Black Public Intellectuals...exactly what are their roles?

[Anthony Davis]

I listen to Tavis and Cornel West every week and it seems as if their main purspose is to "bash" the President (Obama). It appears their main point has to do with the poor and working class segment of the black community, and that Obama should do something legislatively to help them.

I'm not necessarily in disagreement, although this narrow approach would be inconsistent with the role of the "black public intellectual" throughout history. It appears to me that men like Frederick Douglass (whom West seems to pattern himself after), not only moved Lincoln with regards to Emmancipation, but also moved blacks to be prepared to control their own destiny.

Booker T. Washington had the same ideology, as did W.E.B. DuBois, although their methodologies clashed. Again to them black's had the power to control their destinies...this helped fuel the ideology of the "New Negro" after World War I, which was prominent throughout the Harmlem renaissance. We saw Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X though different in approach both say that it was the duty of black America to be prepared to move forward themselves.

This approach that Tavis and West have implemented places the responsibility of black progress soley and in unprecedented fashion on the shoulders of the President of the United States (who ironically is the FIRST black President in history). I argue that this approach will gather listeners to their radio show...but will not lead to black progress. To sit in "ivory towers" such as Princeton and PBS (and everyother media affiliate that Tavis participates) and throw stones does nothing for the disenfranchised and the poor.

Movement starts from the grassroots participating and making things happen...not merely commentating and criticizing. It is my opinion that this does more to line the pockets of so-called "black public intellectuals" than to really offer change. I would argue that this type of leadership is a result of hypocritical men like Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton subsequent to running for president. Neither thought they would win...they were simply positioning themselves for power in the black community. As a result neither one of these gentlemen are hurting financially and neither are Smiley and West....in the name of the black poor.

 

 

 

[Obama drama]

Thanks. I try. The brother is hard core but there is a lot of truth to what he says. I've always acknowledged Muslims for being well informed. I don't like to refer to blacks under slavery as Negroes because they had no choice but be beat to death or hung if they didn't do as massa directed. They were fed a false Christianity and it's not pure today. Blacks will still hang a long haired Jesus on their wall when history tells us Jesus didn't have long hair. The Bible tells them not to have graven images. Christmas is not advocated by the Bible and full of pagan images and effects.

Yet, it was those blacks that used the Bible as inspiration, after coming to the truth in it, that helped them survive slavery. It's totally inappropriate to suggest they remained captives of the same false interpretations that enslaved their minds in order to perpetuate the slavery of their body. That's not even the same black Christian today. Christianity didn't make them passive back then but was the threat of death. They were smarter than we give them credit for. Their mama didn't raise no fool.

Negro shouldn't describe them today or back then. They were African captives and "slave" is enough of a defamation without calling them by their slave name "Negro". We have not come as far as we should but it's not for lack of trying. The burdens are heavy and the obstacles are complex. We need to united beyond our religious beliefs to conquer our great wall of oppression. If I die without being more a benefit to my people, it will be my deepest regret. I'm not a racist and hope to benefit all people.

We are given plenty of reasons to believe the Bible according to the prophesies alone. Still, I respect everyone's religion.

Peace and love my sister.

Christine R. Rickett said:

That was beautiful Obama drama, what you wrote to Brother Shah. Like I said, I love my black men!

[Christine R. Rickett]

Oh, Obama drama! I love it! I love everything you wrote! I'd even give you a big old kiss on your cheek if you were right next to me.

[ALICIA BANKS]

to awaken the masses of sheeple...asap!!!

 

ie

 

karmic hurricanes?

mlk is certainly unimpressed

as

misery trumps statues!!!


http://newsone.com/nation/associatedpress1/mlk-memorial-dedication-...

[Miles Scott Vonlogan]

These are Double Dam Democrats! Don’t you just love their spineless little hearts? We as human beings have got to rid ourselves of Mister Change-A-Little ( Stuart Little brother),Harold Ford and his orchestra of cooperate weasels and what-nots. The progressives who say they love and support the president but not his policies or negotiation skills. That’s akin to saying I love and supports the troops but not the war. Do you feel sometimes that you fell down a Rabbit H*** Of Alice In Wonder Land?

ALICIA BANKS said:

to awaken the masses of sheeple...asap!!!

 

ie

 

karmic hurricanes?

mlk is certainly unimpressed

as

misery trumps statues!!!


http://newsone.com/nation/associatedpress1/mlk-memorial-dedication-...

[Saleem Shah]

 

 

Greetings

 

Thank you, Christine R. Rickett, for your questions and for the opportunity for civil and respectful dialogue. As I quote Messenger Elijah Muhammad and the Supreme Wisdom teachings of Islam, please note that it is not for the purpose to proselytize. I am not on a recruiting mission here. The time for black people in America to accept or reject what was taught from July 4, 1930 to February 25, 1975 is over. My points are to offer that what was said of America and the white race then, is more than true today. I will address each of your questions in separate posts.  Please feel free to interrupt with questions or comments as we proceed. This is offered to any reader as well. Remember, this is not a recruitment – we are having dialogue for clarity and understanding. We are talking mathematics. Mathematics is Islam and Islam is mathematics and can be proven in no limit of time. When I refer to Allah, it is in reference to the person that Elijah Muhammad introduced to us all in America as one Master Fard Muhammad, Son of Man, Almighty God, in Person.

 

 In our discussion, “Nation of Islam” is used in singular and plural terms. In the singular term, it is in reference to 30 million ex-slaves in the wilderness of North America – otherwise referred to as “so-called negroes” – so-called because they are called by that name but are not in fact negroes. "Nation of Islam" used in the plural context refers to all people of the earth excluding the white race. It means a universal gathering of all we commonly refer to as “Third World” nations into one global nation of PEACE.  We declare that Almighty God has declared that this cannot be accomplished as long as the white race is present on the planet.

 

Over the years, there was no end to the rumors of what the Nation of Islam, under the Messengership of Elijah Muhammad, was all about. So, I am presenting the facts of What the Muslims Want and What the Muslims Believe.  This is the official position of the Nation of Islam as presented on the back page of the Muhammad Speaks weekly newspaper. It was not written by Elijah Muhammad, but by Master Fard Muhammad. In fact, Elijah Muhammad never had anything to say of his own. All that you see or hear from his mouth he said as a “messenger” – he repeated, word for word, what Allah said to him to say to us.

 

What the Muslims Want

 

This is the question asked most frequently by both whites and blacks.

