Who’s Policing the Police?

On July 22, 2010, the community of Stockton held the first “Who’s Policing the Police” meeting to address police brutality, racial profiling, and the need for an independent oversight of the excessive use of force by Stockton Police. Attendee’s included community leaders, activists, concerned citizens and the grieving parents of Joey Pinasco who was shot and killed by two California Highway patrol officers.

“We are not trying to reinvent the wheel we are simple here to ask that the police department follow their own mission statement,” said Motecuzoma Sanchez, a victim of police brutality. Sanchez with the SoJust Coalition, a group demanding more police oversight and an Iraq veteran proclaimed that as a former Marine, military personnel had more accountability than police officers in civilian neighborhoods.

“Absence of action will leave us victims, they will not hear us until we start taking action,” expressed Steven Payan from Sacramento who told about an April 2009 incident where a Latino was shoot in the back of the head after being stopped by three police officers in Woodland, CA. Emilio Mataka of Grayson, CA stressed the importance of citizen knowing their rights when stopped by a police officer.

Mr. and Mrs Pinasco told of the August 24, 2008 shooting of their 21 year old son Joey Pinasco Jr. killed by two California Highway patrol officers. Joey Pinasco, Jr. had no criminal record and was unarmed when the two California Highway patrol officers emptied their guns and reloaded their weapons after shooting more than 20 times, six of the shots were to Joey’s head. According to Mr. and Mrs Pinasco, police refuse to talk to eyewitnesses of the shooting.

Luis Magana, a local activist and affiliate of the American Friends Service Committee devoted to service, development and peace programs throughout the world shared his experience of being arrested by four different police agencies. In one specific incident Magana was arrested in connection of a missing young lady. According to Magana, he was taken to a park in a police car where a police officer then held a gun to his head and demanded that he (Magana) show his immigration card. Mr. Magana also told of a recent crime in Stockton where five men were shot and two were killed and said that police were tying it to gang activity. “I know the families for years; it is unfair how the police are charging this case as gang related.”

Photo: Who’s Policing the Police meeting, L to R – Bro. Brian Muhammad, Interpreter, Luis Magana

“There are people from various cities all over California that have been abused by the police, if this movement grows the police will have no choice but to answer the phone.” stated Brian Muhammad the Nation of Islam’s Student Minister for the Stockton Study Group. Many issues of concern were presented in the meeting such as the normalization by youth of Stockton being the 2nd most violent city in the country, Cop Watch and inmates dying in prison.

“The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan said that dissatisfaction brings about a change,” shared Christopher Muhammad the Nation of Islam Student Minister of Muhammad’s Mosque in San Francisco, CA, “if you don’t get up you sentence your children to the same hell. You present the beginning of a global movement. You have power but you don’t have power by yourself. Law enforcement is running amuck, unchecked. Seventy-five percent of the city’s budget is paying for police and the fire department. You have power but you don’t have power doing nothing.”

Less than twenty-four hours following the “Who’s Policing the Police” community meeting in Stockton, California James Rivera, Jr. age 16, was shot and killed by the Stockton police. According to Stockton police, Rivera matched the description of a person wanted for a carjacking at gunpoint the day before. A far cry from guilty, “matching the description” is nothing more than “racial profiling” to Black and Latino men in America. Following a pursuit witnesses say that the Stockton police rammed the vehicle driven by James Rivera, Jr. into a triplex housing unit. Though the vehicle was apparently lodged into the complex and was not easily removed, the two officers and a sheriff's deputy claimed that they opened fire because they believed the vehicle driven by Rivera was moving back toward them.

A week after the killing, a City Council meeting was held where an overflow of news media and Supporters gathered in the halls of the 1st and 2nd floor carrying signs that protested the killings of James Rivera, Jr. and Joey Pinasco, calling for an investigation of the shootings and chanting “No Justice, No Peace”.

During the City Council meeting witnesses and neighbors expressed anger and believed that excessive force had been used by the Stockton police with no regards to the community. Citizens were given two minutes to go before Stockton’s Mayor Ann Johnston and the City Council to make their statement and some even stating that they too had been victims of police brutality in the city of Stockton. There has to be someone who has the courage to stand up, something has to be changed,” declared Mrs. Pinasco, “You (City Council) have the power to make a change.”

“We are here to support James Rivera’s family,” stated Adriana Lewis (Joey Pinasco’s sister), “until your loved one is killed by law enforcement will you see and know of the corruption that exist. We ask that you (City Council) stand up and do what is right, stop ignoring us.

