Lets Talk About Race, History, and Social Politics: Question and Answer Session; Bring it On

Lets Talk About Race, History, and Social Politics: Question and Answer Session; Bring it On

By FAHIM A. KNIGHT-EL

This article/blog came about as a series of Internet conversations and debates that this writer has had with a number of Caucasians relative to ancient Kemet (Egypt), slavery, culture, reparations and the historical paradigm that evolves around the African/African American experience. The topic of race, just like the topic of religion, is one of those hypersensitive topics and often people become immediately defensive, aggressive, agitated, angered, closed minded, etc. When discussing such a topic, time and again, human beings seem to possess a need to secure their place in the discussion by consciously and/or subconsciously elevating their race, ethnic group, tribe, etc., into the best positive light possible (I think from time-to-time we all are guilty of this).

We have an even greater need to define the political, economic and social history of our clan at all cost, and often the first casualty of our misconstrued reality, is always truth. Perhaps this is a tragic human defect and it will continue to lead to social discord, if humanity fails to reckon with the planet and rapidly move away from injustice—and man’s inhumanity to man. (Reference: Joel Kotkin: “Tribes: How Race, Religion and Identity Determine Success in the New Global Economy”).
Thus, sometime even at the expense of truth, which becomes a compromise for accuracy, legitimacy and genuineness; this is often where humanity has found itself. Many cultures and races, and even us as individuals, are guilty of fallen into this trap of putting forth nationalism and obscuring the veracity of the historical evidence in order to make our case on the stage of human civilization, at any and all expense. (Reference: Cornel West; “Race Matters”).

This discussion pertaining to Kemet, in particular ignited a controversial debate between myself and approximately twenty or so Caucasians who were Internet Bloggers on the David Icke web site. My thesis centered on Kemet (Egypt) being a society that was originally inhabited and built by the Nubians 3,000 years before Jesus Christ (Yeshua Ben Yosef) and I came to this conclusion by reading the works of white scholars such as H.G. Wells, Will Durant, Gerald Massey, Godfrey Higgins, Albert Churchward, George Frazer, etc., which they either came directly out and stated that Kemet was Nubian or gave strong historical inference that indeed Kemet (Egypt) was perhaps Nubian (black African) land. (Reference: Ivan Van Sertima: Great African Thinkers: Cheikh Diop”).

This writer, equally understands that Kemet (Egypt) had been invaded by external forces and civilizations such as the Greeks, Romans, Turks, Phoenicians, Italians, Arabs, etc., and these invasions led to the history of racial miscegenation in which ‘genotypical’ and ‘phenotypical’ the racial identity and physical characteristics of the people of Kemet began to change from how the original people that once inhabited Kemet use to look. But we should not mistaken the light skinned and Caucasian features of the people today who presently occupy Kemet as the original people, because they are not, but these Semitic tribes are mere imposters and have usurped the history and culture of the original people who once occupied Kemet (Egypt). (Reference: George G.M. James; “Stolen Legacy).

The religion of Islam and Christianity are new religions to this region—the Nubians had mastered moral and ethical principles long before the arrival of so-called “Holy” books were to be introduced into Kemet (of course you must know that all spiritual schools thought had their origin in Kemet and Cush). They were in line with the universal order of things. This writer know and understand that racism is a disease and within the American context, it is incurable and will continue to serve as a divisive variable, until we overcome our denial relative to this race issue, which will continue to work towards impeding human social progress. Moreover, my citing that Kemet (Egypt) was Nubian (African and non-Semitic) stirred a hatred and racist frenzy that appeared to be much deeply rooted than our disagreements about the racial identity of the ancient Egyptians. But their disagreement went to the core of a racist mindset that for centuries have been conveyed in the popular political culture, in particular of the United States and Europe and it is still very much unresolved. (Reference: Yosef A.A. Jochannon; “African Origins of Major "Western Religions").

Many of them detest African people and how dare this so-called American “Negro” attribute the highest cultural civilization—Egypt to people of African descent; this by far is the greatest civilization on earth, which to ever be recorded by man. It was unthinkable that this writer would attribute such loftiness to the Nubian (African-Black) race; to them this was blasphemy of the highest order and absurd, because of the unjust perception and racial bias that some Caucasians hold against people of African descendent; thus, even within the intellectual arena. (Reference: John G. Jackson and Willis N. Huggins; “A Guide to Studies in African History”).

However, this writer does not object to their right to have an opinion on all matters including critiquing the African experience and even disagreeing with me and arguing from a basis of historical interpretation and demonstrating an intellectual dissenting conviction that is rooted in research and scholarly evaluation and assessment. This approach is acceptable and is deserving of intellectual consideration and any critique rendered under these premises would hold a lot more merit. We live in the United States of America where free speech is protected under the First Amendment right of the U.S. Constitution and it does not matter how distasteful or obnoxious the speech may be, it too is protected under the United States Constitution, just as any speech that you and I would find agreeable and therefore to censor one’s right to free speech violates one of the fundamental rights that undergirds our fragile democracy. (Reference: Chip Smith; “The Cost of Privilege: Taking on the System of White Supremacy”)

Many that participated in this dialog could not phantom African Nubians constructing the pyramids of ancient Kemet or at least their racial attitudes did not allow them—because in some instances, it was this experience from which their socialization process took shape and developed from which became their worldview. They do not see African people as being intellectually equal to Caucasian people and in most instances they view African people as being inferior, which is rooted in a social structure of white supremacy—this breeds a system of racism on every level—politically, socially and economically. It also feeds into old culture serotypes that Africa is the Dark Continent and black people gave nothing worthwhile to civilization. (Reference: Tim Wise; “White Like Me: Reflections on Race From a Privileged Son”).

Thus, as you read some of the responses in this article you will see the obvious and many of the questions and answers were ingrained in the socio-politics of racism and the 450 year old dilemma and the 6,000 year conflict that has existed since he has been on the planet, which still speaks to race and racism as being unresolved within the United States of America. This writer did minimum editing and for the most part, is presenting this dialog within the context, grammar and thoughts conveyed by these bloggers in order captivate the mindset and present this thinking to my reading audience of the Keeping Real Think Tank, in particular and the broader reading audience in general, for further investigation. (Reference: Michael Bradley; “Iceman Inheritance: Prehistoric Sources of Western Man's Racism, Sexism and Aggression”).

Bendoon stated: Africans hadn't invented the wheel in 1500AD, are you honestly saying that they had chariots in 2000BC? All this stuff is pure fantasy, Black Egyptians, right sure.

Fahim A. Knight-El: Yes, to a racist Eurocentric mindset, it might be considered fantasy, but the pyramids, science and architecture of Kemet stands as proof positive that the Nubians had a high civilization that is unmatched by any other civilization throughout the annals of time. Your comment is emotional and lacks any scholarly proof. This is the type of thinking that we must uproot because it’s this type of thinking that has helped to take humanity off its course; because it lacks respect for other cultures and civilizations and view western civilization as being superior. Please cite your proof and documentation that “All this stuff is pure fantasy, Black Egyptians".

Kingmob stated: Its a only a foolish statement to a fool. You are a racist, and unable to see beyound color unfortunately. Just remember, that adding a few accomplishments on the merit of color adds no value to the "black" race in the eyes of most objective people.

Fahim A. Knight-El: Cheik Anta Diop in his book titled, “The African Origin of Civilization: Myth or Reality” stated, “Ancient Egypt was a Negro civilization. The history of Black Africa will remain suspended in air and can not be written correctly until African historians dare to connect it with the history of Egypt. In particular, the study of languages, institutions, and so forth, can not be treated properly; in a word, it will be impossible to build African humanities, body African human sciences, so long as the relationship does not appear legitimate. The African historian who evades the problem of Egypt is neither modest nor objective, nor unruffled; he is ignorant, cowardly, and neurotic. Imagine, if you can, the uncomfortable position of a western historian who was to write the history of Europe without referring to Greco-Latin Antiquity and try that off as a scientific approach.” (Reference: Cheik Anta Diop; “The African Origin of Civilization: Myth or Reality”).

Zedd stated: That's probably because the people who espouse the ideas are militant in tone and deride white people at any opportunity. Like you just did in your above post about one white person not having their head up their ass, imply the rest (or mostly all) do. It is also because people like yourself ignore any questions and immediately play the race card on those who question you instead of answering legitimate questions, like the one previously posted about why the Egyptians portrayed themselves as being tan, and yet others as being black and white.

Fahim A. Knight-El: I do not think surveying the historical record and evaluating past evidence, is neither black supremacist nor white supremacist in scope, but if the evidence and the data draw us to a reasonable conclusion about certain aspect of history; how willing are we to accept certain outcomes, even if those finds go against the popular version of the truth? Or do we find comfort for the most part, based on our own cultural socialization process and relegate truth to cultural bias and stereotypes. For example, many Caucasians can not even phantom that the people of Kemet were Nubians and often this position is not based on any scholarly findings or intellectual outcomes, but their disposition is often driven by the raw emotions of racism, which is often rooted in a social structure. (Reference: Yosef A.A. Ben Jochannon; “The Black man of the Nile and Family”).

Rapunzel stated: You have never produced any evidence the ancient Egyptians were Nubians. The Egyptians didn't think they were Nubian since they portrayed Nubians very differently than they portrayed themselves. This has been mentioned before but you fail to address it. Why? Can you explain why Egyptian women were painted yellow if they were jet black? And why Egyptian men were painted red if they were jet black?

Fahim A. Knight-El: The Caucasian history only goes back 6,000 years. Thus, that much is a fact; I have given many sources through out the thread; perhaps you need to re-read the thread. Who is the original man? (Reference: Elijah Muhammad; “Message to the Blackman of America).
Bendoon stated: As opposed to your racist Black supremacist mindset? Look its been proved already in this thread that the Egyptians weren't Black, just leave it out you are only making a fool out of yourself. They even left us some mummies with straight red and blonde hair as proof.

Fahim A. Knight-El: I noticed every time someone challenges you all on this forum relative to this topic; you are quick to use the term "Black supremacist" what ever that means, as to dismiss the facts and truth. This is not Black supremacist, the Caucasian history only goes back 6,000 years (that is a truth and fact) and ancient people that occupied Kemet goes back tens of thousands of years (classified as the lineage of the original man, which is also connected to Cush (Ethiopia)—this is where scientist keep on finding fragments of the original man). Now, you do the math and you review the record of the anthropologist and Egyptologist relative to when the external invaders ventured into Kemet. Moreover, and most of these conquering nations left their print relative to miscegenation on the people of Kemet (From the word Chem Land of the Blacks or burnt faces). All of the races you mentioned or colors are rooted in the fathers and mothers of civilization genealogy, which is the original man. (Reference: Paul Lawrence Guthrie; “Making of the Whiteman: History, Tradition and the Teachings of Elijah Muhammad).

Bill23 stated: you may well be right on alot of things but saying 'Remember the Caucasian history only goes back 6,000 years' is like me saying 'white people built the Great Pyramid of Giza'. dont let your hatred of white racists cloud your judgment.

Fahim A. Knight-El: I think my body of work on this forum speaks for it self. I do not have a hatred for whites. I side more with justice and my topic on Kemet was to correct some of the inaccurate historical information, which in many instances has been racist inspired and was designed to denigrate and minimize the African contribution towards world civilization. Moreover, for me to mention that the Caucasian's history only going back 6,000 years was to counter the claim that the people of Kemet was European as some ill-informed scholars and laymen alike have maintained. This article was not written to elevate the Nubian race over, lets say the Semitic race (or so-called mix racial-ethno who by western standards and racial classification is deemed white) but I was attempting to prove that these people were not the original inhabitants of ancient Kemet (Egypt). So I asked the gentleman, who is the original man? I do no think these questions and statements that I have posed can be considered that I have hatred towards whites. Perhaps that assumption is a bit unfair. (Reference: Ella J. Hughley; “The Truth About Black Biblical Hebrew-Israelites (Jews) ).

Blind_raven stated: You are the one putting words in peoples mouths. He was putting very reasonable proof with his source being the artwork that the ancient Egyptians themselves left behind. All he said is that if Egyptians were black, then why did they paint themselves so radically different from the Nubians as a standard? No where did he make any claim that they were Caucasian, only that there is a difference. In fact to quote his words: "that the ancient Egyptians were 100% black". The 100% black implies that he accepts there is some black in them.

Fahim A. Knight-El: Perhaps you do not understand what the word implied and inference mean. He did not have to come right out and say that Ancient Kemet was Caucasian in its ethnicity, but his various post gave an intellectual suggestion that they were. No. we do not have to put words in people's mouths. So, before the miscegenation of Kemet took place, what was the racial identity of the people who occupied what is presently called Egypt by the Greek invaders? Where is your proof that they where not Nubians? I have listed my sources in the above post or are you to hiding behind a Eurocentric frame of reference. (Reference: John G. Jackson: “Introduction to African Civilization).

Blind_raven stated: I know exactly the difference between the two words, and you make inferences all day that everyone on this forum is a white supremest trying to keep black people down. There are more races then the Whites and the Black, and you do not seem to realize this. You are once again throwing around white and no one said they were. You are the one confused if someone could imply that they believe the Egyptians have Nubian ancestry in them, and you infer that they are racist for not accepting that Egyptians were full blooded Nubians. Once again I ask you to explain why the Egyptians chose to paint themselves in a different tone then the Nubians.

Fahim A. Knight-El: Already answered this question; no need to re-entertain or revisit.

Kingmob stated: LOL, you are a racist, no matter how many quotes you try to bring up in order to defend your racist stands. It makes no difference if you are black or white if you make excuses for yourself in order to elevate one color over another.

Fahim A. Knight-El: Relaying historical facts is not based on racial superiority. You just do not have the intellectual tools to debate this topic, and it is a copout, to yell that I am racist and have nothing of substantial to offer to this discussion relative to Kemet. Thus, that is the easy way out; I cite sources and references as documentation and verification (third party independent) of myself. Perhaps you need to be schooled on research methods and what it means to present an empirical argument (based on what can be counted and measured). See you are blowing hot air and have no scholarly defense for your emotional position relative defending your anti-Nubian stance as it pertains to the people of Kemet. Perhaps you do not know that this debate is about whether Kemet was ethnically Nubian. I stand by the many scholars of various disciplines who maintain that historical contention. I asked the question, who is the original man?
This discussion is not about elevating one race of people over another, but it is a healthy conversation to hear what others have to say on this topic; although I might still disagree when it is all said and done. I believe based on my research that ancient Kemetic people where of a Nubian strain. Sir, that is not racist because other scholars have wrote and authored books and scholarly articles espousing the same. Your argument has been deduced to shallowness and it deconstructs itself because it is more rooted in ignorance and possess little to no content relative to the discussion about Kemet. There is no defense for ignorance. But I would like to have an intelligent conversation with you, if you are serious about debating the history and culture of Kemet. (Reference Anthony Browder: "African Contribution to Civilization").

Fahim A. Knight-El: You are trying to hide behind a non-question that has been answered by scholars over and over again. For example, the native Americans and other ethnic cultures painted their faces and bodies for ritualistic ceremonies and at other times for festive celebrations, i.e., they did this to admonish the Gods, war games, marriages, child birth, honoring the changing solstice, etc., They used elaborate symbols and rituals to honor Ra and Ptah—some of this is covered in the Book "Cometh forth by Day" (the Egyptian Book of the Dead). You are looking at the painting of images from the ethnic racial lens of Eurocentric and White Supremacy and really I should not be even be dignifying this type of racist nonsense. Kemet due to racial miscegenation by external nations and after many outside invasions from the Romans, Greeks, Turks, Arabs, Italians, and Phoenicians, etc. took on an entirely new racial identity and classification.

This phenomena came much later in the history of Kemet, which we witness Kemet ethnically transition from a Nubian society into a lighter skinned mulatto people that resembled the Arab imposters who occupies modern Egypt today (they are not the original people). But they the Arabs are new people along with the religion of Islam they brought to Kemet. Now, the Zionist Jews have even further confused the ethnicity of these people in this equation who presently live in North Africa and the so-called Middle East as being Semitic (a mix race of Mediterranean region people) and languages, but fail to tell you that these people are Johnny-come-lately inhabitants of that region and has little kinship with original Nubians who occupied Kemet of yesterday (refer to “Destruction of Black Civilization” by Dr. Chancellor Williams). Your argument has no validity. Once again the Caucasian history only goes back 6,000 years. (Reference: Chancellor Williams: “Destruction of Black Civilization).

Rapunzel stated: You haven't answered my questions at all except to assert, without any evidence that the colours the Egyptians painted on the walls was due to some ritual practice which you have not been able to identify. I suppose this is a better excuse than the Afro-Centrist view I have heard which says that white archaeologists went round repainting all the figures on the tomb paintings! I have never said or even inferred that the Egyptian civilisation was Caucasian. You are the one who seems to be obsessed with race not I. You seem to think that humanity is composed of only two types of people: African blacks and white Caucasians and if the Egyptians are not black then they must be Caucasian. I know of no-one else who views the history of the human race in the rather strange way.

My mindset is not shaped by a Euro centric ideology; it is shaped by what can be observed and proved. As for your authorities, apart from two amateurs from the 19th century, they appear to be Afro-centrists who parrot the same line. It may have become fashionable in some academic circles to pander to these views due to fear of being labelled a racist but in my opinion this is craven cowardice. Facts are facts no matter how much they upset some people.
The ancient Egyptians clearly distinguished Nubians in their art. Why do you think they did this? The ancient Egyptians appear to have been a Mediterranean type people with an admixture of black genes which is what would be expected. They were not racist and the colour of the skin was not important to them. The most important thing was to be Egyptian. What modern Egyptians are is not the issue and need not be discussed.

Fahim A. Knight-El: Racism is a mindset that considers black people as a group as being inferior to whites because of physical (‘genotypical’ and ‘phenotypical’) traits. The racist further believes that these physical traits are detriments of social behavior and moral or intellectual qualities, and ultimately presumes that this inferiority is a legitimate basis for inferior social treatment of black people in society.

Dr. Asa Hilliard who authored book titled, “Reawakening of the African Mind” stated, “mental bondage is invisible violence. Formal physical slavery has ended in the United States. Mental slavery continues to this present day. This slavery affects the minds of all people and, in one way, it is worst than physical slavery alone. That is, the person who is in mental bondage will self-contained. Not only will that person fail to challenge beliefs and patterns of thought which control him, he will defend and protect those beliefs and patterns of thought virtually with his last dying effort.”

You keep mentioning a so-called Mediterranean type people; could you please give us the ethnic and racial classification of these people. When I last checked Kemet (Egypt) sits on the African continent only a small portion borders the Mediterranean Sea. There is no such thing or unless you are grouping the people of Greece, Italy, Turkey, Spain, Israel, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Lebanon, etc., under one ethnicity and one racial classification, which you call Mediterranean people. This assertion is ridiculous and has no bearing on how these people of these sovereign nations identify themselves. Egypt is in Africa and it has always been in Africa, what part of that geography that you do not understand. (Reference: Asa Hilliard; “Reawakening of the African Mind” ).

Rapunzel stated: There is evidence of very ancient man in Pakistan and Asia and there is no agreement between scientists as to where the original humans came from whether they arose in one place and spread out or whether they arose in several places at more or less the same time. Perhaps you should read more. Even if mankind originated in Africa as you maintain how do we know that these humans had black skin? Chimpanzees live in Africa and have pale skin but are protected by their layers of hair. Early man also had layers of hair so it's not unreasonable to question the colour of skin that early man had.

It depends what you mean by "history" and what you mean by "Caucasian". Are you saying there were no humans at all in Europe until 6000 years ago? You are trying to explain away the contradiction between the paintings the Egyptians made of themselves and your belief that the ancient Egyptians were black. I am quite aware that some cultures have painted colourful designs onto their bodies for various ritualistic reasons but I look forward to your explanation, using ancient sources only, that this is the reason high class Egyptian women were painted yellow/cream. It's noticeable in the paintings that working women were painted slightly darker. Obviously they were forced to be out in the sun a lot whereas wealthy women could stay inside or in the shade.

I'm very familiar with the Book of Coming Forth by Day. Nowhere does it say that whole body colours were changed for ritualistic reasons. You call what I am saying "racist nonsense" but you have provided no proof that the ancient Egyptians were 100% black. Nor have you given me an explanation as to why the Egyptians clearly painted themselves totally different to the way they painted the Nubians. My argument has validity; yours comes from wishful thinking

Fahim A. Knight-El: Yes, I did reference the Torah and you have not giving anything to refute the testimony. Thus, I gave you the lineage and I am waiting for you to cite your sources and lay out the lineage of the people of Kemet. The Caucasian history only goes back 6000 years. So we do know this much the original people of Kemet were not Caucasians and we further know this much the Nubians have a much older civilization than western man. So what was the likelihood of the people of Kemet being Nubians, as opposed to Caucasians (I know historian Erik Von Daniken said the ancient pyramid builders dropped out of space). Second point: I can point to all the works of Dr. Cheik Anta Diop and Dr. John Jackson's works in which both of these scholars have done monumental work in anthropology, Egyptology, archeology, genetics, race, paleontology, etc. and have verified that Kemet was a Nubian culture. Here is another good source "Destruction of Black Civilization" by Dr. Chancellor Williams. He traced how in Kemet the darker skinned original people were pushed to the south. Now, we also know this much for a fact, the people that occupies Egypt today are Johnnie-come-late imposters along with their Semitic kith and kin those who called themselves Jews. You still did not answer the question, who is the original man? Please stop giving me these abstract—no answers. (Reference: Chancellor Williams: “Destruction of Black Civilization).

Thelonious stated: That book has been widely discredited. Here, for example, is one of many claims that G.M. James' book is fraudulent: http://www.prometheism.net/euvolution/legacy.html
James's 1954 book 'Stolen Legacy' is a deliberate perversion of history to support the false claim that black Egyptians were the true originators of Greek philosophy. James's unsupported theories have been taken as fact by many people unfamiliar with Greek history. - From the above link.

Fahim A. Knight-El: No. I disagree, there is no doubt that Plato, Socrates, Aristotle and many more Greek philosophers who originated Greek philosophy were influenced by the Sages of Kemet either directly or indirectly; there is proof positive that the Greeks stole (or may be the most proper way of saying it is that the Greeks borrowed) a sizable amount of its mythology from ancient Kemet; surely ancient Kemet predated Greek civilization by some thousands of years.

Some white and western academics took issue with the entire Afrocentric movement of the late 1980s and the 1990s. Many Afrocentric intellectuals and scholars used George G.M. James book as one source, which to disapprove an intellectual worldview that was rooted in white supremacy ideology and challenged old norms that advocated that the world evolved around Europe and western civilization.

However James' work predated the Afrocentric movement by 30-40 years and he had garnished a sizable amount of scholarly credibility prior the Afrocentric movement embracing his scholarship.

The Zionist Jews and Black Nationalist scholars were deeply at odds with each other in the early 1990s; in particular after Reverend Jesse Jackson presidential run in 1984, in which Zionist Jews and even Jackson eventually repudiated Minister Louis Farrakhan and falsely labeling him anti-Semitic, but black America who had been accustom to following the dictates of the Zionist Jew, bucked on the Zionist and continued to embrace Minister Farrakhan at the disapproval of Zionist forces (this position furthered the rift).