 

The answers to this question I shall state as simply as possible.

 

 

 

1. We want freedom. We want a full and complete freedom.

 

2. We want justice.  Equal justice under the law. We want justice applied equally to all, regardless of creed, class or color.

 

3. We want equality of opportunity. We want equal membership in society with the best in civilized society.

 

4. We want our people in America whose parents or grandparents are descendants from slaves to be allowed to establish a separate state or territory of their own, either on this continent or elsewhere. We believe that our former slave masters are obligated to provide such land and that the area must be fertile and minerally rich.  We believe that our former slave masters are obligated to maintain and supply our needs in this separate territory for the next 20 or 25 years, until we are able to produce and supply our own needs.

 

Since we cannot get along with them in peace and equality after giving them 400 years of our sweat and blood and receiving in return some of the worse treatment human beings have ever experienced, we believe our contributions to this land and the suffering forced upon us by white America justifies our demand for complete separation in a state or territory of our own.

 

5. We want freedom for all Believers of Islam held in federal prisons. We want freedom for all Black men and women now under death sentence in innumerable prisons in the North as well as the South.

 

We want every Black man and woman to have the freedom to accept or reject being separated from the slave-masters children and establish a land of their own.

 

We know that the above plan for the situation of the Black and white conflict is the best and only answer to the problem between two people.

 

6. We want an immediate end to the police brutality and mob attacks against the so-called Negro throughout the United States.

 

We believe that the Federal government should intercede to see that Black men and women tried in white courts receive justice in accordance with the laws of the land, or allow us to build a new nation for ourselves, dedicated to justice, freedom, and liberty.

 

7. As long as we are not allowed to establish a state or territory of our own, we demand not only equal justice under the laws of the United States, but equal employment opportunities-NOW!

 

We do not believe that after 400 years of free or nearly free labor, swear and blood, which helped America become rich and powerful, so many thousands of Black people should have to subsist on relief or charity or live in poor houses.

 

8. We want the government of the United States to exempt our people from ALL taxation as long as we are deprived of equal justice under the laws of the land.

 

9. We want equal education, but separate schools up to 16 for boys and 18 for girls on the condition that the girls be sent to womens colleges and universities. We want all Black children educated, taught and trained by their own teachers.

 

Under such a schooling system we believe we will make a better nation of people. The United States government should provide free all necessary text books and equipment, schools and college buildings. The Muslim teachers shall be left free to teach and train their people in the way of righteousness, decency and self respect.

 

10. We believe that intermarriage or race mixing should be prohibited. We want the religion of Islam taught without hindrance or suppression.

 

These are some of the things that we, the Muslims, want for our people in North America. 

 

-The Honorable Elijah Muhammad

 

 

 

 

 

What the Muslims Believe

 

1. We believe in the One God whose proper name is Allah.

 

2. We believe in the Holy Quran and in the scriptures of all the Prophets of God.

 

3. We believe in the truth of the Bible, but we believe that it has been tampered with and must be reinterpreted so that mankind will not be snared by the falsehoods that have been added to it.

 

4. We believe in Allah's Prophets and the Scriptures they brought to the people.

 

5. We believe in the resurrection of the dead, not in physical resurrection but mental resurrection.  We believe that the so-called Negroes are most in need of mental resurrection; therefore, they will be resurrected first.

 

Furthermore, we believe we are the people of God's choice as it has been written that God would choose the rejected and the despised.  We can find no other persons fitting this description in these last days more than the so-called Negroes in America.  We believe in the resurrection of the righteous. 

 

6. We further believe in the Judgment.  We believe this first judgement will take place, as God revealed in America.

 

7. We believe this is the time in history for the separation of the so-called Negroes and the so-called white Americans.  We believe the black man should be freed in name as well as in fact.  By this we mean that he should be freed from names imposed upon him by his former slave-master.  We believe that if we are free indeed, we should go in our own people's names, the black peoples of the earth.

 

8. We believe in justice for all whether in God or not.  We believe as others that we are due equal justice as human beings.   We believe in equality as a nation of equals.  We do not believe that we are equal with our slave-masters in the status of "freed slaves".

 

We recognize and respect American citizens as independent peoples, and we respect their laws that govern this nation.

 

9. We believe that the offer of integration is hypocritical and is made by those who are trying to deceive the black people into believing that their 400-year-old open enemies of freedom, justice and equality are, all of a sudden, their "friends".  Furthermore, we believe that such deception is intended to prevent black people from realizing that the time in history has arrived for the separation from the whites of this nation.

 

If the white people are truthful about their professed friendship toward the so-called Negro, they can prove it by dividing up America with their slaves.

 

We do not believe that America will ever be able to furnish enough jobs for her own millions of unemployed in addition to jobs for the 30,000,000 black people.

 

10. We believe that we who declared ourselves to be righteous Muslims should not participate in wars that take the lives of humans.  We do not believe this nation should force us to take part in such wars, for we have nothing to gain from it unless America agrees to give us the necessary territory wherein we may have something to fight for.

 

11. We believe our women should be respected and protected as the women of other nationalities are respected and protected.

 

12. We believe that Allah (God) appeared in the person of Master W. Fard Muhammad, July, 1930, the long awaited "Messiah" of the Christians, and the "Mahdi" of the Muslims.

 

We believe further and lastly that Allah is God and besides HIM there is no God and He will bring about a universal government of peace wherein we can live in peace together.

 

 

Christine R. Rickett said:

I am a christian. I am content with my beliefs.  I do agree with and respect alot of what I have read that those in the Islam faith have wrote.

This is not the main reason for my response, I just figured I'd ask while I was at it.

1. Christianity originated within the Jewish faith, so why do people insist that it's white mans religion? Do you consider Jewish people to be white?

2. Many people believe blacks were the first humans created. Do you believe in the Garden of Eve and if so where do you believe it was, which continent and the current country now? Are the people there black or white?

3. I read Muhammad originally was a christian- back in- I don't remember 700 A.D.before he started what we know today as the teachings of the Quaran, is this true or not?  In the Quaran, Jesus Christ is mentioned as a true prophet of God right? Why would the Quaran and Muhammad say Jesus is a true prophet of God, and not believe what that true prophet said, when he said he was God's Son? If he lied about being God's son, wouldn't he also be a false prophet of God?

Now I'm not getting into that Trinity or deity of Christ stuff-that stuff causes division just within Christianity.