For more information on Joey Pinasco visit the Justice for Joey website @ http://www.joeypinasco.com/.

(Theresa X, a Latina in the Nation of Islam Stockton California Study Group, - email: noilatina@gmail.com, blog @ http://searchknowledge-theresa.blogspot.com)

Latinos are a part of the Original Family

Originally printed in the Final Call News @ Latinos are a part of the Original Family - Apr 23, 2008

“Time dictates agenda. When you know the time, you know what must be done. What must be done is the agenda. It is predicated upon a good understanding of the time. If you don’t know the time, or do not believe in the understanding given of the time, then you will not adopt the right agenda. And if you do not adopt the right agenda, then surely man is in loss.” --The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan, from Time Must Dictate Our Agenda!

Latinos in the Nation of Islam are blessed to see past the black label associated with the teachings of the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad and hear the universality of the teachings through the guidance of the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan.

Due to the lack of knowledge of who we truly are, we have accepted and associated ourselves to many “labels” that have generally served to divide the Original family. “Latino” and “Hispanic” are labels commonly used though not always understood. As Latinos, we are the children of Indigenous and African ancestry. We are Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Columbian, Ecuadorian, Belizean, Chilean, and more. Our families are native to America, Mexico, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean. As so-called Latinos we come in all complexions, we appear to be Indigenous, Black and even Caucasian. We were given the language (Spanish), the names (Torres, Martinez, etc.) and the religion (Christianity, Roman Catholicism) of the Spanish conquerors.

As students of the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan, Latinos have found great healing in learning the truth about God and who we truly are, members of the Original Family of the planet, along with Native Americans and Blacks. Through the teachings of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad we have been empowered to change the reality of our lives and now have the ability to fill the spiritual void that for some was once occupied by self-hatred, abuse of ourselves and others, drugs, alcohol and gangs.

We have learned that it is the knowledge of self that we lack which keeps us from enjoying freedom, justice and equality. As Latinos and Blacks we have unique experiences but we suffer many of the same ailments such as the inability to love ourselves. According to the Honorable Elijah Muhammad, “This is one of our gravest handicaps. This not having love for self is the root cause of hate (dislike), disunity, disagreement, quarrelling, betraying, stool pigeons and fighting and killing one another.”

For many, Islam has come when all else failed.  The life giving teachings have been fundamental in not only keeping us alive but transforming us into citizens that our families and our people can truly be proud of.

In August 2007, I had the opportunity to go on a 15 day Mxodus Tour traveling to three states in Mexico: Veracruz, Tabasco and Chiapas. Of all the great Mexican history I witnessed on the tour, the history of the Olmec civilization and the 19 Olmec heads discovered in Veracruz, Mexico was the most profound. The excavated Olmec heads are megalithic facial sculptures with African features, made of basaltic stone, weighing up to 20 tons and measuring from about 8 to 12 ft in height. My journey to Mexico was an awakening and a bearer of witness to the divine teachings of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad.

In an article titled, “Ancient City Found in Mexico” by Stefan Lovgren in the National Geographic dated January 26, 2007, he states, “Archaeologists have unearthed a city in central Mexico that is more than 2,500 years old and was influenced by the ancient Olmec culture. Creators of a pioneering written language and calendar, the Olmec are generally regarded as the first advanced civilization in Mesoamerica, the region stretching from central Mexico to eastern Honduras” The Olmec are often called the mother culture of Mesoamerica. They flourished during the so-called formative period of the region’s history—about 1200 B.C. to 400 B.C.”

During this time of tension between Latinos and Blacks it is critical that we understand our ancestral connection. There is money to be made in division between Latinos and Blacks, a people who have been robbed of the knowledge of self. “At the beginning of 2008, the U.S. has more people in prison than any other country. 2.3 million U.S. adults were incarcerated, and 50 states spent $49 billion on corrections in 2007. And for the first time in history, more than one in every 100 American adults is in jail or prison, and 1 in 9 black males is behind bars.” (Pew Center Report)

What will the U.S. prison system look like when Latinos and Blacks wake up? How would it feel to accept our own and be ourselves, to be free from self-hate and the inferiority complex that impedes our development? What would our communities look like if we Latinos, Blacks, and Native Americans knew our historical connection and embraced each other as family instead of enemies?

