Chicago Officials Welcome the Support of Louis Farrakhan to Stop Inner City Violence
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, BlackBlueDog.com
The city of Chicago is welcoming the help of Min. Louis Farrakhan in the fight to clear the streets of Chicago of it’s spike in violence.
“Whatever we can do to help stop violence, I’m for it — no matter who it comes from. Just like CeaseFire. They have ex-offenders helping to stop the violence. It doesn’t matter, as long as we can stop people from getting killed,” Ald. Walter Burnett told the Chicago Sun-Times.
“I don’t agree with some of [Farrakhan’s] statements. I don’t agree with everything everybody does. But, I do agree with people who are trying to help us save lives.”
Ald. Leslie Hairston says that she is “in regular conversation” with Farrakhan and the Nation of Islam to find ways to curb the violence in the city.
“They are extremely well-organized. They are known for their discipline. That brings attention to the community,” Hairston said.
“Any group that is willing to do something to help fight the violence — they’re welcome.”
Farrakhan and the Nation of Islam have stepped up to the plate to help stop the violence in Chicago. The city has been decimated with a huge spike in violent crimes and homicides, with most of these homicides being black-on-black.
The men, known as the Fruit of Islam, presented themselves last month after 7-year old Heaven Sutton was killed by stray bullets. Heaven is not the only child to have died in recent months. Children of all ages are in such danger that they are unable to even walk to school in some neighborhoods.
CeaseFire, an organization designed to stop the violence, is partnering with the city to mediate gang disputes and help to stop shootings. But the Chicago Fraternal Order of Police is against the alliance, largely due to the fact that the organization is refusing to share its information with police.
But Pat Camden, a spokesperson for the FOP, says that Farrakhan’s participation is more than welcome.
“The last time I checked, Fruit of Islam isn’t convicted felons, are they? That’s a huge difference. And they’re not getting paid by the city,” Camden said.
“Anything that will cut down on the violence because of the lack of manpower, we’re glad to see. It’s people in the community getting involved to stop the violence. He’s part of the community.”
Even Mayor Rahm Emanuel said that Farrakhan’s support is fine and welcome.
“Everyone has a role to play in reducing violence. We all must do our part to make sure our communities are safe,” said Emanuel’s communications director Sarah Hamilton.
The city of Chicago is desperate, because they are faced with a problem that it’s political leaders cannot solve. The violence that the city has long ignored is starting to stain their national reputation, reducing the numbers of businesses and tourists who feel safe coming to the city. No one wants to visit an Americanized version of Beirut, and Chicago is beginning to be known as a perfect place to die.
There is no reason that anyone should object to Farrakhan’s support in stopping the violence. He has a unique ability to go places that no one else can go and persuade people who some consider to be unreachable. The Nation of Islam has the ability to command respect and produce discipline in even the most challenged black men, a valuable skill that should be harnessed and supported in every way imaginable.
The city shouldn’t just provide verbal support to Min. Farrakhan’s initiative, they should provide significant financial support. The South Side of Chicago deserves millions in reparations from the city for years of neglect, leading to inadequate schools, few job opportunities, police brutality/false incarceration and few activities for youth to distract them from participating in gang activity. Some of this money should be put into the hands of those with the bravery to go into the streets and protect little girls like Heaven Sutton.
The future of Chicago might depend heavily on the city’s decision to support Minister Farrakhan. He’s 80-years old, so they cannot allow this opportunity to pass them by. Farrakhan is a great American for making this sacrifice, and this fact should not be ignored.
Dr. Boyce Watkins is a Finance Professor at Syracuse University and founder of YourBlackWorld.com. To have Dr. Boyce commentary delivered to your email, please click here.
36 Responses to Chicago Officials Welcome the Support of Louis Farrakhan to Stop Inner City Violence
Leave a Reply
Follow Us!
Kudos to Farrakhan. He does not only talk the talk but he walks the talk. He is a real man. Men walk. Rabbits and punks hip hop.
I find it extremely fishy that white america, headed by Bill O’reilly, showed up to investigate what is going on in black chicago, and now all of a suddent farrakhan wants to help. He sat by for years and watched the massacres and said nothing. I pray that the white media stays on this.
farrakan and his people are not convicts the white powers that be named him bad.and im all for him helpin. this man has told nothin close to a lie when it comes to society and how we ( black folks) has been done. and why this is goin on in the black neighborhoods.
