holy day of atonement: a call for awakening
shoulda been there
To commemorate the 12th anniversary of the historic Million Man March, Minister Louis Farrakhan
spoke to a full-capacity crowd at the Atlanta Civic Center for the annual Holy Day of Atonement. Flanked
by several Nation of Islam security staff members, dressed in exquisite suits and standing stoically with
their arms folded, Farrakhan was greeted with a rousing ovation as he entered the theater for what could
be one of his last nationally publicized speeches.
For over two hours, Farrakhan lectured on religion, politics, hip-hop, crime in the black community
and education. “We should prepare our college graduates to receive an education that will allow them to
prepare a future for themselves and their people,” he said. “They shouldn’t have to come out [of school]
looking to corporate America for a job. We should bring them out ready to make jobs.”
However, his most touching discourse was a keen examination of the social gap between the black
elite and poor blacks. “You can look at Oprah, Cosby, Jay-Z and P. Diddy to see how we have turned the
corner in reaching the American dream,” he said. “But the man who owns the barrel could have pulled
all of the crabs out. The black elite serve as a buffer between the angry black masses and the white
people of power and influence. So now we look at our own rich as though they have betrayed us.”
Notable attendees included Rev. Joseph Lowery; Charles Steele, the national president and CEO
of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference; Rep. Roberta Abdul-Salaam and DJ Drama of the
Aphilliates. –amir shaw
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