Knowing our history as Original people could save our lives and the lives of our children. It could influence how we view ourselves and each other. It is only through the unity of the Original family that the blood shed of our people will come to an end. Today, we must free our children from the fear of violence and premature death; and allow them to develop their minds so that they may be the leaders of tomorrow. The time has come to wake the sleeping giants, for we owe it to our children to Will them an estate of knowledge, the knowledge of who we truly are.

“In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful. Consider the time, for by the time surely man is in loss, except those who believe and do good, and enjoin one another to Truth, and enjoin one another to patience.” --Holy Qur’an - The Time 103:1-3

(Theresa X, a Latina in the Nation of Islam Stockton California Study Group, - email: noilatina@gmail.com,  blog @ http://searchknowledge-theresa.blogspot.com/)

Islam: Behind the Propaganda

"It is a man, a voice and a truth that is capable of quickening to life the inner voice, the spirit, the essence of Allah (God) in man. This quickening to life and this process of heeding truth and right guidance is the process that brings about a transformation in the Believer. As you know, mere belief counts for nothing except that it is carried into practice. This phase of our development is designed, by the help of Allah (God), to bring about a transformation or complete change in our lives. Our self-improvement actually brings into fruition the awesome power of Allah (God) to “make complete his (our) whole make.”(Holy Quran 75:4)” - The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan Study Guide Opening Letter

In an interview with Larry King on CNN, Bill Maher was asked if he thought that Islam was a religion of peace and Maher responded by saying, “sure it is, a piece here and a piece there” referring to suicide bombings. Maher’s response void of integrity was preceded with laughter, but was nothing more than the common propaganda used by individuals seeking to ignite hatred and fear and attempting to destroy the image of Islam.

It is important to note that Islam is the only religion associated to individuals who commits acts that are not rooted in the religious doctrine and principles, by media and politicians. It is equally important to point out that at the root of the propaganda lays a sense of entitlement and the need to fulfill and justify unspoken agendas. So, it is in the spirit of truth, and giving credit where credit is due that I am inspired to speak against the false accusations of Islam, the religion I have come to embrace and appreciate.

As a child, I was raised in the Catholic Church, completing the rituals of Conformation, Baptism, First Holy Communion and given the name Marie. During my experience, I recall asking why the Saints that we (Latinos) prayed to and worshipped for various causes and illnesses were Caucasian (White) and was told “you must never question God”. As a youth, I was later introduced to the Baptist, Pentecostal, and Inter-Denominational religions but throughout my life though I believed in God, something very vital was missing, for I remained powerless to the pain and insecurities that drove me to self medication and self destruction. While questioning God was not an option, I learned that God was to blame for everything bad that happened to me, “God was punishing me”. Since I did not always believe that I deserved God’s punishment, I concluded that I was born to suffer and that there was no apparent way out of the misery that made life unworthy of living and could not see that I was my worst enemy.

In my twenties, I was introduced to Islam through the teachings of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad as taught by the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan. For several years I listened to Minister Farrakhan’s lectures on How to give Birth to a God, Male/Female Relationships and many other lectures via audio cassettes and videos. The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan’s words became the penicillin that would remove the pus from my heart. Though I had never heard of Islam and did not see myself in the Nation of Islam given the “Black” label that I did not understand and did not perceived to include me; I could not deny the impact that Minister Farrakhan’s words were having on my life.

As a student of the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan, I was introduced to God; a God whose relationship I could strengthen by prayer, study and duty. I learned that empowerment and development began by attaining the knowledge of God and Self and that our basic needs are within our reach. Through the teachings I learned that sickness and disease were not only associated to our lifestyles and behaviors but also to the types and amounts of food that we ate. Islam restored my sense of self worth and confidence, I discovered and embraced the power of my femininity which had been oppressed by a world that does not value and respect women. I came to realize and appreciate my beauty, not by the European standard that had produced an inferiority complex but by God’s supreme standard of which we are all created, and I learned that inter-beauty is a reflection of how we perceived our outer beauty.

Through Islam I learned the importance of forgiving and that having the ability to forgive myself and others would released me from the pain and paralyzing affect that is created by holding on to anger, bitterness and regret. I learned that I was not qualified to judge my parent’s but was required to honor them with no prerequisites and accept that all parents do the best that they can do. Today, I understand that difficulties and trails are a part of life that all must confront and that unity and wanting for my Brother/Sister as I want for myself are demonstrations of love that can only be extended when we have the knowledge and love for God and Self.