DO WE HAVE THE QUALIFIED MEN AND WOMEN FOR SELF-GOVERNMENT? 

3. Unity under the crescent of Islam is all that is necessary for you and me to become the world's greatest people.

 

I think so too. The question is Why hasn't the Nation of Islam went into one of the African countries that embraces the Quaran and built it up into a strong nation? Europeans or white america can't make you pay taxes in Africa.  Please believe I am not being synical but would'nt it be easier to start in a place where white america would have no control? Wouldn't a good example be great for the blacks in America. I met many blacks who say they want to go to live in Africa-the land of their ancestor-but where, what country in Africa could they go today that embraces Islam?

 

Even though I believe in Christ, I wouldn't have a problem covering up as the women do.  Just saying.  However, I do enjoy womens right to voice their objections and opinions.

 

 

[Saleem Shah]

Saleem Shah said:

 

 

Greetings

 

Thank you, Christine R. Rickett, for your questions and for the opportunity for civil and respectful dialogue. As I quote Messenger Elijah Muhammad and the Supreme Wisdom teachings of Islam, please note that it is not for the purpose to proselytize. I am not on a recruiting mission here. The time for black people in America to accept or reject what was taught from July 4, 1930 to February 25, 1975 is over. My points are to offer that what was said of America and the white race then, is more than true today. I will address each of your questions in separate posts.  Please feel free to interrupt with questions or comments as we proceed. This is offered to any reader as well. Remember, this is not a recruitment – we are having dialogue for clarity and understanding. We are talking mathematics. Mathematics is Islam and Islam is mathematics and can be proven in no limit of time. When I refer to Allah, it is in reference to the person that Elijah Muhammad introduced to us all in America as one Master Fard Muhammad, Son of Man, Almighty God, in Person.

 

 In our discussion, “Nation of Islam” is used in singular and plural terms. In the singular term, it is in reference to 30 million ex-slaves in the wilderness of North America – otherwise referred to as “so-called negroes” – so-called because they are called by that name but are not in fact negroes. "Nation of Islam" used in the plural context refers to all people of the earth excluding the white race. It means a universal gathering of all we commonly refer to as “Third World” nations into one global nation of PEACE.  We declare that Almighty God has declared that this cannot be accomplished as long as the white race is present on the planet.

 

Over the years, there was no end to the rumors of what the Nation of Islam, under the Messengership of Elijah Muhammad, was all about. So, I am presenting the facts of What the Muslims Want and What the Muslims Believe.  This is the official position of the Nation of Islam as presented on the back page of the Muhammad Speaks weekly newspaper. It was not written by Elijah Muhammad, but by Master Fard Muhammad. In fact, Elijah Muhammad never had anything to say of his own. All that you see or hear from his mouth he said as a “messenger” – he repeated, word for word, what Allah said to him to say to us.

 

What the Muslims Want

 

This is the question asked most frequently by both whites and blacks.

 

The answers to this question I shall state as simply as possible.

 

 

 

1. We want freedom. We want a full and complete freedom.

 

2. We want justice.  Equal justice under the law. We want justice applied equally to all, regardless of creed, class or color.

 

3. We want equality of opportunity. We want equal membership in society with the best in civilized society.

 

4. We want our people in America whose parents or grandparents are descendants from slaves to be allowed to establish a separate state or territory of their own, either on this continent or elsewhere. We believe that our former slave masters are obligated to provide such land and that the area must be fertile and minerally rich.  We believe that our former slave masters are obligated to maintain and supply our needs in this separate territory for the next 20 or 25 years, until we are able to produce and supply our own needs.

 

Since we cannot get along with them in peace and equality after giving them 400 years of our sweat and blood and receiving in return some of the worse treatment human beings have ever experienced, we believe our contributions to this land and the suffering forced upon us by white America justifies our demand for complete separation in a state or territory of our own.

 

5. We want freedom for all Believers of Islam held in federal prisons. We want freedom for all Black men and women now under death sentence in innumerable prisons in the North as well as the South.

 

We want every Black man and woman to have the freedom to accept or reject being separated from the slave-masters children and establish a land of their own.

 

We know that the above plan for the situation of the Black and white conflict is the best and only answer to the problem between two people.

 

6. We want an immediate end to the police brutality and mob attacks against the so-called Negro throughout the United States.

 

We believe that the Federal government should intercede to see that Black men and women tried in white courts receive justice in accordance with the laws of the land, or allow us to build a new nation for ourselves, dedicated to justice, freedom, and liberty.

 

7. As long as we are not allowed to establish a state or territory of our own, we demand not only equal justice under the laws of the United States, but equal employment opportunities-NOW!

 

We do not believe that after 400 years of free or nearly free labor, swear and blood, which helped America become rich and powerful, so many thousands of Black people should have to subsist on relief or charity or live in poor houses.

 

8. We want the government of the United States to exempt our people from ALL taxation as long as we are deprived of equal justice under the laws of the land.

 

9. We want equal education, but separate schools up to 16 for boys and 18 for girls on the condition that the girls be sent to womens colleges and universities. We want all Black children educated, taught and trained by their own teachers.

 

Under such a schooling system we believe we will make a better nation of people. The United States government should provide free all necessary text books and equipment, schools and college buildings. The Muslim teachers shall be left free to teach and train their people in the way of righteousness, decency and self respect.

 

10. We believe that intermarriage or race mixing should be prohibited. We want the religion of Islam taught without hindrance or suppression.

 

These are some of the things that we, the Muslims, want for our people in North America. 

 

-The Honorable Elijah Muhammad

 

 

 

 

 

What the Muslims Believe

 

1. We believe in the One God whose proper name is Allah.

 

2. We believe in the Holy Quran and in the scriptures of all the Prophets of God.

 

3. We believe in the truth of the Bible, but we believe that it has been tampered with and must be reinterpreted so that mankind will not be snared by the falsehoods that have been added to it.

 

4. We believe in Allah's Prophets and the Scriptures they brought to the people.

 

5. We believe in the resurrection of the dead, not in physical resurrection but mental resurrection.  We believe that the so-called Negroes are most in need of mental resurrection; therefore, they will be resurrected first.

 

Furthermore, we believe we are the people of God's choice as it has been written that God would choose the rejected and the despised.  We can find no other persons fitting this description in these last days more than the so-called Negroes in America.  We believe in the resurrection of the righteous. 

