MILLARD K. IVES
AMERICUS-SUMTER OBSERVER

INDIANAPOLIS - Mmoja Ajabu has moved from panther to preacher. He was once the commander of the Black Panther Militia in Indiana, burned the American flag, was called one of the most destructive forces influencing race relations in Indianapolis and was reluctant to embrace the philosophy of nonviolence. But he's laid down his rifle for the bible - adding the latter is more powerful weapon, especially for a prophet. "My experiences teach me that people have a problem seeing prophecy when the prophet is carrying an AK-47," said Ajabu, now a minister of Social Concerns with the Light Of The World Christian Church in Indianapolis. . "The people's sight is much clearer when they see the prophet with a Bible. People run to the Bible where as they run from a gun."

Ajabu said people run to the Bible where as they run from a gun. "I don't deny my history, but I do not let my history jeopardize my future. My future is definitely with trying to follow the example of Jesus the Christ," he said. And as the Black Panther Party nears its 42nd anniversary next month, he said the question that the New Black Panther Party has to ask itself is whether the bearing of a rifle is the best weapon to implement the change it seeks in America.

"The rifle gives one a very narrow audience who is open to influence. The Bible gives one a much larger audience who is seeking that prophetic voice," he said.

Ajabu admits he hasn't always been an admirer of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.'s philosophy that protest should be peaceful. But that has changed - he now refers to King as a brave man who has taken his rightful place in history.

"His nonviolent position was developed because he and his leadership had concluded that white folks treated black folks as less than human because they did not know any better," he said. When Ajabu came back from his tour of duty in Vietnam, he thought more along the lines of Malcolm X, and his support of him has not wavered. " Malcolm was one of those that was demonized by America because he took issue with Dr. King's non-violent philosophy. Malcolm has his proper place right beside Dr. King in history. It was because of Malcolm, the Nation of Islam, Student Non-violent Coordinating Committee; Deacons for Justice, Black Panther Party, The Black Liberation Army, just to name a few, that America decided to deal with King. America didn't really love King. If it did, it wouldn't have killed him. But if you look at the chronology of history America killed off or neutralized all the above name groups and even more before they neutralized Dr. King.

Unfortunately, Dr. King was the tool that America used in order to be able to neutralize these other organizations and their adherents because America saw Dr. King as the lesser of all of these so-called evils. Once these greater so-called evils were eliminated or decimated to irrelevance then the country went after King himself. Yes, I love Malcolm. He like, Dr. King, like Emmett Till, Matt Parker, Medgar Evers, Jesus Christ, and a host of others gave their lives so we might have better lives. How can I not love him?"

A black man, Barack Obama is now president, and blacks have made significant gains since the 1960s when the Black Panthers were founded. But Ajabu while calling the Black Panthers Party, and the New Black Panther Party could still be relevant today. " You have to understand that the Black Panther Party and The Black Panther Militia were two different organizations. The Party was just that, an armed political party. The Militia was a military organization that took part in the politics of the nation. The original Party and the Militia are basically lying in the annals of history.

The New Black Panther Party is heard of here and there. I haven't heard from them lately. All of these different factions were born to address the racial, social, and economic ills that existed in America," he said. "The election of President Barack Obama did not eliminate those ills. Some try to say that because Barack Obama was elected as President of America this has made life in America post racial. Nothing could be further from the truth." He cited the Skip Gates' arrest as an example of the type of behavior that people have to endure just because they are Black.

"I understand that the arrest was more complicated than a simple race issue, but for the life of me I think Gates, being of African descent, was a major factor why that man got arrested in his own home. If the New Black Panther Party, under the leadership of Malik Shabbazz, is addressing these issues then for sure their voice should be heard," he said.