Also this position angered the Zionist Jews and created a further political, economic and social wedge between two people—Zionist Jews and Blacks who had been traditional allies. These disputes played themselves out on various fronts; in particular after the Nation of Islam Historical Research Department published the controversial book titled, "The Secret Relationship Between Blacks and Jews" (which was adopted by the African centered movement) and right after that the Zionist attacked one of the big named Afrocentric professors from Wellesley College in the New England area named Dr. Tony Martin who dared to use the Nation of Islam book as supplemental reading inside his classroom.

But there were Zionist agents planted in Dr. Martin's classroom who had an objective to disrupt this peaceful academic setting. This event led to Dr. Martin publishing a book titled, "Jewish onslaught" and few a years later his colleague, the Zionist scholar Mary Lefkowitz wrote the book titled, "Not Out Of Africa" which she attacked professor James as a pseudo historian and accused him of fabricating the history of Kemet to favor the Nubians.

Lefkowitz made every attempt to construct Greek and Roman society as being almost independent of Egyptian (she tried to take Egypt out of Africa and place Kemet in the Middle East and ethnically labeled the people as Semites) influence and at best it was perhaps and equal cultural exchange between the two societies and the two European societies were not as interdependent upon Kemet as James maintained.

Mary Lefkowitz felt that James historical accounts were the basis and the premises from which the African-centered theories rested; thus, if she could discredit James this would dismantle the intellectual foundation of the entire African centered movement. James was just one scholar of this intellectual movement and all of his contentions were well cited. There is much more to this, but let me put a pin in this for now. (Reference: Tony Martin: “The Jewish Onslaught”).
RR X Stated: Scholarly? "I make no claims to being a scholar - only that I found it amusing that you would promote an Afrocentric theory by using authors who claimed Egypt for the white man, as your proof that Egypt was exclusively Nubian. I mentioned India and last time I checked that wasn't in Europe."

Fahim A Knight-El: If the Afrocentric is speaking the truth; then truth is the truth. It does not matter who the truth teller is, ethnic or racial factor or variable do not lend more credibility relative to a fact of truth. Thus, your above comment further predisposed your unwillingness to consider scholars and their scholarship just because you have placed the label "Afrocentric" subtly implying and with the inference that this is something negative and not worthy of intellectual consideration.

RR X Stated: "You claim to be a scholar yet you don't seem to be aware that Knight and Lomas were writing that Hiram Abiff was a real person in history because they claimed to have found his mummy - this does not support your Osiris analysis. Knight and Lomas also have a book out called 'Uriel's Machine' where they argue that all sciences had their root in Western Europe - a position which does not correspond to your Khemit hypotheses"

Fahim A Knight-El: Whether Knight and Lomas consider Hiram Abiff as a real person or not, it is inconsistent with the Masonic teachings of the majority Grand Masonic Lodges and their Jurisdictions within the United States, in particular within the Ancient Free and Accepted Masonic body and the Prince Hall (Free and Accepted Masons). Now! I have access to many official Masonic Monitors from both the Scottish Rite and the York Rite side and I have been involved in Masonic research for a very long time. Speculative Masonry and all Masonry teach and view the story of Hiram Abiff as a SYMBOLIC and MYTHOLOGICAL figure. Moreover, the character is inconsistent with the biblical interpretation and every Master Mason that is raised in the Masonic ritual is taught that fact. There is a biblical Hiram described as Hiram of Tyree, but this is not the Masonic Hiram; yet this Hiram is spoken about within mythical legend of the building of King Solomon Temple. All the major Masonic Historians ranging from Manly P. Hall, Albert Pike, Albert Mackey, etc., teaches that Hiram Abiff is a symbolic character. Where did they find the mummy in Kemet? Perhaps it is King Hiram of Tyree (to separate Masonic individuals). (JSM Ward; “Who is Hiram Abiff”).

RR X Stated: "YOU claimed that Blavatsky traced everything to Egypt in Isis Unveiled yet the passage YOU quoted if YOU bothered to read the rest of the page said that Egypt and Ethiopia were colonized from India. I'm not saying if that is true only highlighting how your scholarship decided to stop reading after you felt your point had been proven. If YOU bothered to check just the contents page of that book you could have verified everything I said (that is of course if you have the book and weren't just parroting someone else’s work). I read the Blavatsky passage that was provided and the following sentences contradicted what YOU claimed it said. That is poor scholarship if it can even be called that"

Fahim A Knight-El: Yes: I quoted Madam H.P. Blavatsky words accurately and precisely relative to her comment about Egypt (Kemet) feeding and enlighten the world in culture. The quote is not out of context nor have I added anything to Blavatsky words. However, if you wanted to make a different scholarly argument that is your right and prerogative. The original Dravidians inhabited India long before the imposters that occupy India to today. No, doubt India and China are ancient civilizations (I am surprised to hear a Eurocentric at least admonish that point). But Kemet (Egypt) has the oldest recorded civilization known to humanity. Yes, the Nubians. We reject the Greek names of Egypt and Ethiopian—these are the names giving by the colonizers. (Reference: Madam H.P. Blavatsky; “Isis Unveiled”).

"RR X Stated: Nobody said Egypt was in the middle east. lol."
Your inferences were good enough for me because many of the Eurocentric scholars have suspended Kemet (Egypt) in the so-called Middle East and your argument defense resemble the mindset of your brothers. "I never denied that. I only pointed out that the authors you cited (like Blavatsky) stated that Egypt also either borrowed or was influenced. Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva predates Osiris, Horus, Isis."

Fahim A Knight-El: REALLY!: You did not cite any proof of your claim; I have given you many references and sources for all of my contentions; on almost EVERY POINT I made there is a citation and scholarly documentation. You are writing just to sooth your large ego. WHAT IS YOUR ARGUMENT? PLEASE STATE YOUR POSITION, but right now you are just taking a reactionary position.

RR X Stated: "For a so called scholar her knowledge of ancient Greece was not of a particularly high standard and she should refrain from any Masonic comments in future as she clearly doesn't know what she's talking about. My argument is not the same as hers because I never stated my argument. I am not denying the Egyptian influences within Christianity, Ancient Greece or Rome only your statements of Egypt being the beginning point."

Fahim A Knight-El: You will not get an argument from me on that point. We are in agreement about Mary Leftkowitz inept and her poor Masonic worldview. Amen! (Reference: Mary Leftkowitz; “Not Out of Africa”).

RR X Stated: "Let me now state the main problems with your research - it's nothing new. If you bothered to check this site before posting you will have already seen how citing Kersey Graves won't go far. The solar mythos has been argued a million times on this site (and I actually agree that Christ is a composite character). And the scholars you cited will hold no weight as they are theosophists and Freemasons who have always been using opposing arguments to Christians. It seems to me that you've only recently come across this information and field of research as your article is not very well thought out and the scholarship is poor. You probably recently came across Zeitgeist."

Fahim A Knight-El: This was the most laughable and ridiculous point you made. Let me start by saying this THERE IS NOTHING NEW UNDER THE SUN. The majority of every thought, thread, idea, philosophy, etc., on the site is just recycled information, but that does not compromise intellectually credibility. For example, what might be old information to you could be new information to someone who has not heard or come in contact with a source of information. So, the terms "Old and "New" is RELATIVE. You are really funning; you stated: "You probably recently came across Zeitgeist." Really! Will not dignify the comment.
You got to come better than what you are presenting, which is nothing but a recycle Eurocentric argument

Bendoon stated: Germany pays around 1 million Euros a year to Israel 64 years after WW2, a child born today in Germany will be paying towards this compensation as soon as they start work in 16 to 20 years time. How absurd is that, that people who weren't even alive when a crime was commited will have to pay compensation when all the victims will be dead.
Only Jews could dream up such a disgraceful scam. Whats the difference between that and African Americans asking for compensation for slavery ? none except slavery was a lot longer in the past.

Fahim A. Knight-El: Reparations as a topic is very close to my heart as an African American and as a descendent of slaves. But here are a few brief thoughts that I have on the topic and perhaps someone on this enlightened forum need to write something in depth on the topic of Reparations. We will never back down from such a discussion. Chattel Slavery wasn’t anything created in Hollywood, it was the real deal and this movement isn’t based on a historical hoax nor is it an unjust financial shakedown.

We as Africans of the Diaspora and the descendants who survived the most brutal acts of man’s inhumanity to man, have been inspired by our ancestors to seek justice; moreover, our ancestors were kidnapped, raped, robbed, murdered, etc.—Chattel slavery endured from 1619-1865, (although the Transatlantic Slave trade was outlawed in 1807) for 310 years this was an accepted economic arrangement. It was slave labor that built the economic foundation of the United States and the present day white Americans and their European brethrens are the private and corporate beneficiaries of the legacy of slavery. The Reparations Movement is not anti-America, but the majority of Black Americans who are sane and in their right minds views it as a call toward achieving historical justice and righting a historical wrong.

Reparations; We as Africans of the Diaspora and the descendants indeed survived the most brutal acts of mans inhumanity to man, thus, there are many around the country that have been inspired by our ancestors to seek justice. Moreover, our African ancestors as I stated above were kidnapped, raped, robbed, murdered, etc., and it was slave labor that built the economic foundation of the United States and the present day Americans and their European counterparts such as: Spain, Portugal, Great Britain, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany, Italy, etc.

All of these European nations were the beneficiaries of this forced labor arrangement and should be mandated by the United Nations to pay reparations to African-Americans based on their participation in the Transatlantic Slave Trade and the Middle Passage. All the said nations are the private and corporate beneficiaries of the legacy of slavery and this much is undeniable.
The reparations movement is based on a proposed solution of correcting a historical wrong and amending that wrong by compensating the descendants of this human tragedy.

The majority of American scholars such as Kenneth Stamp, Stanley Elkins, Herbert Aptheker, John Hope Franklin, W.E.B. Dubois, etc., agree that blacks in this country (in the United States and the Americas) arrived as slaves and the present generation of blacks is here based on that historical tragedy. Yet, we are 150 years removed from slavery and although, the topic of Reparations has been echoed throughout American History and for the most part it has stalled because blacks lack the political lobby and the financial wither-all too seriously sway this racist nation to engage in a serious conversation relative to the Reparations debate.

President Bill Clinton was prepared to issue African Americans in this country an official United States Governmental apology for the wrongs of slavery in the 1990s, but it was later deemed politically expedient for the president to remain quiet on such topic and not issue Africans an official government apology. I assume his legal advisors, advised him not to do this because this admission of guilt perhaps could be used by Africans in their legal quest for Reparations and legally hold America liable to pay Africans living in America a 150 year old outstanding debt.
The Southern Baptist, a predominantly white Christian association, a few years ago had the humanity and the proper spirit of God to admit the wrongdoings of the Christian church in slavery. They did not go to the grave yard and issue this apology to the dead, which would have been partially suffice, but the church issued the apology to the living ancestors of those who lived and died under the evil institution of slavery.

U.S. Representative John Conyers, a Democrat of Michigan (presently chairman of the Judicial Committee) has introduced into Congress a Reparations Bill titled H.R. 40, which is in theory, is a fact finding committee offered to study the possibility of Reparations for the descendents of Africa. Chattel Slavery still remains the greatest crime that was ever committed against humanity. The United States Congress recently issued black descendents of slaves a weak official governmental apology, but made no offer to repair the historical damage.

In reality, we do not need a fact finding committee, here we are the sons and daughters of Africa who have been robbed of the knowledge of self, snatched from our native land, made inferior, unjustly persecuted, destroyed our family bonds, etc., in the name of greed and capitalism.
Throughout the history of black America there have been movements and leaders that took up the fight to advocate for Reparations. For example, Marcus Garvey, the black nationalist and founder of the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA), W.E.B. Dubois and his Pan-African Congress Movement, Elijah Muhammad and the Nation of Islam, Paul Cuffee, a Boston ship builder who was one of the earliest exponents of the Back to Africa Movement, The Christian ministers Martin Delaney and Henry Highland Garnett, etc., also were early exponents of the Reparations Movement.

They all either in aggressive politics or passive politics did raise the question of Reparations for the African descendents of those who suffered under chattel slavery. Randall Robinson, the former Executive Director of TransAfrica, a political lobbyist group that advocates on behalf of the interest of Africa in Congress wrote perhaps one the most definitive books on the subject of Reparations titled, "The Debt: What America Owes to Blacks", which explores and names the public and private companies and their present day subsidiaries that were financially and corporately historically tied to Chattel Slavery.

For example, it was slave labor that brought untold wealth to Phillip Morris Brothers Tobacco, J.R. Reynolds Tobacco, Ligget and Myers Tobacco, American Tobacco, which allowed the Dukes to accumulate, as well as other private and corporate entities untold financial wealth. The United States Government and private U.S. corporations are guilty of being active participants and collaborators in the slave trade; moreover, no amount of money could ever repair the irreparable damage that was perpetrator against black humanity. Slavery was the greatest act of negligence ever committed on one race of people and all those who played a part are considered financially liable.

The only thing they initially said that we were legally entitled to was 40 Acres and a Mule. If our great, great, great grandparents did not receive this promise yesterday, then the debt still remains outstanding. It is then still owed by the federal government to the African descendants of America. There is a way to determine if your ancestor was a slave and if they ever received their land and a mule. If they did not, then that is a debt owed by the U.S. Government in 2009. Could you imagine the value of 40 acres of land and all monetary interest that has compounded.
I am a supporter of Reparations and view it as just cause, but not withstanding the reparations movement has had both its internal and external critics from both the white community and the black community and there appear not to be any happy medium. (Reference: Randal Robinson: “The Debt: What America Owes Blacks”).

Bendoon stated: What a load of ignorant self centered, self pitying crap.People have suffered just as much through all history, last century 70 million Chinese were killed by their own Government as were 30 million Russians. Why don't you just drop the self pity, like Bill Cosby said it just holds you back, blaming someonelse for all your problems.

Fahim A. Knight-El: The Russians and the Chinese (the Russians have Russia and Chinese has China) were not robbed from the base of their feet to crown of their head. They have a common culture, language, and land. You are truly missing the point and your argument is very emotional. We lost over 50 million Africans during the Transatlantic Slave Trade and the Middle Passage and there was no system of evil that was comparative to Chattel Slavery (1555-1865), which lasted for 310 years (three centuries). This was one of the greatest criminal acts ever recorded anywhere in human history. Thus, because of this tragedy hundreds of millions of African people have been scattered throughout the Diaspora and are lost to the knowledge of self. When you rob a people of their language and land, it is the basic ingredient for culture destruction and it cuts them off from a tradition that is rooted in the power of memory and which is design to give them a historical reference point that connects them to something much bigger than themselves.

Slavery emasculated that sovereign right to Africa and now people of African dissent are left scattered as vagabonds of France, United Kingdom, Spain, Germany, Italy, United States, (alien nations and cultures), etc. Bill Cosby is one voice and he is entitled to his opinion, but our ancestors are crying out for justice and we have the job, duty and responsibility to never allow ourselves nor the historical perpetrators to overlook this human tragedy in name of trying to minimize the social, political and economic damage caused by Chattel Slavery; by espousing ignorance and using glossy diversionary tactics to confuse the issue. We must have an honest conversation about race and racism and allow the chips to fall as they may. I hope this response clarifies for you our position and we are not dealing from a basis of emotionalism. (Reference: Walter Rodney: “How Europe Under Developed Africa”).

Bendoon stated: Arabs took far more slaves from Africa than Europeans ever did, over a far longer period. They castrated the men and used the women as sex slaves. What about the Jewish slave ship owners ? When you start asking them for reparations you might get some respect. Till then you are just a working a scam on whitey, an easy target.

Fahim A. Knight-El: This is what you do not understand. You have to at first admit that Chattel Slavery did take place and once you can get out of this state of denial and admit we have problem; thus, only then can we pursue a possible course towards a solution. This much of your argument is valid, which is yes the Arabs under Islam in the 8th Century created the Trans-Sahara slave trade and they transported Africans across Africa into the Middle East as slaves and they are guilty and in complicit of slavery by also dispossessing Africa and its people of their humanity. But Islamic missionaries and Arab slave makers based on the principles of the Qur'an had a very different form and system of slavery (their slavery was not equivalent to Chattel Slavery) than the Christian missionaries.

For example, you might find a Senegalese Muslim from West Africa and although Islam is not the indigenous faith, however you can see that these people that accepted Islam did not lose their historical and cultural reference point. But the infusion of their African culture is well intact and interacts side by side with Islam. Islam did not destroy or wipeout many of the African customs and traditions. Thus, in many ways it complimented African folkways, mores', values, customs, traditions, etc. Yes, the Arabs are part of the reparations equations and they too are guilty of raping and robbing Africa in the name of Islam. Yes, the Jews were African slave merchants, brokers and financiers of the African Slave Trade and they too are part of the reparations equation. The Nation of Islam historical Research Department published one of the most definitive books on the Jewish involvement in the African Slave Trade titled, "The Secret Relationship between Blacks and Jews".

Last but not least, African nations themselves who worked in alliance with the Europeans who captured Africans from the Hinterlands and sold them to the slave merchants are also part of the reparations equation. I do not know where you are getting your information, but you are truly misinformed about what the reparation movement entails. It is not just an inclusive movement aimed at financially shaking down Europeans. Money is just a portion, but there is much more to this tragedy than just financial compensation. Black America had a Gross National Product (GNP) over 800 billion dollars last year, which would make us the 12th or 13th richest nation on earth, if we were a sovereign independent nation. So you are not talking about a people who do not have the ability to do for themselves. Sir, this is about legal justice and fostering this issue on the table of the United Nations as a human rights violation and eventually pushing it all the way to the world courts. Now! I am not in the business of continuing to argue with ignorance. (Reference: Edward W. Blyden; “Christianity, Islam and the Negro Race”).

Rapunzel stated: No you didn't. You gave me the mythical lineage from the Hebrew Bible.
I don't know; neither do you nor do we know who the "original woman" was, if there was one. It has never been proved that mankind originated from just two people.
I am trying to say that the Egyptians were not exclusively Black, nor were they Caucasians, if by that you mean white. The world is not divided between black and white you know. Were the ancient African Libyans black? They were painted as paler skins than the Egyptians. The Egyptians did not represent themselves as black though some of them undoubtedly had some black blood in them. One of the Mentuhotep pharaohs was married to a Nubian princess. The Egyptians were not racist and married into numerous different peoples.
Around 730 BC Egypt was invaded by Nubia and a line of Nubian pharaohs took over for 75 years

Fahim A. Knight-El: I have answered your questions over and over again. I have deconstructed the first fallacy that you have implied relative to the inference that ancient Kemet was Caucasian, which is the covert root of your argument and you are attempting to use intellectual distractions to shield a mindset that has been shaped by Eurocentric ideology. I have given you facts, but you insist upon giving us undocumented rhetoric. Here are my sources.

"African Presences in Early Asia" By Ivan Sertima
"Wonderful Ethiopians of the Ancient Cushite Empire" by Drusilla Houston
"Black man of the Nile and his Family" by Yosef A.A. Jochannon
"African Origin Of Civilization" by Cheik Anta Diop
"Civilization Or Barbarism" by Cheik Anta Diop
"Ethiopia the Missing Link" Sterling Meanings
"Introduction to African Civilization" by John G. Jackson
"Ancient Egypt the Light of the World" by Gerald Massey
"Signs and Symbols of Primordial Man" by Albert Churchward
“Anacalypsis: An Attempt to Draw Aside the Veil of the Saitic Isis or an Inquiry" by Godfrey Higgins
"African Contribution to Civilization" by Anthony Browder
"African Glory: The Story of Vanished Negro Civilizations" by J.C. deGraft-Johnson
"Metu Neter" by Ra Un Nefer Amen
"The Journey of the Songhai People" by Napendo Ulinzi Milele
"Yurugu" by Marimba Ani
"Predynastic Egypt: An African-centric view" by James Edward Brunson and Runoko Rashidi

The above represents a list of scholars and scholarly works that proves based on extensive research that (Kemet) Egypt was a Nubian society. Now, could you please list your documentation for your argument that Kemet was Caucasian or cite some sources for your argument. Thus give us something to substantiate your argument

Fahim A. Knight-EL Chief Researcher for KEEPING IT REAL THINK TANK located in Durham, NC; our mission is to inform African Americans and all people of good will of the pending dangers that lie ahead; as well as decode the symbolisms and reinterpret the hidden meanings behind those who operate as invisible forces, but covertly rules the world. We are of the belief that an enlighten world will be better prepared to throw off the shackles of ignorance and not be willing participants for the slaughter. Our MOTTO is speaking truth to power. Fahim A. Knight-EL can be reached at fahimknight@yahoo.com.

STAY AWAKE UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN,
Fahim A. Knight-EL

Michael Moore's Capitalism: A Love Story; Unmasked and Uncovered

Michael Moore's Capitalism: A Love Story; Unmasked and Uncovered

By Fahim A. Knight-EL

My wife and I went to the movies this past week to view Michael Moore's new documentary titled, "Capitalism: A Love Story". Most people who seriously study the plots and ploys of the Invisible Rulers, as well as tracking global international economics were highly disappointed in how far short the film failed in telling the American people the unadulterated truth. Let me start off by setting the tone of this article/Blog for my readers by quoting the former Congressman Louis T. McFadden of Pennsylvania Who in the 1930s served on the Housing Banking and Currency Committee.

McFadden stated, “Mr. Chairman, we have in this country one of the most corrupted institutions the world has ever known. I refer to the Federal Reserve Banks hereinafter called the Fed. The Fed has cheated the Government of these United States, and the people of the United States out of enough money to pay the Nation’s debt. This evil institution has impoverished and ruined the people of the United States, has bankrupted itself, and has practically bankrupted our government. It has done this through the defects of the law under which it operates, through the maladministration of that law by the Fed, and through corrupt practices of the money vultures who control it. Some people think that the Federal Reserve Banks are United States Government institutions. They are not Government institutions; they are private monopolies which prey the people of these United States for the benefit of themselves and their foreign customers, foreign and domestic speculators and swindlers, and rich and predatory money lenders.”

Perhaps it might be a legitimate assumption that Michael Moore just does not know, who is actually behind the global collapse of the world economic system? But he appears to be an extremely intelligent man who is perceptive and thought provoking—it then becomes difficult to accept the notion that he is ignorant of who the true deceivers are. Thus, indeed, perhaps these would be the same culprits who are behind manipulating the flow of money, are the same paymasters that financed and distributed Moore’s movie.

Moore's documentary for the most part, continued to shield their identities and do not reveal or expose the true hidden profiteers, those that hold the purse strings. He exposes the puppets, which is of no real value, but was careful not to expose the puppeteers—the Invisible Money Changers. This writer has written at least twenty articles dedicated to uncovering and unmasking the true players behind money and high finance.

For example, topics such as: “The Potter and the Clay: Emperors With No Rules”, “The Decoy and the Symbol: Baiting and Switching, You Can't See the Hoax?”, “Money Has No Value, People Do: The Bailout; the Rothschilds Said Give it Up”, “The Domino Effect: Don't Believe the Hype”, “Con Game is an Art: No One Plays it Better Than the Power Brokers”, “The Circle, Within A Circle, Within A Circle: The Art of Deception”, “The Money Changers: The Federal Reserve, Robbery by Deceit”, “The Money Changers: The Federal Reserve, Robbery by Deceit”, “The Pawns In The Game”, “None Dare Call it Conspiracy: There is No Other Name to Call it by”, “The Agenda: And The Agenda Setters”, “Conspiracy Theory: Makes Sense to Me; What About You?”, “The Fall of America: Our Government Has Been Hijacked”, “Who rules America and why do they hide?”, “The Hidden Hand and their quest for world domination”, etc.

