(ThyBlackMan.com) Last Monday Jabari and I were out and about and I noticed, it was a lot of kids walking around. I was trying to figure why they were out of school and a lady told me it was “Columbus Day”. Well, I guess its OK to have a day off no matter who its for, but let’s look at the facts shall we and see what or why we are “celebrating” one of Europe’s most infamous scoundrels and one of the worst “navigators” of all time.
Cristoforo Columbo aka Christopher Columbus was born in Geno,Italy and set sail in 1492 ,after being shut down four previous attempts, for India based on what he thought to be a faster route. Based on faulty maps drawn up by this buffoon ended up in the Bahama Islands which he then called San Salvador. Out of ignorance he called the people of the Bahamas Indians because he thought he was in India, but of course as we now know he wasn’t. He would later enslave and wipe out the entire population of the natives in the Bahamas before being thrown in jail and later released….. He lived like a dog he died like a dog… And what’s even funnier is a whole bunch of white people here, credit him for discovering here and he never even made it here he only made it to Haiti ….THE END!!!!! Now!!!!
Its a known fact that most holidays are either racist or pagan in origin from Christmas to Thanksgiving,we are forced to conform to celebrate holidays that either insult us as Black People or outright degrades us. Presidents day we get to celebrate our slave master or oppressors reign over Our People. Whether its slave master George Washington, slave rapist Andrew Jackson or grand wizard Reagan we all are forced to hear lies and half truths about how great and strong they were.
Never mind the slavery, Jim crow, diseases and a never ending drug war where we are the target. They still push the agenda on our day off. Finally we got MLK Day !! But, if you factor in they murdered him, distort his words and legacy ,by never mentioning his call for reparations and his condemnation of the government for the oppression here and the war in Vietnam, Dr. Kings birthday has been reduced to a day white car dealers
give a discount if you buy a car, as if that what he was fighting for. I remember when my Dad took me to the march in 1981 to ask Reagan to recognize his birthday as a holiday. I also remember that the state Arizona refused to acknowledge it until the NFL said they would not bring the Super Bowl there.
I guess a Blackman running down a field for money is more respected then a Blackman marching through a battlefield for Freedom. July fourth?!? Texas brothers didn’t even know on that day We were free and if you think about recent events throughout the country with Trayvon,Jonathan, Jordan, Renisha, Rahmarley, Eric, Mike, John and the list goes on and on, we still aren’t free or independent. If you factor in Jesus was not born on December 25th because its too cold to give birth to a baby out doors in December in Bethlehem and the last letter in the English language was J , you know that Christmas can’t possibly be his birthday and Christmas can’t be real because Jesus is not his name and could not have been his name, you begin to realize that you’re celebrating a whole bunch of nothing.
Malik El-Haj Shabazz aka Malcolm X was born Malcolm Little to Earl and Louise Little in Omaha, Nebraska on May 19th, 1925 . His father was a preacher in the Marcus Garvey movement, who was not afraid the truth to power. As you could imagine this made it difficult to live in America in the early days, this forced the Little family to move from Omaha to Lansing, Michigan due to their house being firebombed.
Despite the climate at that time Mr Little continued to preach black nationalism and self defense which would ultimately lead to his death but also, I believe, plant the seed for his son to become one of the greatest fighters for our people the world will ever know. After the murder of his father Malcolm was split up from his other brothers and sisters and sent to Boston to live with his eldest sister. During this period he had become enamored with the street life, as many of us black men do in a situation where low employment,low wages and very little opportunity are present the only natural for the people who go through this to make alternative economics. Unfortunately ,as it normally does this led to Malcolm’s subsequent incarceration and transformation into the greatest leader of black people in the 20th century.
During his prison stint he was introduced to Islam and the teachings of Elijah Muhammad and also began to self educate by reading every word in the dictionary copying and memorizing the definition of each word from A-Z. Upon his release Malcolm was no longer a drug user, no longer an alcohol iuser and had no longer had any wish to commit crime. He quickly rose up the ranks in the Nation of Islam and became Elijah Muhammads’ chief minister and second in command. Unlike Martin Luther King Malcolm X did not subscribe to the doctrine of nonviolence saying that it would be foolish to practice non-violence with a group of people who only practices violence with us. Also had no wish to integrate stating the integration in the end with only proved to be the downfall of black people if you look at the State of America today and I are people one would be an idiot to disagree with this statement.
