On the National Mall, a radiant Minister Farrakhan made the case for justice for the Black, Brown, Indigenous, poor White, and suffering masses of America.
He early on thanked the gatherers for honoring him with their presence, and God for everyone that decided to answer the call to demand Justice or Else.
He also expressed great pleasure to be a part of such a great showing of the aboriginal people of the earth, and he particularly addressed the suffering of the indigenous people.
He said the Native representatives, donned in their native dress, weren’t like going to a football game with the Redskins.
“They are not here as some mascot. They are here because they are the original owners of this part of the earth and we honor them with the honor that they are justly due,” Minister Farrakhan said.
“Their suffering in their land is very great, so all of those who cry for justice, no cry is greater than those who have suffered the most, and those who have suffered the most are the indigenous people, not only of America, but of the Western hemisphere and those of us who were brought into America, not as pilgrims, not as Puritans, not seeking another way of worship, but in the holes of ships to be made the burden bearers of the real citizens of America,” Minister Farrakhan stated.
He said it is hypocritical for Blacks to say they are citizens and try to get civil rights while at the same time they are denied the human right to self-determination.
He paid special honor to the youth who were present and vowed, “We know who you are, and we will not forsake our duty to you.”
He continued, “There are some elders that are not worthy to pass on the legacy of their cowardice to our young people. Our young people will not listen to those made in America, made by America, and want to bow down in America to that which has given them hell.”
They are looking for fearless leadership that cannot be bought, but is willing to sacrifice its life to see a better future for their children, he said.
Minister Farrakhan asked Black men and women to clean up their language, and particularly to stop referring to other women as a b—-ch. “You are not the second self of man alone. You are the second self of God, and as the second self of God, any man that would disrespect a female is an enemy of God, because she is the greatest gift from God to man,” he said.
“No female is after a dog. Every female is after God. So all of you Black men that like to use such words, pull it out of your tongue before your tongue is pulled out of your head,” he warned.
During his highly-anticipated address, Minister Farrakhan issued a call for justice against mass incarceration, failing education and political systems, sex trafficking of women and girls, and of course an end to police and street killings.
He championed the spirit and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther, King, Jr. Dr. King evolved and was not a dreamer, he said. “He was a great revolutionary thinker like his brother, Brother Malcolm (X),” he continued.
Minister Farrakhan also spoke to some of his detractors, particularly the group espousing long-refuted rumors that he had something to do with the murder of Malcolm X.
“Let’s deal with it! … Do you know any murderer that White folk don’t like that that they could pin a crime on, and he’s still standing here, speaking with his foot deep up in their backside,” Minister Farrakhan rhetorically asked.
He demanded, “From this sacred place, we ask that the FBI reveal, open up all the files on Brother Malcolm X. Don’t redact a damned thing and let the people see what really happened to Brother Malcolm!”
“See they’re killing me with you through media, and some who claim to know Malcolm and if I could get close to you and show you that you don’t love him as much as you say,” he continued.
By the time the program for #JusticeOrElse commemorating the 20th Anniversary of the Million Man March began at 10:00 a.m., a crowd already into the hundreds of thousands continued to grow.
This, despite a media whitewash, negative press when mainstream outlets could no longer resist and haphazardly mentioned it, and a heavy campaign of attacks and false rumors designed to turn or keep people away from the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan and the historic gathering.
Right wing, conservative and so-called independent media drove the hateful narrative that Minister Farrakhan had called the march to incite violence against Whites, but every moment of the march proved them wrong.
“There was so much love there. There’s so much love. There’s so much love in the community, but what most people see is just the violence,” said Sharlene Stewart of Brooklyn, NY. She attended Justice or Else to honor her son Nicholas Walton, who was gunned down on Feb. 4, 2014 while waiting for a cab in his community by God knows whom, she said.
She was among dozens of grieving families who attended the march.
As Reverend Jamal Bryant, pastor and founder of Empowerment Temple, asked attendees to welcome the families of loved ones killed in aggressive violence by aggressive, militarized police forces, men, women and children marched onto the U.S. Capitol steps and in front of the speaker’s podium, many with their fists in the air.
They wore red garments, t-shirts and caps, some or all of their gear displaying photographs of their sons, daughters, husbands and wives.
“Peace and love,” said Michael Brown, Sr., father of Michael Brown, Jr., who was slain by former Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson. “The families just want to thank everyone for all the support. We just want to thank Farrakhan for inviting us here, and we gotta begin to start showing love between each other,” he said, before he let out a sigh.
When media asked how many people were expected, Student Minister Ishmael Muhammad, Minister Farrakhan’s national assistant told them success does not depend on numbers.
“But God called a million men 20 years ago and you can see by the crowd that is gathered here today that there is one man in America that can make a call and all of us answer that call. It is the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan,” he stated.
“He is the representative of Christ and he is the representative of God to a wicked nation,” he continued as the gatherers erupted into applause.
Minister Muhammad emphasized people didn’t go to Washington, D.C. to hear from a civil rights leader or some politician. They traveled far and wide to hear God’s man demanding justice from America.
“And if America refuses to hear God’s call through the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan there will be more Hurricane Joaquins. There will be more tornadoes and earthquakes. It is time for America to know that God is present,” Minister Muhammad warned.
Really, the call for Justice or Else and the people’s overwhelming response was one effected by almighty God himself, Minister Farrakhan said the following day as he spoke to an over-capacity leadership gathering at the Marriott Marquis.
Before concluding the leadership meeting, he asked scholars, community leaders and college students who can organize to help by giving their talent, time and expertise to help implement the National Agenda as part of next steps in the Justice or Else movement.
He gifted every person present, adults and children alike, with a copy of “The National Agenda 2000-2008.” It was first presented during the Million Family March in 2000.
The document, a Public Policy Issues, Analyses, and Programmatic Plan of Action, is the result of gathering the input of tens of thousands of Blacks engaged in the day-to-day struggle on local, regional, national and international levels. Their input was translated into policy recommendations with accompanying action recommendations.
Photos by Shakir Muwwakkil