This above list of topics are just a small example of the type research that this writer has been engaged in and perhaps it is unfair for him to hold the filmmaker Michael Moore to a higher standard than he would the average American citizen who have been made blind, deaf and dumb by those who practice ‘tricknology’.

Here is where this writer stands on Moore’s documentary; after fully evaluating and assessing the film, it will perhaps do more good than bad, because most people in the United States and the world for that matter, are truly dumbfound relative to this economic crisis and do not understand that our lives have been relegated to controlled pawns. The movie is not necessarily sounding the alarm, but it might prick someone’s curiosity and conscious to desire to do further research and lead them towards broaden their personal investigation into the diabolic schemes of the Invisible Rulers.

However, this writer has come to the conclusion, that the majority of those who have ventured to view Moore’s documentary will perhaps only resume the same mindset, they possessed prior to seeing the movie and rationalize that Moore has bought into these wild conspiracy theories and many that will fall into this category are betting that this crisis will blow over and eventually dismiss Moore as just a paranoid liberal and a conspiracy lunatic. They are in for a rude awakening. You can only lead a horse to the well, but you can not force him to drink. This crisis will not blow over any time soon; we better get prepared for the long haul.

Michael Moore’s movie on its opening weekend finished a disappointed seventh on the theater’s list—last place only grossing 4.8 million dollars and it is perhaps an indication that people would rather be entertained than spend money to be educated and involved in serious intellectual discussion. This does not say much about our society and culture; in particular in light of how the Invisible Rulers have led us out to Pasteur and many of us still do not understand that we have been hoodwinked and cable-towed by this Den of Thieves.

But this writer wonders did Michael Moore take the basic course of Dynastic family investigation, Who is Behind High Finance?—the course is titled Rothschild 101 (there is not an actual course, I am being bit facetious and rhetorical) in which every person that seeks to investigate the hidden money trail must be willing to put in many hours of doing independent research and utilizing many nonconventional sources to connect the dots; because much of this history has been scattered and fragmented, but this has been done intentionally in order to keep humanity confused about the issues. This writer must say, that Moore still needs to take some remedial courses, which to learn the history and practices of the Dynastic Families—they have always used decoys and front men as mere distractions. (Reference: Carroll Quigley; “Tragedy and Hope; A History of the World in Our Time”).

Moore appeared to have not consulted some of the greatest professors, teachers, and writers on this type of topic such as Professor Carroll Quigley author of the book titled, “Tragedy and Hope”, “None Dare Call it Conspiracy” by Gary Allen and Larry Abraham, “Behold a Pale Horse” by William Cooper, etc.

Moore did not untangle the invisible web of deception and many that saw the movie, may have become fixated on Alan Greenspan, Robert Rubens, Timothy Geithner, Paul Volker, Henry Paulson, Barney Franks, etc., and would take these front men as the real powerbrokers and not realize that these low-level operatives are nothing but symbols and decoys. (Reference: Ashahed M. Muhammad; “The Synagogue of Satan”).

When the enemy of deception writes and endorses a script or anything that appears to exposes him; it is most lethal and dangerous because of the level of sophistication and chicanery that have gone into the deception relative to the writing, producing and defining genre. Some would scream that Michael Moore is an independent filmmaker, that he is, but those who control finance and cinema making and film distribution are the real masters. Their objective is never to enlighten humanity, but to keep them in darkness, while these slave drivers remain invisible. What would make me think their objective would be any different relative to the intended outcome of the movie “Capitalism: A Love Story”?

This movie was strategically crafted—it never mentioned Jekyll Island and how the Federal Reserve got started in 1913 and how the international bankers had hijacked the United States money system and the world money system a long time ago. (Reference: Andrew Gause; “The Secret World of Money”).

Thus, Moore’s movie did an adequate job of exploring the economic symptoms of our present crisis and yet at same time shied away from the true causes that have brought us to this present moment in world history. How can you do a documentary on the collapse of the United States economy and not mention Paul Warburg or not dedicate segment to Rothschilds, the Godfathers of money? Money is synonymous with Rothschilds name and legacy; surely Michael Moore must know that it is not Wall Street that is dictating and controlling the rise and fall of the global economic markets; he must also know that the New York Stock Exchange or how Dow Jones fluxuate have nothing to do with buying selling and of stocks and/or commodities. (Reference: Pat Robertson: “Right on the Money”).

Also, you can not talk about or write about Capitalism and money and not mention Adam Smith; in particular if you are doing research on any aspect of banking and finance unless you have cited Adam Smith’s work, the research is incomplete. Smith authored the definitive treatise on Capitalism entitled, “An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations” it is two (2) volume book set. Smith is the father of Capitalist theory.

The collapse of the United States economy and world economy has a much deeper origin than what the mass mediums are presenting and reporting. We in the U.S. have not seen this type economic crunch and crisis, since the Great Depression of 1929, which crippled the economic, political and social fabric of our society. (Reference: Ravi Batra; "The Great Depression of 1990”).

Now, for example, the merger of Wells Fargo Bank and Wachovia and various other financial institutions can not be properly assessed outside of our requirement to at least give a brief historical analysis and evaluation of how and why these financial institutions arrived at this merger position. There are some serious historical implications that perhaps occurred, which got us to the point in which the U.S. Free Market Enterprise system and Capitalism in no uncertain terms collapsed in 2008. This writer presents you with a YouTube clip of former President George Bush making some serious statements relative to Capitalism: I wonder did anybody else hear President George W. Bush say that he has had to abandon the free enterprise and free market system: Reference: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oetNPJJcuAE. Wow! It shocks me how this most powerful and significant statement went right over most Americans heads.

We know that President George Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney worked to deregulate Wall Street and in the scheme of who controls the flow of money, even this maneuver is insignificant. When Michael Moore was going to Lehman Brothers, AIG, Citi Bank, Bear-Stern, Merrill Lynch, Goldman Sachs, etc., and yelling out who has our money? This writer could have answered this question with two names—Rothschilds and Rockefellers. I guess when he was yelling out, where is our money? Moore was referring to the trillions of dollars that U.S. Congress and President George W. Bush heist from the American taxpayers, one of greatest open crimes within history of America, which to so-called bailout these above mentioned financial rogues and gangsters.

We authorized the United States Government to hand over $750 billion dollars to some of the most powerful and wealthiest free market enterprise entities in the history of capitalism. These various government economic bailout packages and/or maneuvers relative to Wall Street was a clear indication that what took place was a sham; it appeared at best on the surface of not being consistent with the principles of capitalism (the free enterprise system has always been a cruel economic system of survival of the fittest), or was it.

The bailout and/or rescue package (they use language as a tool of manipulation to exacerbate or soften an intended objective) of the United States financial institutions was essentially a form of nationalization (central government control). Since the United States president has declared abandoning the free market system; what type of economic system will be put in its place? (Reference: Ellen Hodgson Brown; "Web of Debt: The Shocking Truth About Our Money System and How We Can Break Free").

Moreover, just think about this, two United States Presidents (Bush and Obama) have given the world's corporate Elite over 161 billion dollars of the taxpayers money.

Mr. Moore did not thoroughly follow the money trail because it would have led him to the same names and faces that have been the premier Money Changers throughout the annals of time. These people have their tentacles wrapped around all of humanity and for Michael Moore to omit so much pertinent historical and economic history has bewildered me, and it forces one to believe that he is probably part of the duping and the hoax. (Reference Texe Marrs; “Circle of Intrigue: The Hidden Inner Circle of the Global Illuminati).

Perhaps Moore is an agent provocateur, that is being systematically used by the Invisible Rulers to further disguise the Secrets of the Temple—the mass mediums and propaganda machines are one of their chief ploys of human deception. Those who own and controlled Hollywood will never expose themselves, they are not in the business of snitching on themselves and leading the dumbfound masses to where the real action is taking place. (Reference: “Who Rules America”)

Moore’s scenario gave us the effect and by-product of greed and the structure of a capitalist economy—he stated this in terms of the pyramid scheme paradigm in which one (1) percent of the population (the super Elite) sits at the top of the pyramid; it is they who controls ninety-nine (99) percent of the world's wealth and resources. The masses who are always stationed at the bottom of the pyramid are represented as the ninety-nine percent; this segment of the population is called Goyim (Chattel, Useless Eaters, Peasants) are left to fight and squabble over a measly one percent of the world's wealth and resources. (Reference: William Guy Carr; "Pawns In The Game").

Moore does not understand that those that stole the United States money and world's money (gold and silver) are above the laws and jurisprudence systems of all nations. This Invisible Cabal possesses a true sense of Sovereign Immunity and their wealth insulates them from criminal or civil prosecution and they are shielded by layers upon layers of deception. No citizen or COURT THE WORLD-OVER HAS THE POWER TO ARREST THE INVISIBLE RULERS (Reference: Ashahed M. Muhammad; “The Synagogue of Satan”).

One must also know something about the Federal Reserve System (and how it is structured) and how the United States Monetary System was taking over by a private entity called the Federal Reserve (note: this is a private institution and not governmental; although it wears the name federal), which has the powers, duty and responsibility of printing money and establishing interest rates. It was founded in 1913, by powerful banking families such as Rothschilds, Morgans, Rockefellars, Warburgs, etc., and it would be these families that still possess control over the Unites States Monetary System and now for over 90 years have control over the flow of money. Those International Bankers that set-up the Federal Reserve devised one of the greatest criminal cartels in the history of humanity. (Reference: Anthony Sutton; “America’s Secret Establishment”).

The Federal Reserve is comprised of twelve Central Banks—1. Rothschild Bank of London, Rothschild Bank of Berlin, 2. Chase Manhattan Bank of New York (Rockefeller) Chase National bank of New York (Rockefeller). 3. First National Bank of New York. 5. Hanover National Bank of New York. 6. Goldman Sachs of New York. 7. Kuhn Loeb Bank of New York. 8. Lehman Brothers of New York. 9. Warburg Bank of Hamburg Warburg Bank of Amsterdam. 10. Lazard Brothers of Paris. 11. Israel Moses Seif Banks of Italy. 12. JP Morgan. (Reference: Eustace Mullins; “The Secrets of the Federal Reserve”).

We abandoned the gold standard system and were duped into accepting a Fiat money system and this is what has gotten us to where the United States economy is in 2009. The Federal Reserve and the Bank of England are root causes of wrecking the global economy—they are allowed to print paper money out of thin air and set interest rates indiscriminately and now this rubber currency, which has no real collateral (gold and silver) backing or value it is bouncing all over the place. (Reference: William Greider; “Secrets of the Temple: How the Federal Reserve Runs the Country”) Please Reference Rod Parsley YouTube clip http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zS2ZiDjZsF0&feature=player_embedded#

Yes, to steal the world's money and control the global monetary system is a criminal act because this small minority answers to no one. The United States is in an economic depression (the politicians refer to this downward economic spiral as a recession, but most Americans do not know the difference between recession and a depression). The term recession is strategically used in order to not send the masses into a panic mode and language is used like Minister Malcolm X would say that we have become like the patient whom the dentist has injected with the medicine Novocain for pain and we have learned to suffer peacefully.

This economic phenomena has been induced and has very little to do with subprime loans fiasco, which so-called led to the collapse of the housing market and it even has less to do with Wall Street. However, I do think the housing crisis with the subprime lending institutions and the big banking and financial institutions such as Lehman Brothers, Merrill Lynch, Bear-Sterns, JP Morgan, AIG, Wachovia, etc., collapsing it was all induced by the Central Banks and the Hidden Dynastic Families. They have achieved in part their objective—misery and desperation.

The Invisible Rulers are restructuring the new terms of servitude and part of this equation was to call the debt-in and rearrange the labor paradigm. This also would allow them to measure and assess, if the masses had any resistance left in them and a willingness to rebel against this modern Caesar’s decrees and revolt in accordance to the United States Constitution or will they lie down and permit these generation of Vipers to continue to trample over them like a defenseless doormat. (Reference: Pat Robertson; "The New World Order").

The American Declaration of Independence gives us some beautiful instructions and it is about time we take heave. It stated, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Government are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, IT IS THE RIGHT OF THE PEOPLE TO ALTER OR ABOLISH IT, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to affect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed will dictate that Government long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experiences hath shown, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, IT IS THEIR RIGHT, IT IS THEIR DUTY, TO THROW OFF SUCH GOVERNMENT, and to provide new Guards for their future security." (Reference: The United States Declaration of Independence the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776).

The Invisible Rulers have tied the masses of people to a system of debt which is the driving force of assuring societal obedience and this is choking the economic lifeblood out of the globe and the staggering unemployment rates are all done by designed to create a control sense of misery. I came across an article which was one of the best critical evaluations and examinations of the United States and global economy that I have read in recent times. The piece was written by Robert Morley entitled, “World Prepares to Dump the Dollar" published on July 21, 2009 in online magazine called thetrumpet.com http://www.thetrumpet.com/index.php?q=6347.4807.0.0.This is some of what Morley stated: “Japan is America’s second-most important creditor nation—lending the U.S. billions of dollars each year. If Japan won’t lend unless America pays it back in yen, then China and other major lenders may quickly follow suit. This would eliminate America’s ability to use inflation to cheat on its debt payments. America’s debt burden would soar, interest rates would jump, and national default—Argentina-style—could be staring America in the face within months instead of years.”Morley continued: “America is making a terrible mistake which will result in the greatest fall in all of mankind’s history!” Tim Thompson wrote for the Trumpet in 2000. “As soon as America is no longer a safe place for foreign money, that money will be gone. And once the foreign money is gone, it will leave us with a mountain of debt that we cannot repay.”

This will cause a social implosion and the have-nots will help the enemy in their secondary plan, which is to depopulate earth of us useless eaters. The individuals that Moore identified in the documentary as key players in banking and finance are gofers and powerless; moreover, these low level operatives are only paid agents of the Dynastic Families—they are really public pawns and are not part of global decision making process, but this was strategically done to keep humanity distracted—keep your eyes on the prize. (Reference: Terrance Jackson; “Putting it All Together: World Conquest, Global Genocide and African Liberation’).

My friends those who rules America and the world are often faceless and nameless—they are hidden and protected—they give the Federal Reserve Chairman, Ben Bernanke orders and they were the ones responsible for putting a half billion dollars behind a relatively unknown pawn named President Barack Obama and getting him elected to the highest office in the world.

He too is just a political prostitute and his loyalty to their agenda is unquestionable and it run deeper than his loyalty to Goldman Sach, as Moore implied in documentary, but this writer is going to go a step further, Obama pledged his loyalty directly to the Rothschilds and the Rockefellers a long time ago. He is a creation of their money, power and influence because you do not rise to the perception of power as quick as he did without confirmation and backing of the Invisible Rulers. (Reference: Webster Griffin Tarpley; "Barack H. Obama: The Unauthorized Biography").

Michael Moore cheated us, by not giving us all the storyline, but the documentary played on the emotions of the Have-nots and those that Moore's movie indicted as being the insensitive ruthless capitalist are only playing a minor role in our oppression. Their job is to read the script and act. They do this in order that the guilty can continue to hide their dirty hands. Mr. Moore did not mention, the House of Rothschild, Royal Institute of International Affairs, Club of Rome, the Carlyle Group, Milner Group, Bilderberger, Council on Foreign Relations, Trilateral Commission, the Roundtable, etc., surely he must know that those who truly control the flow of money operates on different fronts and we must understand that power concedes nothing without a demand. (Reference: Daniel Estulin: "The True Story of the Bilderberg Group).

The majority of Congress and those who view the vote, as the great equalizer do not understand and foolishly thought that the politicians we elected to serve and is so-called placed there to protect the legitimate political aspirations of the electorate; however are only pawns. Thus, they failed to understand that these operatives are put there by us, but ultimately they all will windup serving one master—the Dynastic Families and the oath that your politicians took on the Bible and swore to uphold the United States Constitution means absolutely nothing. (Reference: John Coleman; The Story of the Committee of 300”).

Moore left the viewing audience with nothing, but instructed us to try democracy in which we have tried Democracy for over 200 years and we are partially in this predicament because Democracy does not work. Our Democratic Government has been hijacked by the money changers and capitalism reached its zenith under the United States democratic system. But it has never been able to secure and protect the masses of people from being victims of greed and exploitation. It has been Democracy that has allowed the Invisible Rulers, a free reign to commit all manner of criminal acts and those who control money, care not who write its laws. Mr. Moore perhaps has yet to realize that Democracy is synonymous with Capitalism—they are one and the same. Why trade Capitalism for Democracy? When the results are going to be the same, which is more exploitation. (Reference: Karl Marx and Friedrich Engles; “Communist Manifesto”).

With all this said, go see the movie and tell me what you think; in particular since you have read my concerns and thoughts about Michael Moore’s movie “Capitalism: A Love Story.” I would love to hear from you.

Fahim A. Knight-EL Chief Researcher for KEEPING IT REAL THINK TANK located in Durham, NC; our mission is to inform African Americans and all people of good will of the pending dangers that lie ahead; as well as decode the symbolisms and reinterpret the hidden meanings behind those who operate as invisible forces, but covertly rules the world. We are of the belief that an enlighten world will be better prepared to throw off the shackles of ignorance and not be willing participants for the slaughter. Our MOTTO is speaking truth to power. Fahim A. Knight-EL can be reached at fahimknight@yahoo.com.

STAY AWAKE UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN,
Fahim A. Knight-EL

WHITE FREEMASONS AND I DISAGREE: HOW DO WE UPROOT MASONIC RACISM?

WHITE FREEMASONS AND I DISAGREE: HOW DO WE UPROOT MASONIC RACISM?

By FAHIM A KNIGHT-EL

This writer wrote an article entitled "HIRAM ABIFF: SYMBOLIC OF THE BLACK MAN IN AMERICA" October 13, 2008, in which the article as far as, a thought had laid dormant inside of me for perhaps over ten to fifteen years; this is when I actually began to write the article, but just could not pull my Masonic research together in order to at least put forth a half way decent argument that would be empirical and scholarly. This writer in 2008 was contacted by an active United States Serviceman named Wayne T. Muhammad who had read some of my articles relative to Islam and Freemasonry, but he was more interested in my opinions on Hiram Abiff being an allegorical prototype of the African American experience. Mr. Muhammad was doing some writing in this area and this writer thinks that he was searching to see what other writers and scholars have said on this topic.

The Honorable Elijah Muhammad and the Nation of Islam have always drawn this parallel between Hiram Abiff and the Black man of America and it was always an intriguing topic for me and no doubt, it caught my intellectual imagination some years ago. No other group has taught on this aspect of Masonic History, Hiram Abiff and Black man’s plight and their sojourn in America being kidnapped from Africa and robbed of the knowledge of self as a symbolic parallel to the mythological character Hiram Abiff other than the Nation of Islam.

This writer has sat under many lectures being delivered by the late Minister Dr. Khallid Abdul Muhammad and Minister Dr. Abdul Alim Muhammad; both of these ministers of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad had the ability to make Speculative Masonry come alive and could decode the symbolism and take all the Masonic lessons back to Kemet (Egypt) where our ancient ancestors had mastered Operative Masonry and Speculative Masonry.

Yes, the Egyptian Mystery Schools predated European Freemasonry by some thousands of years and the basis of modern Masonry rest upon the esoteric, occult and mythical lessons that were being observed and practice as moral lessons based on the Kemetic sciences. The Masonic regalia, rituals, signs and symbols go back to Kemet, for one to argue this is a sign of ignorance and perhaps it is this denial that has fueled Masonic racism—Royal Arch Masonry, Blue Lodge Masonry, Scottish Rite Masonry, Mystic Shrine Masonry, York Rite Masonry, etc., have an interdependency on the ancient teachings and scrolls of Kemet, without Kemet (Egypt) these Orders would have a difficult time existing.

Some scholars have tried to sum up the intellectual geniuses and the creative energy of Kemet (Egypt) by trying to interpret and explain its rituals and symbolism in books such as the “Egyptian Book of Dead” and others have turned to the “Kyballion” but the Kemtic wisdom is infinite in which it can not be contained; not even, in all the volumes of books recorded by the ancients. The Original Man was a Master Builder and had the building skills that would put an artificer and craftsman like Hiram Abiff the Widow’s Son to shame. In Masonic liturgy Hiram Abiff is considered an allegorical story and a symbolic story in which the biblical account does not go hand and hand with the Freemasonic Speculative Masonic theories.

This writer is very familiar with works of Christopher Knight and Robert Lomas; “The Hiram Key: Pharaoh’s, Freemasons, and the Discovery of the Secret Scrolls of Jesus” and Robert Lomas: “Turning The Hiram Key”. These are new Masonic writers argue to a certain extent that Hiram Abiff perhaps was a mortal being who walked this earth, but if you are looking for a much older source who contradicts Lomas and Knight; here is one for you "Who is Hiram Abiff?" by J.S.M Ward, which was first published in 1925, and he records a number of historical characters and allegories associated with the name of Hiram Abiff that transcends many ancient societies and cultures. My Brother Zachary Gremillion author of the book titled, ”African Origins of Freemasonry” and founder and Soverign Grand Master of non-Masonic order named the Imperial Cushite Order, Ancient Grand Lodge of Khamet. Brother Gremillion always end his blog posting with this quote "Who is that its is he whom was slain that now lives". The answer to this question can only be understood, if my readers know who is the original man?

The Kemitic (Egyptians) had mastered science, medicine, architect, art, philosophy chemistry, religion (spirituality), etc. The story of Hiram Abiff, the Widow’s Son was borrowed from the ancient story of Osiris (Asar), Isis (Aset), and Horus (Huru); (the Father, Son and Holy Ghost)—the birth, death, resurrection and ascension that we attribute to Hiram Abiff, it was actually predated by some thousands of years by the Osirian Myth, even before the advent of Isa bin Yusuf or Yeshua ben Yosef (better known in the West as Jesus Christ—the so-called Son of God).
These legends were rooted in the Sun God and Solar God concepts. For example, right-minded historians and social scientists have traced these rituals and customs back to the worship of the Winter Solstice and Summer Solstice; in fact Kersey Graves in his monumental book titled, “The World's Sixteen Crucified Saviors” he listed at least sixteen World Saviors that had the exact same identical advents attributed to their lives that we have associated with Yeshua ben Yosef (Jesus the son of Joseph). These are the facts and they are undisputable.

The Caucasian history only goes back 6,000 years. So we do know this much, the original people of Kemet were not Caucasians and we further know to a great extent that the Nubians have a much older civilization than western man. So what was the likelihood of the people of Kemet being Nubians, as opposed to Caucasians (I know historian Erik Von Daniken said the ancient pyramid builders dropped out of space (lol). Second point, the works of Dr. Cheik Anta Diop and Dr. John Jackson in which both of these scholars have done monumental work in anthropology, Egyptology, archeology, genetics, race, paleontology, etc. and have verified that Kemet (Egypt) was a Nubian culture.

