AGENDA of fostering in a one World Government. The Middle East is a vital component to this objective because it represents America's primary energy source. The Persian Gulf is of the most vital and strategic importance to United States interest.

Former President Richard Nixon wrote in his book titled, "Seize The Moment, America's Challenge In a One-Superpower World," stated, "Had we not intervened, an international outlaw would today control more than fifty percent of the world's oil. While the United States could survive, if necessary without Persian Gulf oil, Western Europe and Japan could not. What happens to the economics of the industrial democracies directly affects the health of our economy. We therefore, could not have afforded to allow Iraq to have access to Gulf oil and blackmail the world through its choke hold on our oil lifeline." (Reference: Richard Nixon: "Seize The Moment, America's Challenge In a One-Superpower World").

Saudi Arabia is a disgrace to the Islamic world and they are used by the West as puppets to pacify Islam. This is why right after 9/11 although President Bush declared all of America's airspace as a no fly zone, but high ranking and top level officials of the Saudi Royal Kingdom were allowed to board a plane in Washington, DC and fly back Riyadh. Islam has allowed an enemy to enter in-between brothers who is steadily acerbating the differences between Shia Islam and Sunni Islam flaming sectarian differences, creating violent tension between Muslims while they continue to steal Oil and enriched themselves at the expense of the Muslims of Iraq.

The X factor is violence and it can be unpredictable and is responsible for over 4,000 US servicemen and women losing their lives in Iraq, but these casualties do not compare to the hundreds of thousands of Iraqis murdered by United States Arm Forces. The Muslim suicide bombers may seem to be insane to us in the West, but when people backs are pushed up against the wall; how they react can be unconventional—to some they are terrorist and to others they are legitimate freedom fighters. The Iraq war must come to an end; they impose the AGENDA to steal Oil and have devastated this impoverish nation with U.S. Military imperialism and unjust occupation.

This writer, as he writes, this article just heard on CNN news that President Bush and the Israelis are planning a military air attack against Iran before Bush leaves office. No, doubt Iran is on the AGENDA and either McCain or Obama will be given orders to invade this Shia Islamic Nation; although Iran poses no threat to the United States or to its neighbors just as Iraq posed no threat to anyone in 2003, but that doesn't matter once you are on the AGENDA. The first priority for the AGENDA Setters will be to capture the Iranian Oil fields for direct exploitation and to militarily destroy any potential Nuclear sites in this U.S. and Israel adversarial nation. This type of backwards diplomacy and military action will only further infuriate Muslims and create a broaden rift between Islam and the West.

Senator Obama has expressed interest in meeting with America's so-called enemies (these nations Bush has deemed the Axis of Evil) which to explore all options of peaceful diplomacy. This sounds good and reasonable, but whether Iran is allowed to continue in peace or is forced to engage in war, will not be the decision of Presumptive Democratic Presidential nominee Barack Obama or for that matter Senator McCain. The AGENDA setters see the potential of furthering enriching the Seven Oil Sisters, as well as so-called alleviating any potential threat to Israel in the Middle East. Then war with Iran will be inevitable.

These unseen Barons, the Order of Illuminati, House of Rothschild, Skull and Bones, Anglo American Establishment, Trilateral Commission, Bilderburger, Council on Foreign Relations, Club of Rome, etc., are some of your AGENDA Setters and they have sovereignty over all nations laws. The Keeping it Real Think Tank are equally divided on Senator Obama and since he has embraced the Zionist Jewish agenda and finds the black agenda as being politically incorrect to embrace and address; then something is wrong with this picture and equation, but who dares to questions these political acts of deception. (Reference: Dr. John Coleman: “Conspirators Hierarchy: The Story of the Committee of the 300”).

If elected president Senator Obama would perhaps be as ruthless and self-serving as President George W. Bush because he will be given an AGENDA and the political course of the United States and world rest completely outside the control of the Oval Office and U.S. Congress. The political course of our government has already been set on automatic pilot and although there will be some figure head (McCain or Obama) sitting in the captain's chair he will have no real bearing on the direction of the nation and world. Senator Obama or Senator McCain do not have the power to determine the so-called Oil crisis they are just front men and window dressing politicians often staging the show for the ignorant masses; because those that control the natural resources of the world do not answer to the U.S. Commander-in-Chief or to any other world leader (these low level operatives answers to them). (Reference: William Cooper: “Behold A Pale Horse.”)

They are the Central Bankers whom King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia works for and take orders; they determine how the Oil market fluctuate from Wall Street to Hong Kong. Thus, they throw out sound bites to the public such as “Saudi Arabia has agreed to increase drilling,” as though that is the solution to alleviating the world's so-called Oil crisis. They have their tentacles wrapped around every economic market and around all of humanity. The one hundred forty three dollars ($143,00) per barrel Oil has very little to do with Saudi Arabia or OPEC ability to relieve the Oil tension but the Rothschilds and the hidden aristocracy that set the AGENDA operates from Budapest, London, Paris, Barcelona, Tel Aviv, New York, Moscow, Berlin, Hong Kong, etc. They are the real culprits behind this artificial Oil crisis. (Reference: Andy Stern: “Oil: From Rockefellers to Iraq and Beyond’).

Fahim A. Knight-EL Chief Researcher for KEEPING IT REAL THINK TANK located in Durham, NC; our mission is to inform African Americans and all people of good will of the pending dangers that lie ahead; as well as decode the symbolisms and reinterpret the hidden meanings behind those who operate as invisible forces, but covertly rules the world. We are of the belief that an enlighten world will be better prepared to throw off the shackles of ignorance and not be willing participants for the slaughter. Our MOTTO is speaking truth to power. Fahim A. Knight-EL can be reached at fahimknight@yahoo.com.

