As I watched the sellout crowd at the 31st Annual NAACP Freedom Fund Banquet, I was both joyous and sad.  It was a sadness for having to give up the leadership of the NAACP and it was also a profound disappointment to see that some prominent citizens avoided the banquet to show non-support for president John Marshall.  On the other hand, the beautiful crowd with ladies wearing brand new dresses and the gorgeous decorations by Georgia Deriso were simply spectacular.  The Shriners who came in all of their regalia, the Zetas in their blue, the 18 members of my own family from Savannah, and over 38 tables of 10 seats each were sold days before the event; all brought me joy and satisfaction.

I want to see the Blacks in Sumter County unified in order to move our people forward and make preparations for the next generation.  That is what all concerned people do for their race.  Whites, Hispanics, and Asians are working hard together to advance their people even though they may disagree on various issues. Many of our Black prominent citizens cannot seem to forgive one another for the sake of Black progress and move on.

However, my disappointment was over who did or did not attend the banquet. Among these was the Rev. Melvin McCluster, pastor of Friendship Baptist Church, the largest black congregation in Americus. Although, Pastor McCluster and I have had some differences stemming from the “Craig Walker” incident of nearly two years ago, we seemed to have found a common ground in our relationship. I personally sent him an invitation and followed up with a phone call. He responded by paying me a personal visit with an NAACP contribution. I respected his cordiality. While this gesture was appreciated, Pastor McCluster’s appearance or ensuring that his church was officially represented would have gone a long way to supporting our event.  I must however say that I hope the steps we both have taken to reach out to each other will be the beginning of rebuilding our relationship.

I called Darryl Sabbs, husband of Lorena Barnum Sabbs, the owner of the historic Barnum Funeral Home and he said, “She does not want to do business with you;” so I said thank you and hung up the phone.  Why is Lorena so angry?  Could it be the article we wrote about her niece working for the most racist and oppressive newspaper that I have ever seen in my entire life?  Lorena’s parents would cringe to see their precious grand child working with Beth Alston and William Bronson.  That Americus Times Recorder newspaper allowed Jacob Battle to put an editorial in their paper that called Lorena a killer because she supports partial birth abortion and several other degrading comments.  Lorena’s niece was employed at the Recorder when this took place and the Barnum/Sabbs family doesn’t want to do business with me?  How foolish is that statement by Darryl Sabbs? 

I was disappointed with Zion Hope and its pastor, the Rev. George F. Monts.  He missed the NAACP Banquet because he had another engagement.  We would have been proud to call out the Zion Hope table even though the pastor could not attend.  That church is on the rise with William Laster, Gail German, and Gloria Small who are our friends.  We know they will be back next year.

I was not surprised to see that Gladys’ Kitchen didn’t get an ad in the NAACP souvenir journal.  We did not expect Tracy Tullis, the owner, to show up.  She was offended by comments in this newspaper by James L. Bryant, Jr. in his “Cast the First Stone” column, in which Bryant commented on Tullis’ refusal to sell the Americus Sumter Observer newspaper because of a boycott threat of her business by a white customer. So I asked Tracy, “What else will he demand of you? I know Tracy understands my position and I love supporting businesses that are good to Black people no matter what the color. 

I said all of that to bring home the point that I needed to remove myself for the sake of Black unity in Sumter County.  Having John Marshall out of the NAACP leadership in Americus and to have Matt Wright come in as the new president should eliminate all of the divisions.  The only thing left to deal with is what is right or wrong and not the John Marshall factor.  Matt Wright is very capable of galvanizing this community, Black and White.

I knew that Pam Angry, president of the Martin Luther King Celebration committee, would not support the banquet because we strongly criticized her for bringing Judge Peagler to be the keynote speaker on King’s Day, 2006.  However, the 2007 MLK events were great; the parade was perfect, the ball and even the program.  All of our NAACP leaders were present at the MLK program to show unity to the enemies of our community.  Pam could not be a bigger woman and show support of the NAACP banquet; she couldn’t let it go.  I hope the MLK committee will include our new president Matt Wright in their 2008 planning to bring us all together and stop the childish sulking.