 

6. We further believe in the Judgment.  We believe this first judgement will take place, as God revealed in America.

 

7. We believe this is the time in history for the separation of the so-called Negroes and the so-called white Americans.  We believe the black man should be freed in name as well as in fact.  By this we mean that he should be freed from names imposed upon him by his former slave-master.  We believe that if we are free indeed, we should go in our own people's names, the black peoples of the earth.

 

8. We believe in justice for all whether in God or not.  We believe as others that we are due equal justice as human beings.   We believe in equality as a nation of equals.  We do not believe that we are equal with our slave-masters in the status of "freed slaves".

 

We recognize and respect American citizens as independent peoples, and we respect their laws that govern this nation.

 

9. We believe that the offer of integration is hypocritical and is made by those who are trying to deceive the black people into believing that their 400-year-old open enemies of freedom, justice and equality are, all of a sudden, their "friends".  Furthermore, we believe that such deception is intended to prevent black people from realizing that the time in history has arrived for the separation from the whites of this nation.

 

If the white people are truthful about their professed friendship toward the so-called Negro, they can prove it by dividing up America with their slaves.

 

We do not believe that America will ever be able to furnish enough jobs for her own millions of unemployed in addition to jobs for the 30,000,000 black people.

 

10. We believe that we who declared ourselves to be righteous Muslims should not participate in wars that take the lives of humans.  We do not believe this nation should force us to take part in such wars, for we have nothing to gain from it unless America agrees to give us the necessary territory wherein we may have something to fight for.

 

11. We believe our women should be respected and protected as the women of other nationalities are respected and protected.

 

12. We believe that Allah (God) appeared in the person of Master W. Fard Muhammad, July, 1930, the long awaited "Messiah" of the Christians, and the "Mahdi" of the Muslims.

 

We believe further and lastly that Allah is God and besides HIM there is no God and He will bring about a universal government of peace wherein we can live in peace together.

 

 

Christine R. Rickett said:

I am a christian. I am content with my beliefs.  I do agree with and respect alot of what I have read that those in the Islam faith have wrote.

This is not the main reason for my response, I just figured I'd ask while I was at it.

1. Christianity originated within the Jewish faith, so why do people insist that it's white mans religion? Do you consider Jewish people to be white?

2. Many people believe blacks were the first humans created. Do you believe in the Garden of Eve and if so where do you believe it was, which continent and the current country now? Are the people there black or white?

3. I read Muhammad originally was a christian- back in- I don't remember 700 A.D.before he started what we know today as the teachings of the Quaran, is this true or not?  In the Quaran, Jesus Christ is mentioned as a true prophet of God right? Why would the Quaran and Muhammad say Jesus is a true prophet of God, and not believe what that true prophet said, when he said he was God's Son? If he lied about being God's son, wouldn't he also be a false prophet of God?

Now I'm not getting into that Trinity or deity of Christ stuff-that stuff causes division just within Christianity.

DO WE HAVE THE QUALIFIED MEN AND WOMEN FOR SELF-GOVERNMENT? 

3. Unity under the crescent of Islam is all that is necessary for you and me to become the world's greatest people.

 

I think so too. The question is Why hasn't the Nation of Islam went into one of the African countries that embraces the Quaran and built it up into a strong nation? Europeans or white america can't make you pay taxes in Africa.  Please believe I am not being synical but would'nt it be easier to start in a place where white america would have no control? Wouldn't a good example be great for the blacks in America. I met many blacks who say they want to go to live in Africa-the land of their ancestor-but where, what country in Africa could they go today that embraces Islam?

 

Even though I believe in Christ, I wouldn't have a problem covering up as the women do.  Just saying.  However, I do enjoy womens right to voice their objections and opinions.

 

 

[Saleem Shah]

Saleem Shah said:

Saleem Shah said:

 

 

Greetings

 

Thank you, Christine R. Rickett, for your questions and for the opportunity for civil and respectful dialogue. As I quote Messenger Elijah Muhammad and the Supreme Wisdom teachings of Islam, please note that it is not for the purpose to proselytize. I am not on a recruiting mission here. The time for black people in America to accept or reject what was taught from July 4, 1930 to February 25, 1975 is over. My points are to offer that what was said of America and the white race then, is more than true today. I will address each of your questions in separate posts.  Please feel free to interrupt with questions or comments as we proceed. This is offered to any reader as well. Remember, this is not a recruitment – we are having dialogue for clarity and understanding. We are talking mathematics. Mathematics is Islam and Islam is mathematics and can be proven in no limit of time. When I refer to Allah, it is in reference to the person that Elijah Muhammad introduced to us all in America as one Master Fard Muhammad, Son of Man, Almighty God, in Person.

 

 In our discussion, “Nation of Islam” is used in singular and plural terms. In the singular term, it is in reference to 30 million ex-slaves in the wilderness of North America – otherwise referred to as “so-called negroes” – so-called because they are called by that name but are not in fact negroes. "Nation of Islam" used in the plural context refers to all people of the earth excluding the white race. It means a universal gathering of all we commonly refer to as “Third World” nations into one global nation of PEACE.  We declare that Almighty God has declared that this cannot be accomplished as long as the white race is present on the planet.

 

Over the years, there was no end to the rumors of what the Nation of Islam, under the Messengership of Elijah Muhammad, was all about. So, I am presenting the facts of What the Muslims Want and What the Muslims Believe.  This is the official position of the Nation of Islam as presented on the back page of the Muhammad Speaks weekly newspaper. It was not written by Elijah Muhammad, but by Master Fard Muhammad. In fact, Elijah Muhammad never had anything to say of his own. All that you see or hear from his mouth he said as a “messenger” – he repeated, word for word, what Allah said to him to say to us.

 

What the Muslims Want

 

This is the question asked most frequently by both whites and blacks.

 

The answers to this question I shall state as simply as possible.

 

 

 

1. We want freedom. We want a full and complete freedom.

 

2. We want justice.  Equal justice under the law. We want justice applied equally to all, regardless of creed, class or color.

 

3. We want equality of opportunity. We want equal membership in society with the best in civilized society.

 

4. We want our people in America whose parents or grandparents are descendants from slaves to be allowed to establish a separate state or territory of their own, either on this continent or elsewhere. We believe that our former slave masters are obligated to provide such land and that the area must be fertile and minerally rich.  We believe that our former slave masters are obligated to maintain and supply our needs in this separate territory for the next 20 or 25 years, until we are able to produce and supply our own needs.

