by James Muhammad

HOUSTON�Concluding an inspiring message on relationships among races of the human family that focused partly on the importance of mothers and the development of females in order to establish strong families, the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan turned to the mother of executed Texas death row inmate Shaka Sankofa (a.k.a. Gary Graham).

�Mother, you brought this beautiful child into the world and you may not know that your son was a child of destiny,� he told Elnora Graham, who attended the August 5 meeting at Pleasant Grove Baptist church with her daughter, Brenda. �I know that as a mother, you are sad and sorrowful. As a brother, I am sad and sorrowful (but) I don�t want you to grieve,� he said.

In soothing words to Ms. Graham, the Muslim minister said that all life is on loan from God and no life is taken without God�s permission.  So the Texas Board of Pardons, Texas Gov. George W. Bush and U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas�all of whom turned down Mr. Sankofa�s appeals�can be blamed, he said, but ultimately, �The question, mother, we have to ask is, why did God allow Shaka to go in that manner,� he said.

�Your son died for everyone of us that is in this room. When Shaka was laying on that table, mom, talking to us, it was not Shaka talking, it was God talking to us through Shaka. �March on! They�re killing me tonight, but march on!�

�I took those words deep into my soul, mother,� Min. Farrakhan continued. �And those words fueled me � and those words fueled a nation that is asleep and won�t march on.�

Referring to Jesus and his mother, Min. Farrakhan said Shaka Sankofa�s name will be written in the history of Black America as a turning point in the liberation struggle.

�So you rejoice, mother, don�t grieve,� he said, �hold your head up and thank God for Shaka because he was on loan to the earth, like you, like me, from God.

�Lift up your head and smile because like Jesus made his mother immortal, Shaka has made your name to live in the history of our people�s struggle,� he concluded.

Thanking the Rev. Charles L. Jackson, father of host Rev. Sheldon Jackson, for his years of courage in fighting for Black people, and thanking Min. Robert Muhammad, southwest region minister of the Nation of Islam, for his work as Mr. Sankofa�s spiritual advisor, Min. Farrakhan urged male-dominated societies to elevate women and free them to develop and utilize their skills for the betterment of family and society. He also chided the dominant religions for setting limitations on the female.

When the companions of Prophet Muhammad asked him who they should honor after God and His Messenger, the Prophet responded, �your mother.� The companions asked the same question three times and each time the Prophet responded, �your mother,� the Minister explained.

On the fourth time the question was asked, the Prophet said, �your father,� the Minister said.

  �You have a need to be made secure. And we are made secure by the warmth of a mother and we�re made secure by the love of a mother. A mother�s love is the closest thing to the love of God that you will ever find on this earth,� Min. Farrakhan declared to rousing applause. �(But) how can a woman do her job if the society feels that a woman is inferior and a woman should not know, that a woman should not have the knowledge of God, the knowledge of scripture. That is why I say there must be reform (in religion), otherwise all of these religions will pass from the earth because they have failed,� he said.

The Minister also reminded the males and females in the audience of their responsibilities to their offspring.

�You don�t escape your actions. Your actions can set up good for your children, or your actions can sentence your children. When you live right, you�re not just living right for yourself, you�re living right for unborn generations. And when you mess up your life, you�re messing up not only for yourself, you�re messing up for the generations yet to come.

�It behooves us to do the right thing so we can pass on goodness to our children,� he said.

The Houston visit was highlighted by a police escort received by Min. Farrakhan during his stay and proclamations on the federal, state and city levels from U.S. Rep. Shelia Jackson-Lee, who attended the public rally, State Rep. and acting Texas Gov. Rodney Ellis and Mayor Lee Brown.

Commenting on the highlights of the day, Southwest Regional Min. Robert Muhammad told The Final Call that his spirit was lifted to see Min. Farrakhan personally embrace the mother of Shaka Sankofa.

�It made me feel good that the Minister could add a measure of comfort for a woman who has suffered so much over the past years,� he said. �Minister Farrakhan brings a unique perspective to every situation.�

Continuing, he said: �Minister Farrakhan, being inspired by God, is dealing with reform of religion and is putting the Nation of Islam squarely in the public policy fray. This raises the stakes and clearly we should be very watchful because these are dangerous times.

�If you�re talking about reforming the spiritual dynamic and the political system that upholds it, then you�re absolutely talking about changing a world,� he said.

Dallas proclaims MFM Day

In Dallas on the previous night at Carver Heights Missionary Baptist Church, City Councilman James L. Fauntroy read a city council proclamation declaring the day Million Family March Day in the city.

Introduced with a thunderous ovation by local Min. Jeffrey Muhammad as �a man that I love and a man that you love,� Min. Farrakhan challenged the audience to think about a world without God.

�Satan is happy with religion in the state that religion is in,� he said. �What are you suppose to do?�

Answering his own question, the Minister challenged the audience to do what Jesus, the Christ, asked, �deny yourself, pick up your cross and follow me (Jesus).�

�He taught the multitude,� Min. Farrakhan continued, �but he didn�t have too many followers and, in truth, he doesn�t have that many today.�

He challenged the people to follow the directions for human life by following �the directions of the manufacturer (God)� as given in scriptures. He also said that God has put everything the human being needs in the universe if the human being would draw on the universe for nourishment.

�How can you have abundant life in disobedience to the principles upon which life is based?� he asked. �It can�t happen.�

In the audience glued to Min. Farrakhan�s every word was Larry Johnson, a member of the New York Knicks professional basketball team. After the meeting, he told The Final Call of his love for Min. Farrakhan and support for the Million Family March.

�I�m trying to be a better person, a better father, a better husband,� he said. �I love the vibe I felt during the meeting. I was at the Million Man March,� he said, �and I�ll be at the Million Family March.�

Min. Jeffrey Muhammad of Muhammad Mosque No. 48 expressed joy in Min. Farrakhan�s decision to visit former city councilman Al Lipscomb, on house arrest for a charge that many feel is politically motivated. Min. Jeffrey also said he saw joy in the eyes of the Believers who were thrilled when their leader visited the local mosque.

�I was immediately saddened when I knew (Mr. Lipscomb) wouldn�t be able to see the Minister. But a highlight of the visit was when the Minister not only called Mr. Lipscomb, but he went to visit our brother. I know that made his (Lipscomb�s) year.