Farrakhan speaks in Accra, Ghana [1994]

WHY?: As Ghana [prepares for Pres. Obama] I can't help but think of this time Louis Farrakhan visited Ghana in 1994, almost a year before the Million Man March. In my lifetime, Minister Farrakhan has been one of the most prolific agitators for broad black unity, "God created us in tribes, but the process is 1) Tribe, 2) Nation, 3) International Community." Question is, are we primarily concerned with building international fronts to combat western world domination [like Ecuadorian Pres. Correa suggested], or is that secondary to the concerns of our local "tribes" [as we've been discussing here]? One commenter even said, "we West Africans already know these things Farrakhan is talking about."

It seems there's a disconnect here. You could say that the tribal structure of black Americans is much weaker than those of Africans elsewhere in the diaspora and on the continent. In fact, I hear many black Americans wondering if, in 2009, their tribes are in fact weaker than they were in the early 70s, for example. From Black Panthers to Bloods and Crips, from Brown Berets and Young Lords to Latin Kings. How can nations be built on weak and/or dysfunctional tribes? So should the approach be the same? Does Farrakhan's speech to Africans have the same meaning for African-Americans? Should it? In 2009, Farrakhan is much quieter than ever. So you gotta wonder, has his strategy (a priority-"ratio" that encourages broad unity over tribal concerns) been rejected, or are folks just quietly going about the business of preparation? Or has the Nation Of Islam proceeded, without the "weaker"/disorganized tribes of black Americans, to build international connections? What's your ratio? In your daily life do you prioritize issues concerning broad unity, or do you prioritize local/tribal concerns? Parts 1+2, after the continued.