One thing I've noticed on this site is, when critiquing the NOI in a light thats not "tip Riding", I would get backlash from armchair quarterbacks who more then likely have never stepped foot in a NOI mosque let alone have been to any of the Million Man Marches. Its weird getting backlash from someone who knows nothing telling me when I'm in the know. But thats normal in cyberspace.
I've also noticed most cats on this site dont even know there's a MMM every year led by Farrakhan. I've been to two...The 1st one and the 7th one. I've spoken numerous times on how I felt that the first march was more for Farrakhans followers then it was for overall Black people due to the complex breakdowns(Tho I was really feeling how prior to the March they had a bunch of buses set up by the mosque so anyone in the hood who wanted to go could go) I've never really spoke on the 7th. Anniversary. The 7th anniversary was at the Salem United Methodist Church in Harlem. Judge Mathis was their with the cleanest, sharpest purple suit I had ever seen in my life(and he looked like money) The one thing I'll never forget was how the Minister said that he went on the mother plane and had a conversation with The Honorable Elijah Muhammad....(keep in mind, if u believe this, Farrakhan has u in a spell)...He explained that America would go to war with Iraq in a few months. I brushed it off as nonsense but months later, my mind was blown away when Bush had troops enter Iraq. (Keep in mind I was still caught up in the spell at the time and unfamiliar with the science of "Pattern recognition" being that past wars were fought for financial and economical gain)
In 2002, after Farrakhan said he was on the mothership with the Honorable Elijah Muhammad, I was a lil shakey about Farrakhan really being a proper representative for Black people. Then it all came to a head during the circus that was the 10th anniversary of the MMM. The distorted recording of Tookie Williams that no one could hear (and this was before his execution...it was as if his final words to the masses was unheard....it was a terrible execution) Then you had the rap concert aspect of it...with Jim Jones doing songs with curse words. You had the camera panning to people in the crowd actually partying and dancing while speakers were talking. There was even a promotion of Dr Malachi Z Yorks innocence. The MMM was left looking like a joke after that 10th Anniversary.
One has to ask, with MMM20 a week away, why is Farrakhan not on CNN or MSNBC yet he's on the Breakfast Club?? Maybe its due to the fact that a lot of young impressionable Black minds aren't familiar with Minister Farrakhans patterns. Farrakhan talks a good game but it usually has no action. In the 90's the NOI was hyping up the day when the minister would give the green light for the FOI to go in the hood and clean up the streets (Im assuming something similar to the likes of Spike Lees movie "Drop Squad") Here we are in 2015, there still in no green light and Chicago(the ministers hometown) is a war zone, meanwhile the minister has marble floors in his mansion.
What happened after the first Million Man March? Well in my hood(NYC) the only revolution I saw was an influx of "Bloods" beginning to permiate the city. Thats all. Young Black men uniting to be Bloods was the only unification on a grand scale that I saw after the Million Man March. There was actually a growth in Bloods across the country after the MMM. And Rappers didnt even change their tone. Hell, right after the Million Man March the eastcoast/west coast beef began. The MMM didnt stop rappers from killing each other on wax nor did it stop them from getting killed outside of the booth. When Pac, Biggie, Big L and Freaky Tah were killed in the 90's...No one said "well what about the Million Man March and all it stood for?"
Tho Black unity is promoted by the NOI , if you didnt join their ranks you are still considered an "outsider" to their agenda, this is why they always invite you to their classes, to join their membership. I've noticed a few posters claiming they are going to MMM 20, but do any of you even know why? Are any of you familiar with the agenda of the first one? Or are you like I was when I was young and naive and just caught up in the hype of what looks like Black unity and hope?? Let me give you fair warning, if you do go, you might get whats called a "feel good speech." It will sound nice and thats about it because thats what feel good speeches do. Also, I dont see Farrakhan saying anything revolutionary(he hasnt in the previous 19) but I encourage you to be aware of any promotion of "scientology." Word has it, the MMM20 is being funded by the church of scientology (That in itself distorts the whole concept of being "supported by Black dollars"). In closing, I really would like to see a change of direction towards dealing with the issues that affects Black people in America but I honestly don't think this march will do it. I'm not even crossing my fingers, I'm just being realistic based on the previous 19 attempts. Also, I noticed a few people in previous threads say they would attend to "network" and thats pretty much the best thing I can see coming out of this up and coming event. Afterall....Cube met John Singleton at a Farrakhan speech and they would go on to make 'dope product' together so anything is possible.
