THE AFRICAN AMERICANS IDENTITY CRISIS IS REAL: DNA TESTING CANNOT RESOLVE WHAT HISTORY HAS DONE

THE AFRICAN AMERICANS IDENTITY CRISIS IS REAL: DNA TESTING CANNOT RESOLVE WHAT HISTORY HAS DONE

By Fahim A. Knight-El

Black Americans or Africans living in America have a unique history and collective experience that is rooted in glory and pain, I am slowly reading a book titled, "A Man From Another Land: How Finding My Roots Changed My Life" authored by the actor Isaiah Washington who was once one of the co-stars on the television medical drama Grey’s Anatomy where he played the character as a chief cardiac surgeon (he was fired and ridiculed for making some alleged anti-gay remark—I support the right to free speech). I have always been fascinated by biographies and autobiographies, in particular with the lives of people who made a difference—I have gained a lot of inspiration from reading about the lives of others (clarification I do not waste my time reading in inconsequential and insignificant foolishness for recreational readings. I read with a purpose). I believe President Nelson Mandela, the president emeritus of Azania (South Africa) just recently turned 94 years of age who unjustly spent over 25 years in South African prison system and I am simultaneously reading his autobiography titled: "Long Walk to Freedom" (Mandela will always be considered the President of Azania in my eyes) along with "A Man From Another Land: How Finding My Roots Changed My Life".

Perhaps next to the United States of America, South Africa has stood as one of the most racist and reactionary nation's on earth towards Black people that had its inception in 1652 when the European exploiters arrived to this peaceful oasis, the Germans, British and the Dutch—the Boers created one of the most racist caste and class system to found anywhere in the annals of time next to the United States of America (and Perhaps next to India in which the Indo-Europeans had a mission to exterminate and subjugate the original dark skinned people of this sub-continent called the Dravidians and they were pushed southward and remain an exploited and oppressed people). I refer you to Runoko Rashidi and Ivan Van Sertima book titled: "African Presence in Early Asia". The invaders of Azania later called Afrikaners (lets not get it twisted these are not Africans, but robber barons and exploiters) I will never view nor accept the plight of the Afrikaners as having a legitimate right to the land of Azania (South Africa)—this racist minority are the present day beneficiaries of the Oppenheimers and the DeBeers (the bloodsuckers of the global poor and the kith and kin of the Rothschilds). These Robber Barons fought wars against themselves to steal the mineral riches and resources of the entire African continent (also millions of Africans were unjustly killed in the process of this land stealing and hording of Africa’s wealth).

Many of my younger readership are to young to remember P.W. Botha and Pik Botha these were some vicious racist who committed all types of atrocities against the original people of Azania (South Africa)—many of them became displaced in shanty lands—waste lands in their own native country (this is why I respect some of the land agenda moves being made by President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe, which the United Kingdom has labeled a criminal; it was the ancestors of British criminals that helped to rob and destabilize Africa. How can we trust them to give us an assessment on Mugabe?). It was the injustices that gave rise to Nelson Mandela and the African National Congress (ANC). I have always admired the courage of Nelson Mandela and I have equally admired the courage of his ex-wife, Winnie Mandela even more (she has never compromised with the enemy). They committed their lives fighting against Apartheid and made tremendous political, economic and social sacrifices to see a free Azania (South Africa). The Africans in South Africa now have the right to vote, but they still remain poor and without real political and economic power (neo-slaves on their own land). The revolutionary Steve Biko and countless others lost their lives for the fight for justice. I met Bishop Desmond Tutu some years ago and I have always been struck by his level of humanity and other than Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., no other leader (or religious figure) has given me the type of optimism to believe in humanity like Bishop Desmond Tutu.

I am often getting a constant and polite gesture from my readership of when are you going to post something new. I thought that if I posted one Blog per month, it would have been suffice due to the length and extensiveness of the content of my articles, but the serious minded readers’ desire more from me and I am sympathetic and humbled by their plea. I will always respect those who are thirsty for knowledge and wisdom, but I did tell one brother, that I have written over 150 blogs/articles on various topics ranging from the Federal Reserve, New World Order, Illuminati, White Supremacy, Slavery, Religion, National Politics, Racism, International Banking, African History and culture, Freemasonry, globalism, health and nutrition, spirituality, Kemet (Egypt), etc., and I really do not have to write anything new, because I am quite sure that many of us have not mastered what I have previously written on the many subjects that I have covered on my blog (some of it represents a life body of work). I could in all actuality just re-post topics from my Blog archives and allow that to serve as my discussion for the week and/or month for next five years and be comfortable that there is enough knowledge to raise the conscious level of my people. It really takes a lot of time to research, write and construct timely and meaningful articles and to convey thoughts and ideas that are significant in which to enhance people's thinking and to take their thinking to the next level.

