Farrakhan: Black men headed for extinction

[Sean Connery]

http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/Top_News/2007/10/17/farrakhan_black_men_headed_for_extinction/2265/

“We accepted 12 years ago the responsibility to be better men, better fathers and better husbands. It was a day never before experienced in our history.”

Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan offered a stern warning in Atlanta that the U.S. political climate is threatening to African-American men.

[Amaretti]

Why? Has the American government declared war on black men or something? Black women are still ok, right?

Is there any particular reason why black males in particular are under threat of extinction, other than vague references to politics and 'racial environment'?

[Detonator_Fan]

I really like the "Nation Of Islam Sportsblog".

I mean, look at this post: http://nationofislamsportsblog.blogspot.com/2007/07/russia-awarded-2014-winter-olympics.html

This is gold

[Purgatory]

Black people never get a break, do they?

[Rangamaru]

It's true, they are headed for extinction. But don't worry, I'm native American, and I ain't dead yet bitches. Blacks have a long way to go before they reach levels of extinction that mimic us American Indians.

[Trov]

Why? Has the American government declared war on black men or something? Black women are still ok, right?

Is there any particular reason why black males in particular are under threat of extinction, other than vague references to politics and 'racial environment'?

Honestly, alot of it has more to do with the media, the feminist movement, and the relationships between the black man and black women more so than anything else.
The media tells these men that in order to be cool, you gotta be thuggish. you gotta be into a culture that is probably the most dangerous than any other pop culture. It sets bad examples.
The feminist movement tells black woman that they don't need a man to make it own their own, but lets face facts, a single mother of a young boy CAN'T teach him how to be a man. Only another man can.
Most of the young black males in deep in the culture are from single mother families. And so, like I said, they don't become the men they should be.
Also, while black women receive significant support. Black men, don't. instead, they are "expected" to rise up and do it and are not guided to what they need to do or even become. Why? because they are men. Men don't need support, they can do it on their own. Which is a load of bull. No one can just do it on their own. everyone needs help.

I won't deny the Gov't has something to do with it, but I don't think it has as big as mark on this culture and predicament as the media and such.

[tinhamodic]

Why don't the Nation of Islam advertise what they are doing about what's going on in Darfur? Or what are their plans in helping resolve the escalating fighting in the Congo? Instead of fomenting racial hatred all across the board.

[Paper Tiger]

Anyway, my big problem with racial politics in the USA is that the "It's because I'm black!" card is played far too often. When I was living in New York City, I routinely saw black men who were caught (by black police officers, no less) in the act of vandalising city property, breaking into cars, or selling drugs start yelling "It's because I'm black, ain't it?" The whole victimisation argument sort of loses its credibility when it's thrown around incessantly and when its source is clearly in the wrong. Farrakhan's announcement that black men are endagered falls into the same category. There's no legitimate reason to be declaring such a thing, and if anything, he's just crying wolf.

I understand the history of racism in the United States, and certainly I am not so naive as to presume African-Americans are doing just as well as caucasian America. I do agree there's a very long way to go, but a lot of the paranoia is unfounded and a lot of it is just tripe. This coming from the Nation of Islam doesn't surprise me, though. They've always had a particular fondness for unfounded and extraordinary claims. Malcolm X wasn't famous for being modest or conventional.

Honestly, alot of it has more to do with the media, the feminist movement, and the relationships between the black man and black women more so than anything else....The feminist movement tells black woman that they don't need a man to make it own their own, but lets face facts, a single mother of a young boy CAN'T teach him how to be a man. Only another man can. Most of the young black males in deep in the culture are from single mother families. And so, like I said, they don't become the men they should be. Also, while black women receive significant support. Black men, don't. instead, they are "expected" to rise up and do it and are not guided to what they need to do or even become. Why? because they are men. Men don't need support, they can do it on their own. Which is a load of bull. No one can just do it on their own. everyone needs help.

It has less to do with the media and more to do with enculturation and socialisation within the African-American community. You have a history of black men who can't make it by conventional means, and have instead resorted to hustling and selling drugs and have found success that way. Is it the best way? No. But let's face it, black children living in American ghettos don't get to grow up with the same cushy dream as caucasian children growing up in a middle-class New England haven. They don't get to fantasise about whether they'll go to Harvard, Yale, Brown, or Princeton. Many of them have to wonder whether there'll be breakfast at the end of the month when the welfare cheque runs thin. When legitimate resources and the prospect of a bright future is made readily available to children in the black community, you will see an immense drop in drug trafficking, crime, and teen pregnancy in that group.

