The Economic Program II

By the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad | Last updated: Mar 3, 2013 - 10:38:40 AM

'There is entirely too much distrust among us. We trust everyone but ourselves. We, therefore, have to build or produce trust in ourselves in order to do something for self and kind.'

As I noted previously, on matters of economics there is entirely too much distrust among us. We trust everyone but ourselves. We, therefore, have to build or produce trust in ourselves in order to do something for self and kind. We cannot depend upon the White man to continue to care for us and build a future of good for us and our children.

We can see every hour and every day how the White man’s world is narrowing and how his time is growing shorter. This narrowing of his world power teaches us that we must strike out for ourselves or be left behind helpless and without a future.

If you would accept Allah for your God and His religion, Islam—which means entire submission to His will—it would produce quality leadership that you could trust; a leadership capable and willing, with a heart of love for one’s people.

Christianity has never been able to produce the right leadership for our people—and never will. It is disheartening to a wise leader of the so-called American Negro to see how foolish he has been made to think and act.

The Black man in America as well as the Black man abroad has never been able to provide good leadership for himself under Christianity, because Christianity is not the true religion of God. It is a division of religions and uses a division of God which makes it impossible to establish true love and unity of brotherhood.

As I wrote previously, it is difficult to plan an economic system for a people who are subjected to the whim of another people. You are limited in your jobs, salaries and incomes by the White man. But you still can learn not to be reckless and wasteful spenders and happy-go-lucky people with nothing of your own. Every sport the White man–with bulging banks of money–enjoys, you try to imitate him.

Take what he gives you and learn to save some of it. The hardest times are before those of you who will not accept this program and follow the way of Allah and Islam, guide you and set you in heaven at once, with money, good homes and friendships in all walks of life.

Begging and praying to the White man to accept you (his once abject slave, and now willing slave) and give you the things he is giving himself and his kind is really out of place today.

The White man claims he has given you freedom. He feels that he is not responsible for your poverty-since you have had 100 years on your own. He believes that if you did not like him, you should have left him, and if you do not like him today, you should leave him. You do not want to leave him because of your great desire for his wealth. This classified you as being lazy; a people who do not want to accept their own responsibility. Think it over, my friends.

We could save money by walking instead of riding in luxury. If we can purchase an automobile, we should not try to get the most luxurious model unless we can afford it.

You have read in previous articles on economics how you can save hundreds of millions of dollars—even billions—if you would accept the right economic program and stop using things which destroy your health, such as tobacco, which doctors warn us can cause cancer. X-rays are known also to be dangerous and produce cancer. While X-rays aid doctors in finding the source of an ailment, they are not good for our bodies. Scientists now warn you against gazing into TV sets for any long length of time, because this can produce cancer in the body. This is especially true of children, who prop themselves in front of TV sets and gaze for hours at close range.

We must remember that the new inventions are still in the experimental stage. None of the new inventions in this great modern world are completely safe. Look at TV only when you know there is something of importance to be seen; not for foolishness and sport.

Beware of the national elections, my black brothers and sisters. There is no salvation in them for you—only false promises. The only salvation for you and me now is in unity and being under the guidance of Allah through His Messenger and His program for us all.

Do not follow those self-made leaders who are seeking only the praise of the people and have no good in mind for you and will lead you back into becoming more of a slave than ever. Our problem is to be solved by a divine solution given to Allah’s Messenger.

Follow me and live. Reject me and die as people without the help of God and friend.

(Reprinted from “Message to the Blackman,” 1965.)

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