Great article Dr. Boyce. We in The Nation Of Islam are out here making a difference in our peoples lives. We are dealing with the life, blood, and salvation of our entire Black Nation! The devil has stuck a needle in our brains. Our minds have been in the possession of the devils for centuries and we have been so ignorant that we willingly give our minds over to the devils. This must stop immediately lest we receive the same doom and destruction due to the devils. Our minds have been stolen from us and we in the Nation of Islam are trying to return our people back to their Original mind- state. Free your mind and your a*s shall follow. Think on that. God is ” the killer” of the wicked and God is ” the life giver” to the righteous. So growing into the mind of God will kill of the wickedness that is in us and controlling us by imposing self- discipline and righteousness.
Why now? Hundreds/thousands have been shot and killed and you did nothing but watch the show. Why Now????
Now here is a man that no one was willing to give credit to for any of his long time actions and of course his position on life and our society as Minister Farrakhan had preached for decades. Now this man at the age of 80 is willing to put his life on the line by walking the streets of Chicago’s gun filled communities as to where local Chicago police officers haven’t been able to accomplish. Local Aldermen are afraid to come out in the open and speak directly to these gangs and that Mayor speaks through his Communications Director and says that Farrakhan is welcome. Lord and behold all of those folks who talked about Minister Farrakhan and that of his views are now coming full circle in that of his support. Mr. Farrakhan and the FOI, God be with you on this mission that others are first to talk, and more talk and you are willing to step to the plate to make things happen. Our prayers are with you!
Just as with some areas of the south side, pockets of violence exists on the poverty stricken west side, too. As with Cease Fire, the NOI is sorely needed. We have Father Pfleger, Jesse Jackson and a few others. We have now intensified community partnerships with the Chicago Police and other Chicago Departments. But, more of Chicago leadership needs to step up. They have been silent for far too long. The conditions leading up to this horrific violence have been allowed to fester for far too long. The Aldermen in many of these wards have done their residents a great disservice.
We know that drug money is behind it all. We know that many are on the TAKE. Jesse Jackson son Jonathan just admitted this very morning that he and Jesse Jr., have an open drug case against them in california!!!
Politicians and police make money off the violence in Chicago,the mayor especially with his cronies.Guns and drugs are supplied by the inner circle of Chicago and is meant for the minorities to destroy themselves in order to turn Chicago “lily-white” for the sake of prosperity.Tourism,Business Development and a safe haven for the real criminals the government.Black leaders in Chicago are scarred of their own shadows and wouldn’t speak out if this was happening to their own mama’s.Those bought and paid for so called leaders ain’t worth the air they breathe or skin they occupy.
Seems you are right Master. Black genocide being facilitate by black people.
But Master it isn’t about lily white chicago. They have their homes on the northside, etc. It is about homes for the mexicans, the large numbers of arabs, the large numbers of illegal aliens that obama is giving citizenship to, at the expense of black americans. He is giving them our homelands, our jobs, etc., and all the time asking for our vote.
Every black in america should be standing with white america to protest and send home illegal aliens of every color.
Evelyn
Its about time Min Farrakhan does something, if he is all that he claims he should have been involved 40 years ago.
Society is not the cause for the problems in our neighborhoods all across America, we black people are the cause! When we were educated and served our own communities as Doctors, Carpenters, Pilots, Generals, Lawyers.
Now for the last 40 years being educated is acting WHITE!
Ebonic’s is an excepted form of communication.
Grown men play electronic games and pretend football all day long.
Instead of creating the games!
We can sing and dance, we can not read and write!
We promote and believe degrading TV programs!
On payday we purchase drugs and liquor rather than pay our bills, then complain the man won’t give us credit.
We never learn Economics, Finance, or how Capitalism works so we rely upon the Government to keep us poor. The Government is “everyone else’s money” the more you get the more they take from everyone else, thus the reason for the dislike. Reparations are not in order we get reparations when we get that check each month.