Finally, only Citizens Bank bought an ad in the souvenir journal this year.  Wachovia, First State, Sumter Bank and Trust (bought 4 tickets), and Peoples South Bank all declined support of this year’s banquet.  The only bank that bought a table was Capitol City Bank, the Black bank in Albany, GA.  We have the NAACP checking account at Wachovia and the Observer account at SB&T.   I have two accounts at Capitol City in Albany.  We need to deposit our church monies at Capitol City Bank in Albany.

 One White dentist asked Ms Teresa Mansfield when she was soliciting his ad for the NAACP Booklet, “When will the new president take over from John Marshall?”  Why is he so worried about the NAACP leadership?  I hope Blacks will pull together and start a fresh united front.  I warned Matt Wright that the Uncle Toms and the racists will never change; so be prepared for their smiling, deceitful faces that have hidden daggers behind their backs and are ready to stab him. 

The shining bright light of hope and unity is the large number of Blacks and Whites who desire to see peace, fairness, and inclusion of Blacks in leadership positions that impact us.  We know this community will be great if Blacks come together and make sure that we have a say in the school system, hospital, city and county government, the criminal justice system, and the election board.  With the smiling bright face of Mathis Wright and his absolute brilliance, we will definitely come together and advance as a people under his leadership.

When Nancy Pelosi announced last fall that impeachment was "off the table," official Washington accepted that the primary avenue for holding lawless Presidents to account had been closed off by the new Speaker of the House. But the Republic's citizenry has not been so inclined. And now, with the Administration's troubles mounting, they're preparing to tell Pelosi that America and the world cannot wait until January 20, 2009, to put an end to Bush's reign of error. When Pelosi arrives at the California Democratic Convention in San Diego on April 28--the same day that activists nationwide will rally for presidential accountability--she'll find on the agenda a resolution that declares that the actions of President Bush and Vice President Cheney "warrant impeachment and trial, and removal from office." Delegates are expected to endorse the measure.

Pelosi fears that impeachment would distract from the Democratic legislative agenda and provoke an electoral backlash. History suggests she is wrong: The Watergate Congress was highly efficient, and Democrats had one of their best years ever at the polls after pressuring Richard Nixon out of office. But aside from Dennis Kucinich, who is particularly fired up about Cheney's misdeeds, few in Congress have even hinted at bucking Pelosi's ban.

Outside Washington, however, an "impeachment from below" movement is gathering steam. The President's troop surge into Iraq and his refusal to consider exit strategies has caused many to react like GOP Senator Chuck Hagel, who has observed, "The President says...he's not accountable anymore, which isn't totally true. You can impeach him." Hagel's remarks go to the heart of the surge in interest in impeachment: It stems from Bush's ongoing disregard for the demands of the electorate, the Congress and the Constitution. Legitimate impeachment initiatives are organic responses to the realities of a moment rather than purely legal procedures. Talk of impeachment gains traction when it becomes clear that an Administration is unwilling to respect the system of checks and balances or the rule of law. This explains why the allegation that Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, apparently with White House approval, pressured US Attorneys to politicize prosecutions has added so much fuel to the fire, with activists like Vermont's Dan DeWalt now saying, "I don't have any trouble getting people to agree that impeachment is necessary."

 Will the ILL Winds of TIME really CHANGE?

As of today, if we ask ourselves, are we better-off now than we were 10 years ago, what would your answer be?  My answer would be yes, BUT……… And it is the "But" that is causing the true problems of poor people and their plight.

It matters little how educated the poor generation becomes. When once you obtain your degree, companies and establishments do not give us the better jobs in their organizations even-though our qualifications exceed the job recipient who is a part of the "Buddy System".  If we get lucky and the establishment decides to hire one or two of us; when changes are made….. down-sizing, outsourcing, cut-backs, layoffs, and so on; we are the Last one hired and the First one fired or Let go!

Let's analyze our own city and county. Who holds the top positions in our local banks? Our Real Estate businesses are of one ethnicity. Our major non-bank financial institutions are of this same group. Our major Insurance Institutions are of the same dominant group, and the list could go on and on…..

Let's analyze the terms race and ethnicity when used by society. Frankly speaking these concepts are the deciding factors set forth when jobs are being filled. In my opinion the terms mean grouping certain demographics together to identify people that fit certain descriptions. Such descriptions are; privileged, second-class citizens, equal or unequal, majority and minority.