STAY AWAKE UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN,
Fahim A. Knight-EL

“BLACK LIBERATION THEOLOGY: AN INTERPRETATION”

By: FAHIM A. KNIGHT

The KEEPING IT REAL THINK TANK asked me to write more in detailed about my views on Black Liberation Theology, it seem to have aroused a lot of Americans during this 2008 presidential election. This writer had written an article on March 31, 2008 titled. “JEREMIAH WRIGHT AND THE AMERICAN DILEMMA: HE IS NOT AMERICA’S PROBLEM" The media became somewhat obsessed with Reverend Jeremiah Wright after discovering his controversial ministry, teachings and his twenty (20) year association with Senator Barack Obama, the Democratic Party presumptive presidential nominee. This over exposure of Reverend Wright just did not happen in a vacuum, but this was systematically orchestrated by some shrewd and conniving manipulators. The media is controlled by one source and they have the ability to mold and shape public opinion—disinformation and propaganda are two of their covert ploys. These mediums are designed to control the thinking of the people. The media was attempting to draw a political wedge between Senator Obama and Jeremiah Wright in order derail Senator Obama's political momentum and besmirch his character and bring into question his judgment, credibility and integrity based on association with a so-called leftwing militant clergy in Reverend Jeremiah Wright. This writer believes that even the Dean of Black preachers Dr. Gardner C. Taylor would only nod his approval of Reverend Jeremiah Wright, a true Christian revolutionary.

In truth, if black folk were honest, there was nothing Reverend Wright said that is not preached in the historical black church tradition both past and present or in black seminaries across America. This writer has visited Shaw University Divinity (Raleigh, North Carolina), one the Historical Black Colleges and University (HBCU) many times and has had intellectual dialoged and interactions with divinity professors at this black seminary; moreover, the black experience in the curriculum is directly correlated to the Christian theological creed. This is an essential component to Black Liberation Theology as a school of thought. Yes, sometimes there is an intellectual infusion of black theology and politics coming together to give meaning and to make sense in a world that is full of earthly contradictions. Reverend Jeremiah Wright should have been applauded for his honesty and forthrightness in evaluating and assessing United States Foreign Policy and expressing a critical analysis of 9/11. America as a nation and President George Bush were wrong to attack Iraq and Afghanistan, two innocent nations and people just to steal OIL and OPIUM, which has cost the United States taxpayers over three (3) trillion dollars.

Reverend Jeremiah Wright has been speaking TRUTH TO POWER for over forty (40) years and those that were familiar with his social Gospel ministry knew of his good reputation as a defender of the “have nots.” Reverend Wright has always given decisive and critical analysis of the social, political, and economic systems of America, as well as, in particular how these dynamics have affected African Americans. Reverend Wright's theology was socially and spiritually relevant, it wasn't just the ordinary Christian philosophy based on the pie in the sky doctrine that you can not attain until after you die. But his theological position and work amongst black people were extraordinary, it was no different than the ministry of Jesus the Christ—the liberator of the least of these.

Some do not want to admit or to fearful to admit that for the most part black Christianity and white Christianity are two distinct and different theologies, yet they both share the Holy Bible and the “Christian religious” experience as their fundamental basis. But the historical experiences of both people black and white, in particular in the United States and the Western Hemisphere are strategically overlooked by some theologians and social scientist when evaluating Christianity in order to perpetuate the similarities and the homogeneousness in order to justify Christianity’s humanness, it has not always been that humane towards black people neither has Arab-specific Islam. The oppressor and the oppressed do not view or share the world from the same lens and they both have two opposite worldviews. Black Liberation Theology evolved out of a social and political disparity of injustice and racism. The Black Christian church has always been confronted with social contradictions that exist in the United States, which some ministers, denominations, and theologies have dealt with these dilemmas from a conservative perspective and/or have chosen to confront the contradictions in a more radical and non compromising manner. Black Liberation Theology was a response and reaction to white denial. (Reference: C. Eric Lincoln and Lawrence H. Mamiya: “The Black Church in the African American Experience”).

This writer started studying the likes of Reverend Albert Cleage (Jaramogi Abebe AgyEman) over twenty-five (25) years ago who authored two monumental books relative to Black Liberation Theology titled, "Black Christian Nationalism: New Directions for the Black Church” and “The Black Messiah." Cleage (1911-1980) was the founder of the Shrine of the Black Madonna in Detroit, Michigan, and also founder of Pan African Orthodox Christian Church, a Black Nationalist Christian organization that placed emphasis on black values, black principles, mores, and folkways and reinterpreted the Bible to reflect an African Worldview, as opposed to the Eurocentric interpretation given to us by our former slave masters children. Minister Malcolm X in his 1964 speech titled, "The Ballet or the Bullet" mentioned Albert Cleage as a significant Christian personality in the liberation struggle of African Americans. (Reference: Alistair Kee; “The Rise and Demise of Black of Black Theology).”

Congressman Adam Clayton Powell, Jr., in the early 1960s coined the phrase "Black Power" and defined himself as the “baddest Nigger” on Capital Hill. Many have attributed the slogan "Black Power' to Kwame Ture (Stokley Carmichael) former chairman of the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee and honorary member of the Black Panther Party who was given the honorary titled of minister of information, but Congressman Powell was the first to echo black power. Black Liberation theology began to make its greatest leap as a systematic theology during turbulent 1960s. Many black clergy were faced with the question of, how do we make Christianity relevant in the context of the social and political upheaval in the United States?