Here is another good source "Destruction of Black Civilization" by Dr. Chancellor Williams. He traced how in Kemet (Kemet) the darker skinned original people were pushed to the south. Now, we also know this much for a fact, the people that occupies Egypt today are Johnny-come-lately imposters along with their Semitic kith and kin those who called themselves Jews. The question that I that pose to those who opposed me is, who is the original man?

One writer gives us the linage of the people of Kemet as it is traced from the Biblical context.

According to the Bible the ancient Egyptians were descended from Ham through the line of Mizraim. Ham had four sons: Cush, Mizraim, Phut, and Canaan (Genesis 10:6). The name "Mizraim" is the original name given for Egypt in the Hebrew Old Testament. Many Bibles will have a footnote next to the name "Mizraim" explaining that it means "Egypt." The name "Egypt" itself actually comes to us from the Greeks who gave the Land that name (i.e. "Aegyptos" from the Greek). In addition to the name "Mizraim," the ancient Egyptians also referred to their land as "Kemet" which means "Land of the Blacks." Western historians, however, say that the word "Kemet" refers to the color of the soil of the land rather than its people. But, the word "Kemet" is actually an ethnic term being a derivative of the word "Khem" (Cham or Ham) which means "burnt" or "black." Ham, who was one of the three sons of Noah and the direct ancestor of the Egyptians, was black. The Bible, in the Old Testament, repeatedly refers to Egypt as the "Land of Ham" (i.e., Psalm 105:23, 27; 106:22).

Regarding the ancient Egyptians, there is also considerable historical evidence, aside from the Holy Bible, that they were of Black or Negro origin. Even today the true Egyptian is not to be found in the cities but in the country sides and farmlands of Egypt. Most of the Egyptians in the cities carry a mixed ancestry of European and Asian, but mostly Asian from the immigration and invasions of various people into Egypt throughout the centuries. Very few people realize that Cleopatra was of Greek origin because the Greeks once ruled Egypt and she was descended from one of those Greek rulers. The true Egyptian found in the countryside, however, has dark brown to black skin and very pronounced Negro features. This is particularly true the further south one travels in Egypt. It was from the south that the original pharaohs and the people of Egypt settled the land. The original rulers and builders of Egyptian civilization were of completely Black or Negro origin.

This writer had read the works of great Caucasian scholars such as Albert Churchward, Gerald Massey, Sir Godfrey Higgins, George Frazer, etc., who pointed to Kemet (Egypt) as being the cradle of civilization from which all knowledge sprung. I had also, read a book written in 1954 by George G.M. James titled, "Stolen Legacy" in which James attributes Greek Mythology as being stolen Egyptian philosophy and since Freemasonry is built on these scientific and mathematical principles this led me to investigate Kemet (Egypt) further and this is where I found the root of all Masonic teachings. Thus, for those who might not know when this writer speaks if Egypt, he is not referring to the Middle East, Egypt is in Africa.

Manly P. Hall and Albert G. Mackey and all the great Masonic writers pointed us to Kemet (Egypt) where this great craft received its origin. On the walls of the great pyramids it was inscribed "Man Know Thyself" and as a people of African descendant we had been made blind to the knowledge of self and Freemasonry or Speculative (philosophical) Masonry had enough in its teachings to verify that this society had ancient origins that went further back than 1717. The origin gave us a black reality and all the Masonic schools of thought came from African people

This writer is laying this historical foundation because we must be able to overturn the tricks, lies and deceptions that Caucasian Freemasons have infused into Masonic historical ideology giving us the false impression that it was in England in 1717 that these enlightened men where the founders of Freemasonry. Thus, starting from this historical premise, is to negate the Nubian origin of Freemasonry and it is this fuel that keeps the social and political antagonism and divisiveness that exist between Black and White Freemasonry on the front burner.

But beneath the historical social tension between the Black and White Masonic Orders are the racial rules that society at-large has played by since the 1440s when the Portuguese first ventured to the West Coast of Africa and forciable brought black human cargo to Lisbon, which led to the modern inception of a white supremacy ideology and it created a racial system of inferiority and dehumanization of people of African descent.

Dr. Frances Cress Welsing in her book titled, “The Cress Theory of Color Confrontation and Racism” states: "Racism is viewed as a global behavior power system with a constant and specific set of power relationships. Racism evolved with the singular goal of white supremacy or white power domination by the global white minority over the vast non-white global majority. This 'colored global collective' has been forced into the position of relative powerlessness compared to the 'global white collective' establishing the power equation of white over non-white (W/N-W). Racism, whether consciously or unconsciously evolved as a survival necessity for the tiny global white minority, due to their genetic recessive status as albino variants (mutants) in a world of skin-color genetically dominant black, brown, red and yellow peoples”

Dr. Welsing continues: ” . . . Indeed, had the global white minority not evolved this specific system of power relationships (whites over non-whites) wherein whites control all of the behavior activity of non-whites in all areas of people activity (economics, education, entertainment, labor, law, politics, religion, sex and war) as a survival mechanism, in the presence of the genetically dominant colored world majori­ty, the mutant albino genetic-recessive minority would finds itself genetically annihilated. That is, there would be no 'white' people except for the new mutations to albinism pro­duced by skin-melaninated or colored peoples. Thus, to pre­vent the genetic annihilation of skin whiteness, a behavior power system was evolved-the power system of racism or white supremacy domination.”

So when this writer has this type of conversation with white Masons; many can not move beyond the effect and influence that the larger society has had on their psychological orientation and worldview and they immediately become defensive and echo sentiments of historical denial. They are quick to let me know, that Freemasonry knows no color, but the principles of Freemasonry are universal and can not be confined to racial, culture, social, etc., politics; it is all embracing of the universality of all the systems of morality. They are absolutely correct, but many of them have done very little to breakdown the social barriers—their cable tow have been very short in this area of confronting Masonic racism and reaching out to their African American Masonic brethrens.

For example, eleven old Confederate states within the United States of America still practice Masonic racism and within these Masonic jurisdictions in 2009, they still do not recognized the largest black Masonic entity in the United States, which is Prince Hall Masonry (Free and Accepted Masons), but one must understand that the legitimacy of Prince Hall Masonry has never rested upon white acceptance as some of Prince Hall Masonic detractors have maintained.

Prince Hall Freemasons as an entity did not need white approval to justify their Masonic Order as being a body of “Regular” Masons—who gave the United Grand Lodge of England or any European Masonic governing Grand Orient the right to declare, which body of Masons shall be recognized as legitimate Masons?

Prince Hall Masons in the United States in the late 1920s won a Supreme Court decision which to be declared as a legal Masonic body and Masonic entity which was given the duly rights and authority to practice the rituals and tenets of Freemasonry in accordance to the ancient traditions. There is no court higher than the United States Supreme Court within the United States system of jurisprudence, but this right in reality, was established before the inception of the Magna Carta. This legal decision would render any other Masonic governing body's decision as a moot point relative to Prince Hall Masonic legitimacy; in particularly because we in the United States are answerable to the laws and enactments that are evoke on our soil—the legal decision over eighty years ago, if nothing else established Masonic legality for Prince Hall Masons (Jubilee Day) and this decision alone would have overriding any foreign entity such as the United Grand Lodge of England.

This writer has maintained unless we deal with the root cause of the problem which is racism then the social attitudes that undergirds this disease will continue to deny us the true meaning of Freemasonry and millions of its devotees throughout the world will never come to know the true realization of what Freemasonry stands for. We also make a huge mistake, when we try to pretend that racism doesn’t exist in Freemasonry; thus, this leads me directly into a conversation that I have had with a white European Mason who is a member of the United Grand Lodge of England.

Cecil Rhodes, in an article titled "Confession of Faith" stated: "I contend that we are the finest race in the world and that the more of the world we inhabit the better it is for the human race. Just fancy those parts that are at present in­habited by the most despicable specimens of human be­ings. What an alteration there would be if they were brought under Anglo-Saxon influence. Look again at the extra employment a new country added to our dominion gives. I contend that every acre added to our territory means in the future of birth to some more of the English race. Why should we not form a secret society with but one object, the fur­therance of the British Empire and the bringing of the whole' uncivilized world under British rule? Poverty is better under our flag than wealth under a foreign one. Africa is still lying ready for us, it is our duty to seize every opportunity of ac­quiring more territory and we should keep this one idea steadily before our eyes that more territory simply means more of the Anglo-Saxon race, more of the best of the most human, most honorable race this world possesses.'"

This article came about do to a lengthy dialog that I have had with a white Freemason on David Icke web site he goes by the title Grand Secretary and he professed to be from York, England and claim to be a pseudo authority on European Freemasonry. This writer and the Grand Secretary over a couple of weeks were in a dialogue relative to a Speculative Masonic topic that this writer had written titled, “Hiram Abiff: Symbolic of the Black man of America”. The Grand Secretary accused me of distorting Masonry and imploring reverse racism and although this writer knew that most Caucasians aren’t used to being intellectually challenged by people of African descent.

The United Grand Lodge of England has never been a true ally or friend to the Black Prince Hall Masonic Order and this writer was not willing to overlook the United Kingdom’s role in the Transatlantic Slave Trade, which has led to the racial attitudes that many white Masons have come to embrace; even in Europe. This writer has challenged them to debunk Masonic racism and for this reason he has been ridiculed by some white Masons who refuse to let go of the past and transition their thinking into the 21st Century. The Grand Secretary and my discourse will give my readers some indication of the historical contradictions and the stereotypes, which have created Masonic misunderstanding and Masonic divisiveness between black Freemasons and white Freemasons. Some or should I say, very little of this conversation has been edited between the Grand Secretary and myself.

But this article is also written to challenge Prince Hall Masons to know that integration is not the answer to resolving this four hundred year old dilemma and we should not fool ourselves into believing that white Masonic recognition will end all of the political, economic and social problems, which exist between the two orders. Lastly, we need more black Masonic writers and historians who are willing to engage in Masonic research and began to contribute to the philosophical science of Speculative Masonic theory. I am on job, but we need help. This is a distress call “My God, My God, Is There No Help For the Poor Widow’s Son”. Sorry I can not give you the word that comes with this phrase.

Grand Secretary: God forbid, and he will.This is the most racist and disgusting corruption and misuse that I have ever had the misfortune to witness. I hope it fails, and soon. And believe me, we will stay awake.

Fahim Knight-El: Grand Secretary can you please further explain your comment before I give it response; I do not want to mis-interpreted your statement.

Grand Secretary: There is NO place for racism of any kind, anywhere on this tiny planet. We are all equal and entitled, yes entitled to be regarded, and treated as such. We must all stay awake in order to confront, fight, and emerge victorious against anything, or anybody, who treats our fellow human beings as different, or inferior, simply because of where they were born (accident of birth) or the colour of their skin. I believe that what I have said is quite clear.Free Masonry is entirely colour blind. It is the one place in this world where it is wholly irrelevant. There is NO place for it, and where there is racism the answer is certainly not to oppose it with racism of a different nature, or colour. Now you can list the Moderns Grand Lodges that are racist, and they are just as wrong as you are. Racism is NOT the answer to racism.

Grand Secretary continues: This is a treatise on the historical framework for the symbolism employed in the Moderns rituals, not Free Masonry per se. We must get over this. The Moderns form of freemasonry, as an entity, did not exist in any form prior to that meeting in the London Pub in 1717. It is, in their own words, and entirely accurate, "a product of the Enlightenment".

Moderns freemasonry is as closely connected to the Ancient Mysteries as Marilyn Monroe is to the horticulture of Ogen Melons.

Fahim Knight-El: Grand Secretary: Perhaps you are fooling yourself. I live in the United States of America where in at least 11 states, white Freemasons are still practicing racism and discrimination against African American Masons. This reality, automatically deconstructs your argument that Masonry is so-called color blind—not in the United States. Sir, you did not point out one thing that I have said in the article that was racist and unless you consider telling and exposing historical events as being a racist. Moreover, Chattel Slavery, Transatlantic Slave Trade, Middle Passage, etc., existed and happened. How is that racist? If I am only citing historical evidence. No, Sir your comments either indicate that you live in a bubble or are in historical denial. Here is my article that I wrote on Masonic Racism within the United States of America. (Reference: Journey to the East Internet Web Site link: http://masoniceducation.blogspot.com/2008/01/is-there-no-help-for-poor-widows-son-by_18.html

Note: North Carolina Ancient Free and Accepted Masons (AF&AM predominately white body of Masons and North Carolina Prince Hall Masons the predominately Black Masonic body—Free and Accepted Masons (F&AM) did pass a resolution of fraternal recognition in November 2008, after over 200 years of Masonic segregation. There are still eleven (11) states, which racism and segregation still exist between the two Masonic entities.

Grand Secretary: Well do something about it that is not a racist response. Sue them to Hell where they belong. It works.What is an African American anyway?You are either an African, or you are an American, and until you drop these silly racist labels that leave you wallowing in the injustices of the past, you will never make progress.We don't have West Indian English, or a Pakistani Welshman, or an Irish Liverpudlian or a Greek Londoner. These are quite preposterous notions.An Anglo-Saxon Englishman, or Scot, or Irishman, or Welshman is someone who accepts and shares the same values and national institutions within their chosen national boundaries.America is a deeply divided nation because you do not. When are you going to stop living in the past?

Fahim Knight-El: Your response is very Eurocentric and you did not address any points that I have made. I gave you a 5,000 word article that I wrote explaining and exposing American racism in Freemasonry, which initially you stated there was no racism in Masonry. I got all types of proof and documentation that Freemasonry goes much further back than 1717; perhaps you meant this as being date when European Freemasonry originated. Moreover even Christopher Knight and Robert Lomas, two European Masonic historians and writers documents that Freemasonry goes further back than 1717. What sources are you reading or is it just your Eurocentric worldview that you are coming from. Thus Give Me a minute I am going to post regarding what it means for the African living in America to look back, it is entitled, "Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome: Myth or Reality". I am posting it now and perhaps this will answer some of your questions relative to the African American plight.

Grand Secretary: Well this statement calls for an answer to a very important question. How can a self-started, un-Chartered Grand Lodge in England, issue a "legitimate charter" to any body?Firstly, a Charter is a legal document that may only be issued by a Monarch or a Sovereign Legislature. Secondly a Charter holder cannot, by law, issue a Charter, it may only issue a warrant to act under its Charter. Thirdly, a Charter may only be repealed by the Sovereign Legislature that issued it, or the Legislature that issued with the assent of the Sovereign power.Accordingly, the United States Supreme Court legitimised Prince Hall Free Masonry because it possessed the Sovereign power of the State. In effect, it started a completely new and legitimate American Grand Lodge, totally unconnected with English freemasonry. The Supreme Court could not, by definition, legitimise an illegal, in fact non-existent, English Charter.Similarly, and earlier, after the American War of Independence, the other American State Grand Lodges were legitimised. Beforehand they were not legitimate, they were also wholly irregular, because they were working under the false premise that their English "Charters" were legal. They were, as a matter of fact, worthless pieces of paper.Scottish warrants were of a different character.Your freemasonry is pure American freemasonry, started with proper authority, by legal Charter from your own Sovereign State. You might as well just forget what happened before the Supreme Court ruling. Film flam.

Fahim A. Knight-El: Prince Hall Masonry was considered “Regular” as early as 1784 and there is a long history of racism and social antagonism that have existed within the United States. Many freed black men fought in the American Revolution—some fought on the side of the thirteen colonies and others fought on side of Great Britain (the Crown), which helped America gain her independence in 1776.

Knight-El continued: In 1775 Prince Hall and the fourteen other black military soldiers were initiated, past and raised and made Masons by a white Irish European military lodge in Boston, Massachusetts and this much we know is undeniable. This fact is irrefutable, but based on segregation and racism, American Masons did not receive black Masons as brothers of the Craft. Prince Hall petitioned the Grand Lodge of England for a charter and a Masonic dispensation to function as a legal black Masonic entity and it was granted. He received the charter for the establishment of African Lodge 459 and later African lodge number 1 was convened. Thus, with the Masonic structure in America either the initial Prince Hall lodge would have to be admitted within the body of American Masonry (white Grand Lodges) and/or function as an entity under the white Scottish Rite Masonic Order or the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons (these two bodies are often interchangeably within the scheme of American Freemasonry), which was not within the rules and laws of the U.S. social structure and this also included the American Freemasonic Order.

Knight-El continued: Prince Hall charter forced him to seek to build a black Masonic institution understanding that he was not going to get any acceptance letter from the white Masonic body within the United States extending him and the other black Masons membership into their all white lodges. The Transatlantic Slave Trade relative to the United States did not end until 1807 and Africans in America at this time in history did the best they could under some unbearable political, economic and social circumstances. Prince Hall probably did not know that it was his ancestors of Kemet (Ancient Egypt) that was the first to introduced the system of adepts initiations, rituals, qualified stages of learning, etc., to the world; in particular the Egyptian Mystery System which was based on a system of Ancient Wisdom and writings that went further back than PTAH, Amen-RA and even further than the Osirian Myth. Thus, if Hall saw the Grand Lodge of England as a credible Masonic body; it was perhaps his orientation, which was no different than the thinking of most blacks who were made slaves in the Americas and who after being made free in 1865 still followed the Caucasian's culture, mores’, folkways, norms, etc., even in 2009. Prince Hall did have the vision and wither all to establish a black Masonic order that has withstood the historical test of time for over two hundred years.

Knight-El continued: Many Prince Hall Masons have sought out the true origins of Freemasonry and is breaking the Eurocentric Masonic grip that has suffocated our ability to go further and uncover more ancient systems of initiation and learning that truly predates the western world concept of Freemasonry. They only have a fraction and distorted system of Masonry. Many like myself are doing what we can to introduce brothers to this alternative view of Masonry and reintroduce him to what his African ancestor established over 20 thousand years ago in Cush and Kemet. While the Caucasian was still toiling in the Caucasus Mountains between the Black and Caspian Sea.

Grand Secretary: I am not interested in when it "was considered regular". The fact is that it was not regular until the Supreme Court Judgment.It certainly is now so there is no need to be defensive on this.And what about this "African American" nonsense?

Fahim Knight-El: Thus, everything I have given you is my words. Please show me one thing that I have given that was not my words. You have no defense for Masonic racism and I have cited you an entire article giving you my well researched article assessing and evaluating Masonic racism from its inception in the United States. Why are you keeping on trying to deny this historical fact? Fahim Knight-El: The term "African American" was derived from Europeans assault on people of African dissent robbing them of a land, heritage, culture, religion, God, folkway, mores, values, customs, and traditions, etc.; this was the negative impact of 310 years of Chattel Slavery (1555-1865). It work to strip African Americans and Africans scattered though out Diaspora of unified a nationality.

Knight-EL continued: Africans in America were denied their culture humanity. This was the greatest crime ever committed in the history of humanity. It was against the law for Africans on the slave plantation to speak their own native tongue and this evil system divided those who shared ethnic lineage. They called Blacks (Negroes) from the word "necro" which means something dead, but they have duped humanity in believing that the word Negro meant black in Latin (Spanish), but it actually meant "dead" referring to a people who were being classified from their perspective as coming from the "Dark Continent" meaning a people who had no history and gave nothing to human civilization. Yes, this type of historical onslaught, which was based in the ideology of white supremacy and by its nature left a people devastated. Although, Chattel Slavery ended in 1865 the search to reclaim an ethnic, nationality, racial and culture identity left African people in America in search of a cohesive identity and even in 2009, we have yet to achieve that objective. Blacks have attempted to make many nationality transitions. For example, from being Africans, Negro, Colored, Black, Afro-American, African American, etc., and a host of other nationalities through out their experience in America. These different nationality claims were a direct result of the effect of Chattel Slavery. Moreover, blacks in the United States have always had a culture duality—African, perhaps in genetically and phenotype our classification would be African. But on the other hand we are considered Americans (at least in legal theory) and these complex variables are more contradictory than an agreed ethnic/nationality solution relative to the Africans living in America. In the mid-1980s Jesse Jackson and other black leadership proposed and adopted the nationality classification for blacks—African American. I hope that answers your question and give you some historical background.

Grand Secretary: I have NOT denied that there has been Masonic racism but "black Masonry" is racial segregation based upon the colour of ones skin and THAT is racism too. That was the point of my statement and question.I stand by what I said about the continuation of racial stereotypes in the United States of America. The day you can simply say "I am an American" and forget the African bit, then your country will be a lot healthier.Nationality classification? Why do you need it? This is 2009. When was slavery abolished?And by the way, the word "negro" refers to people who originated from the Niger Delta, the word Niger meaning "black" in the Latin tongue. I agree entirely with kasalt. I don't know who is filling your head with this racist nonsense, but it has nothing to do with the root necro, or death. Who told you this then? Whoever it was, I suspect was trying to wind you up for some reason.Please forget race, America. Treat everyone as an individual, as an equal, and you won't go far wrong. Fahim, your national and cultural identity is that of an equal American Citizen, and may God bless you for that.

Fahim Knight-El: No, African American identity will always be viewed separate and apart from what you describe as Americanism (they are two distinct people and cultures). You are asking 40-50 million Africans living in America to forget their cultural and nationality and accept Americanism. No, Sir what you are proposing is insane and represents cultural destruction. We will never fully embrace our former slave master’s culture, as our own for the social harmony of this nation called America. I explained to you, the entire "African American" concept (your are still in denial of this historical reality) you can accept it or leave it alone.

Knight-El continued: No European in York, England has the moral authority to assign Africans in America a nationality; thus, England was one of the perpetrators of the criminal act, in particular their role in Transatlantic slave trade. This is why we stand with the Muslims and Islam in the United Kingdom; they will continue give UK hell. This should be your concern in the UK, in particular, how are you going deal with militant and radical Islam? You have no knowledge of the history and plight of black Americans. Here is a link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBe68F3nJmQ that explains the word "Negro" and its origin from our perspective and not the from the Eurocentric worldview. Please take a minute and view the link and let me know your thinking. Black Freemasonry was only a reaction to white Freemasonry, which was racist to its core. Now, I am not willing to continue to debate ignorance. I have giving you facts and history—your approach now boarders on a racist disposition.

Grand Secretary: Fahim, I feel so very sorry for you if you believe even 1% of what you have posted. Africa is clearly not a nation, or a culture. It is, as a matter of fact, an entire continent consisting of a large number of very disparate countries, cultures, political systems, religions, tribes and peoples, white, black, or any colour that you might care to mention.America is obviously in for some very difficult times due to blind racial prejudice from people with your twisted mentality, irrespective of your race, creed or colour.Thank God I am a typical mongrel Anglo-Saxon Englishman who will, unfortunately, have to witness the inevitable bloody outcome.Please do not claim to be a Freemason Fahim, because this you could never be, whether Modern or Ancient.This just shows what can happen when freemasons mistakenly pursue an open door policy after having comprehensively ditched its sound moral base. What a monumental mistake was made in 1723 (the first Anderson Constitutions).This is a VERY serious, and IMHO highly dangerous development, and a further quite frightening corruption of the tenets of a Free Mason.

Fahim Knight-El: Here you go again with a White Supremacy perspective; Africa is in the condition it is in because of European imperialism and colonialism, which has led to the raping and robbing of Africa's resources by past and present European powers. You have a habit of making the criminal the victim and the victim the criminal. I can just cite the Berlin Conference 1884-1885 where Africa was divided and partitioned by the European powers in which nations and people were separated to benefit the colonial masters. Sir, no European is in a moral position to judge the continent of Africa based on their roles or their ancestor’s role in the greatest human tragedy/crime ever recorded in human history.