These concepts should be important only to identify the different races that make up the local community and U.S. society and to signify or identify those who may be in need of basic means for survival. Our country and local community should not allow discrimination because of people’s skin color. People should be accepted because of the content of their character and their abilities to be productive citizens. Should the opportunity never present itself, the entire community misses out.

I am clearly against any particular race or ethnic group dominating everybody else. Unfortunately this is the circumstance on hand. Even those of the same group who do not particularly agree with the status quo, should they take no stand against racism will be giving a thumbs-up to the perpetrators.

As some of you know at our recent local 31st NAACP Freedom Fund Banquet, I was appointed Interim President by our dedicated President for the last 14 years, Dr. John D. Marshall. I will completely assume the position after the local members vote at our next meeting, May 21, 2007. The first and second Vice Presidents will also be named and I will ask the current secretary and treasurer to retain their positions. Once this is completed, I will release our agenda in the Sumter Observer next edition.

In the mean time, I want our community to think about three things; One, if you are not a registered voter, you need very badly to become a REGISTERED VOTER; Two, if you are not a MEMBER of the NAACP, you need very badly to become a member of the NAACP; Three, 2008 will be an ELECTION YEAR, we can start a change in America's history, if every eligible minority (poor people in general) vote. As so called second-class, unequal citizens; if you vote, that will be the time when you are just as important as anyone else, regardless of race or class.  "FAN THE WINDS OF TIME WITH YOUR VOTE AND MAKE A CHANGE IN YOUR LIFE, COMMUNITY AND THE WORLD."

White people just don’t get it.  You can see by my photograph for this column that I’m one of them, so I ought to know.  It’s painful how racist and bigoted we are.  How we make jokes, like Don Imus, and then make excuses.  But the blind, everyday slips are even more difficult to swallow. 

I’ve got a couple of examples from the work place that were brought to my attention recently.

In a small office of a loving non-profit, only one African American is employed.  Of all the men and women working there, she is the one who cleans the bathrooms, vacuums the floors, washes the dishes, and empties the trash.  Once when this employee took a week-long vacation, the white people in the office truly seemed to be at a loss when the paper shredder jammed because no one had emptied it.  The trash cans were overflowing.  There were no clean coffee cups.  As the situation reached a crisis, one of the white employees finally stepped in and did some office cleaning.  Another said, “I don’t understand what you’re doing,” referring to the fact that those menial tasks were to be done only by the African American employee.  White people just don’t get how offensive that is.  You can’t pay anybody enough to cover up the stench of it. 

When the chair of the personnel committee came for a visit, and this office racism was pointed out, the chair said, “That African American gets paid to do that extra work.”  White people just don’t get it.

It’s inevitable in an office setting that there will be personnel issues, and the need for an office manager to take care of employee questions, schedules, and assignments is a real one.  But white people just don’t get it.  We want to pretend that racism is over and done with, but then a supervisor is heard to say, “We are bringing in a white man to straighten out this office.”  I won’t go into how offensive that is to women because I’m talking about racism. 

Since when did white men learn how to be saviors?  Last I knew, even from the skewed history books I read in school, they were the ones who got us into wars; they were the ones who intentionally gave blankets laced with small pox to the Native Americans; they were the ones who stole Africans and sold them into slavery; they were the ones who designed the atom bomb and destroyed Hiroshima and Nagasaki.  Why would anyone think a white man could straighten out an office?  White people just don’t get it.

I thank God for The Americus-Sumter Observer and for the unbelievable honor I have of writing a monthly column.  I am humbled.

White people just don’t get it. 

In our previous article we introduced you to the meanings of "garden" and "cultivate". This article will get you started in developing your own home or community garden. Let us first go back over those definitions. A "garden" is a "plot of ground where herbs, fruits, flowers, or vegetables are cultivated". And "cultivate" means "to prepare or prepare and use for the raising of crops".

If you see a beautiful well kept garden, you can be sure that it was not the work of a "mystery god". Someone did some real work and obeyed some laws of Nature. In the Nation of Islam we say that we strive to do everything "right and exact". We also say that we are "Muslims" which means to submit our will to the will of Allah (God).