The murders in our community will not be changed by Min. Farrakhan unless he is going to treat them the way they would be treated in Riyadh!
It’s not society it’s us, not all of us but soon to be a majority of us if we don’t change!
He should have been involved 40 years ago?? Apparently you don’t know the track record of Minister Farrakhan. He’s known due to the fact that he’s changed so many lives around, particularly young Black men like myself. h**l, the Nation of Islam is known for cleaning up Black men and women that society disregards. Do you think the Black men who follow him came straight from Wall Street? No. These were former gang members, drug dealers, pimps, thieves, etc..
What a silly and ignorant comment. No, the murders won’t be changed by Farrakhan alone. It’s going to take a community effort. So quit criticizing an 80 year man who’s willing to put his life on the line by walking out there every week, and join him.
Onesilverbac——— you have a great deal of raw and insightful energy– can you direct us ignorant Black Folk as myself of how to Boycott Christmas. As you know-we will take our last dollar to try to patronize the American dream of celebrating the holiday in order to feel apart of the majority of our society-so that said can these same derange Black Folk be helped by teaching them that their money is also counted during the time of celebrating the Christmas holiday– You may also inform them in your unique way of how they are supporting many families- such as the police,judges, politicians, lawyers,doctors, bodegas, Chinese stores,and the teachers who aren’t going to teach them to compete with their children for a job- when they behave like ignorant people do. Also- do these poor derange people pay tax – or are the taxes being paid are better spent to support the military- by the way some of the deranged Black Folk may have a son are daughter in the military-fighting for the so called rights and freedom of you actually they themselves may have been in the military- came home burned out- and not offered any help from the government for their debriefing back into society. Onesilverbac- the true enemies in our community are those who cared not to look back and share their knowledge and money and build the community from which a many of them or their parents have come from – the I arrived Negro is the most deadliest beings in America’s those who has subscribed to the belief they have made it because they are the only ones that are black in their neighborhood– last but not least what to do to help the helpless?
Boycott Christmas 2012
Man n from day one.What the h**l is she talkin’ about? here openin’ statement threw me the h**l off. the Min. been on the JOB & down from day one. Everytime he open his mouth, every speech & how can you 4get the Milliom Man just 2 name a few..look at the FOI, the MGT & the many accomplihments..maaaaan I could elaborate for day but I don’t have time 2 lift the big a*s bolder that she loves to sleep under.Holybregolly..geeeesh.
I am extremely educated, reside on the south side of Chicago, and no one has ever accused me of being white. This is a common misnomer asserted usually by uppity African Americans who have a hard time relating to poor and working class African Americans. It’s an excuse used by people who feel disconnected from the black community,. And I can gather by your tone that I would probably be offended by you as well and probably accuse you of acting white. You state that we are the blame which suggests that you have no clue about African American history in its relation to urban ghettos especially as Chicago is concerned. These are the facts:
1. The black ghettos where created through a process called redlining along with other methods such as restrictive covenants and outright violence
2. Redlining occurred in the residential and business loan processes. This resulted in forced segregation which meant blocked access to many jobs and quality educational opportunities. The banks also refused business loans to blacks who applied, which meant that no alternative “legit economy” could be cultivated by blacks.
3. Chicago specifically was targeted by Federal covert activities under the auspices of COINTELPRO (which also targeted many other urban black populations) and by the City government under the direction of Elder Daley with his private “Red Squad” Armies. The overall objective of these activities was to subvert black political gain.
4. Chicago Gangs attempted to organize, and did at one point under the guise of LSD (meaning Lords, Stones, Disciples), and there purpose was to shut down Businesses like constructions sites in the “Hoods” that would not hire black people. But thanks to the covert activities listed in item three, these efforts were targeted and neutralized–often using blacks as tools to do so.
5. Drugs, Drugs, and more Drugs to keep people sleep. A drugged out population is a known political population which is friendly to the interest of the existing white power structure. As yes this too is a fact, and the CIA has even been documented as participating in the distributions of both Cocaine and Heroin.
These are just highlights of all of the creating elements and stimulating elements that make the black ghettos overwhelming volatile for people to live in. And the sad part about is, we are ineffective in challenging the white supremacist power structure due largely because our own community continues to guard their agenda with pit bull like aggressiveness. It is the society fault for creating the climate that has lead to or so-called self-destruction, and thanks to the likes of yourself, they will continue to rule over us for many years to come.