The United States was in unjust war in Vietnam in the 1960s and 1970s, racial tension was tearing the nation apart and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., was preaching non-violent social change and using the tactic of Civil Disobedience to agitate the status quo. King on August 28, 1963 led the March on Washington in which over two hundred fifty thousand demonstrators were galvanized to dramatize appalling political, social and economic conditions in America. Dr. King was a preacher by profession and a well trained theologian who had earned a Ph.D in religion from Boston University. He used the Bible as his text to criticize United States Foreign Policy and the Bible gave him enough ammunition to condemn domestic oppression, injustice and paralleled black’s struggle to those suffers written of in the Bible. Dr. King was not necessarily a proponent of Black Liberation Theology, but his social theology and activism shared a deep similarity and compatibility to the philosophical tents of Black Liberation Theology, which spoke to the oppressed. (Reference: Gayraud S. Wilmore; “Black religion and Black radicalism”).

This is a layperson's analysis of the developments of Black theology. The writer will admit that this research, by no means, is an exhaustive analysis of Black theology. On the other hand, this article does articulate the perspectives determined by the Black theological process. This analysis looks at how Black theology deals with the major institutions, such as God, Jesus Christ, the Bible and the black church. The analysis, presented in this article relies largely on the scholarship of experts on the subject: theologians, religious scholars, sociologists, and philosophers. From the start, it would be necessary to provide, for the reader, a distinction of two major concepts: theology and religion.

According to the “Dictionary of Philosophy and Religion,” theology comes from the Greek word "theos" (God) and "logos" (discourse or reason). Simply stated as, man's knowledge of God and His relation to the world. Hence, Black theology as interpreted by Joseph A. Johnson, author of the book, “The Black Preacher”, he explains: “Black—because of our enslaved fore-parents appropriated the Christian Gospel articulated its relevance to our freedom struggle with incisive accents that black women and men have sounded since. Theology - because our peoples' perception of human life and history begin with God, who works in the person of Jesus Christ for liberation from every bondage.” l

Black theology has both a systematic approach and a practical approach. The two forms of methodology will be articulated in more detail. Religion, on the other hand, refers "to an institution with a recognized body of communicants who gather together regularly for worship, and accept a set of doctrines offering some means of relating the individual to what is taken to be the ultimate nature of reality."2 The sociologists, C. Eric Lincoln offers a more functional explanation of religion, he suggests, "it is an effort to do for man what must be done to save him from the consequences of his dependency, his powerlessness."3

Tradition­ally, religion has provided the prime cohesiveness for the black community. It is in religion, where our fragmented communities are most institutionalized. When the African was brought to America as chattel, during the infamous slave trade, they represented a variety of sociological backgrounds. The European's "stolen" cargo was made up of people that spoke different languages and practiced different customs. Although the African's previous lifestyles were respectfully different, each would later share the same humiliations and limitations. As a result of stripping the captives of their identities, during this awful period of America's history, the African religious experiences had been shattered. The transplanted Africans were thought not to be "civilized" for religious training. It was common thought by the colonist that Africans were "too brutish, too ignorant, too unlike the English"4 to receive any religious instructions. As the black presents continued to grow, there became a need to offer a "religious" explanation for the existence of black men and women.

C. Eric Lincoln explains the slave's indoctrination to the Christian persuasion:. . . in 1700s the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts, the missionary arm of the church of England, found itself with several dozen missionaries in this country without anything for them to do. . . the SPG missionaries argued that Christianity would reduce their (the slaves) proneness for lying and stealing and laziness and would in fact make them as faithful unto their masters as unto Christ himself.5

As the cry for "Black Power" became popular during the turbulent sixties, there grew an even greater since of urgency for a Black theology. It was on June 13, 1969, when the first statement on an academic Black theology was issued from Atlanta, Georgia by a group of religious scholars and theologians. Roy D. Morrison writes in the article, "Theology and Ethics,” . . . “in the seventh decade of the twentieth century, black thinkers moved into that arena known as theology." 6 Consequently, marking an academic start to erasing the myths and misconceptions in western religious instructions. The scholarship and research of the black theologian serves as the primary conductor of the systematic approach to Black theology. James H. Cone, one of the leading scholars of the subject, bluntly states, "The goal of black theology is the destruction of everything white, so that blacks can be liberated from alien gods." 7 A primary concept is that African-Americans and Africans throughout the Diaspora must refuse to let whites define what is appropriate for black religious philosophy. The notion of a colorless God does not benefit the promotion of Black theology. It is the conceptualization of a Black God that is key. Important because, “ . . the blackness of God means that God has made the oppressed condition Gods own condition." 8

Furthermore, Black theology symbolizes Jesus Christ as the black messiah, reminding black people in a most consistent manner that God through Christ takes upon himself the liberation of the suffering and humiliated. Olivia Pearl Stokes, author of the article, "Black Theology: A Challenge to Religious Education, “contends: Blackness is a symbol of the being, the humanity of black people in the context of the experience African and Afro - American, blackness has meant inferiority and oppression. Insofar as Jesus Christ was subjugated and humiliated without cause to save the world, he is recognized by black theology as the oppressed man of God who took upon himself the undeserved suffering of all oppressed people. . He is the black messiah who was raised from the dead to liberate the oppressed by the power of the God who delivered Israel from the hand of Pharaoh and revealed himself as a strong deliver and liberator from every oppression of human existence.9

Consequently, the black experience of oppression and exploitation serves as the background for perceiving the God of the Bible as the God of liberation. When analyzing Christianity as it is interpreted by its followers of the Diaspora, one must take a more objective look at the primary source of reference, the Bible. Black theology's hermeneutical (study of the interpretation of the Bible) position, according to Cone's Perspective is: “The Bible is the witness to God's self-disclosure in Jesus Christ. Thus the black experience requires that Scripture be a source of Black Theology. For it was scripture that enabled slaves to affirm a view of God that differed radically from that of the slave masters. The slave masters' intention was to present a ‘Jesus’ who would make the slave obedient and docile. . .Many blacks rejected that view of Jesus, not only because it contradicted their African heritage, but because it contradicted the witness of scripture.” 10