Islam resurrected the spirit for learning in me, despite the fact that I once did not like to read and had never read a book in its entirety. In Islam, we are encouraged not to be blind followers or students, but to think, be studious and develop our mind and spirituality through reading, studying, and research. As a result, I came to value reading and education, and was inspired to go to college as a single mother not only to improve and develop my condition but also the lives of my children. In my quest for knowledge, though I have earned several degrees through a Master of Science, I consider myself a life time student, and respectfully recognize that there is no degree that I could ever attain that could compare to what I was given in Islam by the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan through the teachings of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad. Islam is much more than a religion of peace, it welcomes one into a universal family, in which you can be who God intended you to be. Islam is a way of life, it has the ability to empower change, take a broken man or woman and make them whole, where they no longer have the ability to justify being their own worst enemy.

Inclosing, propaganda as defined in the dictionary: “information, ideas, or rumors deliberately spread widely to help or harm a person, group, movement, institution, nation, etc.” will never change truth or the impact that Islam has had on lives throughout America and the world. It is imperative that we are in search of knowledge and truth, and that we do not entrust the development of our mind and opinions to the diluted propaganda of media and politicians who do not have our best interest in mind.

“He who gives the diameter of your knowledge prescribes the circumference of your activity.” - The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan

(Theresa X, a Latina in the Nation of Islam Stockton California Study Group, - email: noilatina@gmail.com and blog @ http://searchknowledge-theresa.blogspot.com)

Absolute Deception

“For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea. Woe unto him that giveth his neighbour drink, that puttest thy bottle to him, and makest him drunken also, that thou mayest look on their nakedness!” Habakkuk 2:14-15

As a Latina, of Mexican ancestry I found it interesting to read an article some time ago by Mark Stevenson (Associated Press) untitled, “Vodka-maker Absolut apologizes, ends ad showing California, Texas as part of Mexico.” According to Stevensons, Absolut apologized for an ad campaign depicting the southwestern U.S. as part of Mexico amid angry calls for a boycott by U.S. consumers.

Understanding the damaging effects that alcohol had on my life as a youth and every generation in my family, I looked closely at the U.S. consumers threats to boycott Absolut and forcing them to apologize for a 1830s-era map instead of their contribution to alcoholism that extends beyond the Mexican community. According to Raymond Goldberg author of Drugs Cross the Spectrum, no drug in history has had as much impact on the United States or the world as alcohol. Nearly 700,000 Americans receive alcoholism treatment on any given day. Alcohol related mortality is greater for Black and Hispanic men than for White and Asian-American men. An estimated 15%-30% of all nursing home patients are admitted because of permanent alcohol-induced brain damage. Alcohol affects every organ in the body and the life expectancy of an alcoholic is reduced by 15 years.

In a 2008 eMedicine article untitled “Alcoholism” it stated, “Physicians encounter alcohol-related cirrhosis, cardiomyopathy, pancreatitis, and gastrointestinal bleeding, as well as intoxication and alcohol addiction, on a daily basis. Alcoholism is also associated with many cancers. Wernicke encephalopathy and Korsakoff psychosis are also important causes of chronic disability as well as dementia. Fetal alcohol syndrome is a leading cause of mental retardation. In addition, accidents (especially automobile), depression, dementia, suicide, and homicide are important consequences of alcoholism. Alcohol use is the third leading cause of preventable death in the United States (after smoking and obesity). Annually, 85,000 deaths are attributable to alcohol at a cost of $185 billion. Almost half of these deaths are attributable to alcohol-related injury. Four percent of the global burden of disease is attributable to alcohol. Worldwide, alcohol is responsible for a percentage of a number of conditions, as follows: Cirrhosis-32%, Motor vehicle accidents-20%, Mouth and oropharyngeal cancers-19%, Esophageal cancer-29%, Liver cancer-25%, Breast cancer-7%, Homicide-24%, Suicide-11%, Hemorrhagic stroke-10%.”

Most are ignorant to the destructive contribution that alcohol has to health, family, and society. And as a result, some parents’ role model alcoholism as way of life while celebrities are paid to advertise the false pleasures attained in alcohol that encourage our youth to drink.