The Power Elite knows that ignorance comes at a high premium and knowledge has the power to transform individuals and society but they are willing to keep humanity confused and in darkness because they stand to be the ultimate beneficiaries. Black people are afraid of being connected to serious minded people (the status quo knows this and this is why they give us the likes of Reverend Al Sharpton, Benjamin Jealous, Marc Morial, etc.,—these handpicked puppets who are nothing but government agents and are masters of playing on the emotional question of race and politics (their missions are to keep black people under control), but they live privileged lifestyles at the expense of the gullible black poor—baiting them into believing that they stand for social justice. These hypercritics are about money and fame in which to create opportunities for themselves and their cronies; think about this, we have allowed one Al Sharpton (the so-called leader of black America who is really a media creation) to silence our critique of President Barack Obama in which it is considered an act of black betrayal and treason for another black person to render an unbiased assessment and evaluation of Obama the man, and his policies. I wonder what type of deals these Boule members have cut that makes it sacrilegious to render negative critique of President Obama. People like me have always challenged their ignorance and the safe house concept—we are living in some serious times and it is time to wake the hell up and start paying attention to our surroundings because the handwriting is on the wall. I know often my articles are extremely long and many would argue that I may lose people because of the length due to the limited attention span of most Americans and if I could repackaged my writing style, It might make me a more effective writer, as well as keep people engaged (well I am not going to change my writing style). I have thought about this, but I am more interested in providing you all with a body of knowledge that will always be well researched and definitive and from that perspective I am really not concern about length.

In reading "A Man From Another Land: How Finding My Roots Changed My Life" it only has reaffirmed for me that Chattel Slavery (1555-1865) was one of the greatest crimes that was ever committed against humanity; this brother's life story is indicative of the crime because it clearly comes across that Chattel Slavery was indeed a crime against humanity. Washington provides us with the outcome and consequences of a people who have lost their God, land, names, language, culture, traditions, etc., and were systematically made blind, deaf, and dumb to the knowledge of self. I am not going to tell you all that is in the book (please purchase and READ it for yourselves and let me know what you think). But there is a scene in the book, which in my opinion, denotes the highlight of the thesis— he describes on a bus or train ride that he was taking in order to get to some destination in New York, perhaps, it was in Brooklyn and this heavy set, pretty and attractive woman started staring at Washington and throughout the commute their eyes kept on meeting and he kept on looking down—not to look at this woman directly in her eyes and before the woman exited the train she looked at him and started speaking Wolof, which is one of the tribal languages of the Gambian and Senegalese people of West Africa and she asked him who were his people back home in Senegal because in this African woman's mind Washington who is dark skinned with overtly African physical features had to be kinship to the Wolof people. She asked him where he was from and he replied Houston, Texas.

She responded by telling him that he was not from Houston, Texas, she maintained that he was Wolof. I personally have had a similar experience in which this past fall I was dressed in royal traditional African garb (Grand Boubou)) in which the outfit was from Nigeria and this indigenous African brother greeted me in Yoruba, Hausa, Ibo, or Ewe, I do not recall the language, but he was very disappointed that I did not speak the language of my native ancestors—he thought I was from his tribe in Nigeria. I was from his tribe but over 450 years had destroyed my/our ability to communicate with each other in our native tongue. I am no doubt African because my DNA tells me so and I will never deny my heritage because this is part of our collective conscious, but many so-called African Americans do not see nor understand the importance of this connection—I could only imagine what the slave masters did to my ancestors on Gore Island, in particular once my ancestors exited the slave ports and slave dungeons of West Africa.

Just take a moment to look at us, we are direct by-products of this criminal activity—every other nation of people could point to an origin and a land in which connects them to a history and past that has been pass down by generations. I could only answer him in the slave master's tongue (English) and to him I looked like I was from Nigeria, but our history as slaves (being kidnapped and robbed of the knowledge of self has created a social, political and economic vacuum) have created a distance culture and historical gap between us and continental Africans. I left that day feeling very sad inside because I realized that our tongue had been cut off (I felt even sadder for my 13 year old daughter and I wanted to change this historical paradigm in order that her outcome would be different) and I will never truly know who my family are in Africa and if I did find out how would the prodigal son be treated and welcomed upon his arrival back to his native home? Perhaps time and distance has forever stripped us of a direct blood linage and had made us historical wanders on the earth.

