FOR THE BROTHAS: AN INTRODUCTION

It must have been about 20 years ago when I first began thinking about creating a "Cultural Salon" as a reaction to the mundane social circles In Washington D.C. The richness of intellectual and artistic interchange had died, college friends had moved, the internet had not yet become the phenomenon it now is... I romanticised about the Salons of the mid to late 1800's in Paris, London and Berlin and the cultural dynamo of the Harlem Rennaisance. I was fortunate enough to meet a gentleman, an artist who lived and traveled with James Baldwin... Jimmy he affectionately called him, and he spoke often of their small cottage in southern France and of the many Artists, Poets and Luminaries that dropped in to chat and relax. Well, the impressionists, cubists, modernists, etc. all hung out together famously in those days and shared their ideas with one another creating a creative greenhouse in a world that was rapidly changing. I longed to have lived in those times, to have met Cassat, Rodin, Ellington, Fitzgerald, Baker, Balwin, well I did finally meet Baldwin and others purely for the joy of intellection upon the arts. This was in the late 1980's and by the mid 2000's I happened to run into a friend of mine from Hampton University who had been living in New York since he graduated in the early 90s. Well, I was surprised to hear him comment that in all of the wonder that is New York he never met anyone who ever really had anything interesting to say about art, literature, architecture, science, fashion or anything... I was so surprised to hear this since it had also been my experience. Well here I am in 2011 attempting the Virtual Salon...

Wednesday, October 7, 2015

A MEDITATION ON THE MILLION MAN MARCH OF 2015

THE FREEDMAN'S SAVINGS AND TRUST CO. BANK WASH. D.C.  EST. DURING RECONSTRUCTION

 MEDITATION 
ON 
THE REENACTMENT 
OF THE MILLION MAN MARCH:

REFLECTING 
ON THE CIVIL RIGHTS JOURNEY 
OF THE MILLION MAN MOVEMENT FROM 1995 TO 2015...
A CHECK DATED 1875 FROM THE FREEDMAN'S SAVING AND TRUST CO.
FREDERICK DOUGLASS WAS PRESIDENT OF THE BANK IN 1874

Although the 20th anniversary of the Million Man March is a legacy made possible by the tireless efforts of many freedom fighters the image and tone of Louis Farrakhan appears to have captured the spirit of the movement. To many Americans Louis Farrakhan's civil rights record is far too corrupted with blemishes of racial and sexual intolerance causing them to question whether they should support the march on this October 10th 2015. Farrakhan has become an icon of the troubled movement  20 years after its inception

A PANORAMA OR FREEDMAN'S VILLAGE ARLINGTON, V.A. THE POTOMAC RIVER IN THE BACKGROUND


The 2005 Million Man March failed to recapture the interest of Americans tainted by the homophobic comments of Rev. Willie Wilson pastor of a politically influential congregation called Union Temple in historic Anacostia, Washington, D.C. At that time Farrakhan was also under fire for allegedly making anti-Semitic and anti-white comments, but those accusations have always followed his long career as a public figure.

FREEDMAN'S VILLAGE


What has really changed in 2015 since 20 years ago when the 1st Million Man March was successfully launched in 1995?  Many people have been concerned that Farrakhan's preaching is a reflection of the neo-conservatism and political extremism demonstrated by some factions of the Islamic community which threaten to reverse the many civil rights advances of the 21st century such as gay marriage.  The name of the movement has not changed but today's visit to Farrakhan's Facebook and Twitter pages reveals recent concessions to women that go so far as crediting black women with having made more vigorous advances toward socioeconomic empowerment while spanking black men accusing them of having grown weaker.



I remember the 1st Million Man March in 1995 was a powerful expression of black male solidarity. Farrakhan was hardly the focal point of that day, that historic moment was all about peaceful and organized unity among American men of color.  Those who were present will recall that the theme was "Atonement" an apropos indictment of  Black American men's waning devotion to the ongoing civil rights struggle and their failed mission as stewards of their embattled communities.  So why the shift in focus from men's issues within a male-oriented movement to those of women?  Did some economist point out that a larger percentage of Black American women as compared to Black American men were financially capable of supporting the business interests of his church?  If this movement, historically created to galvanize the positive, collective economic and political power of black men is now shifting its scope to include women it could be argued that just as in the case of the the Redskins its name would need to change in order to be consistent with claims on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/OfficialMinisterFarrakhan?fref=ts and on Twitter at #justiceorelse that it is now a more culturally sensitive, inclusive, kinder and gentler movement.



Some fear that the Million Man March has conceded failure at galvanizing Black American men to rise to excellence.  The issues facing men of color are an even greater problem in 2015 than in 1995. Losing focus on black men by broadening the scope of this struggling movement before it has proved any quantifiable successes with its first venture could be a desperate strategy to buy time.  How many times will Black Americans buy into Farrakhan's "Baby" before they lose faith in his ability to pull off the "Dream" he markets under the now popular and legendary trade name, "Million Man March"?

VIEW OF FREEDMAN'S VILLAGE


But the underlying motives of this man appear to collide with the needs of his pet movement. Has Louis Farrakhan really experienced a life changing event in the twilight of his long and prolific career that allows him to see beyond sex, race and religion or is this a last, desperate attempt to achieve a measure of immortality among men before he goes to his glory?  The movement has become branded with his persona in a fashion hauntingly similar to how The Civil Rights Movement of the 1960's became branded with the image of Martin Luther King.  What is missing from this equation is the energy, purpose, devotion and transparency of the former movement that attracted peoples of all races, religions and nationalities to sacrifice everything they held precious in order to move history forward!  So let us ask ourselves honestly, what is this movement really about?

FREEDMAN'S VILLAGE


If some peoples fears are correct it might mean that supporters of the 2015 Million Man March will be openly financing and condoning a man and his movement that represses the rights of women, is homophobic and that promotes anti-white and anti-Semitic propaganda.  Black people who are experiencing an alarmingly intensified level of racism in America should not follow Farrakhan blindly in the Million Man March merely because they are oppressed and he is the loudest and most socially connected black man of the moment. If we have learned anything from the historic Civil Rights Movement it should have been that any successful movement should not be dominated and centralized within one man, rather it should be decentralized and uniformly powerful across a diversity of well-organized, well-financed and politically well-connected institutions so that it can sustain the inevitable blows of racially motivated violence and hatred.

For Black Americans living in a time when the very first Black American President is in office it is critical to carefully think through the meaning of this movement and whether or not they should support it.  This is a serious matter, nothing to date has been so serious because literally everything that freedom fighters of all races and sexes, have fought for hangs in the balance.  Ask yourself if this movement is something that reflects your core ethical and moral values and whether it is truly vested in the edification of truly universal, inclusionary values and protection and expansion of human rights for everyone regardless of race, sex or religion?  Be fearful if that is what it takes to make you think beyond the banalities of the day! Be honest even it it means that you expose and face weaknesses, pettiness, and even evil within yourself!  Most of all don't be blind! Wake Up! Challenge yourself not to accept anything, everything that sells itself as a "Black Thing" without carefully scrutinizing it against ethical and moral virtues that we all know but often fail to check ourselves against.



So I have asked myself if I will participate in the Million Man March not as a symbol of my support for Louis Farrakhan and those who think like him but rather as an act of solidarity with men of color who know they should be doing the right thing but just don't have the tools to pull it together on a consistent basis.  I wish that anyone else other than Farrakhan had become the icon of the Million Man Movement but that wish will not come to fruition on October 10, 2015. Personally I am not waiting on a messiah I am waiting on a movement!

FIN

WRITTEN BY BIGDADDY BLUES






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