“Alcohol affects the different regions of the brain in different ways. In the Cerebral cortex part of the brain where thought processing and consciousness are centered, alcohol depresses the behavioral inhibitory centers, making the person less inhibited; it slows down the processing of information from the eyes, ears, mouth and other senses; and it inhibits the thought processes, making it difficult to think clearly. In the Cerebellum part of the brain: Alcohol affects this center of movement and balance, resulting in the staggering, off-balance swagger we associate with the so-called "falling-down drunk." The hypothalamus and pituitary coordinate automatic brain functions and hormone release. Alcohol depresses nerve centers in the hypothalamus that control sexual arousal and performance. Although sexual urge may increase, sexual performance decreases. The Medulla handles such automatic functions as breathing, consciousness and body temperature. By acting on the medulla, alcohol induces sleepiness. It can slow breathing and lower body temperature, which can be life threatening. Short term, alcohol can cause blackouts, short-term memory lapses in which people forget what occurred over entire stretches of time. The long-term effects on the brain can be even more damaging.” (Stephanie Watson, How Alcoholism Works)

The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan teaches that the human brain produces certain hormones and chemical that give pleasure, help us bear pain, survive grief and the loss of loved ones. According to Minister Farrakhan, “God knew that He created life with the purpose of struggle and it is only through struggle that we attain to the greatness of character that cause us to be a reflection of God. So, in the struggle of life there are disappointments and there are chemicals in the brain that can help us bear the pain of disappointment. Drugs have been introduced into the society to take the place of God, the peace that belief in God can give and the strength that faith in God can give to allow every human being to handle the most difficult situations in their lives. It is the lack of faith in God, the lack of trust in God that allows us to put our trust in things. So, man’s trust is in drugs, man’s trust is in guns, man’s trust is in the things that cannot really give peace, as a result, suicide, AIDS, and all manner of disease and destructive behavior is now plaguing human beings.” (Million Family March, The National Agenda)

Given the damaging effects of alcohol it is vital that we understand why a central nervous system depressant was made a legal drug. It is only through knowledge that we can begin to stop self medicating and sentencing ourselves and generations to come to a life of pain, misery and death. As for the 1830s-era map used by Absolut to market vodka in Mexico the only reason that they were forced to remove it and apologize was because it displayed a part of Mexican history that included the states of California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Nevada, Colorado, Utah and Wyoming once belonging to Mexico. It appears that U.S. consumer’s prefer to keep Mexican’s intoxicated so that we can remain a sleep to the knowledge of who we are, what has been taken from us and what is going on around us today.

“There is much misunderstanding among us because of our inferior knowledge of self. The lack of knowledge of self is our main handicap.” -The Honorable Elijah Muhammad

(Theresa X, a Latina in the Nation of Islam Stockton California Study Group, - email: noilatina@gmail.com and blog @ http://searchknowledge-theresa.blogspot.com)

Como Comer Para Vivir: El remedio para las emfermedades y una solucion para el alto costo del cuidado de salud en los Estados Unidos

“ Los insensatos, a causa del camino de su rebellion y a causa de sus maldades, fueron afligidos. Su alma abomino toda vianda. Y las puertas de la muerte. Mas clamaron a Jehova en su angustia y llegaron hasta salvolos de sus aflicciones. Envio su palabra y curolos y librolos de su ruina. Alaben la misericordia de Jehova. Y sus marabillas en bien de los hijos de los hombres”. Salmos 107:17-21

A la edad de 13 anos, fui diagnosticada con Asma y Fiebre. Asma es una inflamacion cronica de las vias respiratorias caraterizadado por episodios donde se obstruyen las vias respiratorias. Las manifestaciones clinicas incluyen respirar con dificultad tozer y falta de aire. En el 2004 los casos o problemas de Asma fueron de 13.6 millones de visitas al Doctor, 1.1 millones de visitas al hospital, 1.8 millones de visitas al departamento de emergencies y 497,000 hospitalizaciones. (CDC National Center for Health Statistics@www.cde.gov)

Los efectos del Asma requirieron que tomara medicina diariamente e injecciones semanalmente y que faltara frecuentemente a clases. En una ocacion recuerdo haber tenido un ataque de Asma, me sentia como si estuviera respirando a travez del ojo de un alfiler, tenia tanto miedo que se me acabara el aire antes de llegar al hospital. Despues de recibir tratamiento para los pulmones e injecciones, mi madre de regreso a casa me dijo, “espero que te encuentres un hombre que te pueda mantener”, era ovio que el hecho de tener Asma se habia hecho un problema financiero. Despues de 11 anos con Asma y un estilo de vida que contribuia a mi mala salud, empece una dieta rigurosa y comia solo una vez al dia.

