By Richard Muhammad
DETROIT - A vibrant Louis Farrakhan took to the stage inside the massive Ford Field downtown sports stadium, challenging Democrats in Congress to go after President Bush for lying his way into a military misadventure in Iraq.
Back after an extended hiatus, the leader of the Nation of Islam looked and sounded strong. He spoke for about two hours to thousands assembled Feb. 25 inside the domed stadium for his Saviours' Day convention address.
Check out the Saviours' Day 2007 Photo Album http://straightwords.typepad.com/photos/saviours_day_2007/
"You Democrats stop pussyfooting around with the Republicans. Do what the people voted for you to do make a change," Min. Farrakhan thundered into the microphone.
President Clinton was impeached for lying about personal misconduct with intern Monica Lewinsky, he noted.
What should happen to President Bush for "deceiving the Congress and prosecuting an unjust war? Is that not enough to sit down his whole administration?" he asked.
"Our babies are dying for the sake of a lie," Min. Farrakhan declared. He was referring to Bush administration contentions that Saddam Hussein was linked to the World Trade Center bombing in 2001; charges that the Iraqi dictator was seeking to acquire nuclear material and charges that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction. None of the allegations were true and the White House has been widely accused of manipulating intelligence to justify the attack on Iraq.
He urged the Democratic majority in Congress to take strong action against Bush and apologize to the international community. "At least censure (Bush), say something went wrong with leadership and we repent," Min. Farrakhan said.
America's foreign policy has supported corporate interests and exploited nations around the earth, he said. U.S. exploitation and overthrow of democratically-elected leaders has fomented hatred, Min. Farrakhan added.
Pulling troops out of Iraq will not hurt America's international standing, the Muslim minister argued.
"The will of the American people started to break when you got them in the war on the basis of a lie," he said.
The problem is Democrats are too scared to take bold action, Farrakhan said. Detroit congressman John Conyers (D), who was on stage and welcomed the Minister to the city, is willing but the party is weak, the Minister added.
Religious divisions don't please God
The call for the president's impeachment came as the lecture focused on recognition of the oneness of religion and the oneness of humanity and God's judgment against America.
He opened by thanking diverse racial and religious groups that prayed for his recovery.
Religious discord and strife doesn't reflect what God wants, the minister said. If Muhammad, the prophet of Islam, and Jesus were on stage together, they would embrace and love one another, Min. Farrakhan said.
Christians have fought 100-year long wars and the WWI was Christian nation against Christian nation, he said.
The inter-Islamic fratricide between the Shias and Sunnis in Iraq would make Prophet Muhammad weep, the Minister continued. "If I could say to the entire Muslim world, the prophet is grieving. He came to destroy tribalism … the putting of one ethnic group against another," Min. Farrakhan noted.
The believers in God have taken parts of his word, divided it and each glorifies in their part, he continued.
The Minister also warned that unless America changes her course - both politically and morally - she would face the same destruction as biblical Babylon.
America fits the description of past nations that veered from the right path, then were divinely judged and punished by God, he said. The U.S. will face internal racial strife and bloodshed, social conflict and famine, if she does not change, the Minister warned.
Human beings made in the image and likeness of God have fallen to beastly levels, Min. Farrakhan said.
All divine warners deliver their messages hoping the people will change, he said, adding that he hoped for change, even if it appeared unlikely.
"I want to see one nation under God where we can all live in peace," he said.
Premature speculation about succession?
Farrakhan's highly awaited return followed a six-month post-surgery recuperation period.
In his absence, and with this address billed as his last major speech, speculation has been rampant about succession within the Nation of Islam and whether its charismatic leader was on his death bed.
With Farrakhan's strong appearance and statements from Nation of Islam officials the speculation seems premature. "I don't see expiration for me, I see exaltation," Farrakhan said.
Saviours' Day 2007 marked the 77th year of the movement's history in America. It was founded in Detroit in 1930 and Ford Field sits on ground once home to "Black Bottom," the impoverished African American neighborhood where the teaching was first spread.
A great saviour, known as the Messiah of the Christians and Mahdi of the Muslims, made his appearance in Detroit and came to deliver Black people. That divine man was Master Fard Muhammad, the teacher of the Hon. Elijah Muhammad, and contained the power and wisdom of God. He was not the originator of the heavens and the earth, but the “son of man” prophesized to come in the bible, he said.
Prior to Min. Farrakhan’s address several speakers offered words related to the theme, “One Nation, Under God: The Confusion, The Guidance, The Warning.” A representative of the Islamic Society of North America said wanted to hear words from the Minister. Words that “will echo the words of God himself in the Holy Qur’an,” he said. The Islamic organization representative also pointed out verses in the Qur’an that urge the Muslims to unite, and verses that declare divided man into tribes and families but does not want them to despise and oppose one another. Muslims are commanded to work together for good, and to “destroy bigotry, discrimination, racial discrimination and remove poverty from the earth,” he said.
Rev. Willie Wilson, of Union Temple Baptist Church in Washington, D.C., said it was a “great day.” “We come to cheer God and the lion of Judah!” Rev. Wilson declared.
Navajo Nation President Joe Shirley Lightfoot said Min. Farrakhan’s message reminded him of the teaching of his tribe’s elders. “We are all one family … We’re all on the same side,” said the Native American leader. It is time to unite against the “monsters” of bigotry, greed and racism, he said.
Latino activist Emma Lazano, from Chicago, thanked Min. Farrakhan for his strong stand for justice. “He is a mighty hero for my people,” she said. Blacks and Latinos need to unite, she said. In the last election, Blacks and Latinos gave Democrats the margin of victory and need to demand their reward, she said. “We need to stay together, we are one people, one nation, under God,” Lazano said.
Russell Simmons brought greetings as chair of the Foundation for Ethnic Understanding, whose president is Rabbi Marc Schneier. Simmons said Min. Farrakhan taught him that God is one and humanity is one. That understanding has guided my life, said Simmons. It is important that the world know and appreciate the good work of the Nation of Islam, he said.
Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.) welcomed the Minister to Detroit, a place of “great historical importance” to the Nation. The Black congressman pledged to fight racism and injustice as chair of the House Judiciary Committee and blasted Iraq War spending, which he put at $2 trillion in direct and indirect costs. “We have got to end the war and bring our troops home,” he said.
Diplomatic well-wishes came from the leaders of Bermuda, Jamaica, Sudan, and Libya, as well as the Islamic Call Society in Tripoli. Awards were also given to the Minister from the National NAACP and the Detroit City Council. A proclamation from Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm was also read.
The address was also translated into Chinese, Arabic, Spanish, French and Portuguese.
The program at Ford Field included performances by Anita Baker and a gospel choir. Other guests included Simmons, who contributed $60,000 to Saviours' Day; Dr. Hycel B. Taylor and National Black United Front chair Conrad Worrill and Dr. Carl Bell of Chicago; TV judge Greg Mathis, Rep. Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick, Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, members of the Detroit City Council, Nation of Islam ministers, representatives of the Islamic Society of North America, Julianne Malveaux and pastors.
Other donors included rapper Ice Cube, who gave $20,000, Eminem, who gave $10,000, NBA star Shaquille O'Neal, who gave $20,000, and former pro basketball star Larry Johnson, who donated $100,000 to help pay for the weekend conference.
Check out the Saviours' Day 2007 Photo Album http://straightwords.typepad.com/photos/saviours_day_2007/
