SECTION 1
FAMILY, MORALITY, AND PUBLIC POLICY
The Root of
America's Suffering
"Racism is the result of white supremacy as an
ideology. Those poisoned by this ideology and philosophy can never
give freedom, justice and equality or human rights to those who are
non-White. In truth, they can never give true freedom, justice and
equality even to those who are White. As a philosophy, white supremacy
must die in order for the principles of freedom, justice and equality
to live. The institutions under girded by this philosophy and the
institutions poisoned by this philosophy must be purified in order
that human beings can truly enjoy full human rights." 5
The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan states:
America is clearly suffering, and from my vantage point, America
lies on her deathbed in dire need of guidance and a new direction.
If you examine her vital signs, you will have to agree that they
show America is steadily on the decline.
The root of her suffering is basic immorality and vanity, where
greed, lust and inordinate self-interest have become a way of life.
When the desire for the realization of self-interest becomes
excessive, the first causality in this struggle is ‘truth’.
The leaders in this society, in their struggle to achieve
inordinate self-interest, engage in hiding the light of truth from
the American people. 6
Throughout the 20th Century, we witnessed the
disintegration of the family unit as the basic pillar of society. The
impact of world wars, industrialization, urbanization, and the
sequential rise in structural alienation of family life have resulted
in the devastation of millions of people and families.
The egalitarian principles embedded in the
Constitution of the United States have not been equally applied to all
the people who have labored and sacrificed in an attempt to make the
American dream a reality. The nightmare of white supremacy and
institutionalized racism, coupled with unfair economic policies, have
prolonged poverty and social despair amidst the strongest sustained
economic boom in the United States during the last fifty years.
Black American families, Latino American families,
Native American families, Asian and Pacific Islander American
families, Arab American families, and White American families are
suffering. The immorality of the tolerance of inequity and poverty is
at the root of families suffering in America.
The moral imperative is to demand justice for all
families and to challenge the systemic causes of the suffering of
families and communities.
The following are some of the major issues in the
national public policy debate concerning family and morality:
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Social welfare reform to ensure family stability |
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Welfare to Workfare |
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Family violence |
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Early childhood pre-school preparation |
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Early childhood development, support, and protection |
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Support and protect grandparents and other family
caregivers |
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Support for single mothers with dependent children |
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Immigration discrimination |
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Social Security benefits |
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Racism and economic inequity |
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Language, ethnic, racial, and cultural discrimination |
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Literacy and multi-lingual education |
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Respect for Native American tribal rights concerning family |
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Legislation supporting drug-free families and communities |
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Equal access to continuing education for all family members |
Immorality, vanity, greed, lust, avarice, deceit
and failing to affirm the oneness of God and humanity all result in
disobedience to the will of God which is the ultimate root of America’s
suffering. Blacks, Natives, Hispanics, Asian and Pacific Islanders,
Arabs, and White Americans, as well as others all have suffered. Our
families should atone, reconcile differences, and take responsibility
to make the new millennium, the millennium of freedom, justice and
equality for all.
Atonement:
A Prescription For Moral and Spiritual Renewal
If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves
and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will
I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their
land.
—II Chronicles 7:14
The root of the
problem in America is spiritual, necessitating a spiritual solution.
(The president) should call for a convening of the spiritual
leadership to spearhead a moral rejuvenation among the American
people. Representatives of all races and all faiths should be brought
to Washington, D.C., to hold conferences with (the president) and
government leaders toward the aim of developing programs for building
the values and moral backbone of America, and for building better race
relations...
...A convening of the spiritual leadership with the leadership in
government is a first step towards building the country’s moral
backbone. The central problems we should focus on are the basic value
of human life, greed, criminal behavior and the treatment of women. It’s
the mistreatment of women that is the first act of criminal behavior
in the society. 7
Atonement is the seeking of forgiveness and
guidance from Almighty God. The process of atonement includes the
recognizing of the wrong, acknowledging the wrong, confessing to it,
repenting from it, atoning for it, forgiving, reconciling and perfect
union with Almighty God. Please note, however, that the process begins
with recognition. Do we recognize the value of human life?