FYI I am not a member of the NOI, but I respect Min. Farrakhan and if he wants to get the NOI involved in this struggle (Which they have always been a part of it anyway) then he has my full support…
Thank you for sharing your inside knowledge Eric Wright. It sounds very accurate, but didn’t black chicago expect for President Obama to step in and change Daley’s objectives for their vote? He sent Rahm there for some reason, but they say the violence only escalated under his mayoralship.
You sound just like the most hateful white rascist on the planet, who ignores the large NUMBERS OF educated black americans, the professional black americans, the upstanding black americans. Like you, the white rascist is determined only to see the 40% poor, drug addicted, handicapped to focus on.
Stop talking like a slave. Slaves were taught that IF ALL BLACK PEOPLE COULD BE PERFECT, THEY could be free. That is why they policed each other and crucified each other, and blamed each other for their bondage. DONT BE A FOOL. BREAK GENERATIONAL CURSES PLEASE. We will never have 100% middle/upper class black people, and white america wont either. The bible said, “the poor will always be amongst you.”
We have a LOT of good people. I pray you are one of them, and you raise your children to be one of them.
The reason Farrakahn will make a difference is simple. He has preached that the way young men and young women act today is despicable…period.
Young black men and young black women actually think that their ways and their thinking are normal and acceptable. And they refuse to listen to anybody whether parent, pastor, or otherwise.
does farrakhan blame young people because they are encouraged to be gay.
Minister Farrakhan and NOI have laid out plans for us since the beginning but we continue to trust in the slave master and his children. We still beg for jobs and education. We still want to depend on the white man to due for us, what we can due for ourselves. Wake up dead people the “so called negro” to your rightful place in society. We are a great people and we can build for ourselves. We can educate and employ for ourselves. We don’t need the hand of the slave master.
Thank you,
Not a member of NOI, but a critical thinker of justice.
No problem with the minister at all. He’s been consistent for the last umpteen years. He and the nation just hadn’t gotten enough support. We’ve been too divided and into the non-sense of my religion is the only one, while our children are killing one another due to the lack of self knowledge, love, respect for “Black Authority” much of which has been ushered in during “Black Flight” to the suburbs. So where do these children find their role models? Again, he has been consistent preaching, begging and crying and telling us the solutions to our problems is self determination.
Here’s something for all of us to think about. If there was a weekend within the City of Chicago where 25 dogs were shot do you think for one minute animal advocates would allow this event to continue? The would be an outcry from those who support “Animal Rights” like you’ve never seen before. However, week after week Chicago is in the headlines highlighting this savagery. And it’s not just Chicago, it’s St. Louis, Los Angles, Houston, Peoria, Atlanta and everywhere where Blacks live and the response, “Silence”. And Micheal Vick is still begging for forgiveness every week after spending 2 years in jail on “Animal Cruelty” charges. So the conclusion, “THE LIFE OF A DOG IS MORE CHERISHED THAN A BLACK PERSON”. Now that’s something to think about. The real question however, is are we willing to become a part of the solution?
Thanks minister for standing up and being a “Real Man And Leader” and just think he’s 80 years old.
if blacks wana kill each other who gives a f**k just leave the kids alone if these n****z wana gang bang and shot and kill each other i dont care they should all kill each other make the city a better place
Yell Diablo–Spoken like a true Devil…
he thinks a better place would consist of all illegal aliens mexicans taking over our homeland
I am not a follower of Minister Farrakhan, but I have respect for him and his organization. Finally, the city wakes up and uses a valuable community resource.
Mr. (or Ms.) onesilverback, whatever that means? You need to read up on the lives and careers of Paul Robeson and WEB DuBois. Both of these great men thought that our Black middle class would “save the race”. Yet, both, in their middle years, observed that the Black middle class was really useless, ineffective, to large degree, apathetic to the problems of the masses of Black people. IN Mr. DuBois case, he wound up resigning from the NAAC, (which he co-founded) and in Mr. Robeson’s case, he had to endure congressional testimonies from people like baseball great Jackie Robinson, whom he (Robeson) helped lay a path for in American society. Both these men had their passport revoked and were castigated and maligned by a sick, racist society that desired to silence the voices of all revolutionaries.