 

Since we cannot get along with them in peace and equality after giving them 400 years of our sweat and blood and receiving in return some of the worse treatment human beings have ever experienced, we believe our contributions to this land and the suffering forced upon us by white America justifies our demand for complete separation in a state or territory of our own.

 

5. We want freedom for all Believers of Islam held in federal prisons. We want freedom for all Black men and women now under death sentence in innumerable prisons in the North as well as the South.

 

We want every Black man and woman to have the freedom to accept or reject being separated from the slave-masters children and establish a land of their own.

 

We know that the above plan for the situation of the Black and white conflict is the best and only answer to the problem between two people.

 

6. We want an immediate end to the police brutality and mob attacks against the so-called Negro throughout the United States.

 

We believe that the Federal government should intercede to see that Black men and women tried in white courts receive justice in accordance with the laws of the land, or allow us to build a new nation for ourselves, dedicated to justice, freedom, and liberty.

 

7. As long as we are not allowed to establish a state or territory of our own, we demand not only equal justice under the laws of the United States, but equal employment opportunities-NOW!

 

We do not believe that after 400 years of free or nearly free labor, swear and blood, which helped America become rich and powerful, so many thousands of Black people should have to subsist on relief or charity or live in poor houses.

 

8. We want the government of the United States to exempt our people from ALL taxation as long as we are deprived of equal justice under the laws of the land.

 

9. We want equal education, but separate schools up to 16 for boys and 18 for girls on the condition that the girls be sent to womens colleges and universities. We want all Black children educated, taught and trained by their own teachers.

 

Under such a schooling system we believe we will make a better nation of people. The United States government should provide free all necessary text books and equipment, schools and college buildings. The Muslim teachers shall be left free to teach and train their people in the way of righteousness, decency and self respect.

 

10. We believe that intermarriage or race mixing should be prohibited. We want the religion of Islam taught without hindrance or suppression.

 

These are some of the things that we, the Muslims, want for our people in North America. 

 

-The Honorable Elijah Muhammad

 

 

 

 

 

What the Muslims Believe

 

1. We believe in the One God whose proper name is Allah.

 

2. We believe in the Holy Quran and in the scriptures of all the Prophets of God.

 

3. We believe in the truth of the Bible, but we believe that it has been tampered with and must be reinterpreted so that mankind will not be snared by the falsehoods that have been added to it.

 

4. We believe in Allah's Prophets and the Scriptures they brought to the people.

 

5. We believe in the resurrection of the dead, not in physical resurrection but mental resurrection.  We believe that the so-called Negroes are most in need of mental resurrection; therefore, they will be resurrected first.

 

Furthermore, we believe we are the people of God's choice as it has been written that God would choose the rejected and the despised.  We can find no other persons fitting this description in these last days more than the so-called Negroes in America.  We believe in the resurrection of the righteous. 

 

6. We further believe in the Judgment.  We believe this first judgement will take place, as God revealed in America.

 

7. We believe this is the time in history for the separation of the so-called Negroes and the so-called white Americans.  We believe the black man should be freed in name as well as in fact.  By this we mean that he should be freed from names imposed upon him by his former slave-master.  We believe that if we are free indeed, we should go in our own people's names, the black peoples of the earth.

 

8. We believe in justice for all whether in God or not.  We believe as others that we are due equal justice as human beings.   We believe in equality as a nation of equals.  We do not believe that we are equal with our slave-masters in the status of "freed slaves".

 

We recognize and respect American citizens as independent peoples, and we respect their laws that govern this nation.

 

9. We believe that the offer of integration is hypocritical and is made by those who are trying to deceive the black people into believing that their 400-year-old open enemies of freedom, justice and equality are, all of a sudden, their "friends".  Furthermore, we believe that such deception is intended to prevent black people from realizing that the time in history has arrived for the separation from the whites of this nation.

 

If the white people are truthful about their professed friendship toward the so-called Negro, they can prove it by dividing up America with their slaves.

 

We do not believe that America will ever be able to furnish enough jobs for her own millions of unemployed in addition to jobs for the 30,000,000 black people.

 

10. We believe that we who declared ourselves to be righteous Muslims should not participate in wars that take the lives of humans.  We do not believe this nation should force us to take part in such wars, for we have nothing to gain from it unless America agrees to give us the necessary territory wherein we may have something to fight for.

 

11. We believe our women should be respected and protected as the women of other nationalities are respected and protected.

 

12. We believe that Allah (God) appeared in the person of Master W. Fard Muhammad, July, 1930, the long awaited "Messiah" of the Christians, and the "Mahdi" of the Muslims.

 

We believe further and lastly that Allah is God and besides HIM there is no God and He will bring about a universal government of peace wherein we can live in peace together.

 

 

Christine R. Rickett said:

I am a christian. I am content with my beliefs.  I do agree with and respect alot of what I have read that those in the Islam faith have wrote.

This is not the main reason for my response, I just figured I'd ask while I was at it.

1. Christianity originated within the Jewish faith, so why do people insist that it's white mans religion? Do you consider Jewish people to be white?

2. Many people believe blacks were the first humans created. Do you believe in the Garden of Eve and if so where do you believe it was, which continent and the current country now? Are the people there black or white?

3. I read Muhammad originally was a christian- back in- I don't remember 700 A.D.before he started what we know today as the teachings of the Quaran, is this true or not?  In the Quaran, Jesus Christ is mentioned as a true prophet of God right? Why would the Quaran and Muhammad say Jesus is a true prophet of God, and not believe what that true prophet said, when he said he was God's Son? If he lied about being God's son, wouldn't he also be a false prophet of God?

Now I'm not getting into that Trinity or deity of Christ stuff-that stuff causes division just within Christianity.

DO WE HAVE THE QUALIFIED MEN AND WOMEN FOR SELF-GOVERNMENT? 

3. Unity under the crescent of Islam is all that is necessary for you and me to become the world's greatest people.

 

I think so too. The question is Why hasn't the Nation of Islam went into one of the African countries that embraces the Quaran and built it up into a strong nation? Europeans or white america can't make you pay taxes in Africa.  Please believe I am not being synical but would'nt it be easier to start in a place where white america would have no control? Wouldn't a good example be great for the blacks in America. I met many blacks who say they want to go to live in Africa-the land of their ancestor-but where, what country in Africa could they go today that embraces Islam?