All life is created by God. The human family is
blessed by the grace of God to strive for improvement and progress
amidst a society and world gone mad with injustice and inequity.
Disobedience to the righteous and just will of God has rendered our
families vulnerable to exploitation and oppression.
Atonement is the prescription for moral and
spiritual renewal. Black, Hispanic, Native, Asian and Pacific
Islander, Arab, and White American families should engage in the eight
steps of Atonement.
Eight Steps of Atonement
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Someone must point out the wrong
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Acknowledgment of the wrong
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Confess the fault; first to God, then to those offended
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Repentance; a feeling of remorse or contrition or shame for
the past conduct which was wrong and sinful
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Atonement; meaning to make amends and reparations for the
wrong
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Forgiveness by the offended party; to cease to feel offense
and resentment against another for the harm done
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Reconciliation and restoration; meaning to become friendly
and peaceable again
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Perfect union with God
Atonement in the political sphere is also
necessary. Too often public policies are legislated and codified
without regard to the impact on the social condition of Black,
Hispanic, Native, Asian and Pacific Islander, Arab and White
Americans. Family life in America will be enhanced, as outlined above,
through the eight steps of atonement. Morality in public policy serves
the common good for all families and communities.
Million Family March
Declaration of Family Bill of Rights and Responsibility8
I. All families have the right to
self-determination. Concurrently, all families have the responsibility
to seek and secure moral and spiritual wellness of all of its members
and the wellness and healing of the community in which they live.
II. All families have a right to a livable income
to attain and maintain decent shelter, food, clothes, exposure to the
arts and cultural integrity but also the responsibility to seek
self-help, self-determination and shared responsibility for
eliminating poverty and economic inequities.
III. All families have a right to live in safe,
caring, drug free, and crime-free communities, but also the
responsibility to foster public safety and sharing of resources.
IV. All families have a right to quality health
care but also the responsibility to practice good health preserving
habits such as proper diet, exercise and emotional well-being.
V. All families have the right to participate in
the political process locally, nationally and globally. Concurrently,
families have the duty to help govern themselves through informed
voting, organizing, supporting and providing community-focused
leadership in and outside of the family.
VI. All members of the family have a right to be
free from physical and emotional abuse and also the responsibility to
protect family members who are unable or ill prepared to protect
themselves; assure governments that are sensitive and accountable to
families and humanity.
VII. All families, irrespective of race, class or
circumstance, have a right to live and work in unpolluted and
environmentally safe communities, but also the responsibility to
practice environmentally safe living habits and to respond to efforts
to address environmental inequities in their communities; and to
promote sustainable family and community development.
VIII. All families have a right to be free from
inequities and discrimination based on immigration status, race,
ethnicity, gender, age, and religion but also the responsibility to
internally and externally resist prejudice and bigotry.
IX. All families have a right for their children to
be justly, truthfully and humanely educated, but also the
responsibility to work for and demand these human essentials while
supporting their children and the schools that serve them.
X. All families have a right to a just criminal and
civil legal system, that restores and compensates the victims of
unjust acts of laws and practices but also the responsibility to serve
responsibly on juries, to demand that law makers are accountable to
challenge or support those who challenge the death penalty,
prosecutorial misconduct, inequities, unjust sentencing and inhumane
prison conditions; and to seek restitution for families victimized by
government sanctions and discrimination.
Notes:
5. Statement
from The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan, Convener of the Million
Family March 2000, January 4, 2000.
6. Minister
Louis Farrakhan, A Torchlight For America, FCN Publishing, 1993,
Chicago, Illinois, p. 1. 7. Minister
Louis Farrakhan, A Torchlight For America, FCN Publishing, 1993,
Chicago, Illinois, p. 96-97. 8. Rose
Sanders, Esq., The Selma Alabama Voting Rights Museum, December 4, 1999. |