Min. Louis Farrakhan’s career actually goes back more than 55 years as he was recruited (or inspired) into the lost found Nation of Islam by the great, legendary human rights leader, Malcolm X, back in the early/mid-1950′s. In the tradition of Paul Robeson and WEB DuBois (and Malcolm X) Minister Farrakhan continues to spark controversy in an America that really has not changed all that much since the heyday of the above named revolutionaries; as you notice in the article, everyone who now admits to needing his help to solve the issue, has to quantify their position by saying, “I don’t agree with everything he says”? Yet they know that he is one of the very few men in this country, (Black or White) that has any realistic chance of making a significant impact upon the minds of young Black males, many who have lost all hope in humanity and in themselves.
So, as you mindlessly point out how terrible we all are, and indicate (even if you don’t know you are doing it) that being a middle class Black America will save our butts, you should ask yourself why it has not happened as yet? Why has not our great rich Black American’s for example, opened and operated our own schools? The Nation of Islam has. Why has not middle class Black America asserted itself in term s of business and commerce and have us still dependent upon white appropriation for our overall sustenance? The Nation of Islam, (especially back in the mid-1960’s an d1970’s) was for a time, the largest Black owned Black business empire in America, and they still to this day operate independently and relay upon their own kind for economic parity and support.
In closing, Min. Louis Farrakhan’s voice is one of the very few truly free, liberated Black voices in this country, who speak without fear of the white man and what he will think. SO, you better listen, listen, hear, and understand. Wake up brother.
If Louis Farrakhan has the power to create millions of jobs he has a long term solution, but the only one that I know who we vote for to do that, is the president of the U.S. If you dont believe me, ask the white folks, who they expect to save them WITH JOBS. Farrakhan has no jobs and no long term solution. SOMEONE WANTS THE WHITE MEDIA OUT OF BLACK CHICAGO BEFORE THE TRUTH IS DISCOVERED BY DIVERTING ATTENTION TO FARRAKHAN.
Where is farrakhan’s walmart? How many does he employee? Anything he has was taken from Elijah muhammed family – the real hero.
Whites put billions of money into the hands of black entertainers. They were to lift up the masses. Instead they married white, and gave the money back to whites, they partied and drugged out, they let foreign blacks con them into believeing they could save the WORLD – they are citizens of the world LOL talking about a con job, and the fools abandoned their own communites and created no jobs that made a significant dent in our unemployment rates. All that money entrusted to oprah (she didn’t earn it – every dummy can talk) should be taken and distributed to the masses through some reparation program.
THANK YOU MINISTER FARRAKAN. YES! THE POLICEMEN AND POLITIANS ARE UPSET WITH WHAT HE’S DOING. THERE ISN’T ANY MONEY OR PRESTIGE FOR THEM TO BOAST ABOUT. TO ALL THE CITIZENS OF CHICAGO, JOIN MINISTER FARRAKAN AND STAND SHOULDER TO SHOULDER WITH HIM AS WALK THE STREETS AND CHAT WITH GANG MEMBERS. WHEN YOU SHOW RESPECT, YOU GET RESPECT. I REALLY RESPECT MINISTER FARRAKAN, I MAY NOT AGREE WITH EVERY THING HE SAYS OR DO, THAT GOES WITH THE TERRITORY..
WOW this is an excellent article, to be honest, we NEED alot more black leaders like Farakhan, tupack would have been perferct
Right on, Eric. We do need a lot more leaders like Farrakhan. The slaves excepted the white mans religion when they had no choice. Since then, the descendants of slaves have been pimped, bamboozled, brainwashed, and exploited in all kinds of ways by black preachers, interested only in filling their pockets.
farrakhan is only being used to divert the white media from chicago. to keep the truth from getting out. he has no jobs and no long term solution.
Minister Farrakhan, thank you for your caring, help and support…I respect YOU!
