Clergy issues agenda to Million Man March

Two weeks after the 20th anniversary of the Million Man March, held in Washington, D.C., Pittsburgh’s first official meeting regarding further instruction to the public for empowering and improving the Black community took place.
The meeting was hosted at Baptist Temple Church in Homewood by Rev. Rodney Lyde.
Reverend Lyde turned the meeting over to Minister Victor Muhammad of Muhammad Mosque 22 in Wilkinsburg.
“I find that the Nation of Islam has given us a wonderful template to follow for us as a people to get ourselves out of this predicament,” said Rev. Lyde in response to moving forward after the March.
A modest 20 in attendance listened attentively to Min. Muhammad as he focused the meeting on boycotting Christmas, staying loyal to Black business, focusing monetary gains on getting out of debt and not being satisfied with the current Black voter turnout in Pittsburgh.
He said the template for Pittsburgh is geared specifically toward a recipe that fits the local community. “We have an agenda that will no longer make us the victim of someone else’s agenda,” said the minister.
Minister Muhammad stressed that the said boycott of Christmas should start on Black Friday, those that still are going to participate in Christmas should at least buy from Black business.
“We want to pull out economically. Black Friday to Christmas makes the American economy,” said Min. Muhammad. He suggested that the money saved from not participating can be used toward paying off car notes, mortgages or other debt reduction strategies.
He highlighted the East Hills Giant Eagle as one of three Black owned grocery stores in the nation and suggested that those able should purchase their groceries there. “We want everyone to go out of their way to purchase their groceries from there,” said Min. Muhammad.
The minister also wants a push for Blacks in the community, especially young people, to register and vote. “We don’t want registered, ignorant voters. We need voters that understand the political landscape,” he said.
He said Blacks needs to focus on more participation on local and state elections as opposed to only federal elections while also understanding the difference between the legislative, executive and judicial branches.  The minister argued that Blacks only vote for the executive branch (mayor, governor, president) and the legislative branch (Congress, State House/Senate) while neglecting to vote for the judicial branch—those who interpret the law.  “We need to be politically astute in what we do,” he said.
Entrepreneur and owner of One on One fitness gym in the Strip District, Charles X, said that he is excited for the new generation to take over. “There’s about to be a changing of guards,” Charles X said.
He said that Blacks are not only being killed by laws, but also from a lack of health and a lack of knowledge. “We aren’t spending any time on ourselves. We are in survival mode, trying to get from one day to the next,” he said.
Charles X cited four out of the top five killers in the Black community as health related deaths (heart-disease, cancer, stroke and diabetes) the majority of which can be prevented through proper health through diet and exercise. “We’re leading every category as Black people,” he said.
The meeting briefly touched on violence and mistreating of Blacks by law enforcement in the community.
Bobby Sanford Jr., who takes part in two fatherhood initiatives within the community, said he considers himself an “insurgent” and that he’s at “war with the state.” He asked to sign up as one of the 10,000 fearless men that Minister Farrakhan requested at “Justice or Else” to go in and clean up Black communities.
Marcy Dixon is in the process of moving from Benton Harbor, Mich., to the Pittsburgh community. She said she plans on taking part in the follow-up initiative from the March because she found the meeting “very informative.”
A subsequent meeting is to be determined.
(Samson X Horne is a contributing writer to the New Pittsburgh Courier. He can be reached at samson.x.horne.com)
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