Considering the wickedness of the individuals who have tampered with Scripture, objectiveness must be applied when reading the Bible. The South African theologian, Itumeleng J. Mosala, emphasizes, "the insistence on the Bible as the 'word of God' must be seen for what it is: an ideological maneuver whereby ruling class interests in the Bible as in our society today are converted into faith that transcends social, political, racial, sexual, and economic divisions. In this way the Bible becomes an historical inter-classiest document." 11

To help serve the African of the Diaspora from becoming more persuaded by myths and exaggerations promoted by the Bible, Mosala recommends that, "a new exegetical starting point is established by black theologians ". . . anything else is a tinkering with what in fact must be destroyed." 12 The black church is undoubtedly the primary location, where the manifestation of black theology can develop. The church has been successful at a number of accomplishments, serving predominantly as the last existing fixture in our communities. Benjamin Mays, the longtime President of Morehouse College in Atlanta, tells about the stability of the black church during the period before 1933: The church was the first community or public organization that the Negro actually owned and completely controlled. And it is possibly true to this day that the Negro church is the most thoroughly owned and controlled public institution of the race .13

The black church is the domain of the pastoral minister. It is here, where the practical approach of Black theology is exercised. The practical approach is more compelling, more concrete, than the systematic approach. This methodology relies largely on the charismatic orator. It is the reverend's cadence and style of delivery that is oftentimes more lasting than the content of the sermon. Gayraud S. Wilmore, Dean and Professor of Afro-American Religious Studies at the New York Theological Seminary, challenges the black preacher, suggesting, "they need to be constantly reminded that the 'old religion' among our people had a powerful, though sometimes covert, social action and cultural renewal component that was utilized by our predecessors in lyceums, literary societies, benevolent clubs and abolitionist groups with the congregation..” 14

Black theology does have its skeptics and varying degrees of skepticism. Its principles are mostly challenged by fellow theologians and religious scholars. William Jones, a Unitarian minister, argues from the prospective of theodicy and black humanism. He questions, "if there is a God, why do people suffer (undeservedly)?"15 He continues his scrutiny, "since black theologians base their claims that God is the liberator of all the oppressed in the Exodus story, what proof, what historical example is there in the black experience to warrant these claims? For such claims to be justified, blacks should be able to point to events in black history which reflect the liberation acts of all the oppressed in the Exodus story, what proof, what historical example is there in the black experience to warrant these claims? For such claims to be justified, blacks should be able to point of events in black history which reflect the liberation acts of God. . Black people have no right to make claims on other people's histories' and base their hopes on them as if they were their own history, Since there is no historical event, to which, they can point to that shows that the biblical God is on their side as their liberator."16

In addition, to Jones' doubts, are more constructive analyzes, offered by fellow black theologians Cecil W. Cone and Albert Cleage. Cecil W. Cone, author of “The Identity Crisis in Black Theology” (1975), strongly contends that Black theology should build more solidly on the black religious experience and tradition, emphasis placed in this area would decrease the identity crisis in theology. Albert Cleage, author of “The Black Messiah” (1968), supports the installing of an even more dominate effort at promoting black nationalistic interpretation of biblical religion and the black church. However, a more easily detected shortcoming, is the ineffectiveness black theologians’ encounter when attempting to convey their scholarly analysis to the masses of Africans of the Diaspora. The unfortunate reality is that, theologians only seem to talk to theologians. Perhaps, because of its abstract nature, the lofty rhetoric, or the short time that it has been a practiced science, may attribute to its minimum attractiveness at this time.

The validity of black theology is not the most important element. Rather, the reality and relevance of its purpose is its most important feature. Mari Evans, writing as a young poet, captures the essence of a liberated religious posture in the poem, “Speak the Truth to the People”, she writes: the world; 5) to develop panoramic images of our experiences in the black churches. The black church is also faced with changing roles. In order to remain a viable factor, each black church must create its own community outreach agenda. without a sense of mission, the black church will become useless temples of hope, if it does not evolve within the context of an ever changing political, social and economic world—change is not stagnant it is constant. The black church must adopt new platforms which to continue to address the needs of their challenging congregation.

In an article written by Hollie I. West, "Down from the Clouds,” recent innovative ideas were discovered. "In Detroit the Joy of Jesus ministry has no congregation, cleans yards, restores houses, tutors youngsters, sends kids to camp and combat crimes The six-denomination Congress of National Black Churches, based in Washington, is working to establish economic development and anti-drug programs for individual churches in the District of Columbia, San Diego, New York City, Memphis, Atlanta, and Chicago.” 18 Innovative programs will strengthen the black church, thus creating a more stabled forum for Black theology to evolve.

Fundamentally speaking, Black theology seems simple to promote to the "lost" African of the Diaspora, but a more in depth analysis indicates otherwise. There has to be a restructuring of ideology implemented by each of the "lost" peoples of Africa. Not until individuals seek to expand their own knowledge of their existence will Black theology become a more dominant persuasion. It will be incumbent upon the black church and members to utilize its greatest potential. Black theology must take seriously the suffering and cruel treatment that its people are victims of.

However, Black Liberation Theology will always remain viable, as long as racism and injustice exist and the black church will continue to have the job, duty and responsibility to answer with a critical and decisive voice, unless it renders its-self useless and obsolete. Black Liberation Theology is not a racist doctrine or teachings of hate, but it affirms how black people see God and the prophets and interpret religion from their own theological definitions. This writer enjoys the Ministry of Dr. Pastor Frank Reid III of Bethel AME Church in Baltimore because Dr. Reid’s sermons are practical and relative to his black congregation worldview, it represents messages of a collective conscience and a collective experience rooted in the black tradition. This writer loves good ole southern black preaching; although I am far from being religious, but my spirituality helps me embrace all truth regardless of the paths and labels we apply to the Creators existence. This writer must admit he detest mega preachers and ministers such as T.D. Jakes, Creflo Dollar, Eddie Long, Fred Price, etc., and many more like them; these religious gangsters, pimps and crooks are robbing their congregations blind and many of them are to ignorant to know what is going on. These prosperity base ministries are only designed to financially empower these ego driven ministers to the detriment of a suffering black masses. They live bourgeoisie and lavish lifestyles selling the greatest con game ever invented—religion.