Poco despues, conoci a un companero de trabajo quien introdujo las ensenansas del Honorable Elija Muhammad asi como lo ensena el Honorable Louis Farrakan, El me dijo que comiendo una vez al dia era lo mejor para mi, y aunque ya habia alcansado mi peso deseado continue comiendo una vez al dia, deje de tener o experimentar ningun problema con el Asma y la fiebre.

El Honorable Elijah Muhammad ensena que nosotros deveriamos comer una vez al dia o comer cada tercer dia y que eso prolongaria nuestra vida, El dijo “no piensen que van a morir de hambre” por el contrario estaran ustedes dandose vida, y una vida sin enfermedades. raramente se enfermarian comiendo de esta manera, al comer una vez al dia o cada terce dia no deveran de comer nada entre comidas, y deveran de tratar comer siempre a la misma hora manana a la que comieron hoy, no cambie la hora de la comida si puede evitarlo, eso ocasionaria que tu estomago pida comida a diferentes horas del dia y llenaria tu estomago con gas. No tome jugos, leche o sodas entre las comidas, y no coma dulces o frutas entre las comidas, puede tomar agua pero yo se que no quedran tomar mucha agua puesto que tu estomago no la pedira. Pueden tomar café entre las comidas, pero no llenen la taza con la mitad de azucar y leche y luego el café. Como comer para vivir, libro1

Cuando me embarace despues de cinco anos de comer una vez al dia. Yo tome la decision de comer tres veces al dia para asegurar que mi bebe recibiera la nutricion adecuada. Al mes o mas de comer tres veces al dia yo tuve un ataque de Asma y tuve que ser llevada a la sala de emergencia. Durante la examinacion el Doctor me pregunto cuando habia sido el ultimo ataque de Asma y que estava haciendo para controlarlo. Le dije al Doctor que habia estado comiendo una vez al dia por varios anos y eso me habia curado del Asma. El Doctor me pregunto “que cambio” yo le dije que como estava enbarazada habia decidido comer tres veces al dia para asegurar que mi bebe recibiera la nutricion adecuada.

Para mi sorpresa el Doctor pregunto, “si tu sabes que fue lo que controlo tu a Asma porque volviste a comer tres veces al dia?. El Doctor me explico que no podia darme medicina para mi Asma pues podia danar a mi bebe y me animo para que siguiera comiendo una vez al dia. El Doctor me dijo que como mi cuerpo ya se habia acostumbrado a comer una vez al dia el bebe tendria toda la nutricion necesaria. Me quedaba claro que este Doctor de cuidados de emergencia entendia que las cantidades y tipos de alimentos que comemos estan asociados con las enfermedades.

Han pasado 19 anos desde mi incidente en el cuarto de emergencia, mi hijo nacio saludable y no he vuelto a tener otro ataque de Asma desde entonces.  Refleccionando jamas olvidare las palabras de mi madre “Espero que te encuentres un hombre que te pueda mantener”. Yo creo que la esperanza de mi madre fue contestada a travez del Honorable Ministro Louis Farrakan, El me dio las ensenanzas del Honorable Elija Muhammad, El mensajero de todos. El Ministro Farrakan es un magnifico ejemplo de la fuerza de sanacion que se encuentra en “Como comer para vivir”, la llave para mi vida libre de Asma. En este tiempo cuando mucha jente no tiene trabajo ni aseguranza medica, Como comer para vivir es vital y puede ser provisto para lograr una vida saludable.

El impacto que el Asma a tenido en nuestra salud y calidad de vida y la economia permanence considerable. En el 2005, un estimado de 32.6 millones de personas fueron diagnosticado con Asma durante su vida, 22.2 millones de personas ahora han sido diagnosticadas con Asma, 12.2 millones de personas experimentan un ataque de Asma en el ano anterior y cerca de 4,000 Americanos mueren de Asma. (www.cdc.gov)

“Come para virvir y no para morir, porque como comas determina las dos cosas—te mantiene vivo o te mata.”- El Honorable Elijah Muhammad, Como comer para vivir - Libro 1

(Theresa X, Una latina en la Nacion del Islam Stockton California grupo de studio - email: noilatina@gmail.com, traducido por: Sandra Muhammad, Compton, CA)

May 1st Immigration Reform March - Stockton California

“And if a stranger sojourn with thee in your land, ye shall not vex him. But the stranger that dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself; for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.” - Leviticus 19:33-34

