Malcolm X

Here is a man who is forgotten, then remembered briefly and forgotten again. Malcolm X has inspired me since I was young with his sense of purpose, his language which exceeded in it's ability to chastise, and likewise to persuade, and exalt; and his keen and heavenly consciousness of the world around him. The world has changed since it murdered him.

This society takes the life of it's own helper, and what do we then do with the situation we have abandoned ourselves to? This is a question I ask often in meditation and during prayer. It is a question which has been troubling me especially for the past months. I keep wishing he were still with us, or that someone would replace him. All things considering, who would want that job?

Read his autobiography. Every American should read his book. I just bought it a second time so that I can read it again. Also, listen to his speeches. You can find a few of them on the web. It is interesting to listen to a fascinating speech near the end of his life in which he calmly acknowledges his enemies in the audience and then discusses unity of purpose among religions.

In thinking about Malcolm's death, the following quotation from the Bahá'í writings comes to mind as I look at my neighborhood and my society and see people who some times have little hope or vision guiding their lives:

O MOVING FORM OF DUST!
I desire communion with thee, but thou wouldst put no trust in Me. The sword of thy rebellion hath felled the tree of thy hope. At all times I am near unto thee, but thou art ever far from Me. Imperishable glory I have chosen for thee, yet boundless shame thou hast chosen for thyself. While there is yet time, return, and lose not thy chance.

Here is a passage from some of the final pages of his autobiography:

True Islam taught me that it takes all of the religious, political, economic, psychological, and racial ingredients, or characteristics to make the Human Family and the Human Society complete.

Since I learned the truth in Mecca, my dearest friends have come to include all kinds--some Christians, Jews, Buddhists, Hindus, agnostics, and even atheists! I have friends who are called capitalists, Socialists, and Communists! Some of my friends are moderates, conservatives, extremists--some are even Uncle Toms! My friends today are black, brown, red, yellow, and white!

I said to Harlem street audiences that only when mankind would submit to the One God who created all--only then would mankind even approach the "peace" of which so much talk could be heard...but to which so little action was seen.