Fahim A. Knight Chief Researcher for KEEPING IT REAL THINK TANK located in Durham, NC; our mission is to inform African Americans and all people of good will of the pending dangers that lie ahead; as well as decode the symbolisms and reinterpret the hidden meanings behind those who operate as invisible forces, but covertly rules the world. We are of the belief that an enlighten world will be better prepared to throw off the shackles of ignorance and not be willing participants for the slaughter. Our MOTTO is speaking truth to power. Fahim A. Knight can be reached at fahimknight@yahoo.com.

Stay Awake Until We Meet Again,
Fahim A. Knight

NOTES

1 0livia Pearl Stokes, "Black Theology: A Challenge to Religious Education," in Religious Education and Theology (Maryknoll, New York: Orbis Books, 1982), 72.

2 William Reese, Dictionary of Philosophy and Religion: Eastern and Western Thought (Sussex, New Jersey: Humanities Press, 1980), 488.

3 C. Eric Lincoln, "Contemporary Black Religion," Journal of the Interdenominational Theological Center, Spring (1978), 91­104.

4 Ibid., 91

5 Ibid., 91.

6 Roy D. Morrison, "Theology and Ethics," in Philosophy of Religion and Theology (Sussex, New Jersey: Humanities Press, 1975), 124.

7James H. Cone, "God in Black Theology," in A Black Theology of Liberation (Maryknoll, New York: Orbis Books, 1986), 62.

8 Ibid, 63.

9 Olivia Pearl Stokes, "Black Theology," in Religious Education and Theology, 63.

10 Itumeleng J. Mosala, "The use of the bible in Black Theology," in The Unquestionable Right to be Free (Maryknoll, New York: Orbis Books, 1986), 177.

11 Ibid., 179.

12 Ibid., 185.

13 Benjamin E. Mays and Joseph W. Nicholson, "The Genius of the Negro Church," in Afro-American Religious History: A Documentary witness, edited by Milton C. Sernett (Durham, North Carolina: Duke University Press, 1985), 338.

14 Gayraud. S. Wilmore, "Pastoral Ministry in the Origin and Development of Black Theology," The Journal of the Interdenominational Theological Center, Spring (1986), 213-224.

15 Mokgthi Motlhabi, "The Historical Origins of Black Theology," in The Unquestionable Right to be Free, 43.

16 Ibid., 44.

Selected Bibliography

The Original African Heritage Bible- Dr. Caine Hope Felder

What Color was Jesus- William Mosely

Yeshua the Hebrew Messiah or Jesus the Christian Christ-Rabbi Ben Ammi

The Messiah and the End of this World- Rabbi BenAmmi

The Black Messiah- Rev. Albert Cleage

The Black Christ- Kelly Brown Douglas

God, the Bible and the Black man`s Destiny- Dr.Ishakamusa Barashango

Afrikan People and European Holidays-Dr. Ishakamusa Barashango

Adam, Where are you- Dr. Jawanza Kunjufu

The African Origins of Judaism- Jose Malcioln

The TRUTH about Black Biblical Hebrew-Israelites- Ella Hughley

Our Black Seminarians and Black Clergy without a Black Theology- Dr. Yosef ben-Jochannan

The Black Presence in the Bible- Rev. Walter McCray

What if Blacks did not Exist- Felix Ehui

The Valley of the Dry Bones- Rudolphf Windsor

From Babylon to Timbuktu- Rudolphf Windsor

Black Biblical Heritage- Dr. John L. Johnson

"CONSPIRACY THEORY VERSUS THE BIG LIE THEORY AND THE SEARCH FOR TRUTH"

By Fahim A. Knight

The very nature of mentioning the word conspiracy ordinarily evoke two different reactions; one being of denial, disbelief and rejection; moreover, often there is a fervent position to protect the popular view because there exist in the human psyche a deep seated belief and trust that our governments (or other entities of authority) will not do what the conspiracy theorist are maintaining. However, secondly, there is a much smaller minority of people who study certain past historical trends and are more than willing to explore the possibilities of an alternative view by delving into questions that are not expected to be entertained by an indoctrinated and ignorant masses. Graham Hancock on his website stated: "Each day scientists learn more and more about our species and its past, often turning up new evidence that challenges the accepted views and received wisdom of long-established orthodoxy. But because we live in an 'Information Universe' it is no longer the professional academic alone who is privy to such disconcerting news. Since the advent of the worldwide web the old intellectual monopolies have been broken. Now we all have the opportunity, if we choose to take it, to challenge habitual assumptions and to play a part in piecing together the puzzle of who we are and of our forgotten past".

John Michael Greer in his book titled, “The Element Encyclopedia of Secret Societies” stated, “Behind the ordinary history of the world, the facts and dates that most of us learn in school and forget immediately thereafter, lies a second, hidden history of secret societies, lost civilizations, sinister conspiracies and mysterious events. This shadow side of history has become a pervasive theme in the popular culture of recent years, drawing widespread and far from unreasonable sense that the official version of reality presented in schools and public media is a political construction meant to favor some at the expense of others. In an age of politicians who manipulate facts for their own benefit, scientists who invent data to advance their careers, and scholars who let prejudices all too obviously shape their judgment, only the foolish- or those with agendas of their own-accept the claims of authority blindly.”