A crowd of more than two thousand gathered May 1, 2010, in Stockton, CA, for the Immigration March. The crowd of men, women, elderly, teenagers, and children marched down streets, chanting, waving flags, wearing t-shirts with messages and carrying signs. "We work hard” and "Boycott SB1070" were just a few of the many signs seen. Like hundreds of thousands of protestors who gathered throughout the country, Stockton protestors gathered at McKinley park and walked 3.5 miles on El Dorado Street to Eden Park calling for immigration reform and protesting the SB1070 law signed by Arizona’s Gov. Jan Brewer two weeks prior to the May 1st Immigration March that is not only unconstitutional but also encourages and legalizes discrimination and racial profiling against immigrants or anyone thought to be an immigrant.

Songs were sung and stories were told of hardship and dedication. Stockton’s immigration march was organized by Luis Magana, a local activist and affiliate of the American Friends Service Committee devoted to service, development and peace programs throughout the world. Event organizers welcomed and thanked supporters and encouraged marchers to sign their names and contact information for future communication on upcoming events.

Stockton’s march received support from the Nation of Islam’s (NOI) Stockton Study Group. David Muhammad, the NOI Stockton Study Group Student Captain, worked with the march organizers to provide FOI (Fruit of Islam) security for the march. According to Brother David, the march turned out to be a very peaceful event and the NOI was commended by the Stockton Police department for the excellent security provided by the FOI.

At the Eden Park rally held after the march, Brother John X and I (Sister Theresa X) who attend the Stockton Study Group were invited to share a few words. As Latinos in the Nation of Islam, it is very important that our message in Spanish and English be shared with protesters and supporters. It is essential that the Latino community regardless of which side of the boarder we were born know that we are one family despite the many labels we are given to discourage unity.

Brother John X also encouraged attendees to ask when doing business where companies are based out of and to boycott any business based out of Arizona such as U-haul and U.S. Airways. And to be aware of those who hide behind religion but in reality do not want for their Brother or Sister what they want for themselves, which is demonstrated in their behavior.

As the Original Indigenous people of God, no one accept God will be able to stop our rise. The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan said that we (Mexicans) would one day get back all that was taken from us. Will we be prepared? Will we get pass the differences that we judge each other by? The Honorable Elijah Muhammad taught that our unity is like an atomic bomb. It is important to understand that we are living in a time that God is going to force us to unite or die.

It is also crucial that we not only rise and unite one day a year but every day of the year for justice and remember that justice for one is justice for all. We must never practice divide and conquer or “I am better mentality” based on the country we were born in, language we speak, our economic status, or what we may call ourselves (Mexican, Latino, Chicano, Hispanic, Mexican American, Cuban, Puerto Rican, etc.) because today in 2010 we are a law away from learning just how alike we truly are.

“The May 1st march is the second largest movement in the city of Stockton, this year it was much larger since we began marching against civil rights and immigration reform. MECHA and the Black Student Union marched this year and expressed that this is an issue that is relevant to Black people as well as Brown people,” stated Brother Tommie Muhammad, NOI Stockton Study Group.

It seems that the timing of the SB1070 law signed in Arizona was no coincident and that it directly correlated with the May 1st immigration march. The SB1070 law requires authorities to question people about immigration status if there's reason to suspect they're in the country illegally. Opponents of the SB1070 law fear that legal immigrants and U.S. citizens will be unjustly harassed by police for looking Hispanic. The SB1070 law is currently being explored by other states and be assured that the reaction of the Latino community at large is also being observed. Will we the Original men and women of God (Latinos) accept laws that discriminate against us or will we stand up for justice and unite, fearing no one but God?

Now is the time to watch not only the Latino politicians that we have voted into office but all politicians. Who do they represent, who is in favor of justice, since justice for one is justice for all? When recently asked, “What an illegal immigrant looked like,” Arizona’s Gov. Jan Brewer was unable to provide a description. Regardless of the labels we chose to identify ourselves with we must never believe that the SB1070 law signed in Arizona could never be implemented in other states. It is important that we remember history and the fact that history has a way of repeating itself; we don’t have to go back to far in U.S. history to remember what was done to Japanese U.S. citizens.

(Theresa X, a Latina in the Nation of Islam, from the Stockton California Study Group - email: noilatina@gmail.com)

How To Eat To Live: A remedy for sickness and a solution for the high cost of health care in the U.S.