Because despite all the surface and window dressing gains it really means nothing if we continue to be murdered in the streets the same way we were when brother Malcolm began preaching in Harlem in the 50’s. Brother Malcom set the stage for many socially conscious black liberation organizations (namely the Black Panthers) in the future and despite the mainstream media’s attempt to erase brother Malcolm’s legacy and whitewash Dr King’s legacy all while playing the two against each other it was a known fact that brother Malcolm told Coretta Scott King ” we may not agree but tell your husband that I have his back”. Citing that he knew that the only way to deal with this wicked system was give them a choice ,deal with Dr King or deal with the people.
The United States government chose neither choosing to murder both of them and leaving our people in a sense of limbo that we have yet to come out of. It is said that this is supposed to be the greatest country in the world because you can come from nothing and become a great man if you work hard, Malcolm embodies this notion .. A black man in this racist country, whose father was murdered when he was young for speaking out against oppression, who was orphaned later incarcerated turn his life around in prison and became one of the most influential people in this country of our time is that not deserving of a day off?!?!?! Is that not worthy of reflection?Is that not worthy of teaching? Why is it not okay to teach our children about 1 of the greatest freedom fighters of anytime? Is it because they’re afraid to mention how much world recognition and respect is given when using the name Malcolm X?? Is it because they’re afraid that if you study and learn of Malcolm X you will learn of his attempt to go to the UN and have the United States brought up on Human Rights charges for the atrocities committed against black people?
Is it because you told his people do not turn the other cheek, but if you are the hit, hit back and hit harder?! Or is it because in the words of Ossie Davis “He was our shining Black Prince, an example of a black man hood and he loved US so much”? True Indeed!!!! The life and legacy of Malcolm X is something that must be taught thoroughly and talked about extensively in the home of every Black Person in America. It is without question that his ideas and solutions for Our peoples success were one of a kind and since his death have not been duplicated or attempted. His contribution to this society has never fully been appreciated or acknowledged which brings us to the point, I am suggesting we call our locally elected official and request a proposal for May19th to be a holiday known officially as Malcolm X Day.
No, I am not joking nor am I crazy…… You don’t find it insulting that you can celebrate rabbits laying chicken eggs on what’s supposed to be the day that Jesus came back?!?! Its ok to celebrate your slave master becoming independent?!?! It’s not crazy in your opinion to celebrate a black Hebrews birth supposedly in a open barn in the middle of the winter in December and we celebrate by telling our kids a fat white man breaks into Our house and leaves a gift for cookies? Is not insulting to have a feast celebrating the day that your ancestors were driven out of Europe (True History Of Thanksgiving November 25th 1491) or celebrating the theft and genocide that resulted in the birth of this nation!?!?
So then it should not be hard to make a phone call to fight for a man who died for you. But of course I’m not foolish enough to believe that just because we make phone calls we may change something so I had an alternative plan…. On may 19th of 2015 everyone black take a day off whether it be a personal day, sick leave,or vacation ,make sure that you take a paid day off ,if possible. If asked why explain, “Black national holiday ,Malcolm X day” As someone who’s actually done this before, I can tell you it makes you feel good to tell the establishment “F#$% You! I’m Black and Proud” and show your children that they come from the Bloodlines of great people.
As I’m writing this I can mentally hear some of you say “I can’t take off of work my boss wouldn’t like that” and with that mentality I can honestly say you needed to know brother Malcolm more than anyone else because you are a lost Negro, but for those who are like myself, a rebellious slave, who will not let the memories of my ancestors be dismissed,distorted or destroyed we will celebrate the life of our Beloved Leader in the way He would truly love…… By Any Means Necessary!!
Staff Writer; LeVar Smith