The utilization of deductive reasoning is implored by the conspiracy theoretician, which to assess and evaluate the allege 'facts' and often drawing what is deemed as "unconventional" conclusions. The thought is being guided by intuition and a moral compass, which is geared towards finding the truth. No different than like a good private investigator that has put in the research time and has gathered enough evidence to make a reasonable inference about a subject. The findings more than often will likely be a deviation from and contrary to the popular version of the truth relative to an event that may have taking place in history. There are some who confuses anything “secret” as being conspiratorial and draw a false assumption that it represents cloak-and-dagger which might be the furthest thing from the truth. People can have secrets and not necessarily be planning anything sinister. However, one of the fundamental components and elements of the conspirators is there ability to conceal secrecy and manipulate past, present and future reality by veiling, cryptic, mystifying and creating a covert clandestine system which to or not to disseminate information.

These secret motivated groups or individuals can appear in society as some formal organizational entities or as some loose social order, which both mindsets share agendas of creating a pretext for the truth in order to maintain influence and prerogative over those who have been duped. The only obvious difference, is one may be formal and other informal in their internal and external workings but the ultimate objective is the same. There is one central theme that drives the conspirators, which is cloaking the truth by any means necessary and never revealing some of the diabolical schemes to the uninformed masses. In this world, perception means everything and reality means absolutely nothing. We have been conditioned to take things at face value and are frowned upon for raising the essential questions of how, where, when, who, why and most of what if? The conspiracy theorist for raising these questions will be quickly labeled insane, irrational, kooky and often dismissed as a lunatic that is psychologically deranged. These false characterizations are done to further lure an unassuming public to sleep and the active and/or latent conspirators are allowed to further hide without any real public scrutiny or ideological challenge. Many do not believe that there are some invisible forces (historical and present) shielded behind many barriers of deceptions that have had a hidden hand in defining history and altering history with a motive of forever distancing themselves from the reality of the masses, yet influencing and dictating their enslavement.

The authors Gary Allen and Larry Abraham in their book titled, "None Dare Call it Conspiracy" stated: "Those who believe that major world events results from planning are laugh at for believing in the 'conspiracy theory of history.' Of course, no one in this modern day and age really believes in the conspiracy theory of history--except those who have taken the time to study the subject. When you think about it, there are really only two theories of history. Either thing happen by accident neither planned nor caused by anybody, or they happen because they are planned and somebody causes them to happen. In reality, it is the 'accidental theory of history' preached in the unhallowed Halls of Ivy which should be ridiculed."

For example, was September 11, 2001 truly accidental and/or incidental history, which involved nineteen (19) allege terrorist—hijackers or was this historical event well planned out and under the covert guise of some powerful conspirators possessing unseen motives, which to produce a certain cause and effect. This writer never believed that the three thousand (3,000) fatalities were the intended targets they were mere victims of the casualties of War nor was striking the World Trader Center aimed at disrupting the business of the financial capitol of the world—New York City and its flow of money. They have the ability to create smoking mirrors.

In a work titled, "Rape of the Constitution: Death of Freedom" authored by Gyeorgos Ceres Hatonn stated, "You ask and ask again, 'What can I do?' Herein we tell you that which you can do. The time for letting 'someone else do of your work is finished--you will stand forth and participate in the journey of God or you will be passed by. Your Constitutional rights as written by the Founding Fathers are being replaced by the New Constitution which is already in operation without your realization of the same. You have a right and obligation to know that which is in store for you at the hands of the conspirators for the New World Order, and further obligation as a citizen, to act. You have been people of the lie far to long, my friends and it has all but cost you every vestige of freedom. . . Do nothing, and you had better increase your prayer time, for it is serious indeed. The projected prophecies are at your door and it is time you recognize your enemy!"

This writer heard Dr. Abdul Alim Muhammad, former minister of Mosque number 4 Washington, DC once deliver a speech at North Carolina Central University in Durham, North Carolina and he stated that the United States Government systematically uses the "Big Lie" theory, which is an established strategy and tactic used by them to systematically turn lies into facts (if there is any such thing) which is then perceived and eventually accepted as being the truth; in particular using scholars, think tanks, intellectuals, scientist, media (Council on Foreign Relations, Bilderberger group, Trilateral Commission, Carlyle Group), etc., as the vehicles to carry out this deception to a predestined end.

Academicians bring further validity to the Big Lie theory by showing forth doctored empirical data and allegedly taking hypotheses through the rigor and stringent methodical test instruments required for the designation of scholarly research, which to determine, if it meets the standards of scientific proof. The objective is to lead some prominent and respected scholar to intellectualize the Big Lie by quoting, documenting and imploring citations in well respected scholarly academic journals and books. This is one method they use to turn the lie in the "truth" and people readily forget that initially there were no basis to the lie and then more and more credible researchers cite the lie and just like that they have transformed a lie into an acceptable documented 'truth.'

In a small pamphlet published by the National Alliance titled, "Who Rules America? The authors stated, "Because there are differences in degree, however, most Americans fail to realize that they are being manipulated. Even the citizens who complains about 'managed news' falls into the trap of thinking that because he is presented with an apparent spectrum of opinion he can escape the thought controllers influence by believing the editor or commentator of his choice. It's a 'heads I win, tails you lose' situation. Every point on the permissible spectrum of public opinion is acceptable to the media masters--an no impermissible fact or viewpoint is allowed any exposure at all, if they can prevent it. The control of the opinion molding media is monolithic. All controlled media--television, radio, newspapers, magazines, books, motion pictures--speak with a single voice each reinforcing the other. Despite the appearance of variety, there is no real dissent, no alternative sources of facts or ideas accessible to the great mass of people which might allow them to form opinions at odds with those of the media masters."

