This past February in Houston, Texas, the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan gave brief comments at annual “The State of Black America” conference convened by Tavis Smiley. Those comments seemed to create some confusion; although the audience mostly understood him, there appeared to be some misunderstanding from the panelists.

Minister Farrakhan recently gave an address in Washington, DC from the Union Temple Baptist Church wherein he clarified and expounded on his comments at the State of Black America Conference. For the text of Minister Farrakhan’s complete FinalCall.com News column, see: http://www.finalcall.com/absolutenl/t.aspx?n=29&l=29

The following are excerpts from Minister Farrakhan’s address:

When I participated in “The State of Black America” symposium on Feb. 25, the great forum that Tavis Smiley convenes every year, I was the last speaker. What I said seemed to create some confusion; although the people mostly understood me, there appeared to be some misunderstanding among some of the panelists. But I do not want anyone to think that I would disrespect the work of Tavis Smiley and the group that worked with him to produce that document called “The Covenant.” Brother Tavis and those working with him did a wonderful job.

I listened carefully to every panelist who spoke at the symposium, but I did not hear them mention the Name of God. There is no affair of great resolution that can be accomplished without God. The scripture says, “And lean not on thine own understanding, but in all thy ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path.” Although I did not hear an acknowledgement of God, I heard an acknowledgement of scholarship. It was not my intention to speak condemningly; I passionately pointed out that our sickness is not only mental and intellectual, but it is also spiritual. So, without a spiritual remedy, any intellectual solution will not win.

Brother Tavis shared two letters from the head of the Democratic National Committee and the head of the Republican National Committee and their promise. He had already stated that a nation that does not fulfill its promise is not good. So I begin by saying that America is no good at all. Was I wrong? If I am not wrong, then do not hold up any papers from known liars, who do not have any power, which cause us to hope again in liars and deceivers. I cannot support you. I am sorry if I hurt anyone’s feelings with my words because that was not my intention—but the leaders of this government are liars. Satan promises only to deceive.

You think President George Bush has power because you do not see the hidden hand that controls him. Even when you meet with figureheads of power, they have to meet with someone else. Black leaders have never met with the people who really exercise power, like the head of the Federal Reserve, bankers, heads of multinational corporations that control your government, neo-conservatives and Zionists that control the government. If you do not meet with these people, then whatever promise you receive from figureheads cannot be fulfilled without their approval. The sooner you recognize your impotence, you will understand that you have to go somewhere else to get the power to deal with the real powers that control government.

Most of our leaders are already covenanted. I recently received a call from a leader and I thought we were going to discuss problems of Black people, which we did for 20 minutes. Then the caller said, “The real reason I called is that I got a call from (Abraham) Foxman (head of the Anti-Defamation League) about something you said and I have not been able to hear it.” I said, “I’ll send it to you, Brother, but you tell Mr. Foxman, since you all like reality TV, you get out of the way and bring them and me into a meeting. I will take on the 12 presidents and whoever else they want to send. I will walk in with God and show you that they cannot defeat truth.” Black leaders are afraid of them and it is their fear that makes them slaves. Jesus is not real if you are afraid.

For the text of Minister Farrakhan’s complete FinalCall.com News column, see:
http://www.finalcall.com/absolutenl/t.aspx?n=29&l=29

I loooooove Harry Belafonte! I love him because he is a radical, and not afraid to say so. I love him because he went to Venezuela and kicked it with the Prez, agreeing that Bush is murdering bastard. I love that he tells the world how jacked up this country treats it’s backbone. But yeah, he’s got some issues–becuz he’s so radical, his voice will never truly be heard by the mainstream, he will always be dismissed. Or seen as a threat, which hasn’t happened yet, becuz of 1. But he has been this way for a number of years, the man has been pissing off governments for a while now! You should do a post on Harry for the rest of us!

1) The Us is close to 9 trillion dollars in Debt (and rising).

2) A lagre and growing portion of the US is foriegn owned.

3) The US currency continues to decline.

4) Iran is threatening to use the Euro as standard oil purchase
http://www.vheadline.com/readnews.asp?id=47792
http://www.energybulletin.net/7707.html
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=48652
http://www.feasta.org/documents/review2/nunan.htm
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article8354.htm
http://www.globalresearch.ca/articles/CLA410A.html

5) More “American” jobs are being outsourced to India and China.

6) The rise of China and India.

7) The rise of the cost “at the pump” (and its peak in availibility http://www.endofsuburbia.com/).

Like all Empires, America is not guaranteed to last forever (Thats a fact!) So I would like see how people are going to try their best “to put out the flames”, based on the above mentioned realities facing this country.

Dumi, good point. I have no bones about what Farrakhan had to say. West and many of these other “leaders” (not mine) did not even mention any solutions. And how nieve they are to mention staying in the house and save it w/ this event being supported by Major Corporations that are the source of “The flames engulfing American Society”!!

You cant speak of Health and turn around and use Mc Donalds & Anheuser busch as sponsors. Nor should one use ExxonMoble as a sponsor when you know full well we are at war over……And Wells Fargo? No comment!

P.s.
To Cornel West, the only “Pipe Dream” I think of is the one being laid down in Iraq…..

Farrakhan’s solution is certainly to follow his national agenda. His alternative will grow out of his 9 departments, whether you want to get with that or not, that’s his alternative. I’m not concerned about Farrakhan’s use of Belafonte’s quote. He used that as a metaphor and surrounded it with text to advance his position. Belafonte and West said they want to stay in the house and help and Farrakhan said I’m getting the hell out. My two cents… of and how ridiculous is it for us to be hyped up on Jamestown for 2007???

I’m interested to read The Covenent and see what comes. Will it be just another book?

According to the press release:
* Since its release on February 25, 2006 the Covenant with Black America book has ranked No. 1 on the on-line bestsellers’ lists of Amazon, Borders and Barnes and Noble. The book was distributed at the 7th Annual State of the Black Union symposium hosted by Smiley in Houston. (I saw that it was sold out on Powells Books’ site)

* The Jamestown Project at Yale announced plans to “operationalize” the Covenant Curriculum: A Study of Black Democratic Action, produced by Jamestown Project Advisory Board Member, Dr. Cornel West and Jamestown Project Senior Fellow, Dr. Eddie Glaude. The Jamestown Project at Yale is a national, nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to creating, articulating, promoting, and implementing new ideas for enriching American democracy. http://www.jamestownproject.org (I’ll have to look this up)

* Ken Mehlman, chairman of the Republican National Party, and Howard Dean, chairman of the Democratic National Party, have pledged that candidates seeking their respective party’s presidential nomination will address the issues outlined in The Covenant. (WHATEVER!)