Weekly Wisdom - 10/17 : A Healthy Patriotism

The following are excerpts from the lecture entitled: A Healthy Patriotism by Imam W. D. Mohammed. I encourage you to read the whole article here. (...and of course the highlighting and emphasis is my own)

A Healthy Patriotism

By Imam W. Deen Mohammed

(Imam W. Deen Mohammed gave this public address at The Mosque Cares First Sunday Series on July 4, 2004, at the Ramada Inn in Homewood, IL)

Democrat vs. Republican

"...Think about the parties. The symbol of one is a donkey, a dumb ass - speaking from the dictionary, and I want to be sure you've gotten the full meaning. The other's symbol is an elephant, a big, huge, massive creature, whose nose is very unique. You can't find any living creature with a nose like that. He can give himself a shower with his nose. He can eat something as small as a peanut, picking it up with his nose and putting it in his mouth. And he can take that nose and tighten the muscle up in it and push down a building like a bulldozer. That nose is unique.

The only thing I've found that seems to warrant the attention and admiration like his nose is his equilibrium. With all of that massive weight, he can walk across something no more than two inches wide, if it is strong enough to hold him. He can get upon it and walk on a little small edge. Not only can he walk it, he also can balance himself on one foot, raising all of that huge thousands of pounds of weight - raising himself up and standing on one foot. That is the symbol for the Republican Party, a big massive creature. I can't identify with either party. I don't have enough money to buy an elephant, and I don't want a donkey..."

[My Note: the donkey has a head that is too big for its body...]



The Constitution is like an organism

"....So the idea that the South imposed upon the whole country and made us suffer under
it was really unconstitutional at the very beginning. They shouldn't have amended anything. The amending was done, so that history would be continuous and not lost. That was the only reason why it was necessary to make amendments.

The body of the Constitution, itself, is like an organism. You couldn't take away from what was there, but it can grow. It can grow from the idea that was given to us by the Founding Fathers and from there it grew according to our needs or what we would permit or allow or not allow. As we look back at it, we may see that one part is not acceptable anymore. But you don't cut it off, you just amend it. The language of the Founding Fathers is clear and complete enough for them not to have done what they did to us..."

A Muslim Patriot of the USA

"...The Arabs were reading the Qur'an and reading it right about G-d. We had the Qur'an, too, but we were saying "G-d was Mr. W. D. Fard in the human flesh." The Arabs knew the Prophet who got the revelation, and they were acknowledging the right Prophet, Muhammed the Prophet of Arabia. We were saying that the Hon. Elijah Muhammad was the messenger of G-d. And we weren't interested but for just a little bit in Muhammed of Arabia, whom the Qur'an was revealed to.

But we had good intentions, and our religion was sincere. And we wanted to be all the way straight, not part of the way. We were acknowledging Him before great America and taking the risk of living our different life here in the face of great America. They were coming in from Muslim countries changing their names to Robi, Jack, Sam, Tobi, ashamed to come out. This country didn't say you couldn't have your religion in this country, but they weren't coming out in the open with their religion. They were keeping it as quiet as they could.

Now the same G-d that I just described sees these poor descendents of slaves, how they were treated and how they wanted to be treated, and He sees in their hearts how they really wanted to be upright and on the right path for G-d. And they are speaking a language that G-d can't accept. So G-d says, "I'll take care of them. I'll teach them Myself. They are going to learn the Qur'an, and they won't learn it from the Arabs. I am going to inspire them, and they are going to learn it from My Inspiration. One day, I am going to favor them over the rest."

The Hon. Elijah Muhammad said that day was coming, and the day is here. The Muslims that Allah is with are not those Muslims over there. It is the Muslims in the United States of America, and they were here while others were mum and afraid to speak. This is Independence Day, and I am inviting you to come to my meaning of Patriotism and walk these streets and know that they belong to you as much as they belong to any man. And see your future in this country, and believe that the world is open to you as much as it is open to any man. Go on and build a great life for yourself, as much as any man in the United States of America. Thank you, Peace be unto you As-Salaam-Alaikum.