 

Even though I believe in Christ, I wouldn't have a problem covering up as the women do.  Just saying.  However, I do enjoy womens right to voice their objections and opinions.

 

 In the Bible in Genesis we have a symbolic story of God creating the heavens and the earth; and then He makes a man called Adam and a woman called Eve; who encourages Adam to disobey God and they both are exiled from the Garden of Eden. This story is either taken literally by the gullible masses of people or they dismiss it as a fable….yet there is great truth in it, if you understand the story. The masses of people refer to 85% of the people.

The God making the heavens and the earth was not creating the physical planet, for that had been in existence for trillions of years. And Cain went out from the presence of the Lord and dwelt in the land of Nod on the east of Eden. (Gen. 4:16) ; And Cain knew his wife and she conceived….(Gen. 4:17)

Now, the Bible says Cain was the first child of Adam and Eve and Abel was the second. Seth was the third child born to them, but he was born after Cain left the presence of God. If there were no other people on the face of the earth when God made Adam and Eve….and Cain was the first child born to them……then WHERE DID THIS WIFE THAT “CAIN KNEW” COME FROM?.....if Adam and Eve were the first people on the earth? This means that either Cain married his sister or there were obviously other people on the planet.

The Truth is that God was creating a BODY OF KNOWLEDGE AND A MENTAL ENVIRONMENT, designed specifically to bring the masses of people into the true knowledge of themselves, and at the same time Satan was developing his knowledge from God’s plan with which to oppose God and influence the people. Since God is the Master of all life, including Satan’s….the masses of people were symbolically called Adam while they were in obedience to God.

Eve was not a physical woman…. but Eve was the knowledge that God allowed Satan to use to oppose the Adamic people. Eve is the knowledge of material creation and the emotion that is used to pull on people and interfere with their ability to use their minds, and think clearly.

The Tree of Life was the people that God has chosen out of the masses after He decided to allow Satan the freedom to try to deceive them. These people that God had chosen and set apart would be taught and raised into Divine Knowledge as examples to the others.

Saying hurt not the earth, neither the seas, nor the trees, till we have sealed THE SERVANTS OF GOD in their foreheads. (Rev. 7:3)

And I heard the number of THEM which were sealed and there were sealed an HUNDRED AND FORTY FOUR THOUSAND of all the tribes of the children of Israel. (Rev. 7:4)



The apple was the law that God had given to the Adamic people which forbid them mixing their seed or blood with the people which God had chosen and set apart as examples for the others.

But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it. NEITHER SHALL YOU TOUCH IT, lest you die. (Gen. 3:3)

When the Adamic people listened to and were influenced by Satan’s teachings called Eve …. and did what they were forbidden to do, they were cast out of Eden into the hills and caves of West Asia which is now called Europe.

The making of Adam is also the history of the grafting or making of man into races. From the Original people – Black people – the first people in Creation – came the Brown people (Japanese); the Yellow people (Chinese); and finally, the Caucasian white people (all of whom are referred to as "made" people). This took place in the area of the planet we call today the Middle east and North Africa. Specifically on the island of Patmos or Pelan of your Scripture in the Aegean Sea.

The Adamic people, having been stripped of all books and instruments of learning when they were cast out of Eden, finally became savage and remained in that condition for two thousand years…. until WE raised the prophet Musa (civilizer) and sent him to civilize them. When they were cast out of Eden they then became the children of Satan, called devils.

Allah, God, in the person of Master Fard Muhammad, asked a series of questions and also gave the answers:

"Why did we run Yacob and his made devil from the root of civilization over the hot desert, into the caves of West Asia, as they now call it Europe? What is the meaning of "Eu" and "rope"? How long ago? What did the devil bring with him? What kind of life did he live and how long before Musa(Moses) came to teach the devil of the forgotten tricknollogy?"

Ans. "Because they started making trouble among the righteous people telling lies. They accused the righteous people, causing them to fight and kill one another. Yacob was an Original black man and was the father of the devil. He taught the devils to do this devilishment. The root of civilization is in Arabia, at the Holy City of Mecca - which means where wisdom, and knowledge of the Original Man was first started when the planet was found.



"We ran the devil over the Arabian Desert. We took from them everything except the language and made him walk every step of the way. It was twenty-two hundred miles. He went savage and lived in the caves of Europe. "Eu" means hillsides and "rope" is the rope to bind in. It was six thousand and nineteen years ago. Musa (Moses) came two thousand years later and taught him how to live a respectable life; how to build a home for himself and some of the tricknollogy that Yacob taught him, which was devilishment, telling lies, stealing, and how to master the Original Man......"

Some of their children were hidden among the Original black people and did not go into Europe. Most of the Arabs we see today are the descendants of those who were hidden. That is why it is so hard for them to practice Islam. They are from a people who did not accept God’s way then and still do not accept even today. They are Muslims by faith only….not by nature. Later, some of the others drifted back into the Middle East and caused war. Finally, through invasion, they completely took over the Middle East by driving out the Original people or killing them off. They killed the men and the male children and married the Original women or had children with them….and this has continued even until today. These are the olive or dark skinned half-Original people that live today in the area we call the Middle East. They are the seeds of the white man who mixed with the Black woman of the East.

This area, with Mecca in Arabia as the center, is where civilized life began and developed on this planet some 66 trillion years ago, between the Tigris and the Euphrates Rivers…..and has been the center of all life and knowledge of man and mankind.

The part of the planet we call America, was considered a wilderness and was a place of exile for people who broke the laws of peace in the East. We considered the West part of the planet to be the poor part and we did not go there. We did not have prisons for those who broke laws - we simply exiled them to the poor part of the planet. The American Indian people were exiled here sixteen thousand years ago from the place we call India, for breaking the laws of peace.

The sympathy that some of the Original Black people have for the Adamic people is what Satan was counting on to use to deceive the Original Black people, and cause the most trouble among them because they would not know themselves. Since all people come from Original Black people….it is natural for the Original people to have love and sympathy for them. Satan knew that the Original people would have to learn to master themselves before they could master Satan and his people….and he believed that if he could cause them to fail, this would cause God to leave things as they were…..with just a few leaders having the knowledge….while the masses (85%) remain ignorant, deaf, dumb, blind and under their control.


