Back in the 90’s, when I was a self proclaimed “wigger”, I had a Malcolm X shirt and wore it with my sagging pants; although I never really knew anything about Malcolm X or what he stood for. Later in life, as I went through high school and some college, I realized just what an idiot I was.
Malcolm X (Little) was born in Omaha, Nebraska in 1925; his father was African American and his mother was mixed. (her father was white). I discovered that Malcolm was a criminal with the nickname “Detroit Red” because he was light skinned and red headed (not the bright red, but a red tint); and he was extremely racist towards white people. Malcolm stated several times that he “hated every drop of that white rapist’s blood that is in me,” speaking about his grandfather.
SIDE NOTE: It’s funny to me that, as I write this, I realize that I used African American for one race but “white” for another race.
A fact that most people don’t know is that he also had mental issues; his mom was admitted to a mental hospital when he was a child and I truly believe the mental issues were inherited by him.
Malcolm X taught that black people were the original people of the world, and that white people were a race of devils who were created by an evil scientist named Yakub. The Nation of Islam believed that black people were superior to white people, and that the demise of the white race was imminent.
SIDE NOTE: Yes, you read that right. Malcolm X taught that white people were devils created by an evil black scientist named Yakub. Where is Agent 007 when you need him?
If that doesn’t scream mental issues; nothing does.
Imagine what would happen today if someone taught that black people were devils created by an evil white scientist named Earl! Where is Agent Tyrone when you need him?
Malcolm X was also a draft “dodger”, when Malcolm was examined in 1943 for the draft, military physicians classified him as “mentally disqualified for military service”. Malcolm wrote in his autobiography that he put on a display to avoid the draft by telling the examining officer that he could not wait to “steal us some guns, and kill us some crackers.”
After that, he returned to Boston with a group of associates, and began a series of elaborate burglaries targeting the residences of wealthy white families; this led to 10 years in prison where he learned about Islam.
In 1952, he was released from prison and changed his last name from Little to “X”; the X symbolized the true African family name that he felt he would never know.
In 1953, Malcolm X described himself as a Communist.
On December 1, 1963, when he was asked for a comment about the assassination of President Kennedy, Malcolm X said that it was a case of “chickens coming home to roost.” He added that “chickens coming home to roost never did make me sad; they’ve always made me glad.”
He was assassinated himself in 1965; there are several conspiracy theories over the assassination; some believe the Nation of Islam was responsible while some believe it was the FBI.
The amount of racism that Malcolm X expressed back then leads me to wonder why he was such a “hero” for people who wanted equality. Malcolm X once stated – “history proves the white man is a devil…anybody who rapes, and plunders, and enslaves, and steals, and drops hell bombs on people…anybody who does these things is nothing but a devil.”
I personally have never raped, plundered, enslaved, stole or dropped a hell bomb on anyone (maybe a few F bombs though!) but I do know some black folks who have raped and stolen; does that make them devils now?
Malcolm X advocated the complete separation of African Americans from white people. The Nation of Islam proposed the establishment of a separate country for black people in the Southern United States as an interim measure until African Americans could return to Africa.
The funny think is that the Klu Klux Klan had the same belief of sending African Americans back to Africa, yet they were looked at as raciest?
I wanted to write something about race because I’m tired of there being a double standard, I’m tired of black people being able to downgrade and bad mouth white people yet when white people do the same exact thing, we are called racist and society shuns us.
I’m tired of the NAACP without a white counterpart, I’m tired of the Lexington (Kentucky) African American Ball, I’m tired of the African American College Fund. If I started a White Folks College Fund and refused to allow black folks to apply for it; how long do you think that would last?
Racism is not a one sided issue; it goes both ways and any racism should be looked at in a negative manner.
The great thing about writing this little essay (for no real reason) was a fact that I learned about Malcolm X that I wasn’t taught in school.
In the last months of his life, Malcolm X began to reconsider his support of black nationalism after meeting northern African revolutionaries who, to all appearances, were white. Malcolm X articulated a view of white people and racism that represented a deep change from the philosophy he articulated as a minister of the Nation of Islam. In a famous letter from Mecca, he wrote that the white people he had met during his pilgrimage had forced him to “rearrange” his thinking about race and “toss aside some of his previous conclusions.”
In a 1965 conversation with Gordon Parks, two days before his assassination, Malcolm said:
“Listening to leaders like Nasser, Ben Bella, and Nkrumah awakened me to the dangers of racism. I realized racism isn’t just a black and white problem. It’s brought bloodbaths to about every nation on Earth at one time or another.
Brother, remember the time that white college girl came into the restaurant- the one who wanted to help the [Black] Muslims and the whites get together- and I told her there wasn’t a ghost of a chance and she went away crying? Well, I’ve lived to regret that incident. In many parts of the African continent, I saw white students helping black people. Something like this kills a lot of argument. I did many things as a [Black] Muslim that I’m sorry for now. I was a zombie then- like all [Black] Muslims- I was hypnotized, pointed in a certain direction and told to march. Well, I guess a man’s entitled to make a fool of himself if he’s ready to pay the cost. It cost me 12 years.
That was a bad scene, brother. The sickness and madness of those days- I’m glad to be for of them.”
Maybe I wasn’t such an idiot after all for wearing my Malcolm X shirt. In his last days, Malcolm X was truly an inspiration and hero to every person fighting for equality among races; so why do you rarely hear about those last days?
Everything and everyone seems to focus on the “by any means necessary” and “white devils” instead of what Malcolm truly stood for at the time of his assassination.
Racial equality.
~~~~ShArky~~~~
sharkysworld.com
It seems that Mr. Carlson (The Anderson News – Anderson County’s “Feel Good Paper”) just had to write up something about our correspondence we had the other day over Anderson Emergency Service and Lawerenceburg Medical Supply. 
Every person at some time or another feels hurt or mistreated by a family member, friend or co-worker over both large and small disagreements, unfeeling comments, or unfair treatment. 