Yet through the art of persuasion (subliminal seduction), it is easily adopted as our new standard of truth in which we are prepared to fight and defend, its allege integrity and validity. Moreover, there is a false and misconstrued belief that there exist a moral, ethical and love for the positive development of humanity that is shared amongst the classes, and the powerful and the powerless are on equal footage. Those that perpetuate conspiracies do it out of maintaining dominance and control and with an interest to subjugate and never allow anyone who is not invited in their paradigm and power schemes to create any thought that could perhaps alter the balance of power. They will go to great lengths to discredit, assassinate, imprison, bankrupt, cause sickness, publicly ridicule, etc., and use all sought of dirty tricks to get their diabolic agenda across.

Funk and Wagnalls in their standard Dictionary defined Conspiracy in this manner: "An agreement between two or more persons to do an evil act in concert; secret combination of men for evil purpose." The objective of the conspirator is to hide the truth about something be it a historical event, or person that might be in a position to expose or reveal something that might uncover a deception and expose some deep seated secrecy that might enlighten those of us who have been made ignorant for the purpose of maintaining power and manipulating our personal, as well as the social, political, and economic reality for their benefit.

Truth has the ability to alter the balance of power by eliminating and/or isolating and uprooting past agreed truths that were formulated as false control mechanisms to shield evidence that might-be pointing to the contrary. It almost becomes sinister and borders on being treasonous to offer or suggest a point of view, opposite of the one being advocated by the status quo. The status quo has the masses of the global population conditioned that oftentimes they do not even have to defend their contentions. Moreover, those who are being deceived by the conspirators will often run to the defense of the conspirator and serve in opposition to anyone attempting to expose their chicanery.

Dr. John Coleman is his revealing book titled, "Conspirators' Hierarchy: The Story of The Committee of 300" stated, "My hope is . . . better, clearer, and wider understanding of the conspiratorial forces ranged against this nation will come about. That hope is being realized as more and more young people are beginning to as questions and seek information about what is REALLY going on. It is difficult for people to comprehend that these conspirators are real and they have the power I and many others have attributed to them. Many have written to ask how it is that our government does nothing about the terrible threat to civilization. The problem is that our government is PART of the problem, part of the conspiracy and nowhere and at no time has this become more clear evident than during the Bush Presidency. Of course President Bush knows precisely what the Committee 300 is doing to us. HE WORKS FOR THEM. Others have written to say, "We thought we were fighting the government." Of course we are, but behind government stands a force so powerful and all-encompassing that intelligence agencies are even afraid to mention the name 'Olympians.' "

This writer became aware and accepted the fact that there were conspiratorial forces working in our midst and it was no more evident than after the assassination of Minister Malcolm X on February 21. 1965 and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on April 4, 1968; these two single historical incidents led me to believe that after years of research and investigation that their deaths were not mere accidental history neither were the trigger-men or assassins acting as mere self-righteous zealots working and looking to absolve the United States of two radical and antagonistic voices. These two black Civil Rights leaders were targets of a United States Government Conspiracy and after discovering the government's hand in these assassinations. It led me to re-access how I would view this whole notion of conspiracy theory school thought in the present and the future. The former F.B.I Director J. Edgar Hoover and the Federal Bureau of Investigation as a governmental agency in the 1960s and 1970s were part of a conspiracy to silence militant black activist and in King's case not so militant voices during the turbulent Civil Rights struggles.

The United States Government led the public to believe that James Earl Ray acted as the lone shooter in King's assassination and now years later more and more facts are being revealed that perhaps there were Top Level Governmental officials involved in Dr. King's murder. Minister Malcolm was a militant and radical spokesman for the Nation of Islam and it has been revealed that the three Muslim assassins of Minister Malcolm X were US Government agents. The Hit on Minister Malcolm X was ordered by Top Level individuals in the US Government and they even sent agent provocateurs to infiltrate Elijah Muhammad's movement and disrupt his effectiveness as a black protest leader. It was this history that confirmed and affirmed for me that conspiracy theories are more than worthy to be taking serious and given credence as a legitimate school thought and discipline, and should be offered on the university level like any other curriculum of study, as opposed to being met with suspicion and skepticism.

Some believe that the Rothschild’s, Rockefellers, Morgans, etc., function as an invisible government with powers and sovereignty unmatched by independent nations of the earth and this super-Elite have pulled the purse strings on all major world events and they answer to no one, but themselves. Moreover, some even correlate these Dynastic Families to the covert agenda that is written about in the "Protocols of the Learned Elders of Zion" in which there exist a diabolical conspiracy to rule over every facet of humanity's lives—be it political, social, and economic, but there are others that view the "Protocols of the Learned Elders of Zion" as a mere hoax and fraud made up and possess no credibility which leads to a world wide Zionist Jewish Conspiracy. The Conspiracy Theorist do not mind entertaining sensitive topics like this and weighing the evidence and allowing the evidence to be the determining factor and not being swayed by so-called 'mainstream' or 'traditional history'.

This leads to the United States banking and monetary system which some believe has been co-opted by these Dynastic Families and this evidence points to an even larger conspiracy or is it just perhaps coincidental that one (1) percent of the population (or more like 300 families) control over ninety-five (95) percent of the world's wealth and resources. These topics in my opinion are worthy topics of discussion, but traditional schools of thought will not critique and analyze the International Banks and the power of the Central Banks who rules and govern the world with an Iron Fist. The conspiracy theorist has the uncanny ability of taking us out of our comfort zone and getting us to think, which is something to few of us do, because it is so easy to have others that think for us. If we ever wake up from our slumber we will be shocked to know how dumbfound we have been.

John Lawrence Reynolds in his book titled, "Secret Societies: Inside the World's Most Notorious Organizations" stated: "It's fine entertainment for those who suspect that their lives are manipulated by unseen powers. They seek evidence like seedlings craving light, even when the source of light is somewhat less illuminating than the sun. According to conspiracy buffs, every decision regarding your economic well-being, your position in society, the condition of your health, and the institution that governs your life rests in the hands of enigmatic men--they are almost always men--whose identity is either concealed from view or hidden behind a mask of benign public service. Nothing you think or do is yours alone to decide."