Knight-El continued: Thus, the principles of Freemasonry were hypocritical because Americans and some Europeans nations prohibited a fellowman membership into white Masonic lodges based on skin color and this was wrong yesterday and it is wrong today. This isn't anything Fahim A. Knight-EL invented or created, but it was an agreed system to deny blacks membership because white Freemasons saw themselves as being ethnic superior. I have been on a campaign to expose this Masonic hypocrisy and break up that good ole boy network. You are still in denial of Masonic racism based on your comments. Your argument is weak and has no basis. Sir, everyone knows that there would not have been a need for two distinct Masonic fraternal orders black and white, if it were not for racism—practice by our white Masonic brothers.

Grand Secretary: There is a need TODAY for an end to racism. I demonstrated against the policy of separate development in South Africa. I did not do that in order to support the same policy in America.Your thinking is way out of date my brother.

Absolutely correct about Hiram Abiff except the rituals were developed by the white, European, Huguenot Minister, Dr Theophilus Desaguliers, between 1720 and 1730.These references to a fictional character called "Hiram Abiff" were first documented in France in the rituals of a non-Masonic organisation known as "The Sons of Solomon". This is where it is believed, Desaguliers discovered them, and in the absence of the rituals for the key "Master's Part" denied to him, introduced the fiction of Hiram Abiff.

Fahim Knight-El: Sir, Racism is a disease and this disease has even spread itself to the Masonic Order, in particular within American Masonry. Thus, as I stated before we will never let this issue go until the other 11 States in the United States abandon their racist practices against black Masons. How can one still call themselves brother Masons and so-called embrace the principles and still stand as one of the few institutions in America that stills overtly practice racism? What part of this social dilemma that you do not understand? The white Masons are practicing apartheid right inside the Ancient Free and Accepted Masonic Order (AF&AM), Scottish Rite and York Rite Orders in America. Do not attack me but go on a campaign to force your white Masonic brothers to end this unjust and deplorable and racist disposition, which stands as a Masonic contradiction. We will always oppose this type of behavior. I as a Masonic researcher will not let our white Masonic brothers off the hook. America in general, still remains a racist nation and Freemasonry as an institution in the United States reflects the larger social order.

Grand Secretary: Sue them to Hell, and at the same time replace them with fully integrated Free Masonry. Show the world by your example. You can do it.

This is probably true, but we must never allow racism without confronting it head on as being totally unacceptable thinking and behaviour.It should be made a criminal offence to handicap any other human being because of their race or their colour.We cannot stop fools from thinking (or not thinking as the case may be) but we can legislate for wrong-doing, and we should. Never give up trying to change society for the better. It is your duty as an Anglo-Saxon Englishman.

Fahim Knight-El: Grand Secretary stated: "King Solomon's Temple is NOT central to the ancient and original form of Anglo-Saxon Free Masonrie, represented by the Grand Lodge of All England. It cannot be, because Free Masonrie is pre-Davidic." Grand Secretary: Just a comment that King Solomon's Temple is central to the Moderns form of freemasonry represented by the United Grand Lodge of England, the Grand Lodge of Scotland, the Grand Lodge of Ireland, and the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of America.King Solomon's Temple is NOT central to the ancient and original form of Anglo-Saxon Free Masonrie, represented by the Grand Lodge of All England. It cannot be, because Free Masonrie is pre-Davidic.

Fahim Knight-El: I wrote this article titled, "King Solomon's Temple the Basis of Freemasonry" a few months ago and have written a few subsequent article relative to Freemasonry since this one. I am not an authority on British or European Freemasonry. I do not think the UGLE or any Grand Orient should be the final regulatory entity on establishing Masonic "regularity". Masons come to the Masonic lodge from different religious backgrounds and experiences, but religion and Masonic teachings have some common threads—however, true Masonic philosophy (Speculative Freemasonry) is more rooted in the ancient philosophies that pre-date the three major Western religions Judaism, Christianity and Islam. These organized religions and their governing texts Torah, Gospel, and Qur'an; they borrowed their religious themes from more ancient sources. So Masonry embraces the ancient philosophy and not necessarily the religious schools of thought, which will only divide humanity. The Great Architect of the Universe implores Deity and this statement alone is in recognition that religion in of itself is shallow. Deity is known by many names and is received in different ways and manner relative to a culture and society—this is what Freemasonry embraces and anything less than this causes confusion.

Grand Secretary: Please carefully read our website. All is there, including a mountain of sources, references and attributions. I hope that this helps. http://www.grandlodgeofallengland.org/

Fahim A. Knight-EL Chief Researcher for KEEPING IT REAL THINK TANK located in Durham, NC; our mission is to inform African Americans and all people of good will of the pending dangers that lie ahead; as well as decode the symbolisms and reinterpret the hidden meanings behind those who operate as invisible forces, but covertly rules the world. We are of the belief that an enlighten world will be better prepared to throw off the shackles of ignorance and not be willing participants for the slaughter. Our MOTTO is speaking truth to power. Fahim A. Knight-EL can be reached at fahimknight@yahoo.com.

STAY AWAKE UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN,
Fahim A. Knight-EL

HANDS OFF THE KNOW BOOK STORE: ONE OF THE LAST STANDING BLACK BOOK STORES IN THE SOUTHEAST

HANDS OFF THE KNOW BOOK STORE: ONE OF THE LAST STANDING BLACK BOOK STORES IN THE SOUTHEAST

By FAHIM A. KNIGHT-EL

This article is about one of the few and last standing black book stores in the southeast named the Know Book Store; located at 2520 Fayetteville Street in Durham, North Carolina, which is being threatened by deceptive forces to close its doors. I have not written on a local issue relative to Durham, North Carolina in any of my Blogs/articles because I had become extremely bored with local politics and the political stagnation associated with trying to decipher which agency—the county commissioners or the city council have more power to continue stealing the taxpayers money.

Durham has two legal govern bodies—county commissioners (county manger) and city council, where the mayor functions as the chief executive officer of the city, sought of because you also have a city manager (appointed position and serve as a nonelected official on the city council) who oversees the bureaucratic governing of the city.

Perhaps it is this confusion and ineffective political structuring that has turned me completely off from covering local politics. Yes, quite as it is kept the city is run by Duke University and powerful land developers and in realty, none of the governing entities have any power other than what Duke gives these political puppets.

But I did write an article on November 15, 2008, titled, “REVISITING THE DUKE UNIVERSITY LACROSSE CASE: THE REAL DEAL” and this was perhaps the first blog/article that have done in some time, which had a local connection with Durham. However, I could not resist the controversy swirling around the Know Book Store and this alone caused me to weigh in on this subject.

This dispute between the Know Book Store and the McLaughlin Group has somewhat divided Durham’s African American community. I am of the opinion, no amount of grant money could justify how much the Know Book Store has meant to the community. Some of the black bourgeoisie who is opposing this black book store is more concern with so-called economic development and getting some economic crumbs from the master and others like myself feel a sense of obligation to protect this viable cultural institution. Many of these handkerchief head Negroes in this reactionary sector desire to play politics as usual—some of them are the same ones who sold us out in the 1960s and 1970s with the concept of Urban Renewal and now they are covertly pushing re-gentrification. They are known to cut backroom deals for themselves and we all are considered expendable in the game of politics.

I truly do not know what to say about Durham. Durham is a very conservative city disguised in liberal clothing and our race relations are shrouded in a good ole boy and good ole girl network that consist of African Americans and Caucasians. It is a nicely interwoven click that has the power to reward and punish. I still live in Durham, but I must admit that I am guilty of not following Durham's political or local issues as I once did. However, I do understand and accept that all politics are local.

Black book stores across this country have always served at the center of black activism and community based organizing; In addition, they have served as venues for black intellectuals, activist, educators, revolutionaries, etc., always having the unmitigated opportunity to speak directly to the black community, which this access provided many of them with platforms throughout black America. The large corporate book chains like Barnes and Nobles and Borders Book did not because they catered to the larger sector of society. These large corporate book chains in the last fifteen years have forced a sizable amount of small local book stores out of business and of course, Amazon books and the internet e-commerce have dramatically changed and altered the traditional book industry.

Thus, it even impacted small black book stores more, who found it difficult to compete and to be competitive with this new book business economic trends. This along with the influence of technology—Kindle 2, cell phones and the entire Internet culture and how information is being disseminated has proven to be far challenging for the traditional book industry and the print news industry (even book publishing has been revolutionized by this new computer age). Thus, many small print mediums have fallen by the waste side because they were not able to keep up with the advancing technological trends, which has impacted the market and many did not have the vision or the capital to remain competitive and/or to diversify their book businesses.

For example, Barnes and Nobles gives you that Internet Café persona with coffee and pastry shop inside the store (the full service effect). The Internet Café trends are big in Europe and it is starting to make huge inroads within the United States. I heard someone recently say that there used to be over five hundred (500) black book stores located throughout the United States and now there are less than twenty (20) left. This is alarming because when I published my first book, I could not get a major publishing house deal nor was I looking for one, but my work was carried and distributed by small African American book stores. So I will always be grateful to this medium.

This writer is not naïve to the fact and knows that some of reasons black book stores have gone out of business is directly tied to the recent economic depression that we are experiencing inside the United States, but black book stores had been experiencing financial and economic problems long before this economic depression. The Know Book store has been in operation for over twenty-five years founded by Dr. Bruce Bridges, a former college professor of Saint Augustine College (Raleigh, NC) and who also taught at North Carolina Central University in Durham, North Carolina.

Bridges, professor turned entrepreneur had a vision of establishing an intellectual hub where ideals and theories could be debated that weren’t being covered by the mainstream media. The Know Book is in a city where education and intellectualism is big—the store is ten minutes away from the campus of the prestigious Duke University and twenty minutes away from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and two minutes away from one of the best historical black universities and colleges in American—North Carolina Central University. Last but not least, it is thirty minutes from North Carolina State University in Raleigh, North Carolina.

These centers of learning are mentioned in order to give my readers a small glimpse into Durham being not just an up and coming city, but it stands as a citadel of learning in the southeast. The Know Book Store formally began at its old location of 306 South Dillard Street and in last fifteen years it relocated to 2552 Fayetteville Street its present location and home, where Dr. Bridges has leased this space from the McLaughlin Group since that time. The location is in the heart of the black community, sandwiched between a Church’s Chicken and strip mall consisting of a string of mom and pops type black businesses.

Bridges having an innovative business mind, perhaps nine years ago saved his business by establishing a restaurant inside the bookstore based on having the square footage to do so and without a doubt this part of his business has been more profitable than the selling of books. He continued to improvise with the establishment of a jazz club where on Friday’s local Jazz musicians can be heard on the restaurant side of the business; thus, unlike many black book stores Dr. Bridges was able to diversify and revive his book store from going under.

The McLaughlin Group, the property owners of Know Book Store applied in March 2009 for a grant pursuant to a Request for Proposal (RFP) for neighborhood development that was being solicited by the city and would come under the Economic and Workforce Development office, which was designed to stimulate economic development in various depressed areas of the city and the grant in question had a target area of town known today as the Fayetteville Street Corridor where the book store is presently located.

The McLaughlin Group met all the RFP requirements with the potential of receiving a hundred seventy five thousand dollar grant which would assist in renovating the existing structure and would allow them to submit their business proposal to a private lending source which to request an additional four hundred seventy five thousand ($475.00) dollars in order to expand the square footage of the building, as well as make other physical improvements to the building.

The McLaughlin Group claimed to have already spent over twenty-five thousand ($25,000) in hiring architects and engineers, and construction consultants and planners in order to submit blue prints and other engineered based specifications to city officials. The McLaughlin Group proposed establishing three to four commercial establishments—book store, restaurant, museum, Jazz Club, etc. This is how the McLaughlin Group characterized their business venture.

Ms. McLaughlin is seeking funding ($ 175,000) from the City of Durham to add a second story and additional space to 2520 Fayetteville Street. Once completed, the 2-story building will be home to 4 businesses -- a restaurant, bookstore, boutique and a neighborhood arts center (The Mok’e Jazz & Cultural Center). Some of the exciting new features of the building will include roof-top garden and outdoor patio seating for the restaurant. The Mok’e Center will offer a variety of cultural activities and events, including but not limited to visual, musical and performing arts, for the enjoyment, creative expression and enrichment of the surrounding community. The bookstore and the boutique will provide retail products and services to the area. It is envisioned that the new development will become a cultural destination, promote tourism to the historic Fayetteville Street corridor and give a much-needed boost to the area’s economy.

This somewhat infuriated me, because the Know Book Store already has a restaurant, jazz club and is a book store—let me interpreted this even further. Why would the city of Durham even consider such proposal when it will bring displacement and possible economic hardship on an already proven and established business? But not only that, this project appears to be quite risky and proposed to use taxpayers’ money for such a project is outright reckless and irresponsible to ask the citizens of Durham to finance an unproven establishment.

Durham City Councilman, Eugene Brown who is white, was the only councilperson that came straight out at the last city council meeting held on September 21, 2009 and said that the project did not make good fiscal sense, in particular during these hard economic times. This writer commends Brown’s courage and honesty in questioning the economic feasibility of the project and the so-called long term economic projections that is being lauded. Brown is a real estate man and I am relying on his expert opinion in this matter.

Councilman Brown just does not see the plausibility of contributing taxpayer’s dollars to a project that has more questions than answers. I agree with Brown. The project is a contingence project meaning the McLaughlin Group must first have $475.000 dollars in place from a private lending source before the city of Durham will release the $175.000 grant.

There is only one lending institution that is seriously looking at financing the project and that is Mechanics and Farmers (M&F) Bank, one of the oldest black banks in the United States. But supposed M&F Bank decide not to finance the McLaughlin project. How many man hours, tax dollars, public hearings and other city resources that we would have squandered away by not requiring the McLaughlin group to have more lending prospects on the table?

Thus, you would have thought that the Durham City Council and city manager and the Economic and Workforce Development director would have required the group to submit no less than ten lenders as part of their RFP portfolio. The Mayor, William “Bill” Bell sits on the board of directors of Mechanics and Farmers Bank and although it is only proper that he legally recues himself from playing any role in the bank decision relative to the McLaughlin Group. However, he must have some indication of which direction the bank is leaning (tell me Bill and I promise not to publically reveal the decision).

This writer is going on record to state that if Mechanics and Farmers decide to finance this project it’s going to be financially disastrous and I project foreclosure in less than five years. The Economic and Workforce Development Director, Kevin Dick appears to be highly incompetent and has not done the proper due diligence relative to this project and this was evident when Mayor Bell asked him was the McLaughlin project, a for profit or nonprofit venture.

Mr. Dick answered, that it was a for profit venture. But Mayor Bell pointed out that the submitted Performa did not have itemized federal and state income taxes included as expenditure to be incurred by the McLaughlin group and this could affect the projected profit margin. For this reason Mayor Bell postponed the vote until the next City Council meeting which is scheduled for October. It appears that Dick and some members of the city council have pushed this proposed grant along because of the property owner Ms. Mozella McLaughlin long time ties to the Durham Community as an educator and business women.

This writer too applauds her impeccable record of service to the community, but business is business and taxpayer’s monies should not be allocated to support a system of cronies and disguised nepotism in the name of community development. This woman is ninety-two years old (I could only pray that the Creator blesses me with that type of life longevity) and should this age variable be overlooked in the overall decision making process.

City Councilman Farad Ali, a freshmen councilman who has been the most vocal opposition against Dr. Bridges and based on his position of opposing the black book store, I am of the opinion that he is undeserving of a second term on the council. I am personally asking the black electorate of Durham to vote him out of office and not reward him a second term to violate the trust of his constituency. No one that opposes the legitimate political aspirations of our community deserve to serve as our representatives on any political level. Ali is being perceived by many in the black community as a traitor and a turncoat, but his leader, teacher and guide Imam Warith Deen Mohammed (the son of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad) betrayed political aspirations of black people in the name of kissing Arabs ass, why should we expect anymore or less from Councilman Ali?

Ali comes across as having a personal vendetta against the Know Book Store’s owner Dr. Bruce Bridges and his comments are divisive and subjective. This writer has always considered his father, Munir Ali as a friend, but on the issue of the book store both of the Alis’ are wrong. They have tried to oversimplify this issue to a tenant-landlord dispute (no it is much bigger than that) and want the community to overlook the deception and manipulation that is taking place on various levels. No Sir, the Know Book Store is an institution, it is even bigger than the owner and founder, Dr. Bruce Bridges and we should not allow the black proponents to dupe us into going along with this trickery. What’s in this deal for Councilman Farad Ali?

There are two more tricksters out there Larry and Denise Hester; thus in an email that I received from Denise Hester stated: “ regarding Ms. McLaughlin’s development, I would like to add that Bruce signed a letter of intent to remain in the building once the construction has been completed. His letter of intent was submitted as part of Ms. McLaughlin’s package to the city and is a part of the public record on this project if you want to check it out. The other questions involve matters between Ms. McLaughlin and Bruce as landlord and tenant which we cannot answer.”

The McLaughlin group in initially inviting Dr. Bridges to the table was more about bringing credibility and economic integrity to their project because the Know Book Store was a well established business and long standing tenant of the property. It stood as proof positive of success and as an example of a thriving business already at the said location. They were not doing Dr. Bridges and the Know Book Store any favors to include them in the proposal, it was about them putting on the best business face for their lenders and not necessarily working in the best interest of the Know Book Store.

Lets not fool ourselves without Bridges they would have been considered a startup group, but they were looking to divert this stigma in order to appear as a well established business entity at the said location. Dr. Bridges at the last city council meeting presented a counter plan in the form of a written letter asking the City Council to assist him financially as they are assisting the McLaughlin Group. I must say the following council persons Howard Clement, Cora McFadden and even Mayor Bell appeared partial to Bridges request. This article tells it just like it is, I do not know any other way to tell it. Please give Dr. Bridges a holler at 919.682.7223 and tell him you read Fahim A. Knight-EL article and you stand in support of the book store.

Fahim A. Knight-EL Chief Researcher for KEEPING IT REAL THINK TANK located in Durham, NC; our mission is to inform African Americans and all people of good will of the pending dangers that lie ahead; as well as decode the symbolisms and reinterpret the hidden meanings behind those who operate as invisible forces, but covertly rules the world. We are of the belief that an enlighten world will be better prepared to throw off the shackles of ignorance and not be willing participants for the slaughter. Our MOTTO is speaking truth to power. Fahim A. Knight can be reached at fahimknight@yahoo.com.

STAY AWAKE UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN,
Fahim A. Knight-EL

CHILDREN NOT ALLOWED TO LISTEN TO PRESIDENT OBAMA: BUT AMERICAN EDUCATION IS ON A STEADY DECLINE

CHILDREN NOT ALLOWED TO LISTEN TO PRESIDENT OBAMA: BUT AMERICAN EDUCATION IS ON A STEADY DECLINE

By FAHIM A. KNIGHT-EL

This article is more about American education than the form of government that we live under as citizens of the United States of America. However, in order to do this topic any justice before this writer could assess and evaluate American education, it became necessary for me to lay the groundwork that led up to me delving a little into the meaning of our constitution and principles of our democracy. But on the surface the two topics might appear to have little correlation, after all this article’s primary focus was education and children learning. Perhaps if it was not for the controversy that was swirling around President Barack Obama desiring to speak to school age children, it would not have been necessary for me to approach this topic from the reference point of government and political science. This writer could have stuck to the discussion of the plight of American education minus the need to discuss politics. Nevertheless, this writer finds it totally appropriate to begin this topic by briefly discussing government and law.

The United Sates of America proud itself of being a democratic society where it is so-called governed by the masses, which is reflected in the will of the people, at least this is what my teachers taught me in eight grade civics class. We learnt how important the Declaration of Independence (1776) and the Constitutional Convention (1787) were to our present day nationhood and the freedoms that evolved from declaring the right to sovereignty. Thus, at the foundation of our democracy was the Thirteen Colonies right to sovereignty and independence, which led to formalizing the United States independence (expressed in the Declaration of Independence). That eventually manifest itself in the establishment of the legal and jurisprudence document—U.S. Constitution which to guide and govern this newly made Republic. These two documents by far represented the impetus and the foundation of Americanism and are endeared by all Americans and held in high esteemed within U.S. history.

The U.S. Constitution is no doubt one of the greatest documents ever written within the history of any modern Republic. The Framers defined what life liberty and the pursuit of happiness meant from the inception of our established Republic. It equally defined the rights of the individual and State and more so than that, the constitution was geared towards protecting those rights on every level. This has always afforded the citizens of the United States with certain legal and jurisprudence freedoms in which to approach our outlook on life without the threat of fear or intimidation from our government, if we criticized or disagreed with our government, at least in theory we are not put in front of a firing squad. Many foreigners would die to live under the U.S. form of government because of how it is structured (at the basis is supposed to be freedom, justice and equality for all) and the rights and privileges it afforded to its citizens.

But after this week of events, I became a little perplexed and somewhat a little less optimistic about the fundamental freedoms that I and others have come to enjoy while living in the United States. I have advocated the rights to maintain and expand civil liberties and have never been comfortable with government encroachment upon curtailing or lessening these rights which is spelled out in our constitution. Our right to dissent, is even protected under U.S. law and this is one of the beauties of our nation’s democracy. However, this past week of events relative to President Barack Obama desiring to speak to U.S. Students and the type of opposition that arose from right-wingers, it was appalling enough for me to question whether or not we are deserving of such freedoms to make certain choices. This writer also wonder were we headed for a Civil War or was this opposition to President Obama speaking to American school aged children rooted in a much older social dilemma—American style racism. What else could it have been? It absolutely made no sense when you objectively look at the state of American education. Our students are in dire need of someone to encourage and challenge their mediocrity. The students have more rights than the educators/teachers and this alone has destroyed the educational balance of power and created a negative paradigm shift that has reverberated throughout our society. This has somewhat fostered low expectations and mediocrity has become an acceptable standard inside the classroom.

The president after-all has school age children himself and this was no old cranky commander-in-chief who doesn’t have children in the educational process. But this issue of education has to be real even for the president and this writer do not think we can play political games with our children’s future. School districts and states are going to have changed the rules relative to curriculum—first order of business must be making learning applicable to a curriculum that is geared towards global projections. Women are running the schools from top to bottom and this has been an ineffective trend and has been partially responsible for placing American education in this predicament. This statement is not to suggest that women can not do an equally and effective job as men in the school systems, but here is the problem men are virtually invisible in most public school districts and we can not blame female educators for this dilemma.

We have to bear some of the responsibility for ignoring the educational crisis and not finding ways to engage this collapsing social order. Yes, there presences, physicality and their approach to the field of pedagogy would have a different social and psychological demands on learning expectations from male students, in particular and all children in general, more so than female teachers—nurturers by nature.

How do we make the National Teachers Exam (NTE) and the licensure process to expand beyond the limited and stringent requirements and allow men in the classrooms without all the bureaucratic red tape—this is a state of emergency? Men who work in the private and public sectors should be recruited and hired to teach on both the primary and secondary levels and offer their life and professional experiences in the school system. The financial compensation should be lucrative and competitive, if we can bailout some of the wealthiest crooks in the world Lehman Brothers, Merrill Lynch, Bear-Sterns, JP Morgan, AIG, Wachovia, etc., giving this den thieves over two trillion dollars. Thus, why can’t we compensate bankers, lawyers, scientist, computer scientist, medical doctors, engineers, writers, politicians, etc., for their professional expertise by bringing them in the classrooms of America; this would be a relative small price, which to save America’s education and work to put us back on track. American children have become lazy and un-discipline when it comes to learning.

