What is the Draw of the Black Muslem movement?

Submitted by James Fleming (United States), Oct 7, 2005 at 22:21

I am still mystified about the growth and seeming strength of the Black Muslem movement in America. This article is yet another example of Islam still practicing the very things that we whites in America some 150 years after the fact, whether or not any of our ancestors kept slaves or were even in this country, are to be sensitive about when dealing with the African-American communities of today and which supposedly defines our racism towards Blacks and others of "color" across the world.

In many cases, it was Islamic slave traders who captured and brought Blacks to the western coast of Africa for eventual sale to the plantation owners in the Americas (across all three of them, North America, Central America, and South America). In fact, other than other African tribes that conducted such raids in the interior for potential slaves, Islamic traders were the only source of this luckless humanity. It also was not just for the two hundred years or so that across the American continents slavery was employed that Islamic slave traders plied their terrible practice. The sale of Africans for slaves to other people was going on for nearly a millenium before such trade to the Americas even started. Besides, Islamic Law does NOT forbid slavery and in fact allows it!

That does not "forgive" our transgressions against another part of the human race, indeed we should never forget it, or the cost to this country by brave men and women to right the wrong will have been for naught. Our Civil War had many facets to it, but slavery was a prime mover of the people involved, and I believe that the sacrifices of the tens of thousands who gave their lives to correct the practice in our country has been diminished by the constant carping of some so called "African-American Leaders". No other war saw the loss of so many Americans from all walks of life. It was also many whites from around the country that supported and paid the price for opposing segregation after the Civil War. Instead of focusing on the practice that was socially acceptable at the time, I think we ALL would be better served to realize that the wrongs being done were of such concern and power that some members of the ruling class (whites) were willing to die to correct the practice against almost universal acceptance of slavery in other parts of the world. There was no one or no organization demanding that we do so. That was and is the strength of this country...we as a people will try to do the right thing, even when it costs us personally. We fought two World Wars just for such principles.

Certainly, while the likes of Jesse Jackson and other Black Spokespeople saw nothing but racism after Katrina, I ask what about the millions of dollars raised in "White" churches and in "White" communities that were earmarked for those in need, regardless of color? Indeed, I never heard anyone mention the color of the recipients until the ugly charge of racism was raised by African-American "leaders". What of all the "white" families that have without regard to race "adopted" people from New Orleans to try and help them recover their dignity and sanity after such a disaster? When will we as "whites" have done enough to pay for the "sin" of slavery and racism? Nearly 7 Trillion dollars have been spent, mostly unwisely, since President Johnson started the War on Poverty to help the chronically poor. We have set-asides and "quotas" by whatever name you want to use to help even the playing field in employment and education.

I also think that the role of western civilization in primarily ending the open practice of slavery has been ignored or downplayed. England began the movement and used its' considerable Navy to blockade the shores of Africa to stop slave traders. In Africa itself, devout people like the English General Gordon saw to the end of the slave markets in places like the Sudan, at the cost of his own life. Even our government had seen that slavery was an evil that had to be stopped and laws were passed BEFORE the Civil War to stop the importing of humans. Our navy joined with that of the British to try to enforce these laws. While they might not have been completely successful, they did indeed reduce the slave trade.

So, my question is still there...what is the draw of Islam to the African-Americans in this country? Islam still to this day is trying to institute slavery against Africans. Not a single Islamic leader or nation was responsible for the temporary ending of the slave trade 150 years ago and now slavery is beginning to flourish again across the African continent with the spread of Islam. We see in this article that Islamic people and Clerics are instituing a modern form of slavery for the sexual pleasure or labor savings for the rich.

I will not address the founders and beginnings of the Black Muslem movement because I do not think it is my place to do so since I am not a member. If it is the call to self-sufficency and the rejection of drugs and alcohol that is the draw, then I applaud that and wholely support it. But if it is to separate Black Americans from the rest of society, then I condemn it. No country can long endure if it tries to serve two or more divergent peoples and agendas. As the Bible says, "You cannot serve two masters, for you will love the one and hate the other." Just a quick look around the world should show the validity of my words. Much of the violence in the world today is a result of two divergent peoples living in the supposed same country; from Ireland, my ancestrial home, to Indonesia, to even our neighbor to the north, Canada, who is in the process of splitting into two countries, Quebec and then the rest of Canada. Let us not let his happen to America! Let us condemn the "hypens" that are separating us and celebrate just the wonderous good luck to all being Americans!

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