“Some were sick through their sinful ways, and because of their iniquities suffered affliction; they loathed any kind of food, and they drew near to the gates of death. Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress; he sent forth his word, and healed them, and delivered them from destruction. Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love, for his wonderful works to the sons of men!” - Psalms 107:17-21

At the age of thirteen I was diagnosed with asthma and hay fever. Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the airways characterized by episodic and reversible airflow obstruction and airway hyperresponsiveness. Clinical manifestations include wheezing, coughing, and shortness of breath. In 2004, asthma accounted for 13.6 million doctor visits, 1.1 million hospital outpatient visits, 1.8 million emergency department visits and 497,000 hospitalizations. (CDC National Center for Health Statistics @ http://www.cdc.gov/)

The effects of asthma required me to take medication daily, get injections weekly and miss school frequently. On one occasion, I recall having an asthma attack and feeling as though I was breathing from a pin hole, I was so afraid I would run out of breathe before making it to the hospital. After receiving lung treatments and shots my mother drove me home and told me, “I hope you find a man that can afford you.” It was apparent that having asthma had become a financial burden to my parents. After eleven years with asthma and a life style that contributed to bad health, I went on a “crash” diet eating once a day to lose weight.

Shortly after, I met a coworker who would introduce me to the teachings of Honorable Elijah Muhammad as taught by the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan. He told me that eating one meal a day was best for me and though I had reached my desired weight and knew nothing about the teachings of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad or Islam, I continued to eat one meal a day. And after about two years of eating one meal a day I was no longer experienced any problems with asthma or hay fever.

The Honorable Elijah Muhammad taught that we should eat one meal a day or one meal every other day, and it would prolong our life. He said, “Do not think that you will starve. On the contrary, you will be treating yourself to life, and a life filled with sickless days. You can hardly get sick eating this way... In eating once a day or once every other day, you must not eat between meals. And, you should try to eat at the same hour tomorrow as you eat today. Do not change your meal hours if you can help it. That causes your stomach to react to various hours of the day for a meal, and will set up gas on the stomach. Do not even drink juices, milk, or soft drinks between meals. And, do not eat candies or fruits between meals. You are welcome to drink water, but I know you will not want too much water between meals since your stomach will not call for it. You may drink coffee between meals, but do not fill your cup with half sugar and half cream and pour coffee on top of that.” - How to Eat to Live, Book 1

When becoming pregnant after five years of eating one meal a day, I made the decision to eat three meals a day to ensure that my unborn baby would receive the proper nutrition. Within a month or so of eating three meals a day I had an asthma attack and had to be taken to the hospital emergency room. During the examination, the doctor asked me when I last had an asthma attack and what had been doing to controlled it. I told the doctor that I had been eating one meal a day for several years had cured me of asthma. The doctor asked me, “What changed?” I told him that as a result of being pregnant I had decided to eat three meals a day to make sure my baby was receiving proper nutrition.

To my surprise, the doctor asked, “If you know what worked to control your asthma, why would you go back to eating three meals a day?” The doctor explained that he could not give me asthma medication because it could harm my baby and he encouraged me go back to eating one meal a day. He (doctor) said that since my body had become accustom to eating once a day my baby would get the nutrition needed. It was clear to me that this emergency room doctor understood that the amounts and types of food eaten were associated to disease and illnesses.

It has been nineteen years since this emergency room incident, my child was born healthy and I have not experienced an asthma attack since. As I reflect, I will never forget my mother’s words, “I hope you find a man that can afford you.” I believe my mother’s hopes for me were answered through the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan; he gave me the teachings of The Honorable Elijah Muhammad, the Messenger to us all. Minister Farrakhan is a true example of the power and cures found in How to Eat to Live, the key to my asthma free life. At a time when many people do not have jobs and medical insurance, How to Eat to Live is vital and affordable to all in achieving a healthy life.

Asthma’s impact on health, quality of life, and the economy remain substantial. In 2005, an estimated 32.6 million people had been diagnosed with asthma during their lifetime, 22.2 million people currently were diagnosed with asthma, 12.2 million people experienced an asthma attack in the previous year and nearly 4,000 Americans died of asthma. (http://www.cdc.gov/)

“Eat to live, and not to die, because how you eat does both -- it keeps you here, and it takes you away.” - The Honorable Elijah Muhammad, How to Eat to Live, Book 1

(Theresa X, a Latina in the Nation of Islam, from the Stockton California Study Group - email: noilatina@gmail.com)