There can not be a good learning environment, if educators and educational professionals have lost control over American educational institutions relative to discipline and there are no real initiatives in place of taking back the classroom and the school systems from unmanageable and young social deviants. This sector is smart enough to quote you the law and policies as it relates to what you can say and do in the realm of disciplinary procedures, but imposing enforcement relative to learning, is a limited option to the educational professionals.

In the 18th and 19th Century there was a religious obedience correlated to the educational process and the religious structure or sacred culture implored values, mores, folkways, morals, ethics, etc., tied behavior and discipline more to the obedience of God (this helped define right and wrong and we got more learning mileage from our children)—and in Europe the State and Religion wasn't always necessarily separated like our jurisprudence system is structured within the United States of America.

Teachers and educators are failing students because they do not know how reach children and therefore, the educational process is more about going through the motions and receiving a paycheck, as opposed to demanding learning which has to be the highest priority on all levels of teaching. Why do not we model our national school system after Japan and China which is highly successful in getting the most from their students when it comes academic performance? Surely tomorrow American children will be competing with them for an equal share in the global market. There use to be this argument of private versus public education in which many maintained that children received a better quality education, if they were enrolled in private institutions from K-12. This may have been true yesterday, but American private schools are not fairing much better than there public counterparts.

But the track that American education is presently on, our children will not be prepared to take the lead as we move further into the 21st century and this will render our nation as being even more consumers and non-producers in the coming future—looking for other nations to be the next inventors, international bankers, aerospace scientist, to find the cure for cancer, etc. It is imperative that we act and declare war on this mindset of educational indifference; in fact our future depends on us doing this.

We are plagued with tremendous social issues of poverty, gang violence, different types of peer pressures, the politics of the military industrial complex and the prison industrial complex and in the middle is education which has not received the much needed attention. Something went wrong that our children are repeatedly scoring below grade levels in math and science, perhaps the two most essential subjects and/or disciplines needed in our new technological dynamics. America is rated number thirty-five (35) in math and twenty-nine (29) in science

We can no longer be imprudent, but we have to become proactive, in particular as the world becomes more global and as the political, social, and economic landscape continues to change based on technology. The global projections still have not been fully realized by American educators and when they finally wake up realized where the rest of the world is headed. It might be too late to shift gears and play catch up. We must understand that those who master technology will place themselves in a position of future ruler-ship because the age of information and our transition into a knowledge base economy is here to stay.

I believe education has to be viewed and received as any other living document, which should be constantly giving room to evolve, as it applies to the philosophy of education and the practical theories that have become acceptable to us. I also believe that historical time frames impacted the relevance of sociological and psychological theoretical models—the science (we can better measure and count) from an empirical perspective, we have acquired quantitative data and this has allowed our research theories to become more qualitative in scope and definition. This open approach allows us to accept in some areas that educational theories have evolved and improved and has become more defining, which allows us to reaffirm some of our past educational theories and debunk others based on new approaches (new information).

Thus, for the first time in my life this writer wished that the U.S. was not an egalitarian styled government but a totalitarian government—the people who were opposing President Obama and his desiring to speak to children about the importance of education and learning brought me to this decision; in my opinion, all these detractors had forfeited their right to exercise the principles that undergirds our democracy. This writer knows that the above statement crosses the line of perhaps everything he personally stands for and believes in (for the record I will always favor a democratic society over any form of a repressive government). But I must admit it angered me that those who were opposing President Obama had lost their damn minds and based on hate they were not taking into account that our educational system is failing dismally in comparison to Western Europe and Asian nations.

What shocked me the most, was that this was not Ho Chi Minh, Mao Se Tung, Adolph Hitler, Benito Mussolini, Joseph Stalin, Vladimir Lenin, Seso Mobutu, Fidel Castro or Hugo Chavez (let me clarify, these personalities are most associated in the west as being brutal dictators). This was the president of the so-called "free world" and the inferences was that to have your children listen to a speech being delivered my President Obama was a form of ideological indoctrination that you would associate with a country that is ruled by a dictator. I do not necessarily agree with everything that President Obama says and does, but speaking to American children about achievement and the importance of learning in my opinion was a timely message and topic.

American children can not afford to miss an opportunity to engage in a learning dialogue. Most national and international educational experts have maintained that the United States students’ academic achievement is not making the grade, in particular as this writer stated above in the areas of math and science (29th and 36) and the U.S. stand as one of the most industrialized nations in the world. These two statistics alone should shame us to be more proactive and innovative in our approach to resolve this predicament and the question still remains, why are American children missing the mark? Who do we blame—parents, students, teachers administrators, school districts, states, federal government, etc. all of the said entities have to bear responsibility in our children's educational failures and they all hold liability and culpability in what this writers deems as gross negligence. This writer is of the opinion, that someone should be held accountable for this mess and who is willing to take the responsibility to improve our children’s academic performances and demand that they become competitive in order to ensure our future on the world stage.

My wife shared with me essay that was written by an unknown author titled. “Common Sense” and this is what the author stated: "My parents told me about Mr. Common Sense early in my life and told me I would do well to call on him when making decisions. It seems he was always around in my early years but less and less as time passed by until today I read his obituary. Please join me in a moment of silence in remembrance. For Common Sense had served us all so well for so many generations."

Obituary

Common Sense

"Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape."

"He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as knowing when to come in out of the rain, why the early bird gets the worm, life isn't always fair, and maybe it was my fault."

"Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don't spend more than you earn) and reliable parenting strategies (adults, not children are in charge)."

"His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place. Reports of a six-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a class mate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition."

"Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job they themselves failed to do in disciplining their unruly children. It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer Aspirin, sun lotion or a sticky plaster to a student; but could not inform the parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion."

"Common Sense lost the will to live as the Ten Commandments became contraband; churches became businesses; and criminals received better treatment than their victims."

"Common Sense took a beating when you couldn't defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and the burglar can sue you for assault."

"Common Sense finally gave up the will to live, after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little in her lap, and was promptly awarded a huge settlement."

"Common Sense was preceded in death by his parents, Truth and Trust; his wife, Discretion; his daughter, Responsibility; and his son, Reason. He is survived by three stepbrothers; I Know My Rights, Someone Else is to Blame, and I'm a Victim."

"Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone. If you still remember him pass this on. If not, join the majority and do nothing."

The U.S. students are low performing academically across the board in every subject and no one seems to have a solution to this problem. I do not think U.S. students have an inherently low I.Q.s when it comes to learning relative to students from China, India, Japan, Korea, etc. But these nations’ children are out performing U.S. students in all areas and are soaring educationally in the academic disciplines that matters the most—the sciences. What will be the long term effect of this social and educational apathy?

The Asian nations are scoring leaps and bounds above us in this area; do we continue the course or do we begin to make changes perhaps starting with our early childhood development theories and our initial introduction to learning techniques? My argument would be very simple; it would not be totally based on discarding Lev Vygotsky (1896-1934), Marie Montessori (1870-1952), Jean Piaget, Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778), Jean Henri Pestalozzi (1745-1827). I just do not think these past great educational philosophers had the foresight to look that deep into the future and create social theories that could stand without the need of any new assessments and evaluations which to make them relevant to where we are in this space and time.

However, I just do not think the present day political, economic and social stages can be overlooked; thus, because many of these educational philosophers wrote and developed some of these theories over 300 years ago and could not have taking into account the modern day student and environment. I believe there must be an American educational reformation that is both socially and politically relevant and pragmatic; may be we should start as this writer stated above by studying the Asians (Japan, China, and India) models to see what they are doing different from us in the United States and begin to incorporate those principles into our curriculums of learning.

No doubt will the United States overt neglect cost our nation huge social, political and economic dividends in the future relative to the success and/or failure of our nation to continue being a one world superpower. The U.S has made a tremendous investment in war and this seems to be more of a national priority than American education. This alone stands as hypocrisy for President Obama—our government in which the bill is being footed by the American taxpayers which to finance two unjust wars in Iraq and Afghanistan where trillions of our hard earned dollars are being spent in the area of national defense and national security.

But education is viewed by our politicians has being less important. They all talking a good game when it comes to education, but they do not put their or better yet our money next to their mouths; what is more important than to render real stability of our children’s future. Yet, U.S. children are reading, writing and counting below grade levels and we continue to waste away value resources.

I live in the state of North Carolina and where I live it is considered part of the old southern Bible belt (I have always had problems with that Bible ever since them damn missionaries brought it to Africa). The conservative Bible toting Christians fought for many years against North Carolina acquiring the state lottery. North Carolina lawmakers eventually convinced the citizens of North Carolina that the lottery would be beneficiary to education and taxpayers—offsetting public education cost and expenditures. This even to me sounded like a win-win proposal. However, North Carolina public instruction still remains in shambles and out of 50 U.S. states it still ranked in the bottom half of nationwide educational performance. The NC taxpayers are still burden with high taxes and there is no evidence that the lottery is doing anything in support of public instruction.

The time requires and demands that we become more innovative and possessing a willingness to step outside the box to resolve the issues that confronts American education. Our future is in danger and it will not just be based on those who will acquire more military might, but it will be based on how prepared the next generation is to assume the reins of leadership. The question will be rooted in the quality of education that our children are acquiring today, which will dictate how we measure up the Asian and Western European nations tomorrow. It is imperative that we take proactive procedures, even if it means debunking past educational theories and methodologies for more practical theories based on where we are in time and space. Education in 21st Century and beyond has to be aggressively global.

Fahim A. Knight-EL Chief Researcher for KEEPING IT REAL THINK TANK located in Durham, NC; our mission is to inform African Americans and all people of goodwill, of the pending dangers that lie ahead; as well as decode the symbolisms and reinterpreted the hidden meanings behind those who operate as invisible forces, but covertly rules the world. We are of the belief that an enlightened world will be better prepared to throw off the shackles of ignorance and not be willing participants for the slaughter. Our MOTTO is speaking truth to power. Fahim A. Knight-EL can be reached at fahimknight@yahoo.com.

Stay Awake Until We Meet Again,
Fahim A. Knight-EL

THE GREAT DEBATE: RELIGION VERSUS RATIONAL THINKING

THE GREAT DEBATE: RELIGION VERSUS RATIONAL THINKING

By Fahim A. Knight-EL

This writer had written an article entitled: Religion versus Cult: And Our Quest For Truth” that I web published on October 1, 2008. I knew from the outset that anytime you write or talk about religion, it is often a hypersensitive and emotional topic of discussion, in particular if you are attempting to give a critical assessment and evaluation. Thus, I have enjoyed engaging varying minds in an intellectual discussion relative to religion over some weeks and of course Logic and Rational thinking always win out. Religion is based on an emotional driven social science and it does not stand up under the rigors of intellectual and empirical proof and scrutiny. This has been a very good exchange between myself and others on the David Icke website and perhaps may be we all made some baby steps a long the way, but religion can always be a very sensitive discussion. I am always willing to succumb to any superior and/or logical reasoning and I do not want to come across of not being tolerable of others ideas and positions, but I know in any dialog it should always be based on a give and take exchange.

I am perhaps guilty at times of boring my audiences with lengthy citations and wordy content; however, I have always tried to present alternative viewpoints and to at least give the readers something else to think about, but in the truest sense what is more credible than citing your own personal experiences and expressing your opinions relative to a topic. Moreover, which is just as valuable as the next person giving theirs, surely after these many years, I have embraced a worldview as a primary objective witness to life, as opposed to relaying what others may have uttered on this said topic. I took an entirely different approach in constructing and writing this article, I very seldom write in the first person tense and my professor and mentor Dr. Earl Thorpe is probably turning over in his grave.

I do enjoy reading Blogs and articles where people cite their own personal testimonies, which to me these type writing styles exemplify the highest form of artistic writing; when a writer can convey personal experiences in a narrative form, it speaks volumes of their skill level and the comfort level that they have with their intellect and experiences having the ability to standup under scrutiny and at the same time offering something to the scope of literary science. This is a literary art style that I truly envy because I have never been able to adopt it as my own, but I appreciate those that have the intellectual ability to do so. I was trained by a historian named Dr. Earlie Thorpe who is now decease, but historians write like private investigators; the most important thing to them is documentation and verification and making every attempt to be empirical in their research findings.

Religion is such a sensitive topic that it is often difficult to have a rational conversation relative to religion with those that adhere to organized religion. The original article came about due to some deep introspective and reflections that I was having about my own personal spiritual journey. I had taking a few philosophy courses in college some years ago and one of the courses was titled philosophy of religion taught by a professor named Dr. Clack, it reshaped my worldview.

I must admit as a young student, I enjoyed watching Dr. Clack’s analytical mind at work critically evaluating schools of thought that had not been fully tried and tested. So, I never told Dr. Clack, I really admired this man for his intellectual daring approach to take on "hot topics." But what I found to be most attractive, was his willingness to discuss topics that were considered off limits and he was not fearful of disagreeing with the popular view and tradition. I truly walked away from his class as a Free Thinker and over the years this position has gotten me in trouble. This experience led me to seek a deeper understanding of my own spirituality and I debunk organized religion in the formal sense years ago—Thus, I am tolerant of those that have chosen organized religion as their path.

Let me digress a bit and discuss what is differential between religion and spirituality. Spirituality doe not answer to set of agreed dogmas or does not need hierarchy clerics to determine their relationship as a microcosm entity or being, but fully understand their relevance to the macrocosm. This is purely internal development and has very little to do with the external. Spirituality can not be viewed from a corrupt perspective of Western lens.

HERE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT IS ACCEPT AS SPIRITUALITY

Spirituality encourages people to learn how to think.
Spirituality invites everyone to trust themselves.
Spirituality is led on guidance from within.
Spirituality teaches people to question everything.
Spirituality is guided by the spirit of the human heart.
Spirituality combines head and heart to form a conscious connection to The Source of All That Is.
Spirituality welcomes challenges -- Challenges are food for growth and to tools with which to become stronger.
Spirituality teaches that heaven is a state of being.
Spirituality is reborn moment-by-moment right-here right-now. It is born out of one's own knowing that every person is a divine being having a human experience.
Spirituality is all inclusive and teaches that every religion is its own pathway to God.
Spirituality acknowledges that trying to stick God into a single religion is like trying to fit the universe into a shoe box.
Spirituality teaches that humans are divine beings experiencing an earth-life in a human body.
Spirituality teaches that personal behavior is a function of knowing in one's own heart what’s right and wrong and then following that inner guidance.
Spirituality teaches that the mind must be brought into play--that there is no one else to blame for whatever is dysfunctional in the outside world or in one's own personal life.
Spirituality acknowledges that every human being has his or her own direct connection to God by way of the God-Self within. (See Matthew 6:5-6 and Luke 17:21.
Spirituality has only one weapon, the truth.

Spirituality is far beyond what many religious people can conceive. Thus, you can not adequately fit spirituality into one’s religious worldview, it just might not fit. However, one can be religious and spiritual, but also one can be spiritual without being religious (this dictum or axiom is often mindboggling to does that practice organized religion). The above represents some of the principles that I acknowledge relative to the concept of spirituality, it is in no way limited to this list nor does this list presents an exhaustive definition of spirituality. These are not my words but this is what I adhere to which differs in many ways from the western concept of religion.

I hope this explanation gives my readers some clarity, relative to how I see and view spirituality.
I had not realized the kind of impact that Dr. Clack’s intellectualism had on me and as I stated in the initial article it led me to become a Free thinker, It would be Dr. Clack's rational thinking approach to God and religion that led me to delve deeper into the realm of critical thinking, and eventually evolved into one who did not mind challenging ideas. Thus, as one grows and develops intellectually, it becomes difficult to allow any conscious and/or subconscious restraints to be placed on your mental capacity to think and explore ideals and concepts. There would be no topic or subject that would be considered off limits—this included religion.

I left organized religion along time ago, but it was once a big part of my personal
experience and development and perhaps may be in some of my prior written articles those experiences come across in my thinking, as well as in some of the philosophical ideas being expressed. Life is about traveled paths and religion led me to spirituality, but I truly know that I would have come to that conclusion without religion. I became very uncomfortable with my personal faith tradition; based on the fact that you could not question the tenets or the theology (but deep down inside, I was always a rational thinker before I even met Dr. Clack; my thinking formalized itself a little better upon meeting Dr. Clack) this frustrated me because it prohibited me from having an outlet to debate, explore and weigh evidence and theories in order to satisfy my own inquisitiveness.

My wife is religious, but I must say she is truly my alter ego, because even in religion there are some principles that are irrefutable. I became exposed to logical and rational thinking and this process forced me to raise certain questions because I was searching for rational and logical answers not fairly tales, magic and superstitious concepts. Organized religion is not comfortable with analytical reasoning and I could have accepted a long time ago the cleric just telling me he just did not have the answers to certain questions, as opposed to telling me boogieman stories because I dared to question that which did not add up to being rational.

I am of the further opinion, that there is no defense for religion; it is all concocted magic designed to make people feel good and rob them blind. Religion is one of the biggest con and hoax that has ever been played on humanity. Somebody has a God complex. Let me give you an example, if you look at most global conflicts that are taking place around the world today, you will often find at the basis of these conflicts, is religion (which is systematically used by the Invisible Rulers to keep humanity divided and mentally and really physically enslaved). They use these so-called "Holy Books" as control mechanisms and slavish drive us in various political, economic and social directions. Many that were debating me had weak analytical arguments and were trying to hold on to the tradition of magic and superstitious beliefs—called religion. But in reality had no credible rational defense other than stating to me that “people have the right to practice their feel good faith tradition.” This point is valid, at least from the vanish point of us living inside the United States of America. Yes, I side more with rational theories and science (logic) and I am not willing to allow myself to be duped by the clerics of "tricknology".

What was there before organized religion and before these holy books arrived? Religion in my opinion was a mere concoction invented by man and therefore, the so-called perfection story (the creation and man's attempt to explain his reality) and absolute started out flawed. You can not place something as flawed as religion into a mathematical equation. The physics and math will only show that it’s even more flawed because of the root of its intellectual premises, if we can call it that. Science starts out from the premises of looking to solve the X factor that which is unknown and then it takes you through stringent processes of analyzing data—being tried and tested in order to ascertain a definitive value for X. Thus, this process of assessing and evaluating principles are forever evolving; the science keeps on validating itself. Religion just does not standup to the scientific method and logic is the antithesis to such unproven theories called religion (faith).

I have studied practically all world religions (and their theology) and have walked different paths in my life and those paths (and my acquired experiences) have brought me to this space and time where I am right now, as I write this article. Whatever one considers to be working for them that is their prerogative and however, one determines the benefits or non-benefits of their association with organized or non-organized belief structure, it is better for them to define their religious reality than for me to unfairly render a blanket conclusion about the concept of faith tradition. I have a problem with it all, because I feel for humanity and how these concepts of god and religion keeps us divided and foster human conflict, but this is being done systematically, often unknowing to the innocent one’s who practice organized religion.

I am of the belief that to have a serious conversation about religion, it can not start from the premise of emotionalism because to start from that premise will only compromise the possibility of objectivity. I had no other motive for writing this article other than looking to engage people in an honest and open debate about religion—not to criticize religion, although I am of the opinion that religion is not above critique. My critique is meant to evoke greater understanding, but not to be overly judgmental of people who find it necessary to embrace organized religion.

I know it is difficult for some to depart from tradition, but just look at man's inhumanity to man that is done in the name of God and religion. For example, Constantine and Church in 325 A.D. concocted the Christian creed (they built Christianity on lies and religious deception). Why do not the religious zealots begin a campaign to right (write) the religious historical wrongs? Plain and simple, give the people the truth, Isa Ben Yosef (Jesus the son of Joseph) did not teach the lies that is attributed to his ministry. Let’s start right there.

The paths we all choose depends upon one's understanding of reality—some will embrace the human struggle others will betray the human struggle, it has nothing to do with the criticism and mischaracterization of one’s educational level and assuming the higher level somehow this makes them more susceptible to become reactionary. The enemy has co-opted all types of people, some are part of academia and others are not. I do not have a problem with the pursuit of learning be it formal or be it outside the conventional four wall classroom settings that we in the Western World associate with learning. The question should be, what side are you on.

I think formalize education has its place; it dependents upon one's worldview whether or not they become part of the problem or part of the solution. Thus, I have met some highly trained people who were intellectually insane and I have met some laypersons who had not attained any academic letters, but I would consider them highly educated. I do not think its fair to pigeon hole somebody because of training and/or there lack of. We are at war for the hearts and minds of humanity and I am sorry, I just see organized religion as being an antagonistic contradiction in human development.

Thus, for daring to write about topics dealing with religion, I have been called atheist, agnostic, evil, devil, Satan, Benedict Arnold, etc., and various other derogatory names by people who profess to be believers. I am neither. I have a deep respect and appreciation for that which gives me a rational explanation about creation, the universe, human existence, and the system of universal laws that governs our existences.

This article came about due my involvement as a member of David Icke’s website where I posted the original article titled, “Religion versus Cult and Our Quest For Truth”. I had read or better yet studied Icke's book titled, "The Biggest Secret" and I found him to be an outside the box thinker and one of the few scholars that was willing to challenge conventional thinking. But I was starting to wonder that those who opposed me on the David Icke forum, perhaps had not really read or been listening to Icke (this was his official website) about his views on religious subliminal seduction (religion is some real mind control) which some of them were trying to defend; he meaning Icke, does a much better job of dismantling this magic than I.

I found most of his information credible and welled researched. Icke tackled subjects ranging from such topics as Freemasonry, New Age, Conspiracy, Paranormal topics, Reptilian, International Banking and Finance, religion, the Dynastic Family Cabal, New World Order, Illuminati, etc.

Thus, my article “Religion versus Cult and Our Quest For Truth” as I have stated above when I posted the article, it was immediately met with some opposition from members of the David Icke’s website, but most of those who opposed my views did it out of sheer emotionalism and many of their arguments were void of the practicality of rationalism. I took all of their comments and arguments and in my opinion deconstructed their arguments because they were arguing from the basis of "faith" and "belief."

But there was one gentlemen who went by the Internet handle of Mephibosheth, I suspect this was not his real name, but I found him and his argument interesting. Thus, unlike many of the others on the David Icke website who ventured into this debate this gentlemen Mr. Mephibosheth appeared to be a little more philosophical and he definitely was better read in philosophical theories than his constituents on the site. I suspected that he has had some formal training and education in the field of philosophy and he appeared very comfortable in opposing my theories.

I do not think even him or myself cared much for organized religion, but I believe he took the opposite position of me for the sake of debating the antithesis and perhaps both of us viewed this argument and debate more as a mental exercise in the area of ideas; more so than either of us holding onto immovable theoretical convictions. He was a formidable debater and he and I for a few days debated religion back and forth. I would like to share a portion of that debate with my readers because the argument that we were having in my opinion was much bigger than us.

There are perhaps many more beyond those who will access my Blog and David Icke’s website who could benefit from this discussion. So I have decided to expand this conversation to other audiences and forums beyond just the David Icke’s website.