To Be Continued……

[Penguin Board of Directors]

"... used in the plural context refers to all people of the earth excluding the white race. It means a universal gathering of all we commonly refer to as “Third World” nations into one global nation of PEACE.  We declare that Almighty God has declared that this cannot be accomplished as long as the white race is present on the planet" ... Saleem Shah

Preacher-Man Saleem Shah, 

Whatever your religious or philosophical persuasion or lack of one, regardless of how you slice and dice it, to call for the extermination of another group of human beings is detestable, heinous, and backward-thinking. Any aggregates of irrational elements who get together under the pretext of any canopy to call for and seek the extermination of another group of people, as in your quote, whether the conspirators and their target victims are Black, White, Yellow, Red or Brown, Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Buddhists, Zoroastrians, Atheists, or whatever other religious or philosophical persuasions, are apostles of genocide and potential felons of hate crimes. History thoroughly documents their ancestral pedigree. Nothing distinguishes such aggressors from the likes of the infamous Guyana tragedy's Jim Jones and Waco's (TX) David Koresh of the Branch Davidians.

You repeatedly claim you are not recruiting people for a cause (same ploy and tactic of deceitful agents of darkness); no one here is so dumb as not to realize your feeble attempts represent precisely that. If you are spreading an agenda that preaches exterminating whites in America so that your group's agenda can be realized, what exactly do you expect Blacks, Latinos, Asians, and others to say or do? Wait for you to first turn your searchlights on them? None of these will wait till you come their way; they will identify you from miles away and shut you down before you go further in threatening the security and freedom of others. If you have any writing of Nation of Islam's Louis Farrakhan that directly or indirectly calls for the extermination of White Americans, I dare you to publish it. Your freedom (of speech or of anything else) stops where the freedoms of others begin. And, that goes for everyone. Shift your jaundiced preachment elsewhere, Mr. Sham Saleem Shah, before you burn yourself. You cannot call for extermination of any White, Black, Brown, Yellow or Red Americans or any race of human beings for that matter without being held to dance to your own drumbeats.  

[Saleem Shah]

Greetings:

 

Thank you for your response. First, I have nothing to do with Louis Farrakhan. I care less whether one believes , agrees, understands or not. I am putting a clean glass next to a dirty glass. there are many others wiser than you who know that everything stated by Elijah Muhammad to be the truth - that he met with God and this is what God said. Take it or let it alone.  There is nothing to join today.
That time is over. The white race knows they are the devil of scripture. If you are white, you koow your are the devil. This is not a blind accusation. Look at the history of this race for the last 4000 years right up to an hour ago.  Why are you defending the white race? Do they defend you? Let one of them defend themselves. You cannot point to one lie that has been stated. One may disagree but you cannot disprove the facts.  You have expressed your opinion and personal feelings. Now disprove the facts as stated.  If you are black, you are a slave apologist for the white race. You talk foolishness. Lets stick to the actual facts of time and history. The white media preached that Elijah Muhammad taught so-called hate......but not once did they ever call him a liar.

 

 omi Ace said:

"... used in the plural context refers to all people of the earth excluding the white race. It means a universal gathering of all we commonly refer to as “Third World” nations into one global nation of PEACE.  We declare that Almighty God has declared that this cannot be accomplished as long as the white race is present on the planet" ... Saleem Shah

Preacher-Man Saleem Shah, 

Whatever your religious or philosophical persuasion or lack of one, regardless of how you slice and dice it, to call for the extermination of another group of human beings is detestable, heinous, and backward-thinking. Any aggregates of irrational elements who get together under the pretext of any canopy to call for and seek the extermination of another group of people, as in your quote, whether the conspirators and their target victims are Black, White, Yellow, Red or Brown, Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Buddhists, Zoroastrians, Atheists, or whatever other religious or philosophical persuasions, are apostles of genocide and potential felons of hate crimes. History thoroughly documents their ancestral pedigree. Nothing distinguishes such aggressors from the likes of the infamous Guyana tragedy's Jim Jones and Waco's (TX) David Koresh of the Branch Davidians.

You repeatedly claim you are not recruiting people for a cause (same ploy and tactic of deceitful agents of darkness); no one here is so dumb as not to realize your feeble attempts represent precisely that. If you are spreading an agenda that preaches exterminating whites in America so that your group's agenda can be realized, what exactly do you expect Blacks, Latinos, Asians, and others to say or do? Wait for you to first turn your searchlights on them? None of these will wait till you come their way; they will identify you from miles away and shut you down before you go further in threatening the security and freedom of others. If you have any writing of Nation of Islam's Louis Farrakhan that directly or indirectly calls for the extermination of White Americans, I dare you to publish it. Your freedom (of speech or of anything else) stops where the freedoms of others begin. And, that goes for everyone. Shift your jaundiced preachment elsewhere, Mr. Sham Saleem Shah, before you burn yourself. You cannot call for extermination of any White, Black, Brown, Yellow or Red Americans or any race of human beings for that matter without being held to dance to your own drumbeats.  

[Penguin Board of Directors]

Go and take your medication, Mullah Shah. You are simply delusional or going psychotic. SmileyandWest should begin to demand medical clearance before registering members on this site.  

Saleem Shah said:

Greetings: Thank you for your response. First, I have nothing to do with Louis Farrakhan. I care less whether one believes , agrees, understands or not.

[Miles Scott Vonlogan]

We already got to put God on Trial for Genocide. Now we got to put some of his Followers on trial also because they are saying some people are devils and God told them to destroy those strangers over there. Maybe some people should  read the shortest book in the bible (Book of Psalms ) . That probably cut down their lust for murder and mayhem. As far as any religion , do not take that to seriously. Because Reglion of all kinds have kill more human beings that any plague. The Glorious Qur'an is a beautiful book . Just like any religious text they all want to kill and do harm to the non believers.Maybe there something deeply disturbing about all these religion  born in the desert that will have me murmuring about known s an unknowns. This will have me acting like Donald Rumsfeld or my magic carpet ride.
Saleem Shah said:

Greetings:

 

Thank you for your response. First, I have nothing to do with Louis Farrakhan. I care less whether one believes , agrees, understands or not. I am putting a clean glass next to a dirty glass. there are many others wiser than you who know that everything stated by Elijah Muhammad to be the truth - that he met with God and this is what God said. Take it or let it alone.  There is nothing to join today.
That time is over. The white race knows they are the devil of scripture. If you are white, you koow your are the devil. This is not a blind accusation. Look at the history of this race for the last 4000 years right up to an hour ago.  Why are you defending the white race? Do they defend you? Let one of them defend themselves. You cannot point to one lie that has been stated. One may disagree but you cannot disprove the facts.  You have expressed your opinion and personal feelings. Now disprove the facts as stated.  If you are black, you are a slave apologist for the white race. You talk foolishness. Lets stick to the actual facts of time and history. The white media preached that Elijah Muhammad taught so-called hate......but not once did they ever call him a liar.