Just curious. Do any of you work with families or children in the inner city? I do, although not in Chicago. I am sad that most of you are missing the point. All I hear is anger, bitterness, and excuses being perpetuated in this discussion. Families immigrate to the U.S. (and have for hundreds of years) with NO money or resources all of the time. How do some succeed and some fail? What do successful whites, blacks, hispanics, asians have in common? Bottom line: Their families are intact for the most part, and they raise their children with personal responsibility, education, and moral values (although all groups are trending away from this). When I work with these kids, I understand the hardship they have experienced, but I also pay attention to what is missing. I find that there is an unending cycle of parents making excuses for not rearing the children, for not working, and for how they are oppressed. How are they helping their kids? They are destroying them–My own father came from nothing…dirt floors. His parents had no car, made no excuses, and required him to contribute and to respect others. The more we focus on anything else, the more we are guaranteeing these kids will never be even self sufficient, much less successfull. Stop the madness and get over the past for the childrens’ sakes. They need the love of good people, they need Christ, and they don’t need money-grubbing politicians telling them they will forever be oppressed.
As a self educated African American, who spent 13 yrs incarcerated with much time to think and gain a personal connection with my Higher Power, I feel humbly confidant when I say that while “fixing Chicago” would be a blessedly great occurance….it would be short termed because once news of this “fixing” spreads, people of all colors would come to Chicago to escape similar situations where they currently live.There are NO ENDURING SHORT TERM SOLUTIONS AVAILABLE!
I never Knew my father and can only trace my ancestory back to my great grandmother on my mother’s side. All from Baptist roots, my great grandmother, my grand mother and my mother (in her youth) lived in rural red clay dirt between the toes Georgia. Their respective lives were hard! Nonetheless they all had a COMMON goal/dream, that being: to see their descendents have an opportunity for a better existence then their lot in life had bestowed upon them…ie: outhouses, wood burning stoves, lack of proper in house plumbing,substandard electricity services,etc,etc. So my mother moved to Boston in the early 60′s seeking opportunities for herself and envisioning that eventually her children would gain a good education,financial security,stay out of trouble, cause nobody undue trouble and stay in tune with a Higher Power.
Obviously having been incarcerated for 13yrs because of my choices,I did not fulfill my mother’s reasonable expectations. Meanwhile my syblings made better individual choices and the overall quality of their respective lives reflect that. Since being released from prison I have spent over a decade working with substance abusers,at-risk youth and the adult ex-offender population. As my life circumstances permits I am taking classes to get into college so I can get a degree in social work and ministry. It took me a very,very long time to get to this place in my life. Across America there are many other misguided individuals like myself. Many people whose path I had crossed over the course of my life never wrote me off even if at times I had wrote myself off…Redemtion and Reversal of fate/fortune is available. IT JUST TAKES TIME.
So understanding that there are no quick fix solution for what ails the “black community” or America in general, sensible people(nation wide) have to commit themselves to doing a little good in a concerted effort, on a daily basis. A starting point would be to throughly evaulate what goes into the basis for the the thought process for the choices those running amok in Chicago (and elsewhere)operate from. Get to the ones you can, ASK them and try to rectify what portions of the “choice making process”, society can.
There is more evidence that there will be MANNA from Heaven then a governmental solution.
MASTER GRB I THANK YOU FOR YOU PROFOUND COMMENTS ON THIS SUBJECT, SOME OF US STILL HAVE A SLAVE MENTALITY AND WILL NEVER GET OVER THE WILLIE LYNCH SINDROME WHICH SHOULD BE REQUIRED READING TO ALL OF OUR CHILDREN,THEN OUR CHILDREN WOULD KNOW AND UNDERSTAND OF PLIGHT IN THIS COUNTRY THEIR PARENT’S HAVEN’T GOT A CLUE SO THEY CAN’T HELP THEM WE CAN START BY EDUCATING PARENTS AND DO EXACLY WHAT THE NATION IS DOING.OUR ELDERS WERE CRYING WHEN THEY SAW THE MINISTER IN THEIR HOOD, HE WILL AND DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE. ALL YOU HATER’S GET A LIFE OF YOUR OWN AND STOP TALKING ABOUT WHAT YOU DON’T KNOW.AND REMEMBER ” FREEDOM AIN’T FREE “