Those who access this article via Internet have my permission to repost my article on your Blog pages and websites, if you find this conversation to be a necessary discussion as well as take this discussion to your preacher, priest, Imam, minister, Rabbi, elder and discuss it with them. I personally think this conversation is a much needed one, as humanity continues to make theological, religious, spiritual, social, political, and economic transitions.

We no longer can allow ignorance, emotionalism, fear, and unfound dogmas to continue to guide humanity's thinking because the results of this is evident by humanity's lack of spiritual development and it has adversely affected the state of humanity to live in peace and harmony with ourselves and the planet. However, I do think there are good people who practice organized religion and have benefitted from the principles and tenets and have used the various faith traditions and texts to personally better themselves, family and the community. Nevertheless, stated below is the discussion and debate between Mephibosheth and myself:

Mephibosheth stated: by logic. You realize, of course, that this is hopelessly circular, and by necessity.

Fahim A. Knight-EL: No. my man, rational thinking gives way to logical outcomes that are not hopeless; it connects the dots and gives us a reasonable probability and it is not based in unproven spook and mystery God teachings. Question: That you are avoiding, when are you going to produce that mystery God? Yes. I know it's "faith" and this is a reality that is personal? I deal in reality that can be counted and measured. Is this God physical or is it spirit being. Please give us the evidence. I am interested in verifying his/her existence; is it animated or inanimate object?

Mephibosheth stated: If such a God exists, it must be experiencable. If God can't be experienced, then God isn't real.

Fahim A. Knight-EL: Now! this is a good example, of spook teaching. What is the experience you are pertaining to? How do you know that experience is related to "God" but through deductive reason this relegates it-self down to faith (unproven inferences). This is magic at is best.

Mephibosheth stated:" I haven't experienced God personally, so I can't provide witness testimony for you. But I could lead you down the path to where one might attain such an experience. Basically, its the same path all the mystics take."

Fahim A. Knight-EL: This is one of the best rational points that you have made: "I haven't experienced God personally, so I can't provide witness testimony for you." I do accept this as a truth, but you can not lead me to no path where someone could produce that mystery God and verify his existence (this thought or theory only takes us back to "faith" the evidence of things unseen). I put no reliable credence in such non-rational and antagonistic theory." Do you know anyone that can provide via observation a testimony (primary source). I do not mean no damn so-called "Holy" book account of this mystery God?

Mephibosheth stated: "The greatest message from religion is one of self-empowerment. Jesus teaches this, Buddha teaches this, in their own way. That is, they encourage individuals to seek the truth and see reality as it really is, fully and clearly. And this is to see reality beyond words and symbols, concepts, and dualities. But this is difficult for someone to understand if they are stuck clinging to duality and polarity, stuck clinging to the construct of self and the narrative web of meaning built up by language, which does naught but separate us from the immediate and immanent facticity of our being."

Fahim A. Knight-EL: Please produce the evidence that the man called Jesus and other Sages ever walk this earth. I got it; you going to refer me to the Bible, a book that was written years after the so-called man (Jesus) was dead. I contend the man never existed. They gave us 66 books (to control the ignorant) and took out those books that truly would have empowered humanity. Why would these "divinely" inspired men do this?

Mephibosheth stated: "Yes, really."

Fahim A. Knight-EL: You have no defense for religion; you are only perhaps pulling from Wikipedia or some other spam site trying to pose and intellectual argument; the stuff that you are posing; you need to at least give credit and citation to source because I have seen this non-senses somewhere else; I just can not put my finger on it. You know it is illegal and against the law to plagiarize someone's intellectual property and not give the source proper credit. Yes, I have seen this somewhere just can not put my finger on it. My man, it is a nice cut and past job. Logic is independent of all the variables you cited and you can not equate something as emotional as religion and assess and evaluate these unproven theories and come up with an empirical and rational fact (truth). Yes, man and woman functioned and reasoned (determined right and wrong) understood the laws of relativity, understood the universal laws of cause and effect, etc., long before these so-called holy books corrupted and tried to redefine the natural order of things. My thoughts are original and I am not stealing other people's work to make my case (your last two responses was someone else’s work). You can not even talk about science and religion in the same breath (they are diametrically opposed) to each other. Logic and rational thought is not based on some unproven concoctions. You can not prove that mystery god exist. Somebody wrote these contradictory fairy tales and called it "divine" scriptures. They told us it was "inspired word" of God. Really!

Mephibosheth stated: you said, and I quote "you are only perhaps pulling from Wikipedia or some other spam site". I asked, 'where's the evidence'? I want to know what's your evidence that I am 'pulling from Wikipedia or some other spam site'? Now, for such a highly rational mind such as yours, this should pose no problem whatsoever, right?

Fahim A. Knight-EL: I accept your clarity and your point is valid.

Mephibosheth stated: "Besides which, your statement above is laughable. If there was no conjecture in science, no one would get anything done."

Fahim A. Knight-EL: Science is in the business of testing out; and conjecture is taking through the rigor process of ascertaining what is a highly probability (empirical processes). It seeks empirical conclusions and it has an openness to embrace better science, as we improve on theories and validates new tried and tested data.

Mephibosheth stated: "Meanwhile, your statement that religion is filled with "unscientific theories that stands outside the realm of logic" is utterly nonsensical. Again, this just goes to show that you don't know what logic is, or that you are using the term incorrectly. A religious system, as a system of values, as a system of politics, as a system of metaphysics, can be perfectly logical so long as it is internally coherent and consistent."

Fahim A. Knight-EL: Religion: Give me a rational formula that we can measure this theory; so we perhaps can come up with a logical base conclusion. Do not give me X=bible + N=God x R=Truth. This is pure non-senses and I believe deep down inside you know that I am right. You have given me enough (in your argument) to know that you have many questions about this snake oil practice. I think you are in this discussion for the mental exercise and nothing else."

Mephibosheth stated: "Again, where's the evidence that this is true?"

Fahim A. Knight-EL: The evidence is this: There is no Mystery God, he does not exist or unless you can prove me wrong.Mephibosheth stated: "This may surprise and shock you, my friend, but I didn't crack a single book nor surf a single website to post replies to this thread. As I said, nothing I wrote here is 'cut and pasted', despite whatever delusions you have about it."

Fahim A. Knight-EL: You have stated this earlier; I am just not convinced; no I am not working from a position of being delusionary. I do not know if you are using that as a noun, verb or adjective (I did fail English in school; for me it is the slave master’s language). Religion makes people mentally unstable and delusionary perhaps you were a bit confused about the characterization relative to practicing and pursuing rational out comes.

Mephibosheth stated: "Why indeed. Amusement only, I reckon. I merely waded in to make some remarks trying to set folk straight on what logic is and what it isnt--which is clearly necessary given some responses in this thread. Who says I practice 'magic'? Lol, what a comedian!!"

Fahim A. Knight-EL: Sorry! You are doing a poor job and you have left the religious sheep without a rational and logical defense. Mr. religious Savior; your arguments have lacked clarity and no magic believer can talk to me about the definitions of logic and rationality. Religion is irrational.

Mephibosheth stated: "I can say the same about your posts."

Fahim A. Knight-EL: Really! You can say that, but what I am talking about has processes that can be counted and measured. Not "SPOOKISM".

Mephibosheth stated: "Since you can't provide any evidence that my writing is plagarized, I'll kindly thank you to stop slandering my good name."

Fahim A. Knight-EL: I would like to respect your good name. I accept your clarity and position. I agree it is not ethical to slander a person, but I must say in my defense that was not my intention. But I accept how you feel about me making those statements.

Mephibosheth stated: "And you, meanwhile, are consistenly conflating logic and the empirical method. A science is any application of logic to a domain of discourse. That is, logic, as a tool of organising information, is applied to a field of study in order to organise the information known therein, and try to sort out the relations in a way that allow for a more effective and efficient analysis--and I stress analysis--of that information."

Fahim A. Knight-EL: How is this relative to religion? and can we use this process to derive at certain conclusions and can we discount certain theories based on the availability of the evidence or the lack of?

Mephibosheth stated: A science is first of all a logical discpline (sp.) An empirical science is a logical displine bounded by specific constraints, eg, that all the results of analysis must conform to some interpretation of empirical facts (which are, ultimately, only narratives dictated by some semiotic agent). This further constraint is what allows a science to move from being merely analytical to being interpretative, predictive, and connected to (what we suppose is) a common standard (ie, 'the world'). It allows science to become practical, and not merely formal. But both the formal and practical are still necessary components.

Fahim A. Knight-EL: No, doubt I will take my chances with "semiotic agent" over some cleric and using a so-called "holy" book trying to validate the story of creation from the book of Genesis. Science and rational theories gives us a lot more definitiveness about our earth and universe and man’s creation; than some contradictory fairy tale written in what the Honorable Elijah Muhammad called the poison book ("Holy" Bible).

Mephibosheth stated: "I don't think any sane person could read my posts and reasonably accuse me of being too 'emotional', LOL. But it takes all kinds."

Fahim A. Knight-EL: To make any defense on behalf of religion has to be emotional. Thus, even you stated: “I haven't experienced God personally, so I can't provide witness testimony for you.” This is a truth and the basis of my contentions and if you are still arguing. Yes. Sir at that point it is an emotional argument that you are making and it is outside of what is rational. Or unless at this point it is EGO.

Mephibosheth stated: "Rational thinkers produce run-on sentences. Must be 'thinking outside the box' eh?"

Fahim A. Knight-EL: Now! When one speaks three and four different languages and English might not be their first language. You need to be careful about making such an arrogant statement; this is an atypical Eurocentric perspective. No, just browse through your post (meaning this one and count the mis-spelled words you have made). Thus, ordinarily when a blogger began to make those types of statements they have nothing else to say. We are debating theories not language grammar. I am not trying to impress you in subject—verb agreement. But I do have a command of the English language when I choose. Now! Personally I do not think your misspelled words and poor sentence structures reflect your intelligence and I know if we both were engaged in a more formalized writing exercise those errors would be corrected. Lets not go there.

Mephibosheth stated: "Why don't you go and ask a scientist if anything--ever--has been 'proven', ie, certain, or whether the results of empirical investigation only yield a measure of probability. And here we come back to my first comment regarding Hume and causality. The scientific results you're talking about are a house of cards, waiting to be overturned by some future super-genius with a better idea."

Fahim A. Knight-EL: You are repeating the same argument. Will not dignify any more.

Mephibosheth stated: "When have I claimed a mystery God?"

Fahim A. Knight-EL: So are you in agreement with me, that the mystery God does not exist? Let me hear it from you straight and plain and at least we might get over that hurdle and do not have keep revisiting that point.

Mephibosheth stated: "Some let me get this straight. You're content to provide merely 'logical assessment' on the validity of religion, but insist that religion itself be empirically testable? You've got nothing but speculation. I'd love for you to prove this, empirically:"

Fahim A. Knight-EL: Simple are you saying that the holy books are divinely inspired (or did ordinary men write these books). Thus, the writers of Bible had no connection to God and there is not one shred of rational evidence to say that they did. If religion is partially validated based on theological books (interpretation) and we no right off the back this is flawed reasoning (I can not call that reasoning). This disproves it-self; I do not have to spend time on trying to disprove something that is outside the realm of a rational explanation. You admitted that "I haven't experienced God personally, so I can't provide witness testimony for you" I am completely satisfied with your response. Nothing else need to added.

Fahim A. Knight-EL: "man and woman functioned and reasoned (determined right and wrong) understood the laws of relativity, understood the universal laws of cause and effect, etc., long before these so-called holy books corrupted and tried to redefine the natural order of things."

Fahim A. Knight-EL: I stand by that point.

Mephibosheth stated: "No, its a request, which only goes to show your poor comprehension skills. You said, and I quote: "your last two responses was someone else’s work", and I said "Please provide evidence that this is the case." I'm waiting."

Fahim A. Knight-EL: Please go up a few paragraphs above; I answered the allegation and gave you the consideration that you were requesting.

Mephibosheth stated: "This is not true of all religion nor all religious thinking. Most religions are based on human experience, just as any scientific observation is. The difference is in how that experience is interpreted. And that depends on the worldview or paradigm one adopts to do the interpreting. Reality itself doesn't hand us 'the correct' paradigm. You ought to remember that we are just making it up as we go along, and fitting things together the best we can, because that's all we can do."

Fahim A. Knight-EL: Really! Most people I know gather those experiences from religious fairy tales called scripture and from clerics. Please explain to us what is a religious experience and how does that differs from a super natural experience? Bit curious. Sir. your above remarks is a perfect example of an emotional outlook and worldview.

Mephibosheth stated: "Meanwhile, you fail to recognize the fact that logic is not empirical, and hence, that all your empirical sciences are grounded in something that is non-empirical."

Fahim A. Knight-EL: The results of logic is empirical (can be counted and measured) and that is good enough for me and millions of others.

Mephibosheth stated: "Sort of like how you work in the realm of opinion, telling me that my writing is plagiarism."

Fahim A. Knight-EL: We have clarified that point. No need to revisit.

Mephibosheth stated: "LOL, what do you think, that scientists are some kind of robots or Vulcans? How ludicrous. We're all human beings, and we all construct opinions, and these lead us from one bit of narrative to the next. If scientists never had an opinion, very little innovation would ever happen."

Fahim A. Knight-EL: No, you are being a bit loose and condescending. Science use the human extraction (we are not oblivious to human shortcomings) this is why we do everything possible to let the results of data validates what is rational and from that we draw a logical conclusion and not the other way around. Science does not deal in "SPOOKISM" we deal in what can be proven.

Mephibosheth stated: "Well here's a few sources off the top of my head: Kant, Leibniz, Locke, Hegel, Hume, Berkeley, Cassirer, Hartman, Frege, Sartre, Husserl, Haack, Aristotle, Gardernfors, Priest, Suzuki, Buddha, Chinese ch'an masters (zen stories), and a couple of university degrees."

Fahim A. Knight-EL: Well respected intellectuals; I too admire and appreciate many of their philosophical works and the contribution they made to field of rational thinking.

Mephibosheth stated: You said. and I quote: "I have taken on the best intellectual minds and Logic and Rational thinking always win out." Which seems to imply that the either the 'best intellectual minds' are irrational, or that you, in particular, possess highly superior rationality to defeat the best intellectual minds. Surely, it's not hard to see how this might be construed as a form of bragging.

Fahim A. Knight-EL: Stand by the statement.

Mephibosheth stated: "Well, I personally am 'against' 'organised religion' if by that we mean a form of politics that enforces a value-paradigm on people. But I don't think it's useful to take a simplistic view of religion either. Religion is multifaceted. It's a politics, it's a metaphysics, it's an ethics. It has many dimensions. Indeed, Islam is instructive here, as it prescribes an entire lifestyle down to the smallest detail. Let's not forget the fact that religion in one form or another has permeated human reality since before the dawn of time. There is no point in known history that you can point to and say 'human beings weren't religious'."

Fahim A. Knight-EL: You are against organized religion. I am glad to hear you make that point and may be you will join us FREE THINKERS and began to advocate a rational approach to answering the six basic questions: Who, What, Where, When, How and Why. And not continue to dupe these people with this simple defense that you are trying to put up for religion. There is no rational defense that you can put up for religion.

Mephibosheth stated: "Meanwhile, what have secular systems gotten us? Communism, nihilism, atomic bombs, sexual degradation, moral corruption. So take a good hard look at the fruits of human nature, expressed in both the spiritual and secular domains. There's more of an argument for humans to reject science and technology because of the dangers it haphazardly throws upon the world than for humans to reject religion and spirituality that try to formulate a moral imperative to improve the quality of human life."

Fahim A. Knight-EL: Religion is more lethal than science because the damage it does mentally (this is the worst sought of lynching) to humanity. Many of my fellow human beings are intoxicated off this sedative and will commit all types of atrocities in its name. For example, murder, create mayhem, and behind every conflict on globe today; you will find religion lurking not to far behind. Yes, them damn missionaries are dangerous. The collapse of the social orders that you mentioned had more to do with the Invisible Rulers than some imperfection in the systems it-self. Yes. Someone has the power to induce human conflict and I do not mean God. True; technology has its shortcomings, but you and I perhaps would not be having this conversation if it was not for the benefit of science. I am not for scientific and intellectual stagnation (I see science as a good and important necessity in our human evolution). Now! I am saying that I am for responsible science that takes into account what is ethical and value the lives of humanity.

Mephibosheth stated: "Come come now, you know that Shakespeare was a front for Francis Bacon."

Fahim A. Knight-EL: Perhaps you think Sir Frances Bacon was divinely inspired. My point is King James (was a slave making pervert) and he authorized the Bible--King James Version and you expect me to see this flawed book as some sought of divine theological treatise. Please! I prefer a good novel

Mephibosheth stated: "No, its better if you hear it from the actual Muslims on this forum. Go have a peruse of the 'Islam--Ask you Questions' thread."

Fahim A. Knight-EL: Send them my way, I will gladly entertain their foolishness too.

Fahim A. Knight-EL: There is nothing you have given that deserves to be challenged. Your defense for religion is emotional, but you make a good attempt to disguise this magic and superstitious snake oil practice in intellectual terms. Religion has very little empirical properties and logic moves us away from thought processes that can not be validated. Please produce that mystery God and give us some defensiveness that he exist; other than in your illogical imagination. This one of the greatest con games they have played on humanity. Philosophy allows us to think outside the box. Tell me more about this mystery God that does not exist.

Mephibosheth stated: "Unfortunately, it's clear to me that you have no idea what logic is or how it works, otherwise you might be more careful when throwing the term around so casually, especially when there are philosophers about".

Fahim A. Knight-EL: Really!

Mephibosheth stated: "Where’s the evidence? Please demonstrate that this is anything BUT a baseless conjecture".

Fahim A. Knight-EL: Science and Rational thinking do not believe in nor accept conjecture, we prefer what can be counted and measured. Now! Religion is full of conjecture (along with unscientific theories that stands outside the realm of logic). Perhaps you a have rational equation for what translate as faith and belief. (I got a grandmother would called it the unexplainable) lol.

Mephibosheth stated: "And is it also illegal to slander people".

Fahim A. Knight-EL: Thus, perhaps I should have said it is unethical to use or paraphrase someone else work and not give them a citation. You pulled a lot of things that I have seen in the past and you are parroting other's work.

Mephibosheth stated: "This proves that you have no idea what I'm talking about, or what you're talking about. You are the one posing as an intellectual here, but there's no substance behind your words."

Fahim A. Knight-EL: This is a relative comment; coming from a person who practice magic. Why are you debating a person with no substance; thus, irrational statement and self fulfilling motive?

Mephibosheth stated: "Nothing from any of my posts here has been 'cut and pasted'. Everything I wrote was off the top of my head, from the tips of my fingers. I challenge you to prove otherwise".

Fahim A. Knight-EL: Really! I am not convinced; not that I am doubting your ability to think, but your argument has been repeated by many and the wording sounds often familiar.

Mephibosheth stated: "My influences in philosophy are broad, but its been years since I earnestly studied it. Although that in no way invalidates the content of my posts."

Fahim A. Knight-EL: Philosophers are rational thinkers who uses logic (correlated) as an external variable to produce an empirical fact; you are much to emotional and to caught up in theories that can not stand-up to the scientific method of being tried and tested; yielding a rational and logical conclusionMephibosheth stated: "Truth is a semantic relation, friend. It is entirely relative to context. The empirical world must first be interpreted before it can be communicated via symbols (representing concepts). Words don't really convey 'facts'; only a direct and immediate apprehension of the phenomenal manifold gives access to the facticity of being, such as it is."

Fahim A. Knight-EL: No, truth has been ascertained by the rigors of being proven based on being tested and giving proof to verify and it leaves little to no doubt that this hypotheses is reliable enough to determine it as a fact (can be counted and measured).

Mephibosheth stated: "More conjecture. Where's the evidence that this is 'true'? Please demonstrate".

Fahim A. Knight-EL: I have provided you with a rational and logical assessment. You have no defense for religion. When are you going to produce that mystery God?

Mephibosheth stated: "Please provide evidence that this is the case. I guarantee you are mistaken, which only makes you look foolish."

Fahim A. Knight-EL: This is an insult statement will not dignify.Mephibosheth stated: "You repeating this line again and again doesn't make it a 'fact' or a 'truth'". Fahim A. Knight-EL: Redounded teaching is a good method to get a student like yourself to retain the lesson.

Mephibosheth stated: "I can conceive of a way that a religious system can be a coherent rational system, which puts it on par with other domains of discourse. Its a simplification to say that they are 'diametrically opposed', especially when we consider that they aim at the same thing--understanding and describing reality. The real difference is the starting premises and axioms uncritically accepted. Religion, often, starts from a different place than empirical science. But empirical science itself is based on logic, which is NOT an empirical science."

Fahim A. Knight-EL: You are way off base, rational system through empirical process reaches the highest level of reliability and works to put forth tried and tested evidences that verify the highest possibility of an outcome. Religion is steeped in faith and determines its worldview to be rooted outside of rational and empirical findings and is not required to be even close to a fact base analysis.

Mephibosheth stated: "Well, that's your OPINION. Obviously, you can't prove that this is a 'fact' or a 'truth' so all you can do is try to convince us that your OPINION is attractive, hence, that we ought to share it. I think its possible that some religious texts are inspired by real mystical experiences. That, like poetry, religion trys to express the unexpressable, and, like science, it attempts to order the world of perceptions into a coherent picture."

Fahim A. Knight-EL: Rational and logic thinkers do no deal in "opinions" we prefer facts and empirical out comes. You see you are confusing the language and the two theories. Religion works in the realm of "opinion" and does not have to be based in a fact reality.

Mephibosheth stated: "Sure it is. I think you are confusing 'plagarism' with the expression of someone who actually LEARNED something from a text book or two and is able to express their own ideas in their own words. Nothing you've said is 'new', so I guess you're just plagarising everything you write."

Fahim A. Knight-EL: Please give us your source and even if you are paraphrasing. I will not snitch you out (lol).

Mephibosheth stated: "Really. I suggest you go back to 'academia' and hang around there for a while's while longer. Your vision is pretty poor."

Fahim A. Knight-EL: No, academia prepared me to think outside the box. I have acquired all that I need from classroom academics. My vision is not tied to emotional and flawed theories.

Mephibosheth stated: "Bragging now eh. OK, I'm beginning to understand your game. You're not a mature intellectal looking for honest debate and discussion. You're an immature demagogue. Dr. Clark would be soo disappointed!! Me, I actually spoke to my professors and challenged them on ideas, and wasn't afraid that they could 'see right through me'. LOL."

Fahim A. Knight-EL: No, not bragging just confident. To brag is a form of arrogance, but to be confident is a form of being self-assured; you can not compare the two.

Mephibosheth stated: "So now religion is a form of social science? Ok, well that's something."

Fahim A. Knight-EL: Better yet it is confused Magic.

Mephibosheth stated: "Somehow, I don't think you have the foggiest idea about what religion does and does not try to 'prove'. Anyway, I never said that a religious system was an empirical system, or that religious ideas were empirically valid, in general."

Fahim A. Knight-EL: I know what religion does; just look around you--past, present and future. It has devastated humanity politically, socially, and economically. They used it as an imperialistic tool to enslave, steal and corrupt. I do not want the God that religion proclaims. Magic, Magic, Magic, Magic!!!!!!! Oh. Lets not forget lies and deceptions.