The rules of this artificial world require you to do something to get money, then you give that money to someone else who provides the food for you. As long as you obey the rules of this "system" you get fed. However, someone behind the scenes still had to understand and obey the laws of Nature to get that food produced for you. By living in cities on concrete we have been divorced from the direct contact with Nature and her laws, even though Black people were the first to understand those laws and produce the science of agriculture.

It is unfortunate that the enemy has tricked us off the land, stolen our science of agriculture and left us completely dependent on him for the necessities of life that we could get for ourselves directly from creation if we so choose. In these articles we will help those who choose to go back to the root of civilization which is agriculture, so taught the Honorable Elijah Muhammad, and live a healthy and independent life.

We at Muhammad Farms bear witness that as long as you obey or submit to the laws of Nature, pay attention to the seasons and do everything as close to right and exact as you can, you will be blessed with the bounties of God's creation. There are a few rules that we have learned: 1. Every living thing acts intelligently within the bounds of its nature (except maybe the so-called American Negro), 2. You must pay attention to and respond properly to weather conditions, 3. You must grow your crops within its proper season, 4. You must look at your crop or plants at least every other day, 5. After you see the condition of your crop or field and have the latest weather predictions, you must act immediately, if necessary, and do everything "right and exact". Mother Nature is a cruel teacher. If you disobey or are lazy, she will shut you down, flat.

First of all, plants must have ample sunlight, water, nutrients and space. You must find a piece of land or space that gets full sunshine for at least 6 hours per day. You must have a way to water your plants. If you don't have fertile soil, you will have to bring in new soil.

Before we go into more specifics, we must emphasize the proper location. In general, city people pay little attention to the sun and the shadows caused by their house or trees. Therefore, we find that many people who have a problem with their plants have not checked to see if the plants are getting ample sunlight. Just because the sun shines on your plants at high noon does not mean that they are getting sunlight in the morning or afternoon.

Western propaganda portrays the Ancient Egyptians as worshiping many gods such as Ra (the sun), Nu (water), Min (rain), Tefnut (moisture), Amen (hidden water), Shu (air), Seb (earth), Nut (sky), Khensu (moon), Tehuti (intelligence), Set (dryness), Hapi (the Nile River), Ma'at (balance) and the list goes on. However, there is a difference between "worship" and "respect". To understand and follow the laws of Nature which these principles or "neters" represent would be wise. However, the ignorant mind of a savage conqueror could easily mistake such reverence and obedience with worship.

First of all, the so-called Egyptian did not call their land Egypt but Kemit. Kemit means black. When the Arabs conquered Kemit they called the science which they saw them practicing, "chemistry" or the "science of the Blacks". Kemit's wealth was based on agriculture and her source of strength was the Nile River. Each of these so-called gods was really a "neter" or law of Nature. Each temple or university was dedicated to study a particular set of theses "neters" or principles.

In a recent article published in the Final Call Newspaper by Bro. Robert Muhammad entitled "The Black Man and the Real History of Flight" it was pointed out that the Ancient Egyptians or Kemitic people knew the principles of flight and even built model gliders. Programs on the "History Channel" are bringing to light more of the ancient technology of Kemit that others have previously been given credit for such as ball bearings, steam engines, astrolabes and clocks. They even now admit that Egyptians had the wheel long before the intrusion of the Hyksos invaders. In future articles we will go in more detail about Ancient Egyptian agriculture.

Yesterday as today, different universities compete and brag on which school is the best. However, in the scheme of life on this planet, all of the principles or neters must function properly and in balance for life to continue. The Black community is divided, out of balance and poor. As a future farmer or gardener you will learn that you must understand and obey these neters or principles and balance your time to obtain success.

Let us begin with Ra, pronounced "ray", the sun. Before the discovery of nuclear energy, all energy on this planet was derived directly or indirectly from the rays of the sun. Plants, through a process of photo synthesis, transform the light or rays of the sun into chemical compounds such as proteins, fats and starches. Animals eat the plants to obtain their nutrient and energy needs. Humans can chose to eat the power of the sun directly from the plants or indirectly and less efficiently from the animals that eat the plants.

Plants can capture and transform about 10% of the sun's energy that reaches our planet. Animals eat the plants and retain only 10% of the energy taken from the plants. This is why to obtain the same amount of energy it is more efficient to get it directly from the plants instead of indirectly through eating animals.