Fahim A. Knight Chief Researcher for KEEPING IT REAL THINK TANK located in Durham, NC; our mission is to inform African Americans and all people of good will of the pending dangers that lie ahead; as well as decode the symbolisms and reinterpret the hidden meanings behind those who operate as invisible forces, but covertly rules the world. We are of the belief that an enlighten world will be better prepared to throw off the shackles of ignorance and not be willing participants for the slaughter. Our MOTTO is speaking truth to power. Fahim A. Knight can be reached at fahimknight@yahoo.com.

Stay Awake Until We Meet Again,

Fahim A. Knight

King Solomon’s Temple: The Basis of Freemasonry

By Fahim A. Knight

The Middle Eastern conflict and Freemasonry are uniquely tied together, it all evolves around and is correlated to King Solomon (1024-967 B.C.E), the son of King David (1107-1007 B.C.E), the Holy City of Jerusalem, and the Temple at Mount Moriah. Thus, over seventy-five (75) percent of the Freemasonic worldview and philosophy is constructed on the building of King Solomon's Temple. But the historical accuracy of the Masonic Solomon’s Temple does not totally lineup with secular history or biblical history as recorded by each school of thought, from the Masonic point of view part of this historical legend is based on mere allegory, symbolism, simile, metaphor, prototype, etc. However, King Solomon's Temple still remains as one of the most marvelous and fascinating topics of antiquity and in contemporary thought; and is perhaps one of the most talked about edifices in the world and throughout human history. (Reference: Christopher Knight & Robert Lomas; “The Hiram Key: Pharaoh’s, Freemasons, and the Discovery of the Secret Scrolls of Jesus” pg. 26-35).

Thus, the Freemasonic worldview and philosophical (Speculative Masonry) justification to exist rest almost totally upon this ideological foundation, in which Freemasonry is structured on the Legend of King Solomon's Temple; looms high. The core tenets and beliefs that inculcate the Masonic allegories from top to bottom perhaps would have a difficult time existing without the legends, myths, and truths that are associated with the mythical and mystery of King Solomon's Temple, that once sits in the Holy City of Jerusalem and now forever buried due to human imperfection. (Reference: W.L. Wilmshurst; “The Meaning of Masonry” pg. 138-216).

The city of Jerusalem is deemed the city of peace, however, it has been quite to the contrary for the past 4,000 years; it has been defined by war and religious strife and political anarchy. The Jews, Christians and Muslims have fought bitter wars over the right to claim ownership and custodial entitlement to Mount Moriah. All three Abrahamic faiths have assembled theological and dogmatic authenticity to explaining why King Solomon’s Temple personifies a Jewish, Christian, and/or Islamic religious worldview. Freemasonry which incorporates the teachings of the Torah (Old Testament and the five books revealed to Moses), and the Gospel or Ingil (New Testament revealed to Yeshua Ben Yosef). (Reference: Mustafa EL-Amin; “Freemasonry: Ancient Egypt and the Islamic Destiny” pg. 96-115).

The Masonic claim to King Solomon's Temple is a lot less controversial and without the overt political and antagonistic contradictions that exist amongst the three major faith traditions, but nevertheless the sacred edifice of King Solomon's Temple lie the basis for Freemasonry to exist. The three Blue Lodge Degrees (Entered Apprentice, Fellow Craft, and Master Mason) and this writer suspect the majority and subsequent degrees (4th-32nd and Royal Arch Degrees) to follow, will still adhere to the theory and philosophical trend of emphasizing the fraternal importance of King Solomon's Temple.

The Entered Apprentice is brought from “darkness to light” on the ground floor of King Solomon's Temple, the Fellowcraft after showing acceptable proficiency in the first degree is elevated to the Middle chamber and finally to the sublime degree of Master Mason, which is styled the Holy of Holies and the Sanctum Sanctorum. This is also related to the Guild workers, Stone Masons and the Operative Masons of old who took great pride in setting a workman's standard that each tradesman were neither received or passed without having the proper qualification because ones craftsman knowledge led to one being able to require higher wages for their knowledge and labor. (Reference: Barnes & Nobles Publishers; “Symbols of Freemasonry” pg. 6-30).

King Solomon's Temple was built on Mount Moriah in Jerusalem and some have maintained that the Ark of the Covenant where Prophet Moses (received the Ten Commandments is somehow connected to this land and Mount Moriah as it pertains to Moses and the Tabernacle. However, there is a much older civilization with a much more advanced culture and evolution that existed in Cush (Ethiopia), Africa, which were the Coptic Christians and Falasha Jews who were practicing a form of Christianity and Judaism long before Moses, Abraham and Yeshua bin Yosef (Jesus). (Reference: Ella J. Hughley; The Truth About Black Biblical Hebrew Israelites (Jews).

However, one must understand that the so-called Middle East is a misnomer and it is the man made Suez Canal that separates Africa from the Middle East, which was created to cause ethnic, racial and religious confusion and division. The Muslims and the Christian claimed that God (Allah, Yahweh, Jehovah, etc.) instructed Abraham (2078-1903 B.C.E) to sacrifice his son on top of Mount Moriah ; however, depending upon one's faith tradition will determine whether that son was Isaac (1978-1798 B.C.E) or Ishmael (1992-1855 B.C.E). These various interpretations led to biblical and Quranic elucidation, and justification of the rightful heirs to this church, synagogue, mosque, temple, etc., to claiming King Solomon's Temple as their own. Also, the descendants of Ishmael became those people known today as the Arabs (who occupies Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Libya, Jordan, Syria, Egypt, Morocco, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, etc; the Palestinians and the Israelis (Jew) have been fighting for centuries over a sacred strip of land called Israel by the Jews and is called Palestine by