So is the "problem" with the black community in part America's collective fault? Absolutely. But I also refuse to accept that all the blame falls on caucasian America's shoulders. Some of the most prominent figures in the black community routinely tell its youth to never use the excuse "It's because I'm black" because it's not a valid one. There is always a way out through hard work and a great deal of perseverence, and it's also the black community's responsibility to shape up and change. Men like Farrakhan need to shut up; instead of spreading false truths and moaning about the duress the community has known, he should perhaps devote some time contributing positively to his community.

[erictheking]

His speech was far too vague to understand exactly what he was
talking about. It's almost as if he's run out of things to say these days; but he's always been vague.

Farrakhan's announcement that black men are endagered falls into the same category. There's no legitimate reason to be declaring such a thing, and if anything, he's just crying wolf.

Actually it seemed like he was placing the 'blame' on black men in this article.

"Politics and the racial environment is threatening the human family," Farrakhan said. "But black males, in particular, are endangered. Our attitudes, our ignorance, our savagery are all lending to a plan -- a conspiracy to make the black man, not endangered, but extinct... If God doesn't intervene, we will be extinct."

This coming from the Nation of Islam doesn't surprise me, though. They've always had a particular fondness for unfounded and extraordinary claims. Malcolm X wasn't famous for being modest or conventional.

The NOI making unfounded claims? - yes. Not Malcolm X though. He certainly wasn't famous for being conventional - but you say that almost as if that's an error on his part - being unconventional was quite necessary & appropriate at the time. But I don't want to put words in your mouth.

When legitimate resources and the prospect of a bright future is made readily available to children in the black community, you will see an immense drop in drug trafficking, crime, and teen pregnancy in that group.

I believe the teen pregnancy has been falling quite sharply recently. I don't know about drug trafficking being attributed to black criminals - aren't the organized crime organizations the bigger violators there?

[Cirus]

Well the article I say is nothing but full of BS..... If anything that will just never happen.

[Paper Tiger]

Actually it seemed like he was placing the 'blame' on black men in this article.

/brainfart. Sorry, I meant to clarify this in my original post and got side-tracked.

There is this trend in America, particularly in the past 45 years, of minority groups beginning to blame the 'dilution' of their values and culture on 'Americanism'. This isn't specific to the black community. One of my areas of study is cultural sociology, though I'll admit that African-American studies isn't my specialisation. East-Asian studies is, and to a lesser extent, Jewish studies, but the trends repeat themselves. If you look at Hasidic Jews in NYC, who are a fundamentalist group, as the necessity to leave their enclaves in Williamsburg to seek work in Manhattan increases, the 'strength' of the Hasidic group weakens because they begin to take in 'outside' values. They blamed America and its desire to assimilate, certainly. But they also blamed their own group for falling 'victim' to America, for letting America's values and culture system compromise their own values. This mentality is very, very common among fundamentalist groups (Hasidic Judaism, conservative Islam, etc.) who are trying to survive outside of their natural environment, and implicit in such a statement is that it's only their fault (minority group) because it's America's fault (majority influence) first. I also know a bit about NOI and Farrakhan, so I'm also basing my opinion on other comments he and NOI have made on the subject (or related topics).

The NOI making unfounded claims? - yes. Not Malcolm X though. He certainly wasn't famous for being conventional - but you say that almost as if that's an error on his part - being unconventional was quite necessary & appropriate at the time. But I don't want to put words in your mouth.
I have no problem with Malcolm X being unconventional. But I also think there's a lot of myth to him and that a number of things he's said have been erroneous. I do believe he did far more good than bad, but I don't quite buy into the cult of personality that was built up around him.

I believe the teen pregnancy has been falling quite sharply recently. I don't know about drug trafficking being attributed to black criminals - aren't the organized crime organizations the bigger violators there?

I meant in comparison to other racial groups within America, ie the caucasian majority vs black minorities, hispanic minorities, etc. Drug trafficking is not a black-specific problem, though it is more prominent in black communities than in white ones. Statistically, black neighbourhoods have higher crime rates, poorly funded schools, poorer exam results, higher teen pregnancy rates, etc. The numbers are dropping, yes. A lot of that does have to do with social progress being made since the Clinton administration. Nonetheless, it's still not nearly enough. Take Bush's decision the other day to veto a cigarette tax to provide health care to those who need it, for instance.

[Snow]

If this means that the government will give me my own habitat to roam around in for free- and encourage mating by giving me a new bitch to impregnate each week- I'm in. Hell I'll encourage the poaching of my entire race if I get free shit. :pek

[Sean Connery]

I wish Farrakhan, Al Sharpton, and Jesse Jackson would just vanish from this world, this would be a better place if that was to happen

[Gaawa-chan]

... Too bad. Black skin is quite lovely...
Lol. This is a load of bull designed to induce hysteria and further divide whites and blacks...

[Sean Connery]

after what these 3 men have done, I am sure Dr. King is rolling in his grave

[Unnamedpoet]

I read "Nation of Islam" and I stopped reading.