In the past, agriculture was a net producer of energy but now it is a net consumer and dependent on the stored energy of fossil fuels. In the past the sun gave energy to the plants. Humans and animals turned the plants into the energy needed for them to do the work of tilling the soil to produce crops. The agricultural lands would then produce more crops than the humans or livestock on that land needed to eat. The balance was then sold outside of the farm producing "profit". This is why Benjamin Franklin stated that there are only three ways to produce wealth: 1. conquer it, 2. steal it or 3. plant a seed.

The White man has perfected the first two methods of conquering and stealing. We hope to help you plant a seed. If you have questions or comments, hit "Contact the farm manager" on the front page of www.MuhammadFarms.com.

By George E. Curry

NNPA Columnist

In all 13 aspects of life, ranging from security to obtaining medical care, conditions have grown worse in Iraq since the U.S. invaded the country four years ago.

That’s the conclusion of a survey of 2,212 Iraqis conducted by ABC News, USA Today, the British Broadcasting Corp. (BBC) and ARD, a German television network.

As U.S. officials attempt to mark the fourth anniversary of the war this week by projecting an overly optimistic view of life in Iraq, more than half of the residents of the country say they try to avoid walking by public buildings because of their fear of suicide bombings, they stay away from markets and crowded places and except for the largely independent Kurds in the North, are not optimistic about their future.

The opinion poll recently released is extremely valuable because traditionally, Americans measure progress, or the lack of it, by how many of its soldiers are killed or maimed in war. This survey tells the story of the war from the perspectives of the people most affected—the Iraqis themselves.

“When I go out, my family calls me every five minutes or whenever there is an explosion—there are many—to see if I am still alive. It’s worry, worry all the time,” Zaid Hisham, a 29-year-old Shiite engineer told USA Today. “You can’t see your future, and you can’t even try to put an outline for your future.”

A majority of residents say life is better for them than before the invasion, though that margin is slipping. By a margin of 43 percent to 36 percent, Iraqis said life was better than before the invasion. In November 2005, the margin was 51 percent to 29 percent.

As optimism fades in Iraq, U.S. public opinion has turned against the war, largely because of initial claims that weapons of mass destruction, the pretext for going to war, proved to be false. More than 3,200 U.S. troops have been killed and spending is approaching $500 billion, with predictions that it could exceed $1 trillion. Initially, almost 75 percent of Americans supported the invasion. The latest public opinion surveys show that opposition to the war is now at 60 percent.

In Iraq, the U.S. presence is being viewed almost as much of a problem as it is a solution. According to the poll of Iraqis, 44 percent say U.S. or allied forces have been involved in unnecessary violence nearby.

Most do not feel safe.

“I don’t feel safe, even at my home,” Munaf Mahmood Lafta, a Sunni taxi driver, told USA Today. “My brother was taken from his house by people wearing Iraqi commando uniforms. That was on Jan. 12, 2006, and we don’t know where he is even now. My mother died from her sadness. So where is the safety you speak about? No safety at all and no security, not in our neighborhood, nor in my house.”

Public opinion in Iraq is not universal, varying by religious and ethnic affiliations.

Kurds, 15 to 20 percent of the population concentrated in the North, report the fewest problems, according to the survey. Shiites, who are about 60 percent of the population and suffered the most under Saddam Hussein, are hopeful, and Sunni Arabs, about 15 or 20 percent of the population and favored by the former dictator, expressed the most desperation, according to USA Today.

Followed by a weekend of anti-war protests, Iraq received increased attention this week as the House of Representatives considers measures to cut funding for the war and set a firm pullout date of Sept. 1, 2008. A $124 billion spending bill under consideration would appropriate $95.5 billion for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Even if it passes the House, the measure is not expected to be approved by the Senate.

Recently, Bush ordered 21,000 additional troops to the troubled war zone. He said: “It can be tempting to look at the challenges in Iraq and conclude that our best option is to pack up and go home; while that may be satisfying in the short run, the consequences for American security would be disastrous.”

However, Democrats, who regained control of Congress largely because of voter dissatisfaction with a seemingly intractable war, feel pressured to change the course. Still, they are reluctant to move boldly for fear of being portrayed as not supporting combat troops. Just how they react to Bush’s threat to veto any bill that would establish a pullout date may well determine whether they win back the White House in the 2008 election.