Road To D.C. | JUSTICE OR ELSE

By David Jordan Jr

Last night Memphis was graced with the presence of The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan at The Cannon Center. 2015 marks the 20^th anniversary of the Million Man March that Minister Farrakhan organized and led in Washington D.C. in 1995. Since the iconic march in 1995, there have been many events that have taken place in the country that have caused a great regression in our society, in particular the treatment, ideas and injustices levied against all people of color in the United States of America. The year 2015 alone has seen more than its share of instances involving police brutality and the unjustified murders of blacks, hate crimes and a continued, practiced doctrine of racial discrimination and racial inequality in the work place, educational system and U.S. Government to all minorities in this country. How ironic that the 20^th Anniversary of the Million Man March takes place during this time of confusion and injustice in the United States of America. “Justice Or Else” means essentially what one would think it would mean. It’s not an asking for justice, it’s a demand by those citizens of this country that are oppressed, those that have been wronged, those that have been lied to and those that are continuously ignored. Minister Farrakhan has been speaking across the country in recent months in lieu of the forthcoming anniversary and Justice or Else march, dropping FACTS about everything that has taken place in this country and how these FACTS have created this climate of continued hate, confusion and injustice. The misconception about Farrakhan is that he is a hate preacher; and this is SO FAR from the truth. Minister Farrakhan preaches love of one’s self, love of one another and most of all equality and fairness with everybody realizing that GOD is the only judge of us all and that HE holds the ultimate power.  This misconception derives from a media that feeds into the societal approach of creating perceived rights, perceived wrongs and falsified images. The truth whether you like it or not, want to acknowledge it or not will always be the truth. People that seek the truth do so on their own; people that accept what is given to them will forever be in a clouded light.

Memphis,TN holds a unique place in the history of racial inequality and social injustice in the United States due to one reason; Dr. Martin Luther King Jr took his last breath in the city of Memphis after an assassin’s bullet took his life on April 4^th 1968. Unfair labor practices and injustices taking  place against sanitation workers in the city of Memphis was the reason King was in Memphis. The “Poor People’s Campaign” was organized by MLK with the road leading to Washington D.C. demanding what was rightfully owed to the blacks that had not been yet given in this country. “We’re coming to get our check” stated King during one of his speeches during the campaign to Washington D.C.. This is essentially the same thing being preached by Minister Farrakhan and everybody involved in the “Justice Or Else” movement; the time is now for what is supposed to be for everybody, justice. Memphis was the perfect place for Minister Farrakhan to elaborate on King’s involvement in the last two years of his life in the movement for financial equality and social justice. The fact that MLK had become NOT so popular during his last two years of life is not an opinion; it’s a fact. Farrakhan drove this point home continuously with facts involving the support that MLK lost and further showing us all how when you speak up for what is 100 percent right and what is 100 percent truth, your popularity with many, even those close to you will dissipate.  Minister Farrakhan was originally scheduled to speak at the historic Mason Temple COGIC, the place where MLK gave his last speech “I’ve Been To The Mountaintop.” Mason Temple was where Farrakhan wanted to speak; the spirt of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr and the fact that his last public words were spoken there is what enamored Farrakhan with wanting to speak there. But this did not happen.  Farrakhan shared with the capacity crowd how he was shunned at the last minute to speak at the church BY THE CHURCH leaders. Of course this was not public information and was not covered in any of the local media. Despite this, the message was conveyed in the manner of love and empowerment which he intended and the spirit of MLK he wanted to spread at Mason Temple completely engulfed the Cannon Center.

One of the greatest points of emphasis for the night was the importance of self and how engaging positivity within yourself will fully aide in the goals one seeks for his or herself. Taking pride in yourself is what allows you the opportunity which every man is given to have everything you are supposed to in life. Farrakhan dissected how the black family in America has been essentially destroyed step by step and how the totality of this destruction has led to the present state of not only black families in America but all minorities in the United States of America. Self realization and self upliftment is the first step in gaining justice and plays an extremely important role in realizing justice and equality in all aspects of life. “Justice Or Else” will take place October 10^th 2015 in Washington D.C. and it will not be the culmination of everything taking place but a monumental step in the things to come.

One interesting thing about Minister Farrakhan’s Memphis visit was the lack of coverage and publicity given to him and the “Justice Or Else” movement by the local media. Local television stations and the majority of the radio stations in the city of Memphis neglected to even acknowledge the visit of Minister Farrakhan and the reason for the visit. Negativity is constantly displayed on all of the new stations in Memphis, yet when an opportunity came to display a light of positivity within the city, if even for only a couple of days, the media in the city of Memphis failed tremendously to do so. The power of social media, and the word of mouth is what allowed for this tremendous event to take place in Memphis. The factual knowledge and inspiration words from Minister Farrakhan to those in attendance in Memphis and to those that listened live online will serve as a spearhead to justice on the road to D.C.. 10.10.15 BE THERE!

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