Mephibosheth stated: "The bible was written by lots of different folk. But there's still lots of question about its validity as a historical document".

Fahim A. Knight-EL: Who King James and Shakespeare. I guess they were divinely inspired. Please!

Mephibosheth stated: "Now the Quraan, OTOH, there's a book that simply had to be written by God."

Fahim A. Knight-EL: I do no think you know what you are saying; your thoughts are unintelligible and your deductive reason is based in pseudo intellectualism with no real point of contention. I do consider myself halfway intelligent, but there was very little that I could discern from your argument that made much sense. You have no logical defense for organized religion: how about this sheer MAGIC AND SUPERSTITION and you can not present any logical argument to prove us Free Thinker wrong. Yes, I base all my positions in the realm of logic and rational thinking, free of "Holy Book" and "clerics". Thus, I do not accept that Mystery God and that Spook teaching that you are trying to intellectualize means absolutely nothing to me. What is your defense for this "SNAKE OIL" belief system? I gave you a 5000 word thesis; you in turn have giving me a weak religious defense that is rooted in outer space. You have no defense for religion, I know that and you know that.

Fahim A. Knight-EL Chief Researcher for KEEPING IT REAL THINK TANK located in Durham, NC; our mission is to inform African Americans and all people of goodwill, of the pending dangers that lie ahead; as well as decode the symbolisms and reinterpreted the hidden meanings behind those who operate as invisible forces, but covertly rules the world. We are of the belief that an enlightened world will be better prepared to throw off the shackles of ignorance and not be willing participants for the slaughter. Our MOTTO is speaking truth to power. Fahim A. Knight-EL can be reached at fahimknight@yahoo.com.Stay Awake Until We Meet Again,

Fahim A. Knight-EL

HISTORY IS BEST QUALIFIED TO REWARD ALL OUR RESEARCH AND STUDY

HISTORY IS BEST QUALIFIED TO REWARD ALL OUR RESEARCH AND STUDY

By Fahim A. Knight-EL

The study of history develops the springs and motives of human actions. History serves, as much more than the study of dates and past events, but as a bridging of generational legacies that is passed on to the next generation for safekeeping and cultural empowerment. The ability of a people to recall their history allows them to experience in some instances, perhaps the un-experienced, but lead us towards the recognition, understanding and acceptance of the importance of past cultures and societies having the need to leave a written record, which not only chronicle prior events, persons and dates. But layout a road map of how these variables of yesterday will come to help shape our present day traditions, values, mores, folkways, customs, etc., perhaps even has the unwritten ability tell us more about ourselves and the future. (Reference: Joel Kotkin; “Tribes: How Race, Religion and Identity Determine Success in the New Global Economy”).

Some cultures accomplish the same objective by relying on Griots who are responsible for memorizing huge amounts of historical data and in the form of oral traditions; serving as the village historian who has the esteemed honor of passing down valuable lessons of historical evidence to its people, which they may pass down to next generation. Every people have a history, culture and heritage and all people find it important to tell their story and make every effort to remind its people and world of the relevance of their past. To recall past accomplishment and failures, is to sought of set the tone for each proceeding generation to follow. Thus, not to tell their story is to create a historical vacuum and emptiness, as well as, an unconscious disconnect with a legacy of their past descendents; believe me history telling is serious cultural business in most societies, be it modern or antiquity. (Reference: Gunnar Myrdal; “An American Dilemma: The Negro Problem and Modern Democracy”).

Moreover, in a subtle and not so subtle way, it is the standard in which every present people and society are too be judged by—past societies and whatever perception they created yesterday will impact how the world view their descendents today. Surely, a people with no history have always been likening to a tree that has no roots—the tree will soon die. I as a child used to love good storing telling and even now as an adult, I still love good story telling. The practice of story telling in which I came to appreciate as child, I even use it with my ten year old daughter (I actually have been telling her stories since she was in the womb), whenever the opportunity permits itself for me to impart some necessary wisdom to her. I always do it in the form of a story in order to pass on historical family jewels—knowledge and at same time keep her short attention span interested in the folklore. (Reference: Rogers D. Abrahams; “African Folktales: Traditional Stories of the Black World”).

But what has bothered me the most being a person of African descent and living in the United States of America is the untold story of American racism. My personal story and the African American story can not be properly and adequately told outside of the historical lens of racism. Many whites and Europeans who read my articles and blogs are often shocked at times to find out that I am a so-called African American (for the record proud to be one). May be they do not think African Americans have the intellectual ability to assess and evaluate serious topics and issues. Nevertheless, perhaps subconsciously even their thinking and comments are shrouded within a racist intellectual paradigm. Some of my writings cut across race, class, religion, culture, gender, etc., and addresses who is truly behind the political, social and economic trends that affects all of humanity. They often, applaud me, for taking on these serious topics in which we share common ground. But the minute, I write on an issue or topic that is germane to blacks and Africans, I always receive at least five or six emails cautioning me to stay away from such topics and remain focused and do not allow myself to be diverted by the question of race in America. (Reference: C. Eric Lincoln; “Coming Through the Fire: Surviving Race and Place in America”).

I truly understand their sentiments and respect their contrary opinions, because many of these people, I would do battle with them in the same foxhole against the enemy and perhaps many feel same way about me. They and I understand to advocate race, it will ultimately create divisiveness and the real social agitator will continue to hide their dirty hand. But my history is tied inextricably to the question of race in America, in fact for 310 years Africans living in America was denied a history and the ability to recall their past. How can a nation of people do this and expect for black people to forget this tragic past and move on? Who will be responsible for compiling such a scattered and fragmented historical past which to offer to my great grandchildren? (Reference: Sultan A. Latif and Naimah Latif; “Slavery: The African American Psychic Trauma”).

My response, to my white allies is that the United States of America has never had a serious conversation and debate on race and racism, which I can not and will not overlook the historical pain and suffering, as well as the naked human cruelty and brutality that my people have suffered. No one should ask me to overlook this history and the inhumanness it has caused the African race. I am sorry, if that causes us to break alliances, then so be it. I will never stop telling the history and legacy of African people and their struggles; yet at the same time I will not ask nor impede any other people possessing the right to tell their people’s historical legacy. (Reference: Chip Smith; “The Cost of Privilege: Taking on the System of White Supremacy”).

I am of the opinion, to deny one’s history is an unpardonable act of betrayal and it boarders on cultural treason. Some of my critics have at times made attempts to deduce a portion of my writings and views to the category of Black Supremacist (whatever the hell that mean) and/or Black Nationalism). My story, black people’s story in America can not be told outside the boundaries of race, it is almost virtually impossible to write and talk about the black experience in America without putting it within the context of race. It is ludicrous to refer to the recalling of history or the evaluation and assessment of an historical era as being reverse racism and discrimination; this is outright hypocrisy and sinister, the truth, is what it is. Yes, to tell the history of the African experience in America is a painful commentary, but being in denial gets us nowhere. (Reference: Cornel West; “Race Matters”).

The president of the United States, Barack Obama recently visited Ghana and the west coast of Africa and sadly to say, the first black president of the U.S. did not have one piece of Kinta cloth on or didn't learn one word in the Akan and/or Fulani tongues, which to greet his own African ancestral descendents in their indigenous languages (yes I know his people originated in what is present day Kenya, but these nations were divided by artificial barriers drawn by European powers at the Berlin Conference 1884-1885) another subject for another time. This is the kind of historical disrespect and cultural insensitivity he and other black Americans have toward their own people and some whites have toward Africa. (Reference: John Henrik Clarke; “Notes For An African World Revolution: Africans at the Crossroads”).

This ‘Negro’ President Barack Obama could go to the sacred Jewish shrines and temples of Israel and pray, as well put a yarmulke on his head, but visiting Africa, he did not put on any garment that would reflect his own historical connection to the history, culture, legacy, etc., of Africa—this was insane. President Obama’s non-cultural identification with the people of Africa was at best insulting and he too is perhaps acting out of the perception of how Africa and African people are viewed by the west. Why President Barack Obama didn’t visit one of the local Islamic Mosque there in Accra, Ghana Africa, which to make Salat (prayer) with the Ghanaian Islamic community (Jamaat)? (Reference: J.C.deGraft-Johnson; “African Glory: The Story of Vanished Negro Civilizations”).

He doesn’t know his history and more so than that, was fearful of what the public perception would have been if he was seen in the company of black Muslims making the Islamic prayer inside of a Muslim Masjid. But he always seemed to be quite comfortable praying in Jewish Synagogues in Jerusalem and never seemed to be concerned about the perception of being politically correct. Although, over ninety percent of his wife, the first lady Michelle Obama’s ancestors who ventured across the Atlantic Ocean by way of the Middle Passage and Transatlantic slave trade were Muslims. The roots of Islam on the continent of Africa go back to the 8th Century. (Reference: Edward W. Blyden; “Christianity, Islam and the Negro Race”).

Why do most societies place so much emphasis in socializing their people to honor and respect from whence they have come? Is there a deeper value that is being imparted relative to how cultures, subcultures and societies will come to view themselves and the world, if they embrace or ignore the lessons of history? This writer is a frequent viewer of the History Channel and National Geographic and has always been intrigued by distance peoples and cultures. It is always stunning to see how different civilizations have various Rites of Passage practices and cultural methods of enculturation processes, which to teach and cement within the psychological and social development of its young members the importance of their past. (Reference: Asa G. Hilliard; “The Reawakening of the African Mind”).

There is perhaps no other discipline with such a cultural priority than a people working to preserve their historical legacy. Many societies have lavished sacred religious rituals. For example, Jewish children are required to read the Torah (Old Testament) Bible day in and day out and is exposed to Talmud while the Jewish Rabbis and high priest creates a mental paradigm by insisting that the ancient people of the Bible were part of their line of ethnic, racial and religious descendents. And for them the words of Abraham and Moses written in the Torah have more of a significant to the Jewish cultural model because to them Yahweh (God) allowed their people to be the recipients of his word, as well as being the religious benefactors of his divine plan. (Reference: Arthur Koestler; “The Thirteenth Tribe”).

This gave them a so-called special privilege with Yahweh (God) and the prophets of old. So the prophets of the Torah from their perspective belong to their religious and historical experience. These historical lessons are often non-negotiable and become the internal and external foundation of the Jewish people’s culture. The Bar Mitzvah (ritual and ceremony of young Jewish males) and the Bat Mitzvah (ritual and ceremony of young Jewish girls) these ritualistic practices have both a practical and symbolic meaning far beyond the ritual itself. The Jewish child is essentially crossing over from childhood into adulthood and is prepared to fully embrace and carry on the Jewish legacy, which is rooted in the Torah and the Talmud. The Jewish culture and historical survival rest upon how well the parents, schools and the Rabbis (this statement is germane to almost all cultures) have imparted the Jewish worldview. (Reference: Jose V. Malcioln; “The African Origins of Modern Judaism: From Hebrews to Jews”).

This writer got the chance to meet Ben Ammi Ben-Israel and Prince Asiel Ben Israel leaders of the Original Hebrew Israelite nation some years ago. They claim to be the original Hebrew/Jewish descendents of the Torah and this writer must admit that their religious, ethnic, racial and theological claim appears to be very convincing. They have traced the bloodline of the original people who occupied Jerusalem a lot further than those people who claim a Semitic origin and those who migrated to Jerusalem—Israel from eastern Europe and are kith and keen to the Ashkenazi and the Khazars. This much we know for sure, that the original people that occupied ancient Israel were not white and/or of a European ethnic descent. (Reference: Ella J. Hughley; “The Truth About Black Biblical Hebrew-Israelites (Jews): The World’s Best Kept Secret’).

The Original Hebrews have Biblical traced their ethnic lineage and have proving that the ancient Hebrews were African in ethnicity, how can two different and distinct people occupy the same space, at the same time; meaning both the Ashkenazi Jew and the Black Hebrew Israelite are both claiming theological heir apparent to one history and the religious legacy of the Torah? Thus, in one sense, it does not matter to me who is right and who is wrong in this equation relative to this argument. But here is my point, as a writer and a witness; you can not help for admiring the Original Hebrew Israelite Nation, an African American group who in the late 1960s migrated to Dimona, Israel. It took some real faith and religious conviction, claiming to be the original lost tribe of Israel and migrating to Israel, there is no doubt in my mind, that the African Hebrew Israelites truly believed they had a divine right to the land presently called Israel. Imagine going into hostile territory facing perhaps one of the best armed and sophisticated military governments in the world—claiming that you are the true “Jews.” (Reference: Ben Ammi; “God, The Black man and Truth”).

Cohane Michael Ben Levi in a book titled: “Israelites and Jews: The Significant Differences” stated: “Jews are generally assumed to be white, as evidenced by the com­mon reference to Blacks in the faith as "Black Jews." At the same time, many Blacks who maintain Hebraic culture and tradition see their belief as not faith, but nationality, and prefer to be called "Israelites." Still, this is not a book about race. It is about the differences in belief, practice and perception of two distinct groups of people ~ who claim the same heri­tage. Israelites and Jews: the Significant Difference is about the dissimi­larity in culture, thought and practice adhered to by Jews and Israelites. (Reference: Cohane Michael Ben Levi “Israelites and Jews: The Significant Differences”).

Levi continues: “. . .In recent times, with the advent of thousands of so-called Negroes, throughout the world claiming to be Israelites, and their ever-increasing awareness regarding returning to their Israelite heritage and even the: homeland, Israel, has also brought about a growing curiosity as to what the difference between "Black" Hebrew Israelites and White European Jews. People all over the world would like to know the truth. They desire to understand these complex questions and issues. Just as the Creator used historical events to manifest the darkness which has clouded these, issues, today the Creator is once again manifesting historical events clarify these issues. The increased enlightenment and awareness Negroes about their past due to their deep quest for an answer to their identity crisis has led them to the truth which they themselves will know and understand along with people of other races. Truth can never be suppressed forever. Inevitably the truth will rise. We have now arrived at the time of the emerging of the truth concerning the vital issue "Who are the true people of God?" (Reference: Cohane Michael Ben Levi “Israelites and Jews: The Significant Differences”).

History instills inspiration, motivation, and self-esteem in a people; moreover, it connects a people to their contributions made towards human civilization. This is the discipline that builds the will of a people and encourages them to go forward. African people living in America had a brilliant and glorious history before and after Chattel Slavery (1555-1865). Those who control political, economic and social institutions recognized that they must forever hide the true past of African people in order to keep them a sleep to the knowledge of self; unless one day, they will wake up from their slumber and reclaim a glorious past that was systematically hidden from them. (Reference: Bruce Bridges; “Recapturing the African Mind”).

History is like a trumpet when it is sounded, the asleep must rise. Africans living in American were put to sleep during the period of Chattel Slavery; denied the right to read and write which to pursue an intellectual exchange of ideas and perhaps acquiring the knowledge of self would have proven to be diametrically opposed to the agenda. The slave masters denied African people the opportunity to develop a true value system, folkway, cultural system, etc. The study of history is one way to correct this deplorable mental state of amnesia that Africans living in American are presently experiencing. (Reference: Edward H. Berman; “African Reactions to Missionary Education”).

We not only lost our historical memory but were disposed of our intellectual faculties to find our home which is Africa, we are silently crying out for Zion—this lost home that has forsaking 30 million black people in America and hundreds of millions located throughout the Diaspora. A crime took place and it does not matter how the descendents of the perpetrators (Spain, Portugal, Great Britain, United States, Belgium, Germany, France, etc.) disguise their denial, we the descendents are the living testimony and the victims of this heinous criminal act. (Reference: Chinweizu: “The West and the Rest of us: White Predators, Black Slaves and the African Elite”).

My Keeping iT Real Think Tank has an African American base and it is my primary audience, but I would be foolish to deny or disregard like minds of other races and cultures who share and understand the struggle we are up against which affects all of humanity. But the African American has always been in a precarious situation in America, which stems from their history under Chattel Slavery (1555-1865). This history has never been redeemed and atoned; it therefore, continues to pose a dichotomy and creates and antagonistic contradiction inside of the United States. It easy for people from the outside to say, we should overlook the 310 years of subjugation and is not sensitive to one of most inhumane crimes ever recorded in human history. (Reference: Richard Williams; “They Stole it, But You Must Return it”).

Chattel Slavery literally devastated a people psychologically, socially and culturally and the present generation of African Americans were never allowed even to heal and yet just 150 years removed from the brutality are still dealing with this not so distant history. This is not a cry of victimization or seeking sympathy, but it is a reality, that haunts the psyche of most black people, if they are honest. The United States has never had a serious conversation relative to race and racism and as a nation we have been in denial and the issue of race, therefore remains unresolved. So, this sense of cultural and historical duality automatically breeds a position of nationalism because here goes a people that lost their names, religion, land and a cultural reference point, which has always rendered a need to remind them of the value of their history prior to Chattel Slavery. (Reference: Naim Akbar; “Chains and Images of Psychological Slavery”).

Thus, on the other hand, I write to expose them to where the real action is taking place and this on the globalization stage and the One World Government stage; many of them are not aware of the sovereign Invisible Rulers. This allows me to have a conversation with them and with others, who are fully aware of everything that I am writing about and I am constantly striking alliances with people from around the world who write me and they are not a bit concerned about race (in particular my race). They have accepted that race, religion, sex, culture, etc., are artificial barriers, which are set-up to divide humanity and there are others who benefit from such created ploys. (Reference: John Coleman; “The Story of the Committee of 300”).

I do think that we agree on much more than we disagree and we should not allow race to serve as a distraction and we must keep our eyes on the real enemy. I have been studying certain political, economic and social trends for some time now and it appears that at every turn in history, the same names and faces just keep on reoccurring throughout human history. I said to myself it is just not coincidental and this is what put me on my journey that has led me on different paths, but truth and real knowledge are connected and interconnected. (Reference: Gary Allen and Larry Abraham; "None Dare Call it Conspiracy").

We were robbed of the knowledge of self and for us to continually identify with the perpetrators history and culture is insanity. This is evident by the surnames we still hold on too and refuse to relinquish and divorce ourselves from being considered the former slave master’s property—by not giving back that which is psychologically binding and still legally define us as their property even in 2009—(slave master’s names) McCrae, Smith, Johnson, Jones, Rhodes, Kennedy, Brown, Lucas, James, Hines, Baldwin, Richards, Culpepper, Johnny Fatback, etc., (you all get the picture) are not indigenous African names. Yet Africans in America are still wearing European names and we call ourselves free, but these names belong to another man’s culture and heritage. (Reference: Elijah Muhammad; “Message to the Blackman in America”).

This writer continues ask the rhetorical question again and again; how can we as Africans living in American who claim to be free and have never divorced themselves from the slave master’s names and culture? It is not the norm to find a Korean or Chinese wearing the names Greg Fatback, Larry Hamhock, Darius Shortenbread, etc., because these alien names do not reflect their East Asian culture and heritage. History ask the six basic questions of who, what, where, when, how and why; moreover we have traditionally responded to the above questions with Eurocentric answers. (Reference: Carter G. Woodson: “The Mis-education of the Negro”).

Non-traditional scholars such as Dr. Yosef Ben A. A. Johannon, Drusilla Dunjee Houston, Cheik Anta Diop, John G. Jackson, Asa Hilliard, George G. M. James, etc., worked to redefine history by rescuing African history from misconceptions, half-truths and outright lies. History builds patriotism and nationalism by instilling pride and self-worth in a people by making them aware of their past accomplishments. Also, to pass down culturally that which to always remind them, of their obligation to make every generation aware of their glorious past and use it to inspire the born and unborn generations to aspire to create new history. (Reference: John G. Jackson; “Introduction to African Civilization”).

We as African Americans should work to retain the best national and international attorneys in the world and plead our slavery case within the international courts. The African Holocaust involved numerous criminal acts ranging from kidnap, rape, murder, assault, conspiracy, etc. Now, I do think reparations have to be part of that discussion. (Reference: Ida Hakim; “Reparations: The Cure for America’s Race Problem”).

It will be an extremely large task to overturn 310 years of dehumanization and historical trauma (no financial settlement could ever right the magnitude of the historical wrong) without being sensitive to the fact that the Africans who were made Chattel Slaves were stripped of their humanity (this is not a victimization cry), lost their culture, their right to a homeland, language, religion, names, etc., This is not essentially a comparison of oppression relative to the Jews or any other oppressed and enslaved people, but the world since Adolph Hitler has fully embraced the Jews suffering. (Reference: The Historical Research Department Nation of Islam: “The Secret Relationship Between Blacks and Jews”).

But the Jews did not lose their cultural identity (many of them have dual citizenship in America and Israel, which is an identifiable land base, which gives them a collective origin as a people. Many Eastern European Jews speaks Yiddish and some of them speak Hebrew—a common language is essential to any cultural cohesiveness. They had these essentials in tact in order to make a complete social and psychological transition (or recovery) from under the oppression of the Germans (1933-1945).

The African American has had a much more comprehensive and complex predicament because of the severity of the oppression. Dr. Joy DeGruy Leary states right off the back that the study of “Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome” is not designed to make other people feel guilty, but solutions will require open and honest communication. But the ultimate solutions will have to be internal and not external. There has to be cultural models that reinforces African values, promote self-esteem and positive self-worth outside the system that has been historically structured on racism and was tailored for the dominant society to benefit and prosper. (Reference: Naim Akbar; “Breaking the Chains of Psychological Slavery”).

There must be educational models that are put in place to inspire African American children to want to desire to achieve academically in order to prepare themselves to make a positive contribution to their families and to the community. The issue of poverty must be addressed from the point of view of redistributing the wealth and nothing short of this will be sufficed. The United States Government can spend over three trillion dollars on a war in Iraq and will continue to spend trillions more in an unjust war in Afghanistan, but will not invest in the poor of these United States of America. We must have public policy that's sensitive to all its citizens, especially the have-nots (who are ordinarily your poor whites, Latinos, and African Americans). Economically there must-be more of an investment in the American people. Black leadership must-be held more accountable to its own constituents and truly work in the three major arenas—political, social and economic for the benefit of African Americans. No more window dressing and selling out the black masses for self interest. They have been too self-serving in the past and have been short on solutions and long on echoing the problem, which has been well defined for generations. (Reference: Harold Cruse; “The Crisis of the Negro Intellectual: From its Origins to the Present”).

We can not turn the clock back and play the blame game, but at the same time we can not be in social denial. Black Churches must move away from this entire prosperity ministry foolishness and embrace a social Gospel which to truly aid our people in their quest for the basics of life—food, clothing and shelter. The Black Church is perhaps the largest institution in black America with tremendous power and influence—they must play a greater role in helping to solve this dilemma. Lastly, white America and all races must have that long awaited talk on race and racism and find common areas that all of humanity can work together to rectify some of these historical problems that still plague our nation. (Reference: Tavis Smiley: “How to Make Black America Better”).

Fahim A. Knight-EL Chief Researcher for KEEPING IT REAL THINK TANK located in Durham, NC; our mission is to inform African Americans and all people of good will of the pending dangers that lie ahead; as well as decode the symbolisms and reinterpret the hidden meanings behind those who operate as invisible forces, but covertly rules the world. We are of the belief that an enlighten world will be better prepared to throw off the shackles of ignorance and not be willing participants for the slaughter. Our MOTTO is speaking truth to power. Fahim A. Knight-EL can be reached at fahimknight@yahoo.com.STAY AWAKE UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN,
Fahim A. Knight-EL