[Gaawa-chan]

!!! No! Don't stop reading!!! That's what they want!!!

[Trov]

Sheesh, all the hate for all these black leaders. I'm glad they garner so much emotion though, otherwise no one would listen to them.

[idc lol]

Honestly, alot of it has more to do with the media, the feminist movement, and the relationships between the black man and black women more so than anything else.
The media tells these men that in order to be cool, you gotta be thuggish. you gotta be into a culture that is probably the most dangerous than any other pop culture. It sets bad examples.
The feminist movement tells black woman that they don't need a man to make it own their own, but lets face facts, a single mother of a young boy CAN'T teach him how to be a man. Only another man can.
Most of the young black males in deep in the culture are from single mother families. And so, like I said, they don't become the men they should be.
Also, while black women receive significant support. Black men, don't. instead, they are "expected" to rise up and do it and are not guided to what they need to do or even become. Why? because they are men. Men don't need support, they can do it on their own. Which is a load of bull. No one can just do it on their own. everyone needs help.

I won't deny the Gov't has something to do with it, but I don't think it has as big as mark on this culture and predicament as the media and such.



You're blaming this on feminism? While there are external influences to this societal issue, and while black kids grow up considerably different than white kids with different socioeconomic status, and therefore, are taught different things with different role models, it has hardly to do with feminism.

Stop thinking feminism just means blaming men for everything. That's like saying civil rights is all about blaming white people. Only a loud, annoying minority of people blame other groups for all of their problems.

Kids need love. Kids of lesbian parents usually turn out quite fine, studies show, and they have no 'man' to teach them to respect women. I'm sure a daughter with two gay fathers, or just a single father, could turn out to be a fine woman. As long as a kid has a loving figure in their life, a good education, and community support, they are going to usually end up fine.

As soon as the civil rights movement came into full motion, guess what happened to counter it? Thug culture. And it set the African-american community back a hell of a lot, and gave white people more excuses to be racist.

The problem is that black women outnumber black men in the job department and in the education department, now. Which really, we should be congratulating black women on that, for coming so far. Rather than blaming them for the poor men's problems.

[Sean Connery]

You're blaming this on feminism? While there are external influences to this societal issue, and while black kids grow up considerably different than white kids with different socioeconomic status, and therefore, are taught different things with different role models, it has hardly to do with feminism.

Stop thinking feminism just means blaming men for everything. That's like saying civil rights is all about blaming white people. Only a loud, annoying minority of people blame other groups for all of their problems.

Kids need love. Kids of lesbian parents usually turn out quite fine, studies show, and they have no 'man' to teach them to respect women. I'm sure a daughter with two gay fathers, or just a single father, could turn out to be a fine woman. As long as a kid has a loving figure in their life, a good education, and community support, they are going to usually end up fine.

As soon as the civil rights movement came into full motion, guess what happened to counter it? Thug culture. And it set the African-american community back a hell of a lot, and gave white people more excuses to be racist.

The problem is that black women outnumber black men in the job department and in the education department, now. Which really, we should be congratulating black women on that, for coming so far. Rather than blaming them for the poor men's problems.

is this why rap music is so degrading ?

[idc lol]

is this why rap music is so degrading ?

I have no valid answer for why it is. It just is. Sexism and parading around the fact that you got rich not through education, but through rapping, is a part of that culture. Listen to many rap songs (not all, i am aware that some is just social commentary and I shouldn't judge), most mainstream stuff is people talking about...well :oh how great they are. How rich they are and macho they are and how no one fucks with them.

This is what young men listen to, sadly.

Yet at the same time, the black audience isn't what is making this brand of rap music so popular. The majority of america loves playing it and listening to it. Why? Because it has a catchy tune and they can dance in a club to it. Everyone is perpetuating it and making it popular. Not that your average white pop music is any more intelligent; it just has less curse words.

NOW SUPAHMAN DAT HO

[Pilaf]

Sheesh, all the hate for all these black leaders. I'm glad they garner so much emotion though, otherwise no one would listen to them.

yeah well I don't bow to this ethic that there are "racial leaders" who represent people.

Every individual person on the planet is his or her own leader, and if there are "black leaders", it's the young black people out there working hard to make something of their lives and not crying "racism" to get a free ride.

[Inuhanyou]

lol they say black men are becoming extinct? How so, i'm still right here lol.

[Casyle]

Damn, Farrakhan is still around? That man is scary.... I remember watching some interviews with him back in the mid-90's.

[maximilyan]

Hmm, nah man.. black men will never be extinct.. if the time comes where they are endangered action will be taken.

[mystictrunks]

Brother Farrakhan Is Right.


Fuck Y'all CRAKKKERS

[Casyle]

Brother Farrakhan Is Right.


Fuck Y'all CRAKKKERS

Why can't we all just get along?! :cry