Black men who are Muslims shouldn’t be weak willed and feel they need to become “imitation extremist Arabs” in order to be sufficiently Muslim. Genocidal, jihadist Arab nationalism has nothing to do with the black experience in America. I note black Muslims like Malcolm X and Muhammad Ali, while vocal opponents of racism at home and abroad, never advocated crime or terrorism. Running around beheading people means we have a Negro who blew a fuse and thought he was living an overseas YouTube video.
Alton Nolen seems to be the poster boy for what can be kindly described as “confused Muslim brothers” who embrace that faith and take on an identity (and an agenda) not their own. Black Muslims in America are known for patrolling inner city streets trying to stop violence, not murdering unarmed women. I hope that black Muslims will loudly denounce Nolan for being a psychopath, instead of quietly disagreeing with his actions. When I was Muslim, it was with the clear understanding that I was an American Black man, not an Arab or an African, and thus I was not obligated to support agendas contrary to America’s national security.
Also, the racism I saw from some Arab immigrants, and an active global slave trade selling black people, bears witness to this fact. American black Muslim brothers know this fact all too well, as some Arabs often refuse to respond when given the Muslim greeting, move away from blacks at prayer time, or use inner city stores as fronts for criminal activity.
“Jihad Crow” is what I call this seldom discussed bias. Perhaps liberals will one day hit the streets protesting it.
This case promises to pit Left and Right against each other. Responsible black men, Christian, Muslim or otherwise, must help confused brothers whose response to racism is reaching across the ocean for a medieval mindset which brings not justice but death in its most primal, terrifying form. Most brothers who are Muslims fall into the Malcolm X/Muhammad Ali camp, and like these two giants, should also oppose confused brothers waging war on fellow Americans.
Speaking of waging war on fellow Americans, the religious pedigree of crack dealers and gangs I call “chocolate Klansmen” is overwhelmingly not Muslim, or even Christian by their actions. Responsible brothers, Muslims included, have this enemy to confront too, just in case anyone thought I was bashing a particular religion.
I couldn’t hate Muslims while also admiring Malcolm X and Muhammad Ali.