 

 omi Ace said:

"... used in the plural context refers to all people of the earth excluding the white race. It means a universal gathering of all we commonly refer to as “Third World” nations into one global nation of PEACE.  We declare that Almighty God has declared that this cannot be accomplished as long as the white race is present on the planet" ... Saleem Shah

Preacher-Man Saleem Shah, 

Whatever your religious or philosophical persuasion or lack of one, regardless of how you slice and dice it, to call for the extermination of another group of human beings is detestable, heinous, and backward-thinking. Any aggregates of irrational elements who get together under the pretext of any canopy to call for and seek the extermination of another group of people, as in your quote, whether the conspirators and their target victims are Black, White, Yellow, Red or Brown, Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Buddhists, Zoroastrians, Atheists, or whatever other religious or philosophical persuasions, are apostles of genocide and potential felons of hate crimes. History thoroughly documents their ancestral pedigree. Nothing distinguishes such aggressors from the likes of the infamous Guyana tragedy's Jim Jones and Waco's (TX) David Koresh of the Branch Davidians.

You repeatedly claim you are not recruiting people for a cause (same ploy and tactic of deceitful agents of darkness); no one here is so dumb as not to realize your feeble attempts represent precisely that. If you are spreading an agenda that preaches exterminating whites in America so that your group's agenda can be realized, what exactly do you expect Blacks, Latinos, Asians, and others to say or do? Wait for you to first turn your searchlights on them? None of these will wait till you come their way; they will identify you from miles away and shut you down before you go further in threatening the security and freedom of others. If you have any writing of Nation of Islam's Louis Farrakhan that directly or indirectly calls for the extermination of White Americans, I dare you to publish it. Your freedom (of speech or of anything else) stops where the freedoms of others begin. And, that goes for everyone. Shift your jaundiced preachment elsewhere, Mr. Sham Saleem Shah, before you burn yourself. You cannot call for extermination of any White, Black, Brown, Yellow or Red Americans or any race of human beings for that matter without being held to dance to your own drumbeats.  

[Obama drama]

Obama is short on deal making. The Republicans want to lower corporate taxes. Well, make them earn it by zipping the corporate and rich tax to 60% and tie it to unemployment! Every 1% decrease in the unemployment rate lowers the rich tax rate for big business 5%! That's for corporations making over 2 million and rich people making over 1 million a year! It means from 9% to 4% yields a rich tax rate of 35%! At 3% unemployment rate the rich tax rate drops to 30%! At 2% unemployment rate the rich tax rate drops to 25%!

Bush Tax Cuts tell us we don't get lower unemployment rates by lowering corporate tax rates! At full employment the corporate tax rate drops to 15% in my plan! It's a great deal for everyone if the requirement includes a living wage! No one should have to work more than 8 hours 5 days a week to pay bills and have $500 left at the end of the month! Obama needs to roll out this deal! Make Republicans earn tax cuts! Otherwise it's pure nonsense! We're being held hostage for lower corporate taxes right now! If you don't require them to hire Americans, giving them lower tax rates will just be more of the same! It's really treason and Obama is the Captian of that ship!

Obama made a big speech but it only hires a small fraction of the 14 million unemployed! Some experts say less than 800,000 by the end of 12/2011. Infrastructure jobs are slow to roll out! Why just give the economy a jolt when it needs a constant power source?! Tax revenues increased on the rich is what our economy needs! Bush Tax Cuts are costing us trillions! Experts say it's over 3 trillion to date!

Maybe slow to roll out is the same problem with green jobs. That's the one area that could use a lot more focus! It makes sense because if we lower energy cost, there's more money going into pockets other than big oil! It will create more jobs! Couple that with an aggressive program to roll out economically priced, efficient, electric cars made in America and we'll see some serious movement!

Instead of doing some obvious things, Obama is playing small ball because he foolishly backed himself into a corner by not getting  rid of Bush Tax Cuts from the start! Morons have better sense than that! Printing more money hurts the poor because it causes inflation! Redistributing wealth by taxing the rich is the right way to go.

Add to that, debt forgiveness, and credit history upgrades since a lot of bad credit is because of the scams the banks did for bigger profits and the government housing push did for more tax revenues to fund the wars! Now that needs to be corrected to allow credit purchases to return by spenders, aka, the poor and lower middle class! Cap credit card interest rates at 10%-15% and maximum principle no greater than 20% of yearly income and there is a good chance the crashing and ravaging of the spenders won't occur again!

Also, raise fees on imports to protect and bring back manufacturing jobs in America. Wage legislation need to be passed to require a living wage of about $500 at the end of the month after all basic needs are paid. Too few businesses are sucking up the wealth!

Large corporations are counter productive to job growth! The Republican position is to lower corporate taxes. The best way to go is to raise corporate taxes. It's a farce that they will hire more if given lower taxes! They are the people outsourcing American jobs by and large! They are way too big and there is too little competition! That results in jobs destruction!

There are things that can be done to restore the economy but Obama is failing to do them. Obama's the head crab pulling the other crabs to the bottom of the barrel! He can use Executive Order to override a dysfunctional congress, so why doesn't he?! Obama must be playing politics and selling us out! Proofs in the pudding! The solutions to restore the economy are simple to apply!

Why only a, what, $4,500 tax credit to hire people out of work 6 months or more?! Why not $25,000 - $35,000?! After all, the government gets close to a fourth of that in taxes. That's not even counting all the new jobs it creates from synergy and simple wealth production! Why sell that solution short?! That's a great way to get fat Corporation to spend some of those fat coffers to provide American jobs!

Obama's pragmatism ain't worth poot! It smells even worse! It's the kind of stuff that's making him worthy of the boot 2012! Obama's latest plan is nothing but a stall game disguised to as something that gets real results. It will not likely move the unemployment rate one iota! Fact is, we're creating jobs far less than the demand! We listened to Obama's stupid plan and realize, once again, he's wasting our time playing political games! It was nothing more than a ploy to put the onus totally on the Republicans! He's not even requiring a big enough commitment from them! Obama throughly disgust me!