Yes, I am familiar with the DNA swabbing and the latest science relative to the genetic tracing of placing African Americans in regions of Africa in which their specific family ancestral (tribes) line could be DNA traced (this does not begin to resolve the affect of the historical brutality and even this process will never make us whole again—nothing can right the magnitude of the wrong). I remember a few years ago when Howard University was in the forefront of the African DNA study and research and later Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr. got involved. These type academicians and professors are bought and paid for and will never tell our people the complete truth because of fear of losing favor with our ex-slave master’s children—they view remaining tenured and pursuing academic mobility as being much more important than the true liberation of people of African descent. If they remain loyal this will guarantee them book deals and upfront monetary stipends from large publishing houses and six figure incomes (which to document half-truths and outright lies about their own African ancestors and history). Gates, the Harvard University professor has now become the face of the African DNA study and research. Moreover, Dr. Gates has focused his DNA studies on bourgeoisie blacks who are celebrities, but don't grassroots African Americans have the right to know something about their African genealogy as well. But perhaps PBS has made it highly profitable for Dr. Skip Gates to financially capitalize off using black celebrities to highlight their African DNA linage as a form of social entertainment and pacification for his white audiences. And yet systematically overlooked the historical crime and pain that the Middle Passage and the Transatlantic Slave Trade created in which the victims suffered for 310 years and still they languish throughout the Diaspora as homeless vagabonds of the earth and as disconnected souls from their roots.

I have a friend who is a Shia Muslim named Shahid Abdur-Rahman (who is African American) I truly like this brother spirit and just recently we were in a discussion, but like most religious people, it is difficult to have a rational discussion when it comes to critiquing one's faith tradition. I told Shahid Abdur-Rahman that the origin of civilization and culture sprung from Kemet (Egypt) and he went into the Qur'an to make an attempt to refute my contention (I respect the knowledge written in the Qur'an) but I reject this Arab and racist superiority that comes along with that. Most African American Sunni and Shia Muslims have lost a sense of their African identity and have adopted Arab and Middle Eastern Culture this is because there is a longing to connect to a heritage and tradition—they speak the Arabic language, another one of the colonizer's tongues, we adopted Arab names, turn to Mecca to pray, make pilgrimage to Mecca while at the same time flying over Africa as though we have no affinity to the mother of civilization and humanity (traditional Islam is culturally insensitive to our quest to embrace Pan-Africanism and Black nationalism—I am not interested in becoming an Arab). Although, these same mis-educated "Black Muslims" (I am not referring to members of the Nation of Islam as I am using this term in this paragraph only as a generic classification to denote “African American Muslims”) do not relish in the history and accomplishments of their own African people because we were systematically made blind, deaf and dumb to the knowledge of self (this gives way to us embracing everyone’s else history and culture but our own).

Brother Shahid Abdur-Rahman had studied the most intimate details of the Khalifa Ali Ibn Abu Talib (and the history of his wife Fatima) who was considered the cousin and son-in-law of Prophet Muhammad Ibn Abdullah (PBUH) and according to Shia interpretation of history he was chosen by the prophet to succeed him at death as the appointed rightly guided Khalifa (Sunni Islam rejects this theological contention and view Ali as just one of the four rightly guided successors to the prophet). Shahid Abdur-Rahman started talking about the 12 Imams (they are waiting on the 12th Imam and have yet to realize that he has been amongst us since July 4, 1930)—I was taught that our history was written 25,000 years in advance then we live it (we are presently in 9,000 year of that predict history that has been laid out by 24 wise scientist and the significant of this Shia theological history is rooted in metaphor, symbolism and allegory—this brother knew the most important details of Shia Islamic history whether it was Iran (Persia) and/or Iraq history in which neither people's history belonged to him (but I do know that the present day people who occupy these said lands today are not the original people of Persia and Babylon, but are imposters).

Brother Shahid Abdur-Rahman did not know that I had a very good book in my possession titled: “Muhammad Messenger of Allah” by Qadi ‘Iyad Ibn Musa al-Yahsubi and I have another book titled: “Secret Societies: A History” which has a chapter titled, “The Old Man of the Mountains” in which I have learnt more about Shia Islam from reading this chapter than what most of Shia Islamic scholars combined have tried to teach me and this book also led me to accept that the Ancient Egyptian Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine (Shriners) has a philosophical and historical connection to Shia Islam and as well as segments of the Nation of Islam's theology has a similar connection to Shia Islam (I make no apology for this assessment). But as he was citing other people’s history, he did not once cite the oldest history of his Nubian ancestors of Kush and Kemet (these two Nubian Nations gave the world civilization) as a point of reference; this is why I could never follow any type of Islam that refuses to pay homage to the history and culture of the original man in which God himself, willed himself out of total triple darkness over 76 trillion years ago according to the lessons. My mind during the conversation with Shahid Abdur-Rahman had quickly shifted to the first Muezzin (caller to prayer) the Black Ethiopian slave named Bilal Ibn Rabah chosen by Prophet Muhammad himself to call the faithful to prayer (who was freed by Abu Bakr) who were persecuted and shun because of his dark skin (he is buried in Syria and these imposters have erected a tomb in honor of one of my African ancestors). Arab Islam has been as racist as European and American based Christianity toward people of African descent—I have never accepted the false image they have given us relative to Jesus, the son of Joseph (Yeshuaa Ben Yosef) this false image alone of Jesus, the Christ (Yeshuaa Ben Yosef) has enslaved the minds of the Christendom world. Bob Marley who is one of my prophets once stated “Free Your Minds From Mental Slavery”

I feel more, perhaps of what Randal Robinson, the former head of TransAfrica felt when he wrote the book titled: "Quitting America" in which he packed his family up and moved to Saint Kitts and Nevis in the Caribbean, but it was his prior research and book titled, "The Debt: What America Owes to Blacks" both of these are very good reads that he discovered that Washington, DC and the streets and Government buildings were built by the hands of black people and he discovered the depth of racism that disallowed black people liberty and justice (what hypocrisy that was inculcated in the philosophical ideas of the Founding Fathers and the U.S. Constitution). But yet Robinson further discovered that it was truly free black labor—blood, sweat and tears that built some of most pristine architecture styled governmental edifices of America, but the builders (slaves) were disallowed life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Robinson also uncovered the present day corporate entities and their subsidiaries who have built present day economic and financial empires on the backs of black people. The Nation of Islam's Historical Research Department published a two volume set titled, "The Secret Relationship Between Blacks and Jews" and in the second volume the Nation of Islam maintained that is was the southern cotton industry that was fueled by slave labor and it was cotton that served as the major cash crop of the racist confederate states, which gave rise to some of the most respectful and prominent fortune 500 companies in the United States and Europe (they have hid behind their powerful corporate shields and their team of lawyers—their money (assets and wealth) is a direct result of the history of free black labor (310 years). I support the reparations movements, but lets be clear, this is not about a shakedown of the United States Government nor is it about exploiting the historical status of victimization or money, but it is about justice.

Nevertheless, this Blog is once again about individuals and people seeking my knowledge relative to certain themes such as the Nation of Gods and Earths, Nation of Islam and Minister Farrakhan, Moorish Science Temple, Freemasonry, etc., (in my next upcoming article I will delve into the above said topics because I have received many email hits on the above). I am not an expert on the Nation of Islam (or any of the other topics) because there are various factions and schisms that has taking place in the Nation of Islam since the death of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad in 1975. Even with me using the term that the Honorable Elijah Muhammad is dead would automatically strike a negative cord with the followers of Minister Louis Farrakhan who believe according to one of their top shelf acclaimed theologian named Jabril Muhammad who authored a book in the late 1970s titled, "Is It Possible That The Honorable Elijah Muhammad Is Still Physically Alive?" He maintained that like Jesus, Messenger Muhammad escaped a death plot. He was formerly named Bernard Cushmeer and was the Phoenix, Arizona minister of Temple number 32 under the Honorable Elijah Muhammad (no doubt I have read some of Minister Jabril Muhammad's study guides and have listened to some of his public speeches, he is a heavy hitter and perhaps next to sister Tynetta Muhammad there are perhaps no other two Nation of Islam theologians who have gone to great research lengths to validate and substantiate the Life Given Teachings of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad.

But like Minister Farrakhan, both of them has to be in their late seventies and slowly embarking on eighty years of age and I do not see any replacements in the ranks. Jabril Muhammad, also wrote a very definitive book in the late 1960s titled, "This is the One" defending Elijah Muhammad's claim to messengership in which he used Bible and Qur'an to validate Muhammad's mission as a divine savior for black people. I believe everyone has a right to determine and exercise their religious convictions relative to faith and belief, I have personally chosen to distance myself from organized religion; therefore, I am not bound or bind by having to subscribe to the tenets of a structured religious belief system and could render criticism when I find it necessary. But even people in Blog sphere have tried to box me in and determine for me what my philosophical position is, I am a Free Thinker and a truth seeker, but most so-called religious people are robots and are not true Free Thinkers (they look for others to think for them and to interpreted their holy books for them), but even this is by design, it keeps us under control. I have no Imam or minister that I have to get approved by or to concur with a certain prescribed doctrine—lets us all be students of truth and knowledge. Free Thinking is a terrible thing to waste.

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 symbolism 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-EI can be reached at